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Getting to know you

Reply 100

Joey_Johns

10

MentallyIll

Don't you sound like fun.

Hope that wasn't sarcastic! Me and Naelse are the only classicists going to cam as far as I know so :tongue:

Reply 101

MentallyIll

Joey_Johns

Hope that wasn't sarcastic! Me and Naelse are the only classicists going to cam as far as I know so :tongue:

I know a classicist going to Cam this year. But he is an exciting chap who is untypically trendy for a classicist. You shall meet him in October if he obtains his grades.

Is it normal for a classics applicant to make explicit the fact that he wishes to do part 2 in Law at interview and still receive an offer? I thought this was really strange.

Reply 102

d750

8

MentallyIll

I know a classicist going to Cam this year. But he is an exciting chap who is untypically trendy for a classicist. You shall meet him in October if he obtains his grades.

Is it normal for a classics applicant to make explicit the fact that he wishes to do part 2 in Law at interview and still receive an offer? I thought this was really strange.

Trendy, eh? Should fit right it. :smile:

Reply 103

Joey_Johns

10

MentallyIll

I know a classicist going to Cam this year. But he is an exciting chap who is untypically trendy for a classicist. You shall meet him in October if he obtains his grades.

Is it normal for a classics applicant to make explicit the fact that he wishes to do part 2 in Law at interview and still receive an offer? I thought this was really strange.

Well for me, classics is one of those degrees where it is more than likely you are going to have a career with little to do with the subject content. Sure, some people go on to teach classics et al but in the most people find other more normal jobs, one of which is law. Classics in fact is very useful for law as well though so I don't think it should do no.

Reply 104

MentallyIll

Joey_Johns

Well for me, classics is one of those degrees where it is more than likely you are going to have a career with little to do with the subject content. Sure, some people go on to teach classics et al but in the most people find other more normal jobs, one of which is law. Classics in fact is very useful for law as well though so I don't think it should do no.

Yes, but what I was getting at was does it seem normal that somebody would apply for one of the least popular subjects and during interview be very clear in saying that he wants to do part 2 in Law - the most popular. Is there something about Classics that makes it especially suitable to progress into Law after the 1st year? Besides, surely the tutor should have been concerned that he was looking for a statistically easier admission?

Reply 105

Joey_Johns

10

MentallyIll

Yes, but what I was getting at was does it seem normal that somebody would apply for one of the least popular subjects and during interview be very clear in saying that he wants to do part 2 in Law - the most popular. Is there something about Classics that makes it especially suitable to progress into Law after the 1st year? Besides, surely the tutor should have been concerned that he was looking for a statistically easier admission?

Yes latin and greek are staples of law.

Well no, I would argue that attaining A grades in Latin and Greek is much harder than attaining A's in any old set of subjects, which would allow you to apply for law. There is of course going to be bright eyed bushy tailed people with A levels in sociology and food technology applying to do a course like law due to it having no restictions just grades. Of course they would be rejected in most cases.

Reply 106

MentallyIll

Joey_Johns

Yes latin and greek are staples of law.

Well no, I would argue that attaining A grades in Latin and Greek is much harder than attaining A's in any old set of subjects, which would allow you to apply for law. There is of course going to be bright eyed bushy tailed people with A levels in sociology and food technology applying to do a course like law due to it having no restictions just grades. Of course they would be rejected in most cases.

All the same, it is a rather crafty way of getting onto the Law tripos!

Reply 107

coopiesugar

Sadly I'm not coming to Cambridge in 2004 :frown:

, but HOPEFULLY will be in 2005 (if it all goes according to my rather unlikely plan!). I wish to study English, just because I love the feeling when I come up with a new explanation for something in a subtle piece of literature. I am studying English Lit., Classical Civilisation (the Odyssey is THE best work of literature ever), Theatre Studies and Human Bio for my AS Levels, but am gonna drop Bio for Religious Studies next year.

I spent the majority of my spare time last term metaphorically bound to my Theatre Studies module production, but once it had finished realised that actually it was a rewarding experience despite the increasingly dark bags under my eyes (I swear they crept further and further down my face)! I am (obviously) into drama, although haven't got enough confidence to push myself like the other actORS in this school.

I'm tring to read more widely, and have the help of a v. good teacher, but am slightly worried that I've wasted my time reading crap over the years, and not enough classics. I presume that the people at Cambridge aren't ALL as clever as those on University Challenge, or I'm doomed!

I like listening to a wide range of music: from classical, to musical theatre (saw Les Mis last week in London, and was the bitch who slaps Fantine in a school production!), to Justin Timberlake.

