Embedding mp4 videos in a Virtual Learning Environment

I recently finished a fairly long project to make a DVD collection more readily available to members of a university library. The DVDs are expensive academic ones, and the library is not that keen on lending them out. Also, this would restrict usage to one person at a time, which means if they’re assigned viewing for a seminar or assignment, life becomes very difficult. This being the case, the library got permission to make the DVDs available on the university network. However, for copyright reasons and to minimise the risk of piracy, access has to be restricted to only current members of the university, which means controlling access pretty heavily; they can’t just be made available over the internet.

The small faculty library have limited influence over the university computing services, which meant that bespoke viewing solutions were not really an option. For example, they couldn’t have a special password-protected page set up that would control access through user identification. For copyright purposes, something like this with by-user watermarking would be a nice solution; but technically difficult and probably expensive, even once the basic page was set up.

The chosen solution was to make use of an existing user-restriction system: the university Virtual Learning Envirnoment (VLE). The university IT service agreed to set things up, but for various reasons were eventually forced to drop the project. Obviously (as I’m posting this) it fell to me to handle it. I thought it might be useful to post a description in case any other poor sap has to do a similar project in the future.

A complication that arose fairly early was that the VLE would not (at least at that time) allow media files to be played directly. As a result, I had to set up embedded players within the VLE to play each set of files.

There were several basic stages to the project:

• Transcribe the content descriptions of each DVD for use on the VLE. Thse came as text pages on the DVD, (not files; still text images!) which would have been somewhat nightmarish to transcribe. Fortunately the library had paper handbooks that had accompanied the original VHS versions of the DVDs.
• Rip the DVD to .mp4.
• Create XML playlists for each DVD.
• Create webpages for each DVD with an embedded player.
• Create static webpages for the transcriptions of each DVD, and an overall DVD listing page linking to the individual embedded-player pages.

Some were trickier than others, but I’ll run through them all quickly.

Transcription

The paper handbooks were invaluable here. I simply scanned the pages and OCRed them to get the basic text. Naturally there were plenty of OCR errors to correct, some of which I picked up at the time and others much later.

Ripping

For ripping the DVDs I used Handbrake (http://handbrake.fr/). This is a very useful bit of kit, fully open-source and GPL for those worried about it, and usable on Windows, OS X and Linux.

To rip DVDs with Handbrake:

1. Go to Options. Set the default folder to wherever you want this lot of files stored (which saves hassle later), and set up a filename scheme. This needs to be set for each DVD if you want the files named anything useful.
2. Insert the DVD and select “DVD” as the source.
3. In my case, the DVDs were fairly low resolution, so for space-efficiency and quick processing we chose the “Iphone and Ipod Touch” setting defaults.
4. Set audio however you want; in our case it was worth mixing down to Mono because there was only a mono track.
5. Select “Web Optimise”
6. Manually select the first track, so chapters “1 through 1”
7. Check the filename and path. Manually chance the prefix to .mp4 if you want .mp4s, as it tends to default to m4v.
8. Add the chapter to the queue
9. Change the start track to the next one. This will automatically change the end track, so you’re still only picking one track at a time.
10. Repeat until all tracks are added.
11. Open the queue, check all the tracks are actually there, and off you go. Ripping will take a while, so I suggest using a machine you won’t be needing for the rest of the afternoon; it might be safe enough, but there’s always a chance of causing problems if you try to work on it at the same time.

XML Playlists

A playlist looks like this:

  <playlist version="1" xmlns="http://xspf.org/ns/0/">
    <title>playlist title</title>
    <info>main DVD page URL</info>
    <tracklist>
      <track>
        <title>number and title of track</title>
        <creator>copyright holder</creator>
        <info>filename.mp4</info>
        <annotation>description of track</annotation>
        <location>filepath/filename.mp4</location>
      </track>
...(repeat for other tracks)     </tracklist>
  </playlist>

Sections in red need to be filled in appropriately. In the case of the VLE I was working with, files seemed to need absolute paths rather than relative ones.

I wrote them in Notepad++ (http://notepad-plus-plus.org/), which keeps track of bracket pairs, quote pairs and so on, making it amazingly useful for this kind of thing. In fact I do all my HTML editing in NP++.

Pages with embedded players

The player I ended up using is called JW Player, available from Longtail Video (http://www.longtailvideo.com/players/). It supports both Flash and HTML5. I used the simpler Flash option as the VLE was liable to create enough problems, without worrying about browser issues. I believe the newest release of JWP (currently 5.9) may make things simpler, but haven’t tried it. I started the project with the January 2011 release (probably 5.0), and have not seen any particular reason to change over.

