Khmer--the language this time

Elvish

Khmer

All growing up my family read Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. I loved the story and the poetry and I loved the funny writing on the cover. How great was my surprise when, preparing to serve a mission for the LDS church, I encountered another missionary with the Bible in what appeared to be elvish. I had no idea that that language actually existed outside of Middle Earth. The missionary was going to Cambodia, not Middle Earth and the language was sadly not elvish but Khmer.

The Linear B Script.

Ancient Greek civilizations are famous for their developments in language and communication. One such civilization is the Mycenaean civilization, which I have researched about in my last couple of blog posts. Originally, only those who held religious authority or political power were taught how to orate properly. It wasn't until philosophers, Socrates and Plato, had popularized speech, that the common Mycenaean people began to use oration as an authoritative and scholastic means of communication. However, Aristotle, a student of Plato, argued that speech was not the only means or even the most important mean of communication. He believed the written language was. 

Basic Linear B syllabary.

Sitting on the Fence . . . For Thousands of Years

As we began this unit on written knowledge, I was rather excited.  I love hand writing and different symbols and everything that has to do with writing.  The power of the written word is something I have loved ever since I learned to read.  I suddenly became disappointed when I realized that I needed to talk about writing within the Hopi culture, mostly because they do not have an alphabet.  I guess that kind of puts a damper on writing if you don't have an alphabet.  Luckily as I have studied out the topic, I have realized that the Hopi language and people can give us a lot of cool clues as to how writing systems are developed because they stayed with a transitionary step to developing writing systems - the pictograph.

The famous "Hopi Prophecy Rock" - Said to depict
the consequences of not living in harmony
with the earth.  Says that if we don't there will be a
WWIII-like cataclysmic event. 

Etruscan Writing and Language

The writing system of the Etruscans is highly correlated with other Indo-European systems (particularly Greek), but the language of the Etruscans is quite the opposite. Linguists have a hard time placing it within a language family, and it seems fairly isolated.

#3 - Syllabi from a Student

So this post is argumentative in some aspects, but is not meant in the spirit of contention, but in learning through debate, and seeing both sides of a discussion. I actually agree with and appreciate the ideas that Dr. Burton shared in his post, but it got me thinking about the institution of the syllabus and what it means here in college and this is what I have thought about. I would like to address some of the assumptions about students that I feel like underlie the post. I can only speak for myself, and what kind of learner I am, but if you step back and really study the students of today I hope this would apply to others as well. So I will try to stay in first person so you can remember that this is really just my own account. I am going to "offer [my] experience as [my] truth".  I agree with what has been said, but I want to add on a student's perspective.

The Speech Expirience

Hey guys!
Great job reciting the speech today, I think it went great and it was definitely a memorable experience for me. I really enjoyed your comments and thoughts about it and thought it would be good to have a little platform to discuss it and build off each other's thoughts without having to run off to another class.
So to start it off...
I was most impressed by the unity created by all reciting together. I felt drawn closer to you and thought it was a good example of how ritual is an important part of creating a cohesive society.

#2 - Talking to an Academic Professional

During my research on the Phoenicians, I had the opportunity to explore several aspects of their culture and understanding. My interview with Professor Hamblin here at BYU confirmed a lot of my knowledge about the culture and their educational practices, and also brought to light a few of the details that I missed.  Overall, it was an interesting experience to meet with him, because I didn't know him at all, and he didn't know me, (I don't think he even learned my name) and the first time we talked I called him and asked if I could interview him (after doing my research on different professors' specialties).  So picture this, well, awkward setting, when I show up to speak to him during his office hours, though it is an appointment, and he is late because of a department staff meeting, and we finally sit down and I start asking questions and he gives answers and I take some very messy notes.  Below is basically what I learned from our discussion about the Phoenicians and their culture and oral tradition.  

Choices, Choices! #1 - Children’s Stories, From Africa to Mulberry Street

I hope that over the course of today, I will be able to add the other two blog posts that I hope to write, and you can pick which one you would like to comment on (though if you are feeling adventurous, you can comment to all three).  The other two will be a response to Dr. Burton's post on Syllabi and a commentary about my interview with an Ancient Near Eastern Studies Professor on the Phoenicians.  I am excited to write them and share my experiences, and I hope you enjoy reading.  

This past Friday, I did something atypical, and got a few strange looks because of it.  I attended the weekly Storytime at the Museum of Peoples and Cultures, and learned about the role of spiders in African and Caribbean folklore.  The other patrons at the event were mothers and grandmothers of toddlers, and of course the children themselves.  After the stories, we made our own spiders by tracing our hands without our thumbs and I helped a mother of 3 cut out her son’s paper hands.  It was a neat experience for me, and something I would like to repeat. 

Epic Performance

Imagine yourself high up in the mountains of present day Guatemala in a stone courtyard or plaza adorned with statues and figures carved from stone of fierce warriors, majestic kings and intelligent priests. The spoken words of a poet drift to your ears through the crisp air typical of the dry season. You listen attentively, relishing in the glorious detail of brave warriors and fierce battles. A part of you stirs in pride for your ancestors and rich cultural history.