(no subject)
One of the reasons I went to university was to study languages, with Russian being the main focus.
I got accepted into upper level Latin. However, I'll discuss that later on in this entry. For the time being I'll discuss the reason as to why I am disappointed with how my dream of studying Russian has gone down the drain.
Having studied the language on my own, I had to take a placement test to determine my competence in the language. Once they looked at the result, the Russian Department decided not let me take Russian. Much to my surprise (and, of course, dismay), it turned out that I placed in 4th year Russian, which was only reserved for those doing a Russian Honours Major. With what they considered as my 'advanced' knowledge of that language, the decision was made not to let me take that course.
Torn by this outcome, I was confronted with few other options, and they boiled down to two: Latin and Ancient Greek.
1) Latin: It's a 'cool' language for many, but to me no language could have been any more dull. I have already studied the language in great detail, and I'm familiar the most rigid grammar aspects of the language. Still, why do I want to take it? Well, for starters, I have already gone a long way, so I might as well 'improve it.' Second, the instructor is a professor I have had the honour to being taught by this year. Also, the class will consist of a quick review, so that should freshen up my Latin. The schedule for next year is on Mondays and Wednesdays (I'm trying to clear out my Friday for next year). So yes, it seems ideal to me, and the professor is someone I already know so there.
2) Ancient Greek: For the past few weeks I've been progessively developing a strange yet powerful infatuation with Ancient Greek. The language, for some reason, seems tailor-made to my indulgence, with its avidly complex structure and satisfyingly rigorous grammar that dominate the flow of the words from the most celebrated Athenian writers of their time. The delicate phonetics of the vowels, coupled with the various case declension and the precise aorism of the verb tenses account of the Homeric narration's seeming to unfold in an enchanted Hellenic daydream rather than as an actual epic. The language itself an intrinsic beauty lost in the scrubs of unfound poems and inherently dissipitating interest in the culture. One reason I do not want to take Ancient Greek is because it takes place on Fridays and the instructor is quite notorious for her strict approach on the language.
I'm torn, you guys. Help me.
I got accepted into upper level Latin. However, I'll discuss that later on in this entry. For the time being I'll discuss the reason as to why I am disappointed with how my dream of studying Russian has gone down the drain.
Having studied the language on my own, I had to take a placement test to determine my competence in the language. Once they looked at the result, the Russian Department decided not let me take Russian. Much to my surprise (and, of course, dismay), it turned out that I placed in 4th year Russian, which was only reserved for those doing a Russian Honours Major. With what they considered as my 'advanced' knowledge of that language, the decision was made not to let me take that course.
Torn by this outcome, I was confronted with few other options, and they boiled down to two: Latin and Ancient Greek.
1) Latin: It's a 'cool' language for many, but to me no language could have been any more dull. I have already studied the language in great detail, and I'm familiar the most rigid grammar aspects of the language. Still, why do I want to take it? Well, for starters, I have already gone a long way, so I might as well 'improve it.' Second, the instructor is a professor I have had the honour to being taught by this year. Also, the class will consist of a quick review, so that should freshen up my Latin. The schedule for next year is on Mondays and Wednesdays (I'm trying to clear out my Friday for next year). So yes, it seems ideal to me, and the professor is someone I already know so there.
2) Ancient Greek: For the past few weeks I've been progessively developing a strange yet powerful infatuation with Ancient Greek. The language, for some reason, seems tailor-made to my indulgence, with its avidly complex structure and satisfyingly rigorous grammar that dominate the flow of the words from the most celebrated Athenian writers of their time. The delicate phonetics of the vowels, coupled with the various case declension and the precise aorism of the verb tenses account of the Homeric narration's seeming to unfold in an enchanted Hellenic daydream rather than as an actual epic. The language itself an intrinsic beauty lost in the scrubs of unfound poems and inherently dissipitating interest in the culture. One reason I do not want to take Ancient Greek is because it takes place on Fridays and the instructor is quite notorious for her strict approach on the language.
I'm torn, you guys. Help me.