Azure Jane Lunatic (Azz) 🌺 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
azurelunatic) wrote2002-09-18 10:49 pm
azurelunatic) wrote2002-09-18 10:49 pm
Jabberwocky vs. Foreign Language
Today, someone asked if they could read something written in another language. Mr. Ashford told him that he could not, as the class would not be able to understand what was being said.
I raised my hand at this point, and recalled to Mr. Ashford his statement of just the day before, about "Jabberwocky", and how the entire poem was nonsense, and it was up to the reader to interpret the nonsense meaningfully to the audience. Should not this principle apply to pieces in foreign language as well?
It's not often that the entire class responds to one of my statements by looking at one another and nodding in complete agreement. (I was inspired by Feynman's experience with speaking in Italian.)
Mr. Ashford replied that he would be unable to grasp whether the piece had been done justice to, and dismissed the subject.
I like making the rest of the class think.
I raised my hand at this point, and recalled to Mr. Ashford his statement of just the day before, about "Jabberwocky", and how the entire poem was nonsense, and it was up to the reader to interpret the nonsense meaningfully to the audience. Should not this principle apply to pieces in foreign language as well?
It's not often that the entire class responds to one of my statements by looking at one another and nodding in complete agreement. (I was inspired by Feynman's experience with speaking in Italian.)
Mr. Ashford replied that he would be unable to grasp whether the piece had been done justice to, and dismissed the subject.
I like making the rest of the class think.
no subject
no subject
As a part-time agent of chaos, it's my responsibility to introduce the unusual random elements into everyone else's day.