Oxford Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics (PPL) Students and Applicants

I got so excited when i first read that the question was on chinese tones, but unfortunately that taiwanese dialect is nothing like the languages i speak:/ each tone for each syllable is a completely different meaning, there is not more than one way of saying one thing in mandarin/cantonese, so to be honest it might have been more of a hindrance as i was trying to relate it to my languages but struggled, and spent an awful lot of time trying to figure it out:/

And yeah I learnt both chinese and english as a mothertongue too so i am not consciously aware of any grammar rules i am using, until i discovered the study of linguistics and i was fascinated by what i've been doing unconsciously all this time, hence why i want to study it so much ahaa!

Ha, I know what you mean! I love linguistics for that reason: it brings out something that we take for granted and reveals just how complex and incredible it is beneath the surface - and to imagine we use all of it without thinking when we're fluent!

I got into studying languages by an interesting series of events. I created a pantheon of fantasy gods, so I wanted to create a culture for them to exist in. I wanted to create a culture that was vibrant, so I began exploring architecture and Latin. I realised that Latin wouldn't be expressive enough for what I wanted to achieve... and that's when I started to really explore languages. It's why I study so many now; I want to explore all the different and unexpected ways in which language varies!

That is so so interesting! Im glad i have found someone who loves linguistics as much as I do, it's difficult to find you know hahaa! Ahhh it'd be amazing if we can both study at oxford together, I can see we would get along really well

Wow you come from such an interesting background! No wonder you want to study linguistics, that'd be such a good point to talk about in interviews etc! I'm fully chinese, fluent in mandarin, cantonese and english, and lived in the UK ever since I was born, so a bit boring compared to you ahaa!

Oh god i didnt put anything technical like you, I just said that they looked at the picture which they thought reflected the same meaning as what was being said to them longer..:/
And I put the same grammar differences as you woop!

Hey, you're fluent in two more languages than I am, so I'd say that's a point worth celebrating :P

When it comes to Chontal it seems like like-minds think alike, eh?

By the way, I'm curious: since you're fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, how did you find the first question on the MLAT that was about tonality in a Taiwanese Chinese dialect? Was it relatable straightword to you, or did you have to think about it?

My mother learned Italian as a mothertongue, and she has no idea about Italian grammatical patterns when I ask her about them, so I'm wondering if you had a similar experience on the first MLAT question.

Looks like all three of us are going for the same courses at UCL and Oxford! I have interviews at ChCh from the 13th, but I haven't heard anything from UCL yet. How did you guys find the questions they sent out in October?

Yay found another fellow applicant! Ahh I've got an offer from UCL but still haven't heard from Oxford yet:/ (I applied to univ) and what questions do you mean? I didn't get sent a questionnaire from UCL if that's what you mean...

I was sent a questionnaire to complete which had some stuff about my motivations for applying and a question about "a cure for stammerers". They also asked me about one of the course options for the second year, and acknowledged that they had received my questionnaire, but I haven't heard back from them since. The interview dates all get released at different times by different colleges, so I wouldn't worry, especially if you already have an offer from UCL!

Yeah, moved to St Edward's for 6th form! Do I know you? 😸

haha I go to LEH and I think I remember you from the German exchange 😂

Small world I guess... When's your interview?