A blog about translation, writing and language in all its glorious aspects
My last post was about the unexpected pleasures that reading to children can bring – sometimes years afterwards. Another, more immediate added pleasure comes from children’s book illustrations. Here are two examples:
The first two are from The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea, by Guy Billout. And the third, sadly only published as a private edition, is by Paul Moody, to illustrate a poem written by his wife. Aren’t they beautiful?
By Marian Dougan
People talk of reading to young children as being a chore, and of parents rather than children falling asleep at bedtime out of sheer exhaustion. Well, there’s no denying that babies and young children are hard work and that sleep becomes the ultimate luxury.
But reading to your kids can be great fun, not just a chore and not just at bed-time. You and your kids can act out the stories (voices are enough – no need for Oscar-winning performances. You are exhausted, after all).
And you might, eventually, get your reward. A couple of months ago, I had a bad cold – one of those short but fierce colds that leave you no option but to take to your bed.
I was lying there feeling miserable, red-nosed and very sorry for myself. Olivia, my teenage daughter, brought me some Lemsip, tucked me up comfortably and stroked my fevered brow. That was nice enough in itself.
But she then produced our old copy of “The Mother & Child Treasury”, an anthology compiled by Shirley Hughes and illustrated by her daughter, Clara Vulliamy, and read me some of the stories I’d read to her as a child. It was lovely – a mother and daughter moment to treasure indeed.
By Marian Dougan
Our next-door neighbours had their first baby a few weeks ago – Isadora, known as Izzi.
When our own kids were born, friends and relatives gave us an abundance of (i.e. too many) baby clothes and toys. So we decided to buy Izzi a selection of books to see her from baby bathtime to school age. Not just any books, but books that our own kids, Harry and Olivia, liked when they were wee. And most important, that we enjoyed reading to and with them.
This was our shortlist:
For small babies, a plastic bath-book is good fun (anything brightly coloured, must squeak!). Freddy the Frog is by Axel Scheffler (who illustrated the Gruffalo books). Buggy books are a good idea too – they can be clipped on to prams, buggies, cots or high chairs and combine book and toy appeal. Many of the classic children’s titles are now available as buggy books too.
For slightly older babies, simple counting or alphabet books. We chose “A Moose in the Hoose”, a counting book in Scots (by James Robertson and Matthew Fitt), to help educate Izzi’s American mum, Annie, and American grandparents on the finer points of her linguistic heritage.
The Hairy MacLary or Slinky Malinki books by Linley Dodd are great fun for kids and adults and introduce some fairly sophisticated vocabulary. Our family still knows all of the gang’s names by heart, so the books clearly have staying power.
Amazingly, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle is 40 years old (with illustrations that are both timeless and of their time). Beautifully illustrated, this book helps children learn numbers and the days of the week, as well as teaching them how butterflies are “born”.
“Peepo!” was written and illustrated by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, who grew up in 1940s Britain. Its detailed and meticulously researched illustrations capture everyday life in that era to beautiful and highly nostalgic effect.
Maisie is a Scottish cat who has lots of adventures in Morningside, the posh part of Edinburgh, and in various locations around the world. We chose “Maisie Bites the Big Apple” in recognition of Izzi’s American heritage (her mum’s from Colorado, but I don’t think Maisie’s done the Rockies yet). The Maisie books are by Aileen Paterson.
“Fungus the Bogeyman”, by Raymond Briggs (who also wrote “The Snowman”). How could you resist this description:
Deep under the ground, in the dark tunnels of bogeydom, live the bogeys, a vile collection of slimy, smelly creatures who revel in everything revolting. Fungus is a bogeyman – a particulary foul and fetid specimen. As he goes about his bogey business, the full horrors of bogeydom are revealed…
Oh, hello again. Just back from checking Harry and Olivia’s bedrooms. Now, where was I…
…Oh, yes. Anything at allby Shirley Hughes. Her books are, quite simply, a joy.
All of these choices are, of course, highly personal. The above selection comes from our own family experience, bearing in mind that Harry and Olivia are now 17 and 15 respectively. Mike Ritchie, a journalist twitter-friend who has a toddler son, suggests “Spot The Dog” by Eric Hill, “Not So Scary Sid” by Sam Lloyd, “We’re Going On A Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, and “The Gruffalo” and other Julia Donaldson offerings such as “Tyrannosaurus Drip” and “Sharing A Shell”. There’s a wonderful choice and your local bookshop will probably be delighted to help you make your selection. We bought ours from Milngavie Bookshop, which is a delight.