I downloaded JWP and unzipped it into a folder on the VLE. That’s about all you need to do with it.

Each embedded-player webpage looks like this:

<h2>DVD Title</h2>
<script type='text/javascript' src='../../media/swfobject.js'></script>
<div id="mediaspace">descriptive text that should not appear unless there are problems. I used it to include a warning that library catalogue machines could not play the videos</div>
<script type='text/javascript'>
  var so = new SWFObject('../../media/player.swf','mpl','980','480','9');
    so.addParam('allowfullscreen','true');
    so.addParam('allowscriptaccess','always');
    so.addParam('wmode','opaque');
    so.addVariable('playlistfile','DVD_playlist.xml');
    so.addVariable('playlistsize','340');
    so.addVariable('playlist','right');
    so.addVariable('bufferlength','30');
    so.addVariable('autostart','true');
    so.addVariable("repeat","list");
    so.addVariable("shuffle","false");
    so.addVariable('backcolor','52708b');
    so.addVariable('frontcolor','000000');
    so.addVariable('lightcolor','ffffff');
    so.write('mediaspace');
</script>
<p>Read the <a href="path/thisdvdsummary.html">written summary</a>
</p>
<p>Return to the <a href="path/maindvdlist.html">main DVD listing</a>
</p>

Static pages

The pages with transcriptions, DVD listings and other information were just bog standard HTML pages.

Folder structure

Just for completeness, here’s the folder structure I used for the project, with generic names instead of the specifics I used.

Main (root folder for the project)
    Main.Media (contents of the JW Player download, used to actually play the .mp4s)
    Main.DVDs (includes the homepage for the videos, and any summaries or transcriptions to the contents of multiple individual DVDs; the latter could instead have been in a specific Summaries subfolder)
        Main.DVDs.ThisDVD (includes the individual mp4s; the xml playlist; summary page for the specific DVD; and the embedded-player page).

Dy giare: craueyn clouit

Ta art beg noa screeut aym er cooish lheeys anaasoil. T'ad er gooilleeney clou craue keeilley noa da ben chaill e craue keeilley liorish osteomyelitis!

CAGHLAA: er y fa nagh vel yn ynnyd-eggey shen ayms foast, ta mee er scughey yn art. T'eh heese nish.

Craue keeilley clouit

Haink yn eie shoh jeh New Scientist 06-02-2012; 3D printer provides woman with a brand new jaw liorish Paul Marks.

Barriaght lheeys noa! Ta mee er screeu hannah er aajiooghyn jeant ass bun-chillaghyn deiney. Nish, ta laueyn-lhee Belgagh er groo craue keeilley noa liorish clou magh!

Giare-chummey

Va’n ben 83 bleeaney d’eash, as va osteomyelitis stroie y craue keeilley eck. Ren ad scanney JAM (Jallooaghey Aavuilley Magnaidagh, “Magnetic Resonance Imaging”) jeh’n chraue keeilley, do by chosoylagh eh coip jeeragh jeh y jannoo. Ren possan Jules Poukens (Biomed, rheynn ronsee bea-lheeys Ollooscoill Hasselt ‘syn Velg) stiurey y laue-lheeys as co-obbraghey marish colught clouderys Layerwise. Ta Layerwise cruinnaghey er clou 3H çhitaanium dys jannoo crooinyn feeacklagh as cuirryn craue.

Ren ad ymmyd jeh clouder 3H shinteyragh laser (“laser sintering”) dys croo y far-chraue noa. Ta’n clouder co-lheie breneenyn çhitaanium, brat er vrat, dys aachroo y kiaddey t’ad cur da. Eisht, ren ad coadey y craue keeilley fo vrat crayee bea-choardailagh (“biocompatible”) nagh boiragh er e stoo kirpey. Ta tuill as lhagganyn ‘sy chraue greinnaghey muskylyn dy chiangley rish, as thiollaneyn lhiggey da neearagyn keeilley goll ny hrooid, as ta binn ayn er son cuirryn feeacklagh my ta feme ec y ven orroo keayrt ennagh ry-heet.

Cheau ad kiare ooryn rish y laue-lheeys ayns Mean Souree 2011. Rish y nah laa, dod y surransagh loayrt as sluggey ‘syn aght dooghyssagh reesht. Ghow ad yindys dy row eh cho speeideilagh. Ta cuirryn clouit er nyn nyannoo roish shen, agh v’ad ny sloo. Aachroo ad lieh-chraue keeilley s’yrdjey ayns Finnlynn ayns 2008, liorish clowan çhitaanium clouit baiht ayns bun-chillaghyn daase stoo kirpey noa ayns brooinney y turransagh (shen bentyn rish obbyr yn aajioogh noa). Ayns 2009, ren ronseyderyn coontey jeh craueyn ordaag clouit. Shoh kesmad noa ‘sy vagher as er lesh ny commee she toshiaght t’ayn. Dooyrt reiltagh Layerwise, Peter Mercelis: “By chosoylagh eh jannoo foddey ny smoo ymmyd jeh cruinnyn jeant er son surransagh er lheh, na jeh aachuirraghyn craue deiney.”

Foddee cloudeyryn 3H jannoo bratyn micromeadaryn er çheeid as ass stoo erbee, bunnys. Ta New Scientist gra dy vel ronseyderyn shirrey aght dy chlou noadaghyn crackan da surransee lostey, as eer aght dy hroggal lane oltyn liorish cur sheese killagyn ‘sy chummey cooie. Greesee ass towse!

Jeeagh er feeshag er y chooish liorish Layerwise.

Imraaghyn

“Spare jawbone grown in gut” Sami Torma, ABC Science, Reuters.
Cha noddym feddyn art oaylleeagh bentyn rish y chooish raad erbee. Quaagh.

“Toward Regenerating a Human Thumb In Situ”, Tissue Engineering Part A September 2009, 15 (9): 2605-2615. Weinand et. al. DOI: 10.1089/ten.tea.2008.0467.

Shiaghtin ghellid

She shiaghtin ghellid t'ayn. Ta çhingys sooilley as crackanagh ennagh er ngeddyn greim orrym, as hug y ben-lhee orrym gyn ceau speckleyryn ny sooillagyn lhiantagh rish ymmodee laaghyn. Cha nel shen aashagh, er y fa dy vel mee cho kyagh as craitnag. Foddym cronnaghey cummaghyn, as cur enney er kuse dy 'leih rere'n eeaddagh as aght shooyl oc, as cha nel mee tuittym ny bwoalley noi reddyn son y chooid smoo. Agh cha noddym fakin eddinyn, as erskyn ooilley, cha noddym lhaih. Wahll, cha mnoddym lhaih agh reddyn shey oarlagh veih my ghaa hooill ny ayns clou buillvollee er heu varroose. Dy aighar, ta mee clouscreeu er meir feer vie; ta mee screeu y clane art shoh gyn fakin fockle erbee jeh, as s'treisht lhiam nagh bee rouyr marranyssyn ayn. Cha cosoylagh eh cur er y teks ve mooar dy liooar dou fakin eh gyn croymmey roym as blakey er.!
Ghow mee speckleyryn rish queig bleiney d'eash as cha gooin lhiam traa tra dod mee fakin reddyn dy baghtal. Gyn scansh da shen, cha oayllagh dou shooyl mygeayrt gyn fakin; ta mee ceau speckleyryn ny sooillagyn car y laa. Taa mee faggys er nyarrood wheesh nagh noddym dy yannoo gyn speckleyryn. Agh ny laaghyn shoh, ta dagh ooilley red, bunnys, croghey er lhaih. As mish gobbraghey ayns lioarlann, she ard-ghoilleeid t'ayn. Cha noddym fakin ny dateyn çheusthie ny lioaryn; cha noddym cronnaghey my she lioar lhien ny lioar lesh lioarlann elley t'ayn dy aashagh. Cha noddym fakin ny lipaidyn skellooagh t'orroo tra ta mee cur ad erash 'sy lioarlann; v'eh oym gliooney er y laare as blakey orroo dy quaagh, ny drappal aarey as seiy my eddin rish ny lioaryn dys feddyn y boayl kiart. Erskyn ooilley shen, cha noddym fakin taishbyneryn! Nagh quaagh eh wheesh d'obbyr ta shin jannoo orroo? Cha noddym lhaih ny cur freggyrt da postyn-l, ny shirrey lioaryn er y chatalog, as cha noddym eer cur lioaryn er eeassaght as goaill ad erash agh dy moal as dy mertragh; ta'n teks ro-veg. Ga dy noddym fakin kuse ennagh jeh liorish eab, cha noddym goaill tastey jeh reddyn dy taghyrtagh, as shen red scanshoil.
Ec y traa t'ayn ta mee thie, agh ta'n chooid smoo dy cheaughyn-traaaey caillt aym. Ta mee screeu y post shoh agh t'eh creoi dy liooar. Cha cosoylagh eh lhaih lioar, ny jeeaghyn er fillym, ny cloie gammanyn. Son y chooid smoo t'eh foym ceau yn çhiaghtin liorish eaishtagh rish recortyssyn çhengey ynsee as shareaghey my hene. Heemayd!