I've run out of steam, and can't think what else to write. Plus I've got to get back to editing the school mag. Ah-hem, I'm not slacking, I promise! :smile:

K

Reply 108

Threadbare Ted

Faboba

I know the signs for 'I', 'Thank You' and 'Prizewinners'. I've actually been able to use thank you when I was working in retail; every so often we'd get someone that was deaf sidling up to the till and writing notes about what they wanted on scraps of paper. At the end - just for kicks - I'd thank them in Sign and they'd go nuts for it. I would learn it properly but German should come first.

Understand "I" (pretty easy that one!) and "thank you" but why/how do you know how to say prizewinners? I don't think I would know how to sign that... Not even sure if my deaf teacher would and her first language is BSL (British Sign Language)!

Alternatively, you are joking and I am being very stupid. It's really not my fault, I was born without an inbuilt sarcasm detector.

By the way, why should German come first? BSL is a very useful language to know: interpretors can get paid around £50 an hour if they get the right job and they're crying out for them since BSL was finally recognised as an official minority language in 2003. Of course, you're probably doing German A Level/Degree in which case that definitely WOULD be the thing to concentrate on...

Ted (who thinks BSL should be a GCSE option) :cool:

Reply 109

Unregistered

i can sign "yellow", "elephant", "torpedo", "biscuits", "look", and "teddy" in makaton.

All very useful words I'm sure you'll agree.

Reply 110

DC_1234

foolfarian

I take particular note of the "I'm a pretty average bloke, 5'6 52kg"
T'aint that average really is it. That said when i arrived here i was 5'6 58kg
J

?? Have you shrunk since?

Reply 111

naelse

15

Joey_Johns

Hope that wasn't sarcastic! Me and Naelse are the only classicists going to cam as far as I know so :tongue:

Yes, it was sarcastic. Mentally Ill took in instant dislike to me. But no worry- I've got nothing but love for him :biggrin:

Reply 112

DC_1234

crana

i can sign "yellow", "elephant", "torpedo", "biscuits", "look", and "teddy" in makaton.

All very useful words I'm sure you'll agree.

Might be if you need to tell Edward to torpedo the squadron of inflatable yellow-rubber elephants using stale biscuits.

Do you anticipate this happening often?

Bathsheba

I am young and ignorant but hope to rectify this situation.

Most people find they get less young as they get older.

I was also once passionately in love with jeremy paxman.

I will say nothing - read; Sidney Sussex Union Forum - The We Love Paxman Thread

was 12 years old at the time. this is probably better than being in love with commander riker as paxman is more likely to exist.

I don't know... Descartes might disagree with you on that one. But then... he's just one of the Devil's hallucinations too, isn't he? Dammit. Cartesian doubt really can't work in the real world, can it?

Threadbare Ted

Understand "I" (pretty easy that one!) and "thank you" but why/how do you know how to say prizewinners? I don't think I would know how to sign that... Not even sure if my deaf teacher would and her first language is BSL (British Sign Language)!

Alternatively, you are joking and I am being very stupid. It's really not my fault, I was born without an inbuilt sarcasm detector.

By the way, why should German come first? BSL is a very useful language to know: interpretors can get paid around £50 an hour if they get the right job and they're crying out for them since BSL was finally recognised as an official minority language in 2003. Of course, you're probably doing German A Level/Degree in which case that definitely WOULD be the thing to concentrate on...

Ted (who thinks BSL should be a GCSE option) :cool:

Prizewinners is signed by moving your right fist in circles from your elbow just to the side of the top of your head. The reason I know it is because it's the only sign my mum remembers from a prize giving ceremony she attended when she was younger. They - for some reason - had someone signing the ceremony and naturally the one which kept cropping up and was easy to work out was 'prizewinners'. I remember anecdotes for a very long time.

I'm not questioning the validity of learning sign language - it's one of a very short list I made a while ago entitled 'languages worth learning' - but there isn't anyone in the world who can only communicate through sign. There are some people who can only speak German.

That's a bad reason on analysis - there are even more people who can only speak Spanish or Portugeuse and most people who can speak German can speak English - so I'll offer up two new ones which you can either think over or reject;

It's been argued that as the basis for most conscious thought is language that learning a foreign language not only expands your operational vocabulary but actually expands your mental horizons by allowing you - to some extend - to see the world through another mind which is structured around an alternate language or as is more common a strange hybrid of a new language and your own. This feature - if the theory is true - is one which BSL will lack being as it is based on English with a similar - as far as I know - grammar to it and actually a more limited vocabulary. That is not to say that there isn't a certain element of linguistic epiphanism about it - but the interest from a philosophical standpoint would be to try and find out from people who sign what it is like not to have heard language. What is the sound of a deaf man sub-vocalising?

And my third argument; I fancy learning German more. Call it an irrational desire to fully actualise myself in a specific order - first English, then French, then German, then Japanese, then Italian, then Spanish, then Russian, then Gaelic, THEN Sign Language. Don't think for one second I can explain why.