“Freddy the Frog”, by Axel Scheffler
“Smile” is a Baby Touch book by Ladybird
“A Moose in the Hoose”, by James Robertson and Matthew Fitt, illustrated by Karen Sutherland (Itchy Coo press)
Hairy Maclary and Slinky Malinki series, written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd
“The Very Hungry Caterpillar”, written and illustrated by Eric Carle
“Peepo!”, written and illustrated by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
Maisie series, written and illustrated by Aileen Paterson
“Fungus the Bogeyman”, written and illustrated by Raymond Briggs
“Stories by Firelight”, by Shirley Hughes
By Marian Dougan
“La plume de ma tante est sur la table” is often cited as an example of the irrelevant rote learning that used to give language teaching a bad name.
Here’s an overview of the etymology of “plume”:
1. From Online Etymology Dictionary:
plume late 14c., “a feather” (especially a large and conspicuous one), from O.Fr. plume, from L. pluma “feather, down,” from PIE base pleus– “to pluck, a feather, fleece” (cf. O.E. fleos “fleece”). Its meaning as “a long streamer of smoke” is first attested 1878. The verb meaning “to dress the feathers” is from 1702. Related: Plumed; plumes.
2. From Merriam Webster:
Main Entry: 1 plume Pronunciation: ˈpl¸m Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin pluma small soft feather — more at fleece Date: 14th century
1) a feather of a bird, as: a. large conspicuous or showy feather; b. contour feather (one of the medium-sized feathers that form the general covering of a bird and determine the external contour); c: plumage (the feathers of a bird); d: a cluster of distinctive feathers
2) a: material (as a feather, cluster of feathers, or a tuft of hair) worn as an ornament; b: a token of honor or prowess: prize
3) something resembling a feather (as in shape, appearance, or lightness), as a: a plumose appendage of a plant; b: an elongated and usually open and mobile column or band (as of smoke, exhaust gases, or blowing snow); c: an animal structure having a main shaft bearing many hairs or filamentous parts; especially: a full bushy tail; d: any of several columns of molten rock rising from the earth’s lower mantle that are theorized to drive tectonic plate movement and to underlie hot spots
And this is what “plume” has come to signify for us all in 2010:
Ash plume from Eyjafjallajökull Volcano (Courtesy of NASA Goddard)
Ash plume rising from Eyjafjallajökull at sunrise, seen from the east. Eyjafjallajökull itself is obscured by the larger glacier Mýrdalsjökull (Courtesy of Gunnlaugur Þór Briem)
Smoke billowing from Eyjafjallajökull (Courtesy of plasmastik (REUTERS/Ingolfur Juliusson)
Cancelled flight departures, Edinburgh Airport (courtesy of Martin Third)
Volcanic Ash – Sunset over West Lothian (courtesy of Martin Third)
Collected oil burns on the water in this aerial view seven miles northeast of the Deepwater Horizon site over the Gulf of Mexico (REUTERS/Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
A helicopter flies over surface oil in this aerial view over the Gulf of Mexico (REUTERS/Daniel Beltra/Greenpeace, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
A ship’s wake cuts through a pattern of oil near the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
A dragonfly tries to clean itself as it is stuck to marsh grass covered in oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, in Garden Island Bay on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana near Venice (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
A young heron sits dying amidst oil in mangrove on an island in Barataria Bay, along the the coast of Louisiana (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
A reddish egret, its legs and tail feathers coated with oil, flies above the water in Grand Isle, Louisiana (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
Dr. Erica Miller, a member of the Louisiana State Wildlife Response Team, cleans a pelican of oil at Ft. Jackson in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (REUTERS/U.S. Navy/Justin Stumberg, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
An oil-soaked pelican takes flight after Louisiana Fish and Wildlife employees tried to corral him on an island in Barataria Bay (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
A dead Northern Gannet covered in oil lies along Grand Isle Beach in Grand Isle, Louisiana. A member of Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research tagged the spot of the location of the incident (REUTERS/Sean Gardner, courtesy of The Big Picture/boston.com)
2010 is the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity.
It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity.
The effects of the oil spill on life and biodiversity in the Gulf of Mexico don’t bear thinking about.
By Marian Dougan
In today’s earlier post I mentioned that The Sunday TImes will be charging users for online access, starting in June 2010. Depending, I assume, on readers’ reactions, other newspapers and magazine will follow suit.
How do you feel about paying for online access to your favourite paper? And how often would you prefer to pay? (Feel free to comment using the “other” field).