Skeealeen daa oor

Ta mee kiart er screeu skeealeen noa. Haink yn eie dou fastyr jiu 'syn obbyr, as aght ennagh haink eh dou dy aashagh y cheayrt shoh. Dy cadjin cha noddym geddyn greim er ny h-eieyn as t'eh orrym faagail ad noi traa elley. Nee'm eh y aalhaih as glenney beggan, as s'treisht lhiam dy noddym cur er yn ynnyd-eggey aym oie ny vairagh. Red beg quaagh elley rere aght Ghunsany.

Çharon

Çharon

Chroym Çharon er oaie as ymmyrt. Va dagh ooilley red goit stiagh ‘sy tooilleilys v’er.

Cha nee cooish dy vleeantyn ny keeadyn v’ayn, agh thooillaghyn foawragh dy hraa, as shenn trommys as pian ‘syn arm v’eh er gliaghtey rish myr ayrn jeh kiaddey ny jeeghyn as myrane lesh Beaynid.

Dy beagh ny jeeghyn er chur da eer gheay chontraartagh, veagh eh er rheynn ooilley traa ‘sy chooinaghtyn echey ayns daa leac corrym rish y cheilley.

Cho lheeah va dagh ooilley red raad chum eh, dy jinnagh sollyssid erbee feiyal thurrick mastey ny merriu, er eddin benrein myr Cleopatra foddee, cha noddagh e hooill ny chronnaghey.

By whaagh eh dy daink ny merriu nyn ymmodee ‘sy traa v’ayn. Haink ad nyn dousaneyn ga dy b'oayllagh daue çheet nyn naeedyn. Cha by churrym ny mian Haron eh smooinaghtyn 'syn annym lheeah echey er cre'n oyr. Chroym eh as ymmyrt.

Eisht rish tammylt cha daink peiagh erbee. Cha b'oayllagh da ny jeeghyn gyn cur peiagh erbee neose veih'n Teihll rish lheid y tammylt. Agh share fys ec ny jeeghyn.

Eisht haink dooinney ny lomarcan. As hoie sheese y scaa beg bibbernee er beck follym as heiy yn baatey jeh'n çheer. Cha nel agh un troailtagh: share fys ec ny jeeghyn. As ren Çharon mooar as tooillit gymmyrt roish as roish rish y scaa tost beg bibbernee.

As va sheean ny h-awiney gollrish sogh vooar va Seaghyn er soghal 'sy toshiaght marish e shuyraghyn, as nagh noddagh geddyn baase myr mactullee vran deiney huitt er cruink thallooin, agh va cho shenn as traa as y pian ayns armyn Haron.

Eisht ren y baatey veih'n awin voal lheeah roshtyn thalloo Dis, as hooill y scaa tost beg er-traie as eh bibbernee foast, as ren Çharon yn baatey y hyndaa dys ymmyrt dy skee erash da'n Teihll. Eisht dooyrt y scaa, va ny ghooinney keayrt dy row.

"She mish y jerrinagh," as eh.

Cha row peiagh erbee rieau er chur er Çharon mongey; cha row peiagh erbee rieau er chur er keayney.

---

Charon

Charon leaned forward and rowed. All things were one with his weariness.

It was not with him a matter of years or of centuries, but of wide floods of time, and an old heaviness and a pain in the arms that had become for him part of the scheme that the gods had made and was of a piece with Eternity.

If the gods had even sent him a contrary wind it would have divided all time in his memory into two equal slabs.

So grey were all things always where he was that if any radiance lingered a moment among the dead, on the face of such a queen perhaps as Cleopatra, his eyes could not have perceived it.

It was strange that the dead nowadays were coming in such numbers. They were coming in thousands where they used to come in fifties. It was neither Charon's duty nor his wont to ponder in his grey soul why these things might be. Charon leaned forward and rowed.

Then no one came for a while. It was not usual for the gods to send no one down from Earth for such a space. But the gods knew best.

