Introducing FOCUS - Powered by MeisterLabs

Introducing FOCUS - Powered by MeisterLabs Sometimes, it feels like there are an innumerable number of things that divide us. Even at work, there seem to be a hundred big and small issues that cause friction â€"miscommunications, misunderstandings and mismatches. Bad prerequisites, wrong assumptions and ill-conceived goals. It is those things that keep us from focusing on the stuff that truly matters, and from reaching our shared goals, together. So we at MeisterLabs are on a mission. A mission to give workers the tools and the knowledge they need to overcome friction at the workplace, and instead unite their skills, creativity and brainpower to achieve truly great things. You already know our products: MindMeister,  an app to help you visualize, develop, and share your ideas. And  MeisterTask,  a solution to help you turn those great ideas into reality, together. Introducing FOCUS After MindMeister and MeisterTask, we’re now introducing FOCUS   a small piece of virtual real-estate which we’ve picked to be the new base of our mission. Here we will share knowledge, experiences, tips, and stories from real people their successes as well as their failures. A place where you can come to get inspired, learn from others, and find solutions to the struggles your team faces. Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together. â€"  James Cash Penney So here’s what you can expect to find on FOCUS: No fluff, no shady link-building, no content for content’s sake. Instead: high-value, evidence-based, honest articles, written with the purpose to help you work together more effectively. Meet the Voices of MeisterLabs We’re real people, with real opinions, values, and knowledge, but also real struggles, pet peeves and weaknesses. Each one of us was hand-picked because we bring something special to the table. The Content Team Meet Olivia Jardine As MeisterLabs’ communications manager, Olivia works on all things content, partnerships and PR. Before joining in July 2016, Olivia worked in marketing and communications in her hometown of London, for a government project on getting women into STEM. Outside of work, Olivia is a fan of tech for good projects, expanding her vinyl collection and dachshunds. You can connect with Olivia on LinkedIn! Meet Raphaela Brandner As MeisterLabs’ marketing and content manager, Raphaela creates everything from tutorial videos to newsletters and from blog posts to website copy. Before joining the company  in August 2013, she worked as an editor and ghostwriter in the publishing industry. Raphaela loves everything science, and cares very much about animal rights and secularism. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter. The Founders Meet Michael Hollauf Michael is the co-founder and Managing Director of MeisterLabs. Before founding the company with Till in 2007, Michael worked as Product Marketing Director at knowledge management specialist Hyperwave, living in Munich for three years and subsequently in London for a further five years. Michael holds an advanced engineering degree in Telematics from the TU Graz and currently lives outside of Vienna with his wife and three kids.  You can add him on LinkedIn or drop him a line on Twitter. Meet Till Vollmer As  Michaels co-founder, Till has built MeisterLabs from the ground-up. While Michael focuses on the front-end, Till  oversees MindMeisters and MeisterTasks IT architecture, as well as being in charge of sales, finance and operations. Previously, he,  too, worked at Hyperwave, where he held various positions, from Developer to Global Presales Director. He currently lives in Munich with his wife and twin daughters. You can get in touch with him on LinkedIn  or Twitter. Guest Contributors We’ll be inviting a number of experts, thought-leaders, researchers and writers to join us in our mission to improve collaboration and productivity among teams worldwide. If you have valuable insights that you’d like to share on FOCUS, please read our guest contribution guidelines  before submitting your article idea. We look forward to this exciting journey with you. Subscribe now to never miss an article.

St. Lucy s Home For Girls Raised By Wolves Is A Short...

St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves is a short story written by Karen Russell. The short story tells a fable about three sisters who were originally born and raised by werewolf parents and a werewolf associated community, and how they were sent to a school in order for them to become more civilized, thereby, they were considered as outcasts. The narrator of the story happens to be the second of the three sisters, Claudette. Claudette says, â€Å"They had ostracized the local wolves by having human children† (Russell 238). This quote illustrates that Claudette is implying that their parents were considered as outcasts in their own community for giving birth to children that look nothing like werewolves and look more like humans instead. The girls were sent to St. Lucy’s, because the nuns said they would teach them how to act like humans and become â€Å"Naturalized citizens of human Society† (Russell 238). The girls’ parents felt it was a good idea for the girls to learn how to behave as humans in order for them to be able to coexist in both the human community and the werewolf community. However, the short story operates as an allegory about the importance of being able to live in a society and know its expectations, as well as an allegory that emphasizes the tragedy of what is lost when one eventually gets acquainted and conforms to modern societal norms and expectations. Firstly, the short story speaks strongly about what the expectations that is required from someone

