Clear(ish) sky this morning and a barely perceptible frost. And herewith a few odds and ends of news. [The innertube gods don’t want me to post this, so far. Will continue trying and will presumably succeed in time.] ——Alan P.S.: Will now attempt posting fewer links at a time.
I expect that before long we will be discovering a lot of interesting things, and this is one. Dark matter and dark energy are others that come immediately to mind. ----Alan
Probably Old English seems more familiar to me because I studied modern German, albeit a long time ago. I do not feel that I am conversant in German, but expect that I could regain enough from my old textbooks on the way there that I could get by well enough. -----Alan
Oh, yes. Every Chaucer student, whether a serious aspirant to becoming a medievalist or not, has to memorize the prologue to The Canterbury Tales. I've forgotten most of it, but agree that it is beautiful. Being essentially metropolitan London, the language of Chaucer is the direct ancestor of Received English of our own time. Other dialects, like that of Piers Ploughman are more opaque and much harder. Really, Alan, if you were to see Chaucer, you'd find the language much less alien. The main obstacle is the Great Vowel Shift, so the sound of Middle English, until you get used to it, seemed more difficult than the sight.
During their high school years, our home schoolers really got into reading Middle English (Arthurian legends? Canterbury Tales? I don't recall for certain). But that spilled over into them speaking it playfully amongst themselves. and one even wrote a book report in the language! They were a hoot. You never knew which topic or aspect of the topic would tickle their fancy.
If I just cast caution to the winds, disregarding spelling and pronunciation, and read Chaucer out loud, it is reasonably clear. But hearing it recited fluently is another matter; it seemed frankly beautiful to me. This Year Sandy Claws will be helping me out with that. ----Alan
The link above to "The Canterbury Tales, or, How Technology Changes The Way We Speak" has a great story about eggs that I had heard before. If you are not familiar with it, I will not spoil it for you. -----Alan
Clear(ish) sky this morning and a barely perceptible frost. And herewith a few odds and ends of news. [The innertube gods don’t want me to post this, so far. Will continue trying and will presumably succeed in time.]
ReplyDelete——Alan
P.S.: Will now attempt posting fewer links at a time.
Poland's popcorn moment as pro-EU leader Tusk returns to power [Click]
Closed-door meeting thwarts bid to let Atlanta residents vote on Cop City [Click]
Wild beasts and Charles II: amateur army digs for history in British parks and gardens [Click]
Sickly sweet: how our sugar-coated cells helped humanity turn illness into evolution [Click]
Concluding tranche:
ReplyDeleteRevealed: the oldest black hole [yet] observed, dating to dawn of universe [Click]
Nasa hands over control as new era of moon missions readies for lift-off [Click] “Peregrine first in series involving private spacecraft as conflict between scientific and commercial lunar interests looms.” I can’t help but be reminded of Russia’s recent failure to carry out a controlled landing on the moon. (And the subsequent death of the head of the mission allegedly due to accidental consumption of poison mushrooms.) [Click]
And finally, a book review:A Republic of Scoundrels: America’s original white men behaving badly [Click]
Very cool article on the black hole!
DeleteI expect that before long we will be discovering a lot of interesting things, and this is one. Dark matter and dark energy are others that come immediately to mind.
Delete----Alan
Speaking of books: I'm reading Liz Cheney's Oath and Honor. Gripping and sobering.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I should expect from her.
Delete---Alan
The Atlantic (partly behind paywall) Wood That Is See-Through Like Glass and Stronger Than Plastic [Click] “Transparent wood could soon make its way into touch screens, skyscraper windows, and car dashboards.”
ReplyDelete—Alan
Remember the movie Star Trek IV (the one with whales) having transparent aluminum?
Delete[Video] A Conversation in Old English and Old Norse [Click]
ReplyDelete[Video] Family Makes Tough Decision To Put Aging Grandpa In US Senate [Click]
ReplyDelete—Alan
P.S.: I recall the suggestion that we should only elect undocumented aliens to Congress, because they will do the kinds of work no one else will.
LOL
DeleteTerrified Trump Chickens Out of Testifying in NY Fraud Trial at last minute
ReplyDelete----Alan
Dang! Would just love for someone to get him under oath!
DeleteHe's already testified once in the trial.
DeleteUnder oath without lying?
DeleteThe Canterbury Tales, or, How Technology Changes The Way We Speak [Click] Includes a link to The first 541 lines (out of more than 17,000) of the Canterbury Tales read by an expert in Middle English pronunciation. [Click]
ReplyDelete——Alan
Oh my--- if anything, the spoken Middle English seems more opaque to my ear than does Old English! Opaque in large part, but beautiful.
Delete----Alan
Probably Old English seems more familiar to me because I studied modern German, albeit a long time ago. I do not feel that I am conversant in German, but expect that I could regain enough from my old textbooks on the way there that I could get by well enough.
Delete-----Alan
Oh, yes. Every Chaucer student, whether a serious aspirant to becoming a medievalist or not, has to memorize the prologue to The Canterbury Tales. I've forgotten most of it, but agree that it is beautiful. Being essentially metropolitan London, the language of Chaucer is the direct ancestor of Received English of our own time. Other dialects, like that of Piers Ploughman are more opaque and much harder. Really, Alan, if you were to see Chaucer, you'd find the language much less alien. The main obstacle is the Great Vowel Shift, so the sound of Middle English, until you get used to it, seemed more difficult than the sight.
DeleteDuring their high school years, our home schoolers really got into reading Middle English (Arthurian legends? Canterbury Tales? I don't recall for certain). But that spilled over into them speaking it playfully amongst themselves. and one even wrote a book report in the language! They were a hoot. You never knew which topic or aspect of the topic would tickle their fancy.
DeleteIf I just cast caution to the winds, disregarding spelling and pronunciation, and read Chaucer out loud, it is reasonably clear. But hearing it recited fluently is another matter; it seemed frankly beautiful to me. This Year Sandy Claws will be helping me out with that.
Delete----Alan
The link above to "The Canterbury Tales, or, How Technology Changes The Way We Speak" has a great story about eggs that I had heard before. If you are not familiar with it, I will not spoil it for you.
Delete-----Alan
We made it home from Maine this evening, ahead of the snow. It was raining and extremely foggy but we had no issues.
ReplyDeletePredicted low temperatures here above freezing during the next ten days, highs in the 60's F.
Delete----Alan
Oops--forgot to say "good" that you made it home safely.
Delete----Alan
Thanks, Alan.
Delete