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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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 Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Dear LOL,
To quote a line from a recent film, "Ah, but facts can be so misleading."
Regards,
John |
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Grendal
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Posts: 861
Location: Lurking in the depths of the Faisaliah Tower underground parking.
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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I vants to buy. I vants to buy an MA too.
Who zo I pay zi money too?
G |
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littleoldlady
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 286
Location: knitting heaven
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| Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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If you pay enough you can have one of mine.  |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:27 am Post subject: |
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With regard to Oxbridge MAs one person who interviewed me once described the situation as 'Buy one, and get one free'.
Incidentally you probably don't even have to pay for the MA any more. My college stuck it on the matriculation fee so it was paid by the LEA. That way they made sure they got the money even if you couldn't be 'arsed to ask for the MA. |
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Linguist
Joined: 22 Feb 2006
Posts: 202
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 8:56 am Post subject: |
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Dear Linguist
I've just told my daughter, a Cambridge graduate who recently received her MA (Cantab) six years after her BA, about your post and she is still laughing. May I suggest you check your facts about these ancient and prestigious universities before you make such comments. The only other university that I know of which does similar is Trinity College Dublin. There's plenty of information on the web.
Regards
LOL |
Dear Littleoldlady,
I honestly wish it was a myth but unfortunately, it isn't. I remember Blair speaking against the practice a few years ago. See for instance http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/478163.stm
I once had a friend who didn't hide that her MA certificate was 'bought' from Oxbridge. Unsurprinsigly, she firmly believed that only RP and BBC English should be taught to ESL students. |
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littleoldlady
Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 286
Location: knitting heaven
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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Dear Linguist
I didn't mean to be rude or challenging. Interesting link. Thank you.
I wasn't clever enough for Oxbridge but I did go to Trinity College Dublin for my M.Phil aged 52!! Maybe Cambridge for my PhD if they're not on sale by then. |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Unsurprinsigly, she firmly believed that only RP and BBC English should be taught to ESL students. |
I completely fail to see the point of your 'unsurprisingly'. Are you suggesting that Oxbridge students show a dislike of the different dialects of English? Perhaps you'd be kind enough to provide us links and surveys to this.
There are reasons for arguing over teaching standard English and ignoring dialect, just as there are arguments against. There is however no such thing as BBC English, as even a routine scan of BBC programs would make all too often. With regard to the teaching of RP, unless someone is going to live in a specific part of the British Isles it seems reasonable to use that as the basis for a pronunciation the students should aspire to. Or did the teacher feel it was a waste of time to teach dialects for even recognition purposes? That is a surprising attitude to take for British English, but can be argued for if the students are likely to be spending nearly all the time they use English in their careers with other non-native English speakers. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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Come on SJ... you know what he is alluding to... we have all worked with the type... the one who declares with disdain that they don't understand why Americans (Australians/New Zealanders) are even hired to teach English as they are unable to speak it. I never worked in an EFL dept in the Gulf that didn't have at least one of them swanning about with their delusions of superiority. Their fellow Brits just rolled their eyes.
Oh... and yeah... they would be the ones who insisted in departmental meetings that we must all be teaching RP. I was always the one in the back row that laughed out loud. Not that there is anything in particular wrong with RP except that I don't speak it and won't teach it... and 90+% students in the Gulf don't need it.
VS |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, VS, I've met the type. And I've met the American equivalent. But if I was working with an Ivy League grad, I wouldn't be saying, "Unsurprisingly he was a complete redneck." |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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That doesn't make sense SJ... the stereotype of Oxbridge types would be that they are toffs with posh accents... which might be perceived as snooty. So, one certainly might assume that they would consider RP as the only accent acceptable. Consequently... "unsurprisingly"
No one anywhere would confuse an uneducated farmer with a graduate of Harvard.
VS |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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So what it is is that Linguist is merely repeating an ignorant stereotype, based on gossip heard at the supermarket where he buys giant bottles of ketchup to go with all the chips he has on his shoulder.
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| No one anywhere would confuse an uneducated farmer with a graduate of Harvard. |
They're both Amurrikans.:)
And didn't Dubya put vast effort into be confused with an uneducated farmer, despite being a graduate of both Harvard and Yale. |
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:13 am Post subject: |
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We don't have ketchup with "chips" - only with fries, thank you.  |
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Asda
Joined: 01 Jun 2008
Posts: 231
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| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:48 am Post subject: |
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or bataatis!  |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 3:09 am Post subject: |
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| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
| We don't have ketchup with "chips" - only with fries, thank you. |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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The only condiment that I can think of going well with a chip...is a dip...not that I'm specifically referring to anyone on this board!
NCTBA |
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