I hope you'll get better from your cold soon! I've enjoyed this video very much, as usual with your Uni vlogs (and your videos in general ☺️). Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
I'd really like to read the Simon Armitage translation of Sir Gawain, but that Middle English version looks tough! You're basically learning another language there. Thanks for not spoiling it! Good luck with your essay.
Regarding the academic studies, I started out on a languages degree before switching to healthcare. Honestly essays on biochemistry and medical studies are easier to understand than some arts essays. I suspect the authors add more jargon the less they have to say.
Hello! Sorry for the super late reply. Do read it! It’s not very long. The audiobook is narrated by Armitage himself and it sounds lovely. Still working on the essay 😅 Hope you had a good Christmas and new year break!
I have heard that listening to Middle English helps with it because the spelling is different, but the pronunciation is quite similar to Modern English, so maybe you can find an audiobook. Glad to see that you are enjoying the classes. Wishing you a good rest, a lot of creativity in your writing, and a very happy Holiday season!!!
Thank you! Sorry for the super late reply. No I haven’t heard of it. I just googled it and it does look amazing. And I found a copy in the library catalogue! I don’t know when I’ll have time to read it with all the course work but I would like to read it very soon. Thanks so much for the recommendation! Is the writing academic? Is it accessible? Hope you had a good Christmas and happy new year!
I love that Armitage translation. The original is something else! Not doable like Middle English. Incidentally the Poet Laureate is appointed for the whole of the UK but Scotland also has a Makar and Wales has a National Poet or Bardd Cenedlaethol Cymru in Welsh.
The original does not look like Middle English at all, but strangely it’s still called Middle English? Ahh thanks for clarifying that for me. Glad Scotland and Wales have their own champion too :) Do you speak Welsh?!
You are quite the inspiration. I recently read Tolkien's translation of Sir Gawain but have yet to attempt Middle English. One thing I was curious about: is your husband and in-laws also Chinese?
Tolkien's translation seems good. He even works in rhymes in his translation. The version I read included a few other Middle English poems (e.g.The Pearl). It also came with a lecture by Tolkien on the poem.
I would love to do my reading ahead of time but unfortunately, most of my Professors don’t post their reading list until one or two weeks before the semester.
I feel no envy for you having to write academic papers! If most ademic essays about literature and history read like nonsense, its because they are. Career-minded professors have to continually publish. The use of jargon and vocabulary from other disciplines mostly helps fill the page. And any writer who over writes is likely covering up the fact they have nothing to say. I suggest keeping in mind the six rules of composition Orwell has at the end of "Politics and the English Language." Especially rule #5: "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent." Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Hello! Sorry for the super late reply. Thanks for the encouragement. If I ever become a professor, I will remember the pain of being a student and try to explain things plainly. Thanks for the recommendation of Orwell’s rules. That sounds very sensible. Hope you had a good Christmas and new year break!
Have a very happy Christmas my friend, I look forward to seeing you again in January!
Happy Christmas! See you around :)
Congratulations on making it to the end of Michaelmas term and merry Christmas and a happy festive period for you!!
Thank you! Sorry for the super late reply.
Hope you had a good Christmas and new year break!
@ no worries at all for any late replies! I did thank you and I hope you did too!
I hope you'll get better from your cold soon! I've enjoyed this video very much, as usual with your Uni vlogs (and your videos in general ☺️). Merry Christmas and happy New Year!
Thank you :) I’m getting better.
Very glad to hear you enjoyed the videos. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you too!
I'd really like to read the Simon Armitage translation of Sir Gawain, but that Middle English version looks tough! You're basically learning another language there. Thanks for not spoiling it! Good luck with your essay.
Regarding the academic studies, I started out on a languages degree before switching to healthcare. Honestly essays on biochemistry and medical studies are easier to understand than some arts essays. I suspect the authors add more jargon the less they have to say.
Hello! Sorry for the super late reply.
Do read it! It’s not very long. The audiobook is narrated by Armitage himself and it sounds lovely.
Still working on the essay 😅
Hope you had a good Christmas and new year break!
Hahaha someone else made a similar comment about jargon 😂
I have heard that listening to Middle English helps with it because the spelling is different, but the pronunciation is quite similar to Modern English, so maybe you can find an audiobook. Glad to see that you are enjoying the classes. Wishing you a good rest, a lot of creativity in your writing, and a very happy Holiday season!!!
Yes I tried a recording for Chaucer. It was fun!
Thank you :) happy Christmas to you too!
Happy Christmas!
Happy Christmas! 🙂
I am enjoying your university experience! I am reading Shakespeare’s Metrical Art. Have heard of it? It’s WOW. Someday you’ll want to read it.
Thank you! Sorry for the super late reply.
No I haven’t heard of it. I just googled it and it does look amazing. And I found a copy in the library catalogue! I don’t know when I’ll have time to read it with all the course work but I would like to read it very soon. Thanks so much for the recommendation! Is the writing academic? Is it accessible?
Hope you had a good Christmas and happy new year!
I love that Armitage translation. The original is something else! Not doable like Middle English. Incidentally the Poet Laureate is appointed for the whole of the UK but Scotland also has a Makar and Wales has a National Poet or Bardd Cenedlaethol Cymru in Welsh.
The original does not look like Middle English at all, but strangely it’s still called Middle English?
Ahh thanks for clarifying that for me. Glad Scotland and Wales have their own champion too :)
Do you speak Welsh?!
@adayofsmallthings no but I feel it is courteous to use it for their national poet!
You are quite the inspiration. I recently read Tolkien's translation of Sir Gawain but have yet to attempt Middle English. One thing I was curious about: is your husband and in-laws also Chinese?
Thank you so kind!
Did you like it? Tolkien’s Sir Gawain?
No they’re not ;)
Tolkien's translation seems good. He even works in rhymes in his translation. The version I read included a few other Middle English poems (e.g.The Pearl). It also came with a lecture by Tolkien on the poem.
I would love to do my reading ahead of time but unfortunately, most of my Professors don’t post their reading list until one or two weeks before the semester.
Oh no that’s frustrating :(
I feel no envy for you having to write academic papers!
If most ademic essays about literature and history read like nonsense, its because they are.
Career-minded professors have to continually publish. The use of jargon and vocabulary from other disciplines mostly helps fill the page.
And any writer who over writes is likely covering up the fact they have nothing to say.
I suggest keeping in mind the six rules of composition Orwell has at the end of "Politics and the English Language."
Especially rule #5: "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent."
Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Hello! Sorry for the super late reply.
Thanks for the encouragement. If I ever become a professor, I will remember the pain of being a student and try to explain things plainly.
Thanks for the recommendation of Orwell’s rules. That sounds very sensible.
Hope you had a good Christmas and new year break!