This feather stirs
September 3rd, 2010 § Leave a Comment
After the close of the Youth Olympic Games, life has returned to normal: no more waking up at 0530hrs to get ready for a full day’s activities at an island tinier than Singapore, no more arriving home past midnight on consecutive days, no more attiring myself in purple and khaki, no more claiming dinners with dinner vouchers.
I miss those days. I miss draining myself of energy at Pulau Ubin, I miss watching the lights in the Youth Olympic Village gradually extinguish late into the night, I miss wearing my interpreter’s insignia and my accreditation pass with my uniform, I miss sharing anecdotes and jokes over dinner with new friends in the workforce dining hall shed.
There’s plenty I’d love to share about the Youth Olympic Games, but for now…
1. A fascinating, fascinating article on how our mother tongue (or first language, as I prefer) influences our thoughts. Adapted from Guy Deutscher’s latest book Through the Language Glass: How Words Colour Your World. I’m not prepared to agree with everything Deutscher asserts here and in his book, but they make for very refreshing reads. The best part about the article is the reaction it might trigger in readers; it is a satisfyingly thought-provoking read. My inner linguist was strongly reenergised by this.
2. The degeneration of music began long ago, but how many people are willing to admit it? “Music is nothing without an audience,” says Roger Scruton, but with millions of people still tuning in to obscene pop music by vocally androgynous but more importantly unskilled artistes, and with an increasing number of composers losing sight of the Classical shore, does real music have a future? This article reminds me of my Theory of Knowledge presentation on “new classical music” from days of yore.
3. I quote the BBC: “At an age when many people are thinking about how to get in and out of the bath, Mervyn Kinkead has put his own tub to a use which belies his advancing years.” It’s pleasant news to hear that the Isles are still alive with the quirks of its citizens!
4. Chavs: they annoy the hell out of some, but in entertainment, they provide some of the most stupidly funny comedy routines. Here’s Catherine Tate’s French version of her signature “Am I bovvered?” – “Suis-je bovvered?” and here’s Marcus Brigstocke’s routine on Britain and America’s “special relationship” (from approximately 2:00 to 3:00)!
5. Highly inspired by my French lessons on Classics, I’ve been spending a large proportion of my Internet time reading up on and reading about Greek mythology and history. During yesterday’s French lesson we had a short discussion on the existence and the role of Homer in ancient Greece, and this article by mythographer Marina Warner totally complemented that thread.
