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Yes, I know, that's a terrible pun that anyone who has ever taken Greek has heard a bazillion different times, but right now I just want to tear my hair out.
Greek (at least ancient Greek, I don't know anything about what they speak today) is a very complex language. So complex, to give you an example, that it has 24 forms of the word "the." I am not kidding or exaggerating in the slightest. It's required for all Lutheran seminary students to be able to read it with at least borderline competency, and they advise you to take it in college if you go to a school that offers it, to get it out of the way. Which I did. Two years of Greek, taught by Byron Stayskal who was just about the coolest prof I had in college, and very good at teaching a complex language in a fun and easy-to-remember way. And I was good at it. Really, I was. Languages come easier to me than most people, and I'm fairly finicky with grammar details in English, so I had a head start. I've been out of college for a year and a half now.
So I have a placement test from the seminary to do, to prove that I don't need to take Greek at seminary, and can take Hebrew instead (one is required to take a biblical language in Lutheran seminaries; if one knows Greek already, one takes Hebrew, a much easier language to learn, by all accounts). Why am I so adamant that I want to take Hebrew instead of Greek? Besides the fact that I already took Greek, it's because I'd rather audit the Greek class to brush up and have the easier Hebrew be the one I'm taking for a grade
It's a nightmare. I'm pretty sure this is all stuff that I know, but a) it's been a while and b) different professors focus on different things, and c) different professors use different terminology for some things. I'm not talking about major grammatical terms when I say different terminology, I'm talking about little finicky things--the kind of stuff that (normally) it's far more important that the student remembers what that itty bitty thing does, and not the precisely, properly correct term to describe it. Unfortunately, the little itty bitty finicky things convey, like, 2/3 of the meaning in a language like Greek.
So when one combines a, b, and c, I'm tearing my hair out because it's all familiar but I don't know exactly what the answer is supposed to be, or even (sometimes), what answer he's looking for. Needless to say, I'm tearing my hair out here.
Greek (at least ancient Greek, I don't know anything about what they speak today) is a very complex language. So complex, to give you an example, that it has 24 forms of the word "the." I am not kidding or exaggerating in the slightest. It's required for all Lutheran seminary students to be able to read it with at least borderline competency, and they advise you to take it in college if you go to a school that offers it, to get it out of the way. Which I did. Two years of Greek, taught by Byron Stayskal who was just about the coolest prof I had in college, and very good at teaching a complex language in a fun and easy-to-remember way. And I was good at it. Really, I was. Languages come easier to me than most people, and I'm fairly finicky with grammar details in English, so I had a head start. I've been out of college for a year and a half now.
So I have a placement test from the seminary to do, to prove that I don't need to take Greek at seminary, and can take Hebrew instead (one is required to take a biblical language in Lutheran seminaries; if one knows Greek already, one takes Hebrew, a much easier language to learn, by all accounts). Why am I so adamant that I want to take Hebrew instead of Greek? Besides the fact that I already took Greek, it's because I'd rather audit the Greek class to brush up and have the easier Hebrew be the one I'm taking for a grade
It's a nightmare. I'm pretty sure this is all stuff that I know, but a) it's been a while and b) different professors focus on different things, and c) different professors use different terminology for some things. I'm not talking about major grammatical terms when I say different terminology, I'm talking about little finicky things--the kind of stuff that (normally) it's far more important that the student remembers what that itty bitty thing does, and not the precisely, properly correct term to describe it. Unfortunately, the little itty bitty finicky things convey, like, 2/3 of the meaning in a language like Greek.
So when one combines a, b, and c, I'm tearing my hair out because it's all familiar but I don't know exactly what the answer is supposed to be, or even (sometimes), what answer he's looking for. Needless to say, I'm tearing my hair out here.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 02:01 pm (UTC)From:From a SG fic point of view, I find the description of Greek extremely interesting because it's quite likely to be a language Daniel knows. So, should you be moved to tell us more, please do :).
no subject
Date: 2006-08-10 08:46 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 09:27 pm (UTC)From:Due to scheduling conflicts in my undergrad, I had to wait two years before I could get in year 3 of Latin -- absolutely brutal. I tried to get into the Medieval Latin instead, as I had still worked with it in my Musicology courses, but the prof refused -- too long a break for a non-major. Sigh.
So I took Anglo-Saxon instead! Ha! Because being able to read Beowulf in the original is just ... um ... an interesting and rather unusual skill? ...go me....
Anyway, best of luck to ya! My roomie did Biblical Hebrew for her archaeology degree, and she loved it 8}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-09 12:42 am (UTC)From:What's your degree in?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 12:16 pm (UTC)From:My BAH is a medial (like a double major, but not quite) in English Lang and Lit/Classical Studies, with a minor in Medieval Musicology ... and I have a BEd - Concurrent degree as well, both from Queen's U (in Canada).
I know -- the common response to that is "*bink*blink* ... and you do what exactly with that now?" Well, I'm a high school English/Music teacher, atm. Although I'm qualified to teach from JK (nursery) to gr. 13 (A-levels), and have some experience working with special needs, so this past year as a supply teacher was *very* interesting indeed, as I bounced all over 3 different counties!
