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Feb. 9th, 2001 06:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
moonwiseFinally Friday. I've got some time to sit and write, since many students go to Social right about now and if you're not in the lab, it's OK. Traffic is also rotten at this time of night. Leaving at 5 PM is not an option.
Feeling better today. Went to get an aerobics pass, even though I loathe it, because one of my labmates goes to step classes and we thought we'd go together. It would be more fun to do something like fencing, or even to pick up my old bow again, but the social aspect is nice. I do regret that there aren't any archery ranges in my area; it's not a common sport here. It was very satisfying to nock an arrow and watch it fly to the gold.
Had Irish class last night. My teacher is very happy because he's finally going to defend and get his Ph. D. He's been drifting from university to university for a job, so the higher degree should help him finally land a permanent position. DJM is a good fellow, and he loves his subject tremendously; he teaches us yahoos even though it is a long trek for him to come teach class. It's a great boon for me, because I have always wanted to learn Irish Gaelic, and it is not the easiest language to find a teacher for.
Some folks ask me why I would want to learn a dying language like Irish, or a dead one like Latin. Somehow, to me, the old languages have power in them, and a way of thinking that is not tainted by modern English. Latin is particularly useful for understanding English sometimes, since we do use ideas like the dative and accusative case but it doesn't show up in the structure of the language anymore. In Latin, you must understand what you are going to say, because it makes a difference whether you put something in the ablative or the accusative case.
As for Irish Gaelic - well, I do have some Irish blood in me, so you have that impetus. Also, I've been heavily influenced by fantasy writers who use Irish in their writing, particularly C. J. Cherryh's Dreaming Tree duology and Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's books about Aeron. The truenames of the Sidhe in Cherryh's writing were always Gaelic; instead of Lesley, the name was Liosliath, and so on. So, to my young mind (at the time) these oddly pronounced but beautiful words had power in them. Kennealy's work is dotted with Welsh, Irish, and Scots Gaelic, and they only reinforced my thought that the Celtic languages were ancient, lovely, and powerful. I really don't think that yelling out the words of some spell on a lonely headland in Ireland is going to get me anywhere at this stage in my life, but the deep undercurrent of wanting to learn the Old Tongue remains.
While I'm talking about Irish, I feel moved to explain the proverb that appears in my sig file at the Realm. It reads:
Dá fháda an lá, tagann an trathnóna.
This literally translates to "However long the day, the night comes."
Some people might think this is a particularly dark saying, maybe sort of goth; depressing, because all good things end. They would be wrong. The Celts viewed dusk the way we view dawn, as the symbolic start of a new day. It was a happy circumstance that I found this proverb, because it sums up a philosophy that I have always had. To wit: no matter how bad your day was, no matter how much you dreaded it, the sun will still plot its course in the sky and time will pass, and soon it will be over. No matter what, the day will end and another one will begin.
For me, a comforting thought.
Feeling better today. Went to get an aerobics pass, even though I loathe it, because one of my labmates goes to step classes and we thought we'd go together. It would be more fun to do something like fencing, or even to pick up my old bow again, but the social aspect is nice. I do regret that there aren't any archery ranges in my area; it's not a common sport here. It was very satisfying to nock an arrow and watch it fly to the gold.
Had Irish class last night. My teacher is very happy because he's finally going to defend and get his Ph. D. He's been drifting from university to university for a job, so the higher degree should help him finally land a permanent position. DJM is a good fellow, and he loves his subject tremendously; he teaches us yahoos even though it is a long trek for him to come teach class. It's a great boon for me, because I have always wanted to learn Irish Gaelic, and it is not the easiest language to find a teacher for.
Some folks ask me why I would want to learn a dying language like Irish, or a dead one like Latin. Somehow, to me, the old languages have power in them, and a way of thinking that is not tainted by modern English. Latin is particularly useful for understanding English sometimes, since we do use ideas like the dative and accusative case but it doesn't show up in the structure of the language anymore. In Latin, you must understand what you are going to say, because it makes a difference whether you put something in the ablative or the accusative case.
As for Irish Gaelic - well, I do have some Irish blood in me, so you have that impetus. Also, I've been heavily influenced by fantasy writers who use Irish in their writing, particularly C. J. Cherryh's Dreaming Tree duology and Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's books about Aeron. The truenames of the Sidhe in Cherryh's writing were always Gaelic; instead of Lesley, the name was Liosliath, and so on. So, to my young mind (at the time) these oddly pronounced but beautiful words had power in them. Kennealy's work is dotted with Welsh, Irish, and Scots Gaelic, and they only reinforced my thought that the Celtic languages were ancient, lovely, and powerful. I really don't think that yelling out the words of some spell on a lonely headland in Ireland is going to get me anywhere at this stage in my life, but the deep undercurrent of wanting to learn the Old Tongue remains.
While I'm talking about Irish, I feel moved to explain the proverb that appears in my sig file at the Realm. It reads:
Dá fháda an lá, tagann an trathnóna.
This literally translates to "However long the day, the night comes."
Some people might think this is a particularly dark saying, maybe sort of goth; depressing, because all good things end. They would be wrong. The Celts viewed dusk the way we view dawn, as the symbolic start of a new day. It was a happy circumstance that I found this proverb, because it sums up a philosophy that I have always had. To wit: no matter how bad your day was, no matter how much you dreaded it, the sun will still plot its course in the sky and time will pass, and soon it will be over. No matter what, the day will end and another one will begin.
For me, a comforting thought.
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Fencing!
Date: 2001-02-23 04:47 pm (UTC)Dead languages are quite fun! Latin has been very enjoyable so far. Maybe after I learn latin I can finally take Ancient Eyptian. I might as well put my artistic side to good use, ne?
You are learning Gaelic? How is it? Is it mor or less confusing than Modern English?
Fencing! What a wonderful endeavor! I was going to take it before I injured my shoulder; I had the class chosen and everything!!!
In the meantime I have discovered that I want to take Tai Chi. There are two forms of Tai Chi; Taji Quan (unarmed/open hand) and Taji Jian (with sword). I'm not sure its possible, but I would love to learn both!
Despite the modern trend to use Tai Chi solely for excercise, Tai Chi is a martial art. Luckily I have found a school that teachs it in the old style (martial arts).
Adieu.