Jerrey treeoo hiaghtin jeig ny Shallee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:
The Last Lingua Franca (Nicholas Oster)
Ta'n lioar shoh cur geill da linguas franca as yn eie dy nee Baarle ee y lingua franca fondagh er son dy bragh nish; ny dy jig Sheenish, foddee, 'syn ynnyd eck. T'eh mie dy liooar, agh shegin dou gra nagh dod mee jannoo briwnys er cre'n lhaihderaght chiarit eck. Ta'n lioar beggan trome myr çhengoaylleeaght y theay, rere lioaryn elley ta mee er nyn lhaih; er y laue elley, cha nel ee ny tekslioar noadyr. Lhaih mee ish moal dy liooar, er y fa dy v'eh orrym ram shennaghys, tashtyn-fockle joarree a.r.e. y hoo stiagh marish yn eie hene. Shen Oster cur geill da feanish, as shen red mie; beggan ny sloo, foddee? Mannagh vel anaase as fys ayd hannah er ny cooishyn er lheh, s'doillee eh cummal seose geill; ta cabdil feer liauyr er Pershish as mean Euraishey, as lhie eh dy trome orryms; cha nee cooish chadjin studeyrys 'sy Heear... Cha s'aym c'red vees share. Ghow mee soylley jeh, as er lhiam dy vel briwnys s'jerree ny lioar fondagh dy liooar. Er y laue elley, ta mean ny lioar myr obbyr chlooidee, er lhiam - cha row snaie fondagh roie ny trooid (wahll, cha nee lioar oaylleeaght chreoi t'ayn, agh cooish heshoil). Myr shen: t'ee feeu, agh t'ee beggan quaagh as er lhiam dy vees eh ny share da'n chooid smoo jin gyn eab dy hoiggal (ny lhaih) dagh ooilley red 'sy liooar mannagh vel fys ayd er hannah.
Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day (Philip Matyszak)
Ny coontey mie, aitt as ynsee jeh'n Raue mysh 100BNJ, lane vynphoyntyn shennaghyssagh as cultooragh. T'eh beggan trome lesh fysseree ny keayrtyn, agh cha nel eh ort cur gys cooinaghtyn dagh nhee 'sy lioar. Ta aaraaghyn as meeryn cooie breckey y clane dy mie as soilshaghey magh bree as annym ny Romanee, chammah's y coontey shennaghyssagh ainjyssagh (as craidagh ny keayrtyn) ta Matyszak hene cur dhyt.
Dyn y Syrcas (Derfel Williams)
Cooinaghtyn dooinney preaban, voish toshiaght e ghraih er y phreaban derrey daag eh y bea arraghee er son bea smoo shickyr as soit. Anaasoil dy liooar, agh beggan aaobbragh er lhiam, gra ny reddyn cheddin dy mennick. Agh ta'n skeeal shoh er son lhaihderyn moaley as myr shen s'cosoylagh dy vel eh beggan aashagh er y fa shen.
The end of week thirteen of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:
The Last Lingua Franca (Nicholas Oster)
This book's about linguas franca and the ideas about English remaining as an eternal world language, or being overtaken by Chinese or what-haveyou. It's decent enough, but I've got to say I couldn't quite fathom the intended readership. It's really pretty dense as a piece of pop linguistics (I've read my share) but it's clearly not a textbook either. It goes into quite a lot of historical detail, and throws in lots (really, really lots) of linguistic examples throughout, which is excellent scholastic practice but does make it pretty heavy unless you're really into those languages and cultures - there's a very long section about Persian and mid-Eurasia, for example, which most people in the West (like me) are utterly ignorant about, so that was heavy going. I'm not really sure what I think would improve it, though - it's just in a slightly odd niche. I'm glad I've read it, and I agree broadly with the book's conclusions, though I've got to say I didn't really feel like there was a strong thread of argument running through the book - it's more a patchwork most of the time, but then it's social and cultural linguistics, not physics. So, broadly, it's worth a look, but be aware it's slightly genreless and you'd probably do best to just flick through it and focus on the bits you're most interested in, rather than trying to soak in everything.
Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day (Philip Matyszak)
A fine, amusing and educational account of Rome in about 100AD, full of cultural and historical detail. It's a little bit dense at times, but it's not like you're obliged to memorise all the names and cross-references. The main thread of the account (which is pleasantly wry) is peppered with pithy quotes and fragments that illustrate the Roman character, attitudes and concerns of the day.
Dyn y Syrcas (Derfel Williams)
Reminiscences of a circus man, from his boyhood love of the circus to the end of his own career in search of a more settled life. Interesting, though a bit repetitive to be honest; however, it's part of a Quick Reads initiative partly for people who don't read much, and that may be partly why.
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