How about you?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 04:25 pm (UTC)From:I have a BA in history; my minor was English. No real specialization in either of them, since the college I went to didn't have big enough English and History departments for that; a large part of my history courses were early US history, though. I chose Luther College because I liked the music program. It's very good and they expect non-majors to be highly involved, like pretty much any Lutheran school. What's special about Luther is that they expect people (whether majors or non-majors) to want to participate in more than one part of the music program. I was in choir and band. My roommate sophomore year was also a history major/english minor who was in choir, band, trombone choir, low brass choir, took trombone lessons, and organ lessons. Luther has 2800 students, most of whom major in practical things like biology/pre-med or nursing or business or accounting or something like that. However. There are six full-size choirs, plus a madrigal choir and a jazz choir. Three concert bands, three jazz bands, 2.5 orchestras. Plus various smaller ensembles. Music is one of the smaller departments if you go by number of majors, but if you go by number of professor it's like twice the size of any other department. It's quite an experience.
Anyway, something like 90% of all college graduates end up within five years of graduation working in a field that has nothing to do with their major. So unless you're going to be a teacher or a doctor or an engineer, my belief is that you should major in something you like so that you'll get something more out of the experience than a nice piece of paper to hang on the wall. Since I knew I was probably going to be a Lutheran pastor, all that I needed to make sure I got was Greek, which I did. I spent the two years between college and seminary working first in the Lawn and Garden section of our local Sears (hated it) and then working as club secretary to a local competiive youth soccer club (loved it, didn't make much money). What I knew about both yard equipment and soccer before getting either job could have been inscribed on the head of a pin, with copious room left over for angels to dance.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-17 12:38 am (UTC)From:For some unknown reason, I thought you were in England as well, but I've been here almost 11 months now, and I have yet to meet another Lutheran.... lots of us back home in Ontario, but... not so much here! It's a good thing Anglican is so close -- I feel almost at home when I go to services at the Cathedral 8)
Your school sounds awesome! Our school of music at Queen's was ... very political. I performed in the Collegium Musicum for two years, and was the manager of PR for the same as well. I wasn't allowed to take the Music Ed courses because I initially annoyed the Head of Music Ed in my first year, and apparently continued to be a thorn in her side for the rest of my time there... go figure. (Long story.) My wrists were shot in high school from playing the bassoon, and I'm not *that* great a vocalist (good choral member, not such a hot soloist -- which makes performing for my students an interesting experience, to say the least!), so musicology seemed like the logical place to go! My advisor, Dr. Malyshko, also happens to be amazing, so that helped a heck of a lot 8}
Because I initially trained to be an elementary teacher, the Faculty of Ed's position was "go ahead and do what you'd like for your undergrad, as you'll end up teaching everything anyway." So lots of freedom, although that's caused me some problems for trying to do an MA since ... ah well. I had a heck of a lot of fun at the time! So I totally understand the "do what you find interesting b/c the likelihood of it actually relating to your future career" attitude 8}
no subject
Date: 2006-08-17 02:55 am (UTC)From:Luther's music program is incredible. Our top groups tour regularly, some internationally; if you get the chance to go to a concert, do so. Also, if you're ever going to be in Iowa/Minnesota/Wisconsin a couple of weeks before Christmas, see if you can get tickets to Jultide (I think it's just called Christmas At Luther, now). It is the best Christmas concert you'll ever go to. All the choirs perform, with the orchestra, and it is an incredible experience both to watch and to participate in. But tickets are hard to come by--each performer gets four tickets, students and staff are allowed to reserve one ticket each, and anyone else who wants one is entered in a lottery. There are five performances over one weekend, but so many people want to come that not everyone will get a ticket.
I'm an oboe player, myself; let's hear it for the double reeds! We had an awesome double reed studio, just awesome.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-17 11:17 pm (UTC)From:I once performed in an honours band for the county. We had (among other instruments of course -- including a recorder quintet, which was quite interesting...) 5 bassoons, 5 oboes, 8 tubas, and 3 full sets of tympani -- it was an odd setup, but sounded oh so cool 8} The guest conductor was incredibly impressed with the sheer amount of double reeds in attendance, as we were all high school students at the time...
It was a huge blow when the doctors informed me that I was either going to have to have surgery on my wrists (at the tender age of 17), or cease playing my instruments. Seeing as I had been being groomed to become a music major at uni on the bassoon, then go to teachers' college, my life plan had to be slightly altered ... then again, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason, so it was all good.
Yes, double reeds rock the rock rock! Yay!!!
no subject
Date: 2006-08-20 02:27 am (UTC)From:Remember I said Luther had three concert bands? The lowest band was composed of anyone who wanted to play--no auditions. At least two years (my freshman and junior year) there were no less than seven oboes. Seven. Granted, it was a huge band ... but that's a lot of oboes! (It was so cool!)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 09:46 pm (UTC)From:Professor: Have you taken Greek before in undergrad?
Me: Yes.
Professor: Oh, you'll do fine!
No test. Nothing. The seminarians here are really proficient in languages as a consequence! ;)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-09 12:39 am (UTC)From:Right now that seems like a good test to me, though. I'm only about 1/3 done with the test, having spent several hours on it last night. Aargh.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 09:48 pm (UTC)From: