How I am today - Linguistics and baby kicks
Today, I am frustrated. And worried. I am trying to start, and finish a term paper for my last term's linguistics course, which I deferred until after Christmas. I foolishly picked the date to hand it in as tomorrow, even though I have a pretty big test in Art History, on Wednesday, which includes a take-home essay. I have tonnes to do, but I have also got a big mind block for my paper.
I have to write an essay about whether or not language shapes the way we think. I think it does shape how we think, and when I'm speaking in another language I find I am thinking differently. But how to explain why? And it's not a research essay, per se, it's a 'report', based on some assigned readings, so it doesn't help that I haven't gone and done some original research to spur on my thoughts. The whole assignment revolves around some papers about the well known 'fact' (which is not actually true) that 'eskimos' have hundreds of words for snow. Most people that went to university have been taught this at some point, and newspaper columnists love to talk about it too. There are a few problems with the theory though:
1) There is no 'Eskimo' language, there are many different languages spoken by Inuit people.
2) The languages used to support this theory actually don't have 'hundreds' of words, but only a couple.
It's really quite shocking, because academics seem to have made this up, this idea of hundreds of words. So I have to use this example of how the myth evolved, to talk about whether or not language shapes our thought. It's a pain in the butt.
On other news, I'm pretty confident I'm now feeling the baby kicking. Not constantly, but every so often I feel something which I thought before was just my stomach grumbling, but now seems stronger and less stomach-y. It's very exciting, and of course a relief, since I am good at worrying about everything. Tomorrow we (I) have an ultrasound appointment, and we should learn the good news that everything with this baby appears fine and normal. I will be anxious tonight.
Martin is currently cooking chili, a huge pot, including exotic ingredients like oregano and cocoa powder. I can't wait to taste it, but it is still hours away. Weather in S/W Ontario is FREEZING like really cold, -15C in the day. What a rip-0ff! It's warmer in Regina, Thunder Bay, Calgary, probably even Edmonton! It's been like this for at least a week now. A bit is exciting, but I'm starting to really hate it, especially because the streets are so slippery.
Anyways, this is getting a little boring now, so I better sign off. If you have any brilliant advice on the essay business, please write me!
Amanda Lynn
I have to write an essay about whether or not language shapes the way we think. I think it does shape how we think, and when I'm speaking in another language I find I am thinking differently. But how to explain why? And it's not a research essay, per se, it's a 'report', based on some assigned readings, so it doesn't help that I haven't gone and done some original research to spur on my thoughts. The whole assignment revolves around some papers about the well known 'fact' (which is not actually true) that 'eskimos' have hundreds of words for snow. Most people that went to university have been taught this at some point, and newspaper columnists love to talk about it too. There are a few problems with the theory though:
1) There is no 'Eskimo' language, there are many different languages spoken by Inuit people.
2) The languages used to support this theory actually don't have 'hundreds' of words, but only a couple.
It's really quite shocking, because academics seem to have made this up, this idea of hundreds of words. So I have to use this example of how the myth evolved, to talk about whether or not language shapes our thought. It's a pain in the butt.
On other news, I'm pretty confident I'm now feeling the baby kicking. Not constantly, but every so often I feel something which I thought before was just my stomach grumbling, but now seems stronger and less stomach-y. It's very exciting, and of course a relief, since I am good at worrying about everything. Tomorrow we (I) have an ultrasound appointment, and we should learn the good news that everything with this baby appears fine and normal. I will be anxious tonight.
Martin is currently cooking chili, a huge pot, including exotic ingredients like oregano and cocoa powder. I can't wait to taste it, but it is still hours away. Weather in S/W Ontario is FREEZING like really cold, -15C in the day. What a rip-0ff! It's warmer in Regina, Thunder Bay, Calgary, probably even Edmonton! It's been like this for at least a week now. A bit is exciting, but I'm starting to really hate it, especially because the streets are so slippery.
Anyways, this is getting a little boring now, so I better sign off. If you have any brilliant advice on the essay business, please write me!
Amanda Lynn
posted by Amanda Lynn @ 11:44 AM
1 Comments:
At 1:38 PM,
The Furrer's said…
Hey! Welcome to the world of blogging!!
I have a few favorite blog sites too! One is "thoughts of an Iraq Soldier. othoughts.blogspot.com. He's really quite funny with his musings (is that a word?) of the american military.
Thanks for posting on mine, i just noticed your post today! I like your challenge to the rest of the family!!!
I did learn to set up my blog so that people can post without signing in--dashboard, settings, comments, and at "who can comment" i selected "anyone". Hope this helps.
Anyway, glad you are feeling well!
Look forward to reading your updates on your blog!
Things continue to spiral out of control here with regards to Sarah, latest is she's planning on quitting school, and returning to Lethbridge. It kills me to watch her suffer through this. She's unwilling to share with us or let us help her before she makes these big decsions. And, being the control freak I am, it's killing me to let her go.
Any thooghts as to what we should do or Not do?
thanks
claudette
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