First, let me comment on a comment: Casey-- you are correct... it would have been amazing if Preston Burke was at the lecture. I am now trying to imagine a lecture on the history of early modern consumption as a TV drama series. "Grey, I need this manuscript translated, Stat!" Funny?
Anyway... today was a full, but very good day. I had three classes today, nearly back-to-back. First was "Non-written sources," perhaps my favourite methodological topic in all of history! Today we read a diary/account entry by a 16th century Northern European artist and discussed how we could use his description of what he bought, sold, or was given as a window to a wider culture of commerce, materials and exchange. Next I had palaeography. We basically dove into translating and transcribing 16th and 17th century English documents. It is amazing to look at one of these documents and wonder: is that even our same alphabet or language? It is a matter of learning the letter shape (there is actually an additional letter that looks just like Y but makes a "th" sound!) and the abbreviations... and well as using context to figure it out. Today mt Prof said: "there is a sort of crossword element to some of this"... that got me really excited!! I can think of a few of you who would LOVE palaeography (all of my suduko and/or crossword loving friends and family). My final class was Intermediate French for Academic Purposes. Basically it is training in advanced French reading. Our homework this week is to translate a portion of "L'etranger" by Camus. We are going to work on 17th through 20th century French. I don't think it will help me get around Paris any better... but I will be able to do a lot more reading in French! C'est très bien!
Tonight I made dinner and ate with Giulia, my housemate, whom I have learnt is also a vegetarian! (she's also a history mphil student... so we can chat history and vegetables!)
For all of you who are inquiring, rowing has not started yet... and I will only have one 7am practice a week (not even that early!) I will let you all know how I get on once we start up!
That is all for now. I hope you all are well!!
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The Girl
- Lauren French
- Santa Barbara, United States
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5 comments:
sounds like great classes so far, bids! hooray for crosswords...see, it was no coincidence that you got hooked on 'em!
dignan just got really excited about this - i think he farted on my lap. sorry for the interruption.
i loved Camus' the stranger...it will probably be even more eloquent in its native french. bon chance, mon chere! (yah, makin that up)
Burke: "Grey! We need that document translated now!"
Meredith: "I can't! The sources, they're unreliable!"
Nurse: "BP is dropping."
Burke: "Grey, this man needs you to concentrate or he will die. Now, what can you infer?"
Meredith: "Um."
Wow, we should really draw up a story line for this new series, Pea. Sounds gripping!
your classes sound faaaascinating. glad to hear that life is good :)
love,
becks
you bees mees hero of history
I hope your Burke does not disappear from view as Dr.Burke has done from Gray's Anatomy. One scapel too many.
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