The Dream Of The American Dream - 1096 Words

Throughout life everybody has heard the line â€Å"Follow your dreams!† This simple sentence has inspired many. This idea of creating a dream and chasing it has inspired the American Dream. The American Dream is different for everybody. It could be getting married, creating a business, or being a hero. It turns out the American Dream is not for everybody. There is always something standing in the way of the American Dream. Race, social status, and the individual are standing in the way between the person and the American Dream. A person s race determines whether they will achieve the American Dream. The median household income for whites is $58,270, the median household income for Hispanics is $40,963, and the median household income for†¦show more content†¦He sent his resume into many businesses and was unable to get a job. He then dropped the S from his name to conduct his experiment. â€Å"Joe† Zamora sent his resume into the exact same businesses and started getting call backs immediately. Jose’s story is discouraging as an indication of race relations, and all too common. He hypothesized that a â€Å"white† name would help him find a job, and he was right (Vail). An individual s race is on of the most major factors in determining whether or not they will achieve the American Dream. This idea is exemplified by Crooks. Crooks wants a better life for himself. After talking to Lennie Crooks gets excited about living in a different place, having friends. Soon after he gets his hopes up they are crushed. He remembers he is black, and wouldn t get his dreams because of it (Steinbeck 76-81). A person s social status also determines their opportunity to gain the American Dream. Children born to wealthy parents are more able to achieve the American Dream. They have the money and the connections to reach the American Dream. Because of their wealth they are able to pay for the highest education, get into the best schools, and get a really successful job. Throughout American history there have been stories about people going from rags to riches, although all these stories are exactly what one would think, fictional. Fictional stories that were used to inspire people to attempt to further their status. AllShow MoreRelatedAmerican Dreams : The American Dream1068 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Dream? American Dream: Noun, the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. That is the definition of the American dream according to Dictionary.com, but the American Dream is more than a definition, but a way of life for many. Millions of immigrants come to our country in search of this â€Å"American Dream† including my grandparents but more and more are disappointed. So does the American Dream exist? Has it ever existed or has it allRead MoreThe Dream Of The American Dream1047 Words   |  5 PagesThe American Dream is heralded and aspired to, by immigrants and natives alike. It is a hopeful belief, that although many believe in, very few achieve. This variability of outcomes is due to the American Dream’s dependency on ideals of equality and freedom of opportunity. These two ideals do not institutionally exist in the United States, causing its construction to be inherently unequal, as individuals cannot reach the Dr eam without systemic privilege and power. Social positions and historic contextRead MoreAmerican Dreams And The American Dream Essay1727 Words   |  7 PagesMobility and the American Dream feed off one another, immigrants and American citizens wanting to work hard and building new inventions to make life easier. Without this American ingenuity, it might of taken the United States longer to get to where the country is now. The American Dream has helped people see all the potential that there is in the U.S. Almost all aspects of mobility relating to the American Dream are still achievable. The path to the so called American Dream might be a harder toRead MoreAmerican Dreams : The American Dream1187 Words   |  5 PagesThe American dream is what makes people from all around the world to want to move to America. The American dream is what makes America wonderful. The American dream has been categorized as an equal opportunity to attain success through hard work. The end result of t he American dream for the universal people is for that character and their loved ones to be living contentedly for the rest of their lives. However, this is not the same apparition that every individual has of the American dream. The AmericanRead MoreAmerican Dreams : The American Dream1663 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream The American Dream is indefinable. There is no one set of words or characteristics that the entire population assigns directly to its definition. With the American population consisting of people of various races, ethnicities, ages, classes, and genders, it seems trivial to even attempt to attribute a single definition to the concept of the American Dream. It is this inability however, to be confined within one single meaning, that allows for the American Dream to govern theRead MoreAmerican Dreams And The American Dream1728 Words   |  7 PagesAmericans have been dreaming since the Mayflower arrived in the New World and the American Dream itself has withstood threats up until this very day to all of its internal characteristics: international peace, health, leadership, wealth, supremacy, and equality. H.W. Brands states in his book American Dreams that â€Å"Americans had dreamed since our national birth, and in the twenty-first century we are dreaming still†. Both Brandsà ¢â‚¬â„¢ story and Nathaniel Philbrick’s account in Mayflower assist significantlyRead MoreAmerican Dream Is Not A Dream771 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican dream is not a dream What is your own version of the American Dream? Money? Living a big house or having a nice car? I believe these are values that most of people define to them what the American Dream is. The American Dream has alway been challenging to receive happiness; but as an Americans, we had worked our way from inequality to freedom. First, immigration as one biggest puzzle in the United States. America is also refer to a melting pot. Because many different ethnic groups andRead MoreDreams And The American Dream828 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Dream is the thought the United States had never ending chances to live ones dream no matter where one would come from. During the Great Depression, the American Dream is to own land, to rise out of one’s current situation, and to not have to worry about money. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, three characters have individual dreams that directly relate to the American Dream. George and Lennie want to own their own farm. He wants to not have to work 11 hour shifts andRead MoreThe Dream Of The American Dream1178 Words   |  5 PagesThe American dream has been a beacon of hope and motivation for the millions of people who have immigrated and grown up in the United States; especially for those of the lower class. Through hard work and determinatio n one could completely change their life for the better while provide better circumstances for future generations. The American dream is defined as, â€Å"a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. especially by workingRead MoreThe Dream Of The American Dream1098 Words   |  5 Pagesline â€Å"Follow your dreams!† This simple sentence has inspired many. This idea of creating a dream and chasing it has inspired the American Dream. The American Dream is different for everybody. It could be getting married, creating a business, or being a hero. It turns out the American Dream is not for everybody. There is always something standing in the way of the American Dream. Race, social status, and the individual are standing in the way between the person and the American Dream. A person s race

Jcm Model Free Essays

1)What is JCM model? Job characteristic model defines the task characteristics and its relationships with motivation, performance and satisfaction in work settings. It has a high potential to provide insights into the organizations structures or designs necessary for enhancing motivation. It is a potential tool for understanding motivation and devising strategies for motivating individuals. We will write a custom essay sample on Jcm Model or any similar topic only for you Order Now Relevance and utility of major JCM components in enhancing motivation in classroom settings are discussed It focuses on the behavior of the job 5 job characteristics- Skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feed back- Structural elements 3 critical psychological states-experienced meaningfulness of work, experienced autonomy, knowledge of actual results 1 increased personal and work outcomes 1 growth need strength Unification of various structural elements Cause and effect of these structural elements to the psychological states Links the complementary literatures of education and psychological work 2)How might a team leader’s understanding of the JCM model enhance his/her effectiveness at improving the productivity of the work unit? Please be specific as possible. As team leader one of my responsibilities is to create, sustain and enhance the motivation of the employees. In order to achieve this I need clarity in the variety of skill sets present within my employees. For example, one of my team members is a very creative person. I perceive him as a very valuable asset to team especially when the team is in the â€Å"Analysis Paralysis† mode. He comes in as a zero gravity thinker and provides an out-of-box perspective. Because the whole team is ingrained in the problem, he brings in fresh-air and perspective to the problem and in many instances this perspective leads to the team to think in different directions which ultimately lead to the solution. One of my other team mates is very task oriented. He will do the task whatever it takes to complete it. So when there is a project with tight deadline with methodical work involved then I choose this individual to complete the task. It is more of an adaptive approach which needs incremental innovation capabilities rather than breakthroughs. So identifying the individuals strength and aligning the tasks according to their strengths is critical for creating sustaining and enhancing the motivation of individuals in the team. The challenge is to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the early stages of the team building efforts. This example gives an insight of identifying the skill set among the employees, aligning the task with the skill, appreciating the value the team members bring in to achieving the common goal- Success of the team, giving feedback on their performance and added value to the team’s success from their contribution, giving them the autonomy to perform their best for the benefit for themselves and for the organization. How to cite Jcm Model, Essay examples

