An alphabet is a standard set of letters (basic written symbols or graphemes) which is used to write one or more languages based on the general principle that the letters represent phonemes (basic significant sounds) of the spoken language. This is in contrast to other types of writing systems, such as logographies, in which each character represents a word, morpheme or semantic unit, and syllabaries, in which each character represents a syllable.
A true alphabet has letters for the vowels of a language as well as the consonants. The first true alphabet is believed to be the Greek alphabet, which is a modified form of the Phoenician alphabet. In other types of alphabet either the vowels are not indicated at all, as was the case in the Phoenician alphabet (such systems are known as abjads), or else the vowels are shown by diacritics or modification of consonants, as in the devanagari used in India and Nepal (these systems are known as abugidas or alphasyllabaries).
There are dozens of alphabets in use today, the most common being the Latin alphabet (which was derived from the Greek). Many languages use modified forms of the Latin alphabet, with additional letters formed using diacritical marks. While most alphabets have letters composed of lines (linear writing), there are also exceptions such as the alphabets used in Braille, fingerspelling, and Morse code.
Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until September 2006. A Spanish-dubbed version first aired as part of a Nick en español block on NBC Universal-owned Telemundo through September 2006; since April 2008, this version of the program has been carried on Univision as part of the Planeta U block.
Dora, the main character, is an eight-year-old girl who embarks on a trip in every episode in order to find something or help somebody. She asks the viewers at home to help her find new ways to reach places with the help of Map. She also teaches viewers Spanish, introducing them to short words and phrases.
Dora has a positive view of the characters she meets, failing even to hold a grudge against the mischievous fox, Swiper, who continually attempts to steal items from her party. She acts against villains only when it seems that compromise is impossible, and even in these cases, fails to display actual anger. She gives others a chance to try their hands at tasks even when she herself might have an easier time with them. Dora values her family, whom she loves openly, though she spends little time indoors at home with them. She tries to introduce her traditions and customs, subtly and without compulsion, to those who are not familiar with them.
Erwin Wagenhofer (* 27 May 1961 in Amstetten) is an Austrian author and film director.
In 1981 he presented his first short film Endstation normal. Two years later his short film Das Loch was shown at the Kraków Film Festival. From that year until 1987 he worked as a directing and camera assistant for several ORF productions as well as for movies and documentaries. Since 1987 he is a freelance author and film director. In 1988 he portrayed the artist Oswald Oberhuber in Das Fragmentarische in der Kunst.
From 1995 to 2000 he taught at Donauuniversität in Krems. Since 2002 he has been teaching at Universität für angewandte Kunst in Vienna. Since 2001 he completed several scripts for movies and documentaries.
In 2005 Wagenhofer directed the long documentary We Feed the World, produced by Allegro Film. It is about industrialization of food production and shows international agricultural politics from a critical viewpoint, especially with regards to the role of the EU. The film was seen by more than 800,000 people in Europe. It was shown at numerous festivals and won several prizes. In October 2008 his next documentary Let's Make Money was released in Germany and Austria. It is about money in a global financial system and unequal distribution of wealth. He won the German Documentary Film Prize in 2009.
Late at night
Cloudy white
Will creep
Over my old house
And the chair
Where i once sat
Someone new is there
And he'll stare
At the wall
And we're all parts
Of an alphabet
We spell new words
At new spots we're at
And the big, round
Blue boat drifts
Around in the dark
When you feel like a jerk
Does it make you confused
Like how
You could you become
As awesome as you are
And still feel like a loser
When you feel ugly and petty
Awkward and unsteady
Please try not to forget
There's so many people
That liked you
And i hope
That the art school
Enjoys your big
Drawing of ruin
We've all got
Good things to do
And it's good
When we do them
From Austin to Brooklyn
They're all smart
And good-lookin'
They're all parts
Of an alphabet
Spell new words
With new folks we met
And the big, round
Blue boat drifts
Around in the dark
And the big, round
Blue boat drifts
Around in the dark
And they say
That we'll drift
For awhile 'til we die
And the sun hits a spiral
It's a combination lock
And i'm just hopin'
That i'll get it open
And these joys
And frustrations
Are just turns
We put them in the park and we told them to hold on tight
Let go of them, let go of them, let go of them
'Cause you are their night
The ones that holy eyes will chase
And just the right height
Struggling as always
And we were just across the road
Now that you're colder, now that you're colder
So sick to death of the sight of you now
Safe to say never wanted you more
And you asked for one more go
So sick to death of the sight of you now
Safe to say never wanted you more
And you asked for one more go
'Cause you are their night
The ones that holy eyes will chase
And just the right height
Struggling as always
And I was just across the road
We put them in the park and we told them to hold on tight
And I was just across the road
And now that you're colder, and now that you're colder
So sick to death of the sight of you now
Safe to say never wanted you more
And you asked for one more go
And she had the answer
She had the answer
'Cause she's lying on the road
And now she's lying on the road
So sick to death of the sight of you now
Safe to say never wanted you more
And you asked for one more go
And she had the answer
She had the answer
'Cause she's lying on the road
And now she's lying on the road
And I was hoping on a good day that you'd be fine
And I was hoping on a good day that you would be fine
I was hoping on a good day that you would be mine
I won't sing your algebra
I won't sing your alphabet
I won't sing anything
I won't sing hilarious
as I hum uhh huh [Repeated to melody]
I won't sing your algebra
I won't sing anything
uhh huh
I won't sing hilarious