Reply 113

Unregistered

Faboba

Might be if you need to tell Edward to torpedo the squadron of inflatable yellow-rubber elephants using stale biscuits.

Do you anticipate this happening often?

I used them all very frequently on my work experience, which is where i learnt them :smile:

rosie

Reply 114

Helenia

20

Joey_Johns

Yes latin and greek are staples of law.

Well no, I would argue that attaining A grades in Latin and Greek is much harder than attaining A's in any old set of subjects, which would allow you to apply for law. There is of course going to be bright eyed bushy tailed people with A levels in sociology and food technology applying to do a course like law due to it having no restictions just grades. Of course they would be rejected in most cases.

I doubt Cambridge would let in people with A-Levels all in subjects like those, so stop being so condescending, you horrible little snob :tongue:

Reply 115

DC_1234

crana

I used them all very frequently on my work experience, which is where i learnt them :smile:

rosie

Okay now I'm intrigued - what on earth was it you did? ( And what's makaton? )

Reply 116

Bathsheba

It's been argued that as the basis for most conscious thought is language that learning a foreign language not only expands your operational vocabulary but actually expands your mental horizons by allowing you - to some extend - to see the world through another mind which is structured around an alternate language or as is more common a strange hybrid of a new language and your own. This feature - if the theory is true - is one which BSL will lack being as it is based on English with a similar - as far as I know - grammar to it and actually a more limited vocabulary. That is not to say that there isn't a certain element of linguistic epiphanism about it - but the interest from a philosophical standpoint would be to try and find out from people who sign what it is like not to have heard language. What is the sound of a deaf man sub-vocalising?

And my third argument; I fancy learning German more. Call it an irrational desire to fully actualise myself in a specific order - first English, then French, then German, then Japanese, then Italian, then Spanish, then Russian, then Gaelic, THEN Sign Language. Don't think for one second I can explain why.

most importantly learning german means you can read german books, surely. far better than talking to real people in german. far better than losing everything in translation.

Reply 117

Bathsheba

MentallyIll

Don't you sound like fun.

that's a bit harsh. it's not easy introducing yourself over the internet. not everyone does it with such innate style as i do

Reply 118

Unregistered

Faboba

Okay now I'm intrigued - what on earth was it you did? ( And what's makaton? )

I hope I m explaining this right..someone please correct me if not... Makaton is a system of signs and written symbols - the signs being derived usually from BSL I think - that is usually used with people who have learning or communication difficulties. Even for people who have learning disabilities but normal hearing and speech, signs/symbols can be easier to understand and use, as lots of them are quite "intuitive" - they look like what they are rather than being an abstract sound.

It's not a language like BSL - it's more a vocabulary - it doesn't really have a proper grammar or syntax, although it does have some "rules" - like in the written symbols, a stick woman of a particular design is "girl" (I think there's a different one for "woman"), and a circle around something means "my". So a girl in a circle becomes "my girl" and means "sister".

I did my work experience at a special school for children with physical disabilities, although most had a degree of learning/communication/sensory disability as well. The staff try very hard to integrate signs and symbols into all the lessons so that the children learn it as well as a means of communicating with the children. So while the teacher is talking, she will also sign relevant words, and when they are singing songs the songs are signed at the same time. The time tables, and the books, have Makaton symbols to "translate".(But not, like, a complete translation - just the main words type thing). One boy in my class was encouraged to use Makaton most, but the symbols were also used by the others like in "choice charts" - a sheet of paper with symbols for, say, the options for lunch, or a variety of drinks, so they could choose for themselves even if they couldnt speak or sign, by pointing. Two girls in the class below me used to chatter away in sign but no one in my class was really into it :wink:

so yeah. most of the random words were from songs and stuff. and yellow was from painting :smile:

"Stop" , "Look that way" etc were my most used ones as the signing boy in the class was also the most disruptive :smile:

(for example, he used to think that it was quite unfair he was the only one in the class with hearing aids, so when everyone was sitting in a circle he used to take them out and put them in his classmates ears instead. and he used to grab the joysticks on others' electric wheelchairs and drive them into walls - the slightly-cruel-but-i-wish-could-have-been-used-for-my-brother technique when he was really bothering the others was to move him out of arms reach of the other kids and put his brakes on - which he couldnt take off himself :wink:

)

Ok, i think thats all you could ever possibly have wanted to know about makaton and my work experience. incidentally, theytold me that the sign for sweets and the sign for biscuits is the same. whch must be very frustrating when you want a hob nob and keep being given murray mints :wink:

Rosie

Reply 119

Unregistered

Bathsheba

that's a bit harsh. it's not easy introducing yourself over the internet. not everyone does it with such innate style as i do