By Marian Dougan
Does controversy boost your career? We look at the actresses who have signed up for violence and explicit sex. Read more and register for a free trial at thesundaytimes.co.uk
“Words to good effect” is one of the winning blogs in the Top 100 Language Blogs 2010 competition organised by LexioPhiles and Bab.La. We came 42nd overall, and 9th in the Top 10 Language Professionals category. We’re delighted!
A big Thank You to everyone who voted for us!
By Marian Dougan
For any of you thinking of taking part in language learning initiatives at your local schools, I thought it might be useful to describe in more detail some of the events I’ve attended. So that you know what you’re letting yourselves in for!
The Careers Day I attended was for 2nd year pupils at Bearsden Academy, to help them decide on their “Standard Grade” state exam subjects.
Representatives from different businesses and careers were seated at tables around the school hall and canteen. On the Day I attended, the “career representatives” included police officers, scientific researchers, lawyers, accountants, a pilot (how do you follow that???) and others.
Small groups of 8-10 pupils made their way around the tables until each group had spoken to each career representative, for about ten minutes per group. The idea was for each of us to briefly describe our career path and current job, and any qualifications required, following up with comments and questions from the kids.
This is pretty labour intensive for the career representatives. I can’t remember how many groups I spoke to but I do remember repeating my spiel many times over. The comments and Q&A can be hard going with 13-year-olds so you might need to do some prompting. There’s only so much you can do with about 10 minutes per group. By the same token, not much preparation is required.
Most second-year pupils have only a hazy notion of of what they want to do in life. However, some of the kids did have career ideas, so I tried to find ways that languages could help them or complement their other skills. And to all of the kids I pointed out that learning a foreign language would ultimately help with their English and open up their opportunities and horizons.
I take it as a given that any opportunity to promote language learning is useful, and that language professionals should be represented at careers days and similar events. So if the careers officer invites me to future Careers Days, I’ll definitely accept. First, to do my bit for language learning. And second, the school laid on a lovely buffet of soup, sandwiches and cakes for us afterwards. And I’m a sucker for a free lunch.
By Marian Dougan
…and he’s wishing he hadn’t.
The phone rang. I answered.
Me: Hello, Marian Dougan speaking.
Caller (male): Hello, can I speak to the Managing Director?
Me: Who’s calling, please?
Caller: I’d like to speak to the Managing Director.
Me: Yes, but who’s calling?
Caller: It’s a business call, I’d like to speak to the Managing Director. Is he in?
Me: …………[= frosty silence]. I am the Managing Director. Can I help you?
Caller: …………[= oh, s**t, I’ve blown it]. I’m phoning to see if you’d be interested in corporate hospitality. At the Stuffy Old Buffers Golf Club.
Me: Thank you so much but I don’t think we’d be interested. Good-bye.
Caller: Mumble, mumble. Click.
If I’d had more time, instead of being busy running a business, I’d have given this inept caller some tips on how to do a sales/marketing call. I realise that the following will be preaching to the converted, but just in case…
Illustration courtesy of Lobstar 28.
By Marian Dougan
If you work with language and love your job, one way to share your enthusiasm is to take part in career days or simply talk to pupils at your local school about your work and why you enjoy it. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, language teachers will thank you for your efforts.
I’ve attended several careers events at local secondary schools. How effective these are depends partly on the format, partly on the age of the pupils, and partly on the national educational system – is language learning compulsory, and to what age? (It also depends on how well the presenters convey their enthusiasm to the kids – enthusiasm not being a particularly desirable quality in teenage eyes).
Although I wear my translator/editor’s hat when I talk to the kids, I also tell them about previous jobs I’ve had where language skills were important. The important thing is to give them an insight to the wider job opportunities that language learning opens up. So I encourage them to include – but not necessarily focus exclusively on – languages in their study and career options. On which point: I used to teach translation to Italian honours students at Glasgow University. While some of the students were passionate about their subject, others seemed uninspired and pretty clueless as to why they’d opted for (single honours!) Italian in the first place. What were they thinking of?
So I think it’s best to present languages to kids as an additional skill that will give them an extra edge, whatever career they choose. Here are some examples (based on people I’ve met) that I use when I’m talking to pupils:
Most of the careers events I’ve taken part in were organised directly by the schools, so I’ve had to fit in with a pre-arranged format – some more successful, and some more tiring for the presenters, than others. I’ll describe some of these in later posts.
By Marian Dougan