I wanted to do a quick, short post to explain why I'm not writing much at the moment - but I got sidetracked by and with words - as usual!.
The reason for being otherwise occupied is due to the pile of books I collected last week from the Academy in preparation for the new term, which starts on Monday. Exciting stuff.
I have everything from 'My Family' and 'The Enormous Turnip' to 'Five Children and It' and 'London', as well as text books, CDs, grammar exercises and suggestions for language games. To say I need to read all these just didn't seem to sum up the task I have ahead of me.
So, share with me, if you will, an unpacking of that simple word - in its present tense - READ (pronounced 'reed', not its past tense, READ, pronounced 'red'.)
According to Merriam Webster, I will be going over and mentally taking in the content of the books on my table. Which seems fair enough as far as it goes. (And Fairy Nuff is a tackety-booted fairy of questionable talent who speaks solely in verse, of course.)
But it doesn't go far enough - so, to expand on the idea of simply reading....
Maybe I'll just browse through some of the younger readers' books, as I can decipher, comprehend and understand these with just a quick scan and skim.
I shall be perusing the more advanced material - in the context that peruse has of studying, poring over, rather than its other context which implies a much more casual approach. (Now how did that happen - that the word 'peruse' can mean study or give only a cursory look?)
The grammar in the senior text books will definitely need careful reviewing and studying in order to get a full grasp of the content. Maybe even a little interpreting and deciphering in order to explain grammatical problem areas.
So you see, I'm rather busy! Classes start on Monday and I am so looking forward to them. And I will be very well-read before I go. What are you reading now?
(I resisted the temptation to include a track from 'Simply Red' here in order to link in with my title because I don't like the band. If you do, or you fancy listening, I include the link to their YouTube page!)
Hello Annie:
ReplyDeleteMay your reading become having read,may all your lessons be fun and may your time at the chalkboard pass in a blink of the eye.....these things we wish for you!!
Jennifer Johnstone is our favourite at the moment and Michael Connelly for the dark side.....
Happy days!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Nice use of the subjunctive here. And some new authors for me to investigate. Axxx
DeletePerusal always makes me smile...as solicitors like you to imagine they have studied the documents closely and charge you for perusal accordingly when it is clear from the next five letters they send and charge for that they have only skimmed through.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading about the Korean War with the Blitzkrieg lined up to follow.
It's a lovely word, though, even if it pretends to be something it's not sometimes, isn't it?
DeleteNow the Korean War doesn't appeal...nor the Blitzkrieg either...nice bedtime stuff?
Axxx
I need to look out for Fairy Nuff, that sounds excellent. It all sounds like hard work, but the sort that is enjoyable, and as we all know, being prepared for teaching is all important. I hope you have a great term, and enjoy your new students as they grapple with the wonders of English.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading all the Hilary Mantel that I haven't already read at the moment... loved Wolf Hall and Bringing Up the Bodies, so have been reading her shorter novels which have me completely hooked. Jx
I used to be so up to date with literature in the days when I was a bookseller - sadly, I'm awfully out of touch now but at least I'm getting some new names to check out. Fairy Nuff was on a card a friend of mine sent me, probably 40 years ago, which really amused me - it emerges every time I say it and the link is to a strange site that I don't really know but which amused me. Axxx
DeleteAll the best for the start of term. I'm re-reading Brian Sewell's "South from Ephesus"
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie. That book sounds right up your street - or down your road - or somewhere near!! Axxx
DeleteI've just purchased 'the cat in the hat'. My daughter loved Dr. Seuss and Rebecca is due to vist at the end of October so I hope to share the reading of this one and enjoy giggles as the story unfolds. My read at the moment is the 2nd book of a planned trilogy by Deborah Harkness Shadow of Night which moves on from the first A discovery of witches. An adult fairy tale would be a good description and great for reading on the train into work.
ReplyDeleteCelia
Dr Seuss is wonderful - we've enjoyed reading and rereading so many of his stories - a good one to share with Rebecca! You've provided me with another writer I don't know, so thanks for that - though no more trains into work for me, thank you very much!! Axxx
DeleteI somehow managed to resist the temptation to click on the Simply Red link, thank you very much!
ReplyDeleteJust finished Martin Rowson's "Stuff", a memoir inspired by clearing his deceased parents' house and just started Ford Madox Ford's "Parade's End" after watching the TV adaptation.
Hi Nilly, glad I warned you. Although the band sprang to mind when I wrote the title, I didn't want to embed one of their annoying tunes on my page!
DeleteNow Ford Madox Ford is on my list of 'to read' and I do think I would be interested in 'Stuff' - you don't give a recommendation - should I??
Axx
I loved "Stuff" - the author, Martin Rowson, is a political cartoonist (Leftie) who has written several other books including a graphic novel based on Tristram Shandy. He has used Laurence Sterne's device, digression, in "Stuff". He wanders off at tangents as memories evoke other memories, which I enjoyed - must be how my mind works. Rowson is about 50 so it's full of nostalgic memories too and it is funny, a bit anarchic and very moving. Highly recommended!
DeleteSounds perfect! Thanks Nilly!
DeleteSounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you Annie. Good luck with the new term.
ReplyDeleteI am currently trying to concentrate on Ataturk by Andrew Mango, but I keep getting distracted. I'll probably do better with it in winter.
Thank you Ayak. I am hopeful that I'll find working from text books and story books will make the teaching a bit easier - more focused. We'll see!
DeleteI remember you said you were grappling with Ataturk - now sure how the weather is in Turkey just now, but I am definitely looking forward to snuggling up with some knitting and a good book. Today, we have thunderstorms.
Axxx
Thanks for alerting me to the two meaning of peruse, Annie. I've always understood it as sustained and careful reading, so it seems odd to think of a completely opposite meaning. Your pile of books looks varied enough to appeal to all tastes, so good luck with the preparation and new term.
ReplyDeleteI've just finished reading Maeve Binchy's evening Class, which I very much enjoyed and am about to start reading A Question of Belief, one of Donna Leon's marvellous Commissario Guido Brunetti novels, set in Venice. I'm afraid my brow is getting markedly lower with age. :-)
How nice to have been able to give you another meaning for peruse, Perpetua. I think it may depend on local uses too - we always used to peruse the newspaper and we didn't mean sustained or careful reading. I was less aware of that meaning. Strange.
DeleteI think I've read 'Evening Class' - the only Maeve Binchy I've read and I enjoyed it. Right now, I'm fascinated by 'Road to Wigan Pier' - really taken with Orwell's writing; I'd previously only read '1984'.