Pearls Essays - Pearls, Pteriidae, Bivalves, Gemstones, Pearl

Pearls What is a pearl? A pearl is a pellet of calcium carbonate. Of all the gems in the world, it is the only one created by a living creature. A pearl is found in an oyster or other mollusk. They are grown in limited areas of the worlds oceans and come in wide range of shapes and colors. The value of a particular pearl is determined by a number of factors. The prices of these precious stones are widely varied depending on the perfection of the stone. A pearl is a very unique, valuable gem. Pearls were first introduced in the 1850s when they were discovered in Western Australias Shark Bay. Here the gems were found in the salt water albina oyster, known as Pinctada. In the 1880s the pearl industry rapidly spread along the north west coast of Australia. By 1910, nearly 400 luggers and more than 3500 people were fishing for shell in the waters around Broome, then the biggest pearling centre in the world(Western Fisheries Australia). During this time, the luggers were powered by sail and only equipped to carry the apparatus for one diver. The divers wore vulcanized canvas suits, lead-weighted boots, and enormous helmets made of bronze while they collected shell underwater for hours at a time. The 1930s improved upon the vessels. They were now motorized and had mechanical air pumps that could support two divers per boat. The early pearl industry had an alarming death toll of approximately 300 men. Cyclones and sharks mostly caused the deaths. Between the 1920s and 1940s the pearl industry nearly crashed due to the increasing use of new plastics for buttons, buckles, and other shell products (Western Fisheries Australia). The introduction of cultured pearls revived the pearl industry in more recent years. Pearls are the product of several mollusks. They are usually found in the salt-water species known as Pinctada. There are two ways that pearls are formed. They can be man made or naturally made. Natural pearls are formed when deposits of nacre around an irritant accidentally settle within the flesh of an oyster. Pearls that are produced with the help of man are called cultured pearls. These pearls are created in an oyster and are composed of concentric layers of a crystalline substance called nacre that is deposited around an irritant placed in the oysters body by man (Kelley Jewelers). Cultured pearls are produced on oyster farms, where the mollusks are grown to the age of three. At this age, they are removed from the sea and have pegs placed in their shells to keep them open. The nucleus and a small portion of the nacre-secreting cells are then placed in a tiny incision made in the body of the mollusks. Finally, the pegs are removed and the oysters are returned to their cages in warm waters. The oysters will grow in the cages for two to four years before the pearls are ready for harvesting. Size, weight, and color assort the harvest (Pick a Pearl). There are many different colors, sizes, and types of pearls on the market today. White, cream, pink, green, blue, and black are recognized as the seven acceptable colors by the pearl industry (Pick a Pearl). The industry also acknowledges several different types of these precious stones. One type is the Akoya, which is the most common cultured pearl. It is grown off the coasts of Japan in pearl oysters. It rarely grows beyond nine millimeters in size. Another pearl that is cultivated in Japan is the Biwa. It is only grown in the fresh water of Japans Lake Biwa in mollusks, not oysters (Kelley Jewelers). Some larger cultured pearls are the South Sea and Burmese. South Sea pearls are very rare and expensive. They are found of the coasts of Australia and have a metallic bluish-black color. They are much larger in size compared to the Akoya. South Sea pearls are normally ten to twenty millimeters in diameter, with a harvest average of about thirteen millimeters (Anderson). The Burmese pe arls are produced off the coasts of Burma. They too are rare and expensive. A Mabe pearl is large in size and has a hemispherical shape. It is less expensive and is

