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shadowfax
Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 212
Location: Pocket Universe 935500921223097532957092196
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 Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2006 6:07 pm Post subject: LITERATURE AND ELT |
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The following review of a videoconference for the British Council by the eminent linguist may be of interest; albeit reflecting a longterm desideratum rather than immediate expectation in most Middle East locales. Also, may it serve as a salutary cordial for certain philistian fellows in our midst, who have vehemently and vulgarly opposed what this high and noble eminence of linguistics here asserts, and as hereunto oft propounded by your humble servant, shadowfax.
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Open Plenary - David Crystal - Shakespeare and ELT
David Crystal�s plenary was just perfect. It was much more than a plenary, it was a performance. His family, Hilary and Ben, were present to act out parts of Shakespeare�s plays and quotes from other sources. The exchanges during the plenary with his son added humour and interactivity to this talk, something not very common to be seen in a plenary session.
David Crystal believes it is high time we bring Shakespeare back to where he belongs, to ELT. He is against separating the study of literature from the study of language. In fact, he said that if he were the leader of the world he would ban that notion all together. He uses examples from Shakespeare to make the point that one must master the language before being able to play with it, be creative with it. By bending and breaking rules, as Shakespeare did so many times in his writings, we create new words, new idioms and new ways of saying things. He points out that many teachers avoid using Shakespeare because they believe the English used in his texts is too old. David shows us that in fact, Shakespeare is not old, he is �unyoung�. Out of 1 million words used by Shakespeare, only 46,000 are used differently today, or just 5%. His presentation advocated in favor of studying Shakespeare in a linguistic point of view.
I have to mention one passage of David�s plenary that I really liked. David understands that grammar is what helps us understand words. If words are said alone, we really don�t know what they mean. Sentences make sense, they resolve ambiguity. He also understands that words become a word class when we use it a particular way. To illustrate that, David showed us lots of examples from Shakespeare proving that he was in fact the greatest functional shifter of all time.
David showed us that Shakespeare teaches us not to be scared about being creative with language, he teaches us to dare with language. Being able to dare with language means being linguistically sophisticated.
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 5:30 am Post subject: |
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| Teacher,teacher, what mean this ? I no understand ! |
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shadowfax
Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 212
Location: Pocket Universe 935500921223097532957092196
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 8:53 am Post subject: O ye of little faith! |
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If thou wouldst but believe then wouldst thou turn
Doolittles to Drydens, Khaleds to Chaucers,
Begetting Samirs pregnant with celestial fire,
Yea, benighted Bebsi self would cast away
Hyrcanian hide and sing-Nay that's amiss,
To wake the wanton from his vaunted bliss. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 10:12 am Post subject: |
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'.....the sands of Arabia
have stolen his wits away.' |
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shadowfax
Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 212
Location: Pocket Universe 935500921223097532957092196
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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"Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own
conceit." |
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wannago
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Teacher. Why this? Take relax. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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| I think an increased dosage of valium might be tried. Or increased intake of C2HO5H. |
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Bebsi
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 958
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| Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 11:10 pm Post subject: Fame |
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Yea, benighted Bebsi self would cast away
Hyrcanian hide and sing-Nay that's amiss, |
I get mentioned in the poetic works of Shadowfax! Does this signify fame and fortune at last???????????????
Hardly fortune...and I can merely assume that fame is only bestowed upon one when the general public or sectors thereof become aware of one's achievements. Mention in what I imagine to be a work of limited readership, namely SF's poetic endeavours, probably means a further wait is in order in terms of true fame. Drat!!
Oh well, back to the drawing board!!
Nice to know you are still thinking fondly of me, SF. I imagine I occupy a not-insignificant part of your daily thoughts, which in a perverse sense is rather flattering. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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I think Profesor Crystal should be made aware of a statement emanating from the mouth of one of our more astute students this week. Addressing a colleague this boy wonder pointed out, 'Teacher, many Saudi student no have passion for learn.'
Given this lack of motivation how are to get them to read Othello ? |
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also in saudi
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 137
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| Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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Don't forget "Teacher, what mean 'speak'?" This from a Saudi with two years of English lessons.
How sad. |
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shadowfax
Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 212
Location: Pocket Universe 935500921223097532957092196
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| Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject: Re: Fame |
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Hardly fortune...and I can merely assume that fame is only bestowed upon one when the general public or sectors thereof become aware of one's achievements. Mention in what I imagine to be a work of limited readership, namely SF's poetic endeavours, probably means a further wait is in order in terms of true fame. Drat!!
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Thus I scorn "fortune", valiantly brave the mockery-merriment of Bebsi, and, Lord Cecil permitting, add to a tragically diminutive coterie! -
Think ye this fickle age shall yield a fame
Beyond the moment of a hunderd years,
Or lend to Memory a lasting name,
Amidst th�immortal litany of seers?
Lay down thy rude untutored pen,
Presumptuous journeyman of mean repute,
That lays forced siege against the ears of men,
And irks the muses with thy jangling suit.
Get thee a trade, get thee a true man�s part,
Leave off this cachinnation-breeding cant,
Whereto the halls of Learning would impart
The name of worthless rhyme and noxious rant.
But when I view the trash this age brings forth
And pays with money, this accrues new worth. |
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Linguist
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:40 am Post subject: |
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Don't forget "Teacher, what mean 'speak'?" This from a Saudi with two years of English lessons.
How sad. |
I think that instructors/co-ordinators need be blamed too here because they are, in many cases, not helping the students to formulate basic questions but force them to memorize/consume tons of irrelevant materials.
How many times have instructors been forced to teach materials which are totally irrelevant to the students? |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 11:18 am Post subject: |
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| Crystal is so far out he is in orbit ! |
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grahamb
Joined: 30 Apr 2003
Posts: 1945
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:00 am Post subject: Far out, man |
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| Crystal is a twit. Apart from the Qur'an and a bit of poetry, reading is not a priority among Arabs. Anyone daft enough to teach Othello would not live long thereafter. |
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dmb
Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 8397
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| Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:34 am Post subject: |
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| reading is not a priority among Arabs. |
subtitles in Hollywood blockbuster films? |
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