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Cambridge Anglo Saxon Norse and Celtic (ASNC) Students and Applicants

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Just a quick hello from Seattle!

I've accepted an offer to begin reading for my MPhil in October. I can't wait to get started.

Brian
Just got an offer!

Anyone else out there with one? :biggrin:
Reply 122
Just got an offer from Christs!!! So excited and shocked! Which colleges are people going to?
I have an offer from St John's :smile:
Reply 124
Offer from Homerton! SO HAPPY
Congratulations everyone :smile:
Mine was an offer from King's :biggrin: yay for everyone else :biggrin:
If anyone can answer my question it will be you guys!

I'm currently in my first year doing an English Lit BA. So far this year I've done one half unit of Old and Middle English, next year I'm doing an Old English half unit and in my third year I will do another Old English half unit and dissertation. Would this be enough to qualify me for the ASNaC MPhil or would I have to do the affiliated BA first?
I am looking to apply to asnc in fall 2013, and was wondering if my language skills were sufficient.

The only language I study is French, and I was wondering if I could get very far along in self-taught Latin or another language (Old Norse, medieval Gaelic, Old English etc.) over the summer before applications?

Does anyone have advice on how reasonable this is and if it would help? Please answer soon as I want to get going!! :biggrin:
Original post by Aethelswith
I am looking to apply to asnc in fall 2013, and was wondering if my language skills were sufficient.

The only language I study is French, and I was wondering if I could get very far along in self-taught Latin or another language (Old Norse, medieval Gaelic, Old English etc.) over the summer before applications?

Does anyone have advice on how reasonable this is and if it would help? Please answer soon as I want to get going!! :biggrin:



Hello! :biggrin: I'm a current ASNC. Although languages are very useful to have, loads of people in my year did only French/German/none at all, and they're all doing really well. In induction week, we all get pretty far-reaching grammar classes to prepare, which means that everyone gets the linguistic background they need for the course. Also, the language teachers know what they're doing, and no knowledge of any of the languages is expected. If you'd feel more comfortable flicking through some textbooks/looking over a bit of grammar then by all means do. Latin may be useful, as it introduces you quite well to the case system, which I don't believe they have in French. But I wouldn't stress too much, there are probably many applying alongside you in the same boat. Any queries, feel free to PM me :smile:

I hope this helps,
M.
Reply 129
Can't wait to start in October :smile:
Hello everyone! I was wondering, if I should get an interview (fingers crossed), the format of the source analysis? For instance,
1. how long is the piece of text(or a picture?) ?
2. do you read it before or during the interview?
3. are you asked specific questions about it or just asked to comment?
Thanks so much !!!!!!
Reply 131
Hey,

It'll probably vary from college to college, but I was given about.. 20 lines or so of text in the interview itself and given a few minutes to look at it (plenty of time). The questions I think started generally with a 'tell me about any interesting features' or similar, but he was very quick to prompt me if I got stuck - it turned into a proper discussion rather than a hard-fire question session. Hope that helps, feel free to pm me if you've more questions!

H
Hello again! I know it is mentioned briefly on the website, but I was wondering if there is ever an opportunity to learn to read anglo-saxon runes?
I'm applying for ASnC this year and have my interview next week - I'm already as nervous as I've ever been in my life, and the actual interview is still a week away! :eek:

I have a few questions about the format of the interview:
- I've read that many people have to do some source analysis; is this doable if you've never done anything like it? I'm very much self-taught, and while I've read a lot of 'original' texts I'm not sure that's the same thing? What happens if you get a source you're not familiar with - or is that the whole point, to engage with something unfamiliar?
- I'm a little worried about knowing too little; do they test how much you know, or rather just how you think? My main focus thus far has been on literature, and I'm afraid I'll be underprepared in the linguistic and history department...

I'd appreciate any answers / advice / general reassurance anyone could offer, so thanks a lot in advance! :biggrin:
Reply 134
Original post by ladybird20
Hello again! I know it is mentioned briefly on the website, but I was wondering if there is ever an opportunity to learn to read anglo-saxon runes?


Hey, yes - there's a lecture on it in the 3rd year Germanic Philology paper. I think those are mostly Scandinavian runes but the Futhark is pretty similar from what I remember. :smile:
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 135
Original post by Kaylee Frye
I'm applying for ASnC this year and have my interview next week - I'm already as nervous as I've ever been in my life, and the actual interview is still a week away! :eek:

I have a few questions about the format of the interview:
- I've read that many people have to do some source analysis; is this doable if you've never done anything like it? I'm very much self-taught, and while I've read a lot of 'original' texts I'm not sure that's the same thing? What happens if you get a source you're not familiar with - or is that the whole point, to engage with something unfamiliar?
- I'm a little worried about knowing too little; do they test how much you know, or rather just how you think? My main focus thus far has been on literature, and I'm afraid I'll be underprepared in the linguistic and history department...

I'd appreciate any answers / advice / general reassurance anyone could offer, so thanks a lot in advance! :biggrin:


Hey, congrats on getting an interview!

Source analysis is fine and not scary at all - they give you a passage to read and then ask you some questions about it. If you've done any literature or history subjects before it'll be exactly the same principle - literary techniques, vocab (it'll be in English!), possibly significant names/events, anything that looks interesting.

There's 100% no way they have any expectation of you knowing the source! The entire course is taught from scratch. So they're looking at how you can respond to something crazy and new that you've never seen before (as they would in any subject). They're not interested in what you know, as that's what you're going to university to learn - though having done a bit of research to show interest is useful.

I'd never done history past year 9 and got a history question, which I largely blagged from common sense - they will ask you stuff they know you don't know the answer to on purpose, so see how you can think and reason. You're also allowed to ask for help or clarification. You're unlikely to get much linguistic stuff if you haven't mentioned it, though depending on who interviews you (I can spill beans as I'll know them!) they might ask you for ideas e.g. on connections between English and German.

Hope that helps a little bit - if you want any more insight feel free to message me (I did undergrad and MPhil in ASNC and have helped several people with interviews).

H :smile:
Yay!!
Anyone applying this year?


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Original post by IHTWFR
Anyone applying this year?


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Me :smile:

(Sorry for the late response)

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