Concepts of Informing and setting policies

Concepts of Informing and setting policies Introduction The forming and setting of policies is an essential part of every organization and governments. Policies have to be developed to indicate the desired results that should be achieved in a bid to solve the fundamental problems that face organization (Sanderson, I. 2002). The common policies that are made by most states includes the macroeconomic policies, health, traffic congestion and climatic policies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts of Informing and setting policies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the importance of these kinds of policies to the economic growth and developments of the economies, various departments have been created and charged with the obligation of ensuring successful development of policies and their implementation. Tension between informing policy and setting policy In policy development, a distinction must be made between analysis informing policy and analysis sett ing policy. Analysis setting policy is the objectively critisising the policies that are formulated to ensure that they will lead to the achievements of the desired positive objectives. It includes the examination of the process of policy formulation and the impact of policies that are made. Analysis informing policy entails the evaluation of the methods and means by which the policies are publicized to create awareness.the awareness of the policies is indispensible where they are targeted to affect a particular population. The tension informing policy and setting policy may result between the policy formulators and those to be affected by the policies. At times, policies may be resisted at an immature stage if the information is leaked before finer analysis is made. The timing of requesting for the opinions of the stakeholders is therefore crucial. Analytical product Due to the conflict of analyzing informing policies and setting policies, it is important for analytical products to be purely informative. In this instance the products to be developed will have taken consideration of the circumstances and situations that affects the results desired (Wallace, H, 2005). Since informative products involve evaluation of all possible outcomes, the policies adopted will reflect the best possible results. Policy makers are currently switching towards informative analysis. For instance, economists tend to come up with macroeconomic policies based on the information that is derived from the financial markets and research conducted to show the future possible prospects of the economy.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Products developed based on informative analysis tends to produce better outcome because the risk factors of the decisions are mitigated by developing mechanisms that ensures that there is no halt in the plans. Another reason for the support of infor mative product analysis is the fact that it will result into less resistance from those to be affected. Given that decisions are based on the information that is available, the process follows a definite stage by stage analysis thus certainty exists (Easton, D. 1953). The fact that there is supportive and irrefutable evidence as to why the policies are designed; it will be an easy task for the policy makers to convince and get the positive support from the public. This goodwill if realized will ensure smooth and in time implementation of the proposed policies. Again, it will result into popularity of the policies hence support necessary for the achievement of the objective will be enhanced. Hoppe, R. (1999) suggests that, in addition analytical products that are purely informative are precluded from the personal influence and biasness. In circumstances where policies are not based on the information that is available, it has been common for those involved in the decision making to m isuse their authority or come up with ideas that are based on their own selfish interest. As a result, the total purpose of the policies have always eluded many nations e.g. this has been responsible for the poor performance of economies in Africa where those honoured with such duties instead use their position to engage in self enriches and protection of personal wealth. However, it may not be feasible for products to be entirely based on information. This is because there is some information that may not be available but is necessary for the analytical products. As a result there may be a need to accommodate to minor extent analytical products without necessarily possessing all information. Risks of developing policy from analytical products There are several risks that are involved in the formulation of policies based on analytical products. Anglin, M.D., Lonshore,D., Turner,S. (1999) argue,to begin with is the risk of subjectivity in analysis. When doing an analysis of a produc t there is a degree of subjectivity that is relative to each and every individual.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concepts of Informing and setting policies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This may lead to the problem of adverse selection where policies that are developed are not actually pertinent to the situation desired. It may also result into the dropping of an otherwise good policy. The degree of subjectivity is thus necessary for determination before a product is developed. Secondly, there may be the risk of information gap during analysis. In certain circumstances, product analysis does not encompass all the information in the market. This makes the decisions made not all inclusive and the drawback will as well be transferred when policies are made from analytical products. The information that is omitted might have been very crucial in the making of policies or its absence may result into distortion of th e desired content. Finally, there is a problem in the assigning of weights when doing an analysis. In product analysis, many parameters are taking into consideration and the extent to which each premise contributes to the ultimate decisions must be determined. The determination of the weight might cause a difficulty and this will also amount to variation on what decisions are taken during policy formulation as per Lindblom, C. Cohen, D (1979) argument. It is therefore important for the policy developed to be given consideration to the various aspects. The two analyses are very closely related but not actually having the same meaning. Analysis informing policy concerns the issue of creating awareness on the existing policy or getting the ideologies on policies that may be on the pipeline. On the other hand, the analysis in setting policies entails the critical evaluation of the policies that set or are in the process of setting. In analyzing the policies to be set, several procedure s must be followed to ensure that the set policies meet their objective. Analysis informing policies may thus the said to be part of analysis in setting policies as seeking the opinion of the stakeholders is a procedure in the setting of policies. Conclusion In conclusion, policy includes both the two analysis. Since there is that close interrelationship between the three, they must all be put in close consideration whenever there is need to come up with a policy. Policy forms one of the most important parts of daily decision making of all forms of all organizations irrespective of the size and type.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is thus mandatory for the policy making to be done with due diligence and appropriate and qualified gurus should be involved. The process must also be carried out with the desired sobriety and a wider insights given since the policies are mostly for a reasonable or long period of time and there effects may be great. References Anglin, M.D., Lonshore,D., Turner,S. (1999). Treatment alternatives to street and crime: Criminal justice and behavior. Philadelphia: Temple university press. Easton, D. (1953). The Political System. New York: Oxford university press. Hoppe, R. (1999). Policy analysis, science and politics: from speaking truth to power to making sense together’, Science and Public Policy. California: McGraw-Hill College press. Lindblom, C. Cohen, D (1979). Usable Knowledge: Social Science and Social Problem Solving. New Haven, Yale University Press. Sanderson, I. (2002), Evaluation, Policy Learning and Evidence-Based Policy Making. Public Administration, 80: 1†“22. doi: 10.1111/1467-9299.00292 Wallace, H., Wallace, W., Pollack, M.A. (eds.) (2005) Policy-Making in the European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Definition and Examples of Preterit(e) Verbs

Definition and Examples of Preterit(e) Verbs In traditional grammar, the preterit(e)  is the simple past tense of the verb, such as walked or said.  In English, the preterit(e) is typically formed by adding the suffix -ed or -t to the base form of a verb. This form is sometimes referred to as the dental preterit(e). The term is usually spelled preterit in American English, preterite in British English. Examples ofPreterit(e) Verbs They  jumped and laughed and  pointed at the solemn guards.(Terry Goodkind, Temple of the Winds, 1997)I removed the crucible from the wire stand and  poured the  silver. Some of the metal ran into the mold, some of it spilled over the outside, and some of it adhered to the crucible.(John Adair,  The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths, 1944)We  climbed  the mountain sides, and  clambered  among sagebrush, rocks and snow.(Mark Twain,  Roughing It, 1872)Ben snatched the squash from her, sprinted across the living room, tripped over a toy hed left there and  spilt the  entire contents of the glass over the sofa.(Sarah Morgan,  The Christmas Marriage Rescue, 2015)I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.  Ã‚  (Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, 1991)  During many of the group sessions, the women and I painted, glued, cut, pasted, talked, listened, ate, drank, laughed, cried, and engaged in collaborative processes of ref lection and action.​(Alice McIntyre, Women in Belfast: How Violence Shapes Identity. Praeger Publishers, 2004) Backshifting Tense [Another] use of the preterite shows up in indirect reported speech. Notice the contrast between has and had in this pair. [37i] Kim has blue eyes. [original utterance: present tense][37ii] I told Stacy that Kim had blue eyes. [indirect report: preterite] If I say [i] to Stacy, I can use [ii] as an indirect report to tell you what I said to Stacy. Im repeating the content of what I said to Stacy, but not the exact wording. My utterance to Stacy contained the present tense form has, but my report of it contains preterite had. Nonetheless, my report is entirely accurate. This kind of change in tense is referred to as backshift. The most obvious cases of backshift are with verbs of reporting that are in the preterite, like told or said. (Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, A Students Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge University Press, 2006) The Preterite and the Present-Perfect - [W]ith most verbs the difference between the form of the present perfect and the form of the preterite is slight in present-day English, especially in informal speech, which explains why in a long-term perspective the distinction may eventually be lost. . . . Reference to distinct past time without any obvious kind of anchoring has emerged as an area where usage is far from settled in present-day English. The selection of the preterite in such cases appears to be on the increase . . ..(Johan Elsness, The Perfect and the Preterite in Contemporary and Earlier English. Mouton de Gruyter, 1997)- [T]he systematic marking of perfect aspect in LModE [Late Modern English] has partially relieved the simple Preterite of its burden of indicating past time. Since perfectivity implies the completion of an event prior to the actual time of utterance, a Present Perfect form carries an automatic implication of pastness. The actual point of completion in past time may be very close, as in (18), or vaguely more distant, as in (19). (18) Ive just eaten my dinner.(19) John Keegan has written a history of war. . . . [T]he growing acceptability of the vague degree of pastness in sentences such as (19) indicates that LModE may be starting on the road that led the Perfect to replace the Simple Past in a number of Romance languages. (Jacek Fisiak, Language History and Linguistic Modelling. Mouton de Gruyter, 1997) EtymologyFrom the Latin, to go by Pronunciation: PRET-er-it Also Known As: simple-past tense Alternate Spellings: preterite