Then one man came alone. And the little shade sat shivering on a lonely bench and the great boat pushed off. Only one passenger: the gods knew best. And great and weary Charon rowed on and on beside the little, silent, shivering ghost.

And the sound of the river was like a mighty sigh that Grief in the beginning had sighed among her sisters, and that could not die like the echoes of human sorrow failing on earthly hills, but was as old as time and the pain in Charon's arms.

Then the boat from the slow, grey river loomed up to the coast of Dis and the little, silent shade still shivering stepped ashore, and Charon turned the boat to go wearily back to the world. Then the little shadow spoke, that had been a man.

"I am the last," he said.

No one had ever made Charon smile before, no one before had ever made him weep.

---

Ta'n skeealeen shoh çhyndaait ass Charon liorish yn Çhiarn Dunsany. Ta'n lioar vunneydagh ry-lhaih er Project Gutenberg.

Meanyn 'sy Vretnish

As mish cummal ayns Sostyn nish, cha nel monney caa aym Bretnish y loayrt as ta'n çhengey lheie ersooyl jeem beggan er veggan. Ta mee lhaih 'sy Vretnish ny keayrtyn as geaishtagh rish kiaull Vretnish nish as reesht. Aghterbee, ghow mee toshiaght shirrey creelaghyn-fynneigagh as y lheid. Ta mee geaishtagh rish creelaghyn-fynneig dy mennick: tra ta mee shooyl dys yn obbyr, jannoo obbyr yn thie, ny roie; myr shen she caa vie dy chummal seose yn çhengey. Cha dooar mee monney.

Cha nel agh kiare ry-gheddyn jeh Radio Cymru, as cha nel ad cooie dou dy firrinagh. Ta fer jeu mychione bluckan-coshey - cha nel anaase aym er ayns çhengey erbee. Ta fer elley politickagh, as ga dy vel mee cur geill da politickaght, cha nel monney fys aym er cooishyn ynnydagh Bretin nish. Chammah's shen, ta mee geddyn dy liooar jeu liorish lhaih y naight 'sy Vretnish. Ta'n claare kiaullee mie dy liooar, agh t'eh foddey ny s'doccar toiggal kiaull na coloayrtys tra t'ou shooyl rish raaidyn mooarey, as t'ad lhiettit da beggan cooishyn son y chooid smoo. Cha nel mee son lhiettal my cliaghtey Bretnish da graih, trimshaght as shennaghys y theay. Ta'n kerroo fer er son y phossan ynsee hene; my dy liooar, agh aght ennagh cha ghow eh greim orrym.

Er y gherrid, hooar mee creeley-fynneigagh jeh'n ennym Haclediad. T'eh bentyn rish çhaghnoaylleeaght, co-earrooderyn, yn eddyr-voggyl as stoo elley ta anaase aym er myr nerd fouwragh. Deaisht mee rish y chreeley s'jerree as ghow mee ram taitnys jeh. V'ad loayrt dy baghtal as va quallid mie ec y recortys. Obbyr vie dy jarroo. Chammah's shen, ta mee er ngeddyn Pengwiniaid Madagascar, as shen yindyssagh. Mannagh vaik oo Madagascar (fillym bio-chaslyssagh), fow eh as jeeagh er, t'eh feeu y traa. Ta'n claare shoh mysh jeih minnid er lhiurid, as t'eh da paitçhyn; wahll, t'ad cur eh mastey stoo paitçhyn, agh ta sleih Sheear jannoo shen marish dagh ooilley caslys-skeeal, fillym bio-chaslyssagh as skeeal erbee elley nagh vel jeant liorish feer sleih as focklyn, er fa nagh vel mee toiggal. Aghterbee, t'eh aitt as giare as myr shen t'eh snaue stiagh dy mie ayns baarney erbee 'sy claare-traa aym.

Fockley magh R

Ta mish gobbraghey ayns lioarlan ollooscoill, as ta studeyryn gobbraghey marin 'syn oie myr cooney lhieeneydagh (t'ad ny sloo deyr na obbree lane-emshir!). Ta shin caarjoil dy liooar as ta kuse jin ceau traa rish y cheilley ny keayrtyn. Aghterbee, ta ben jeu smooinaghtyn er jeet dy ve ny ben-lioarlan erreish da'n ollooscoill, as dinsh ee dou dy vel ee er chur stiagh er son Aberystwyth. Wahll, va mee ayns shen blein ny queig er dy henney (as b'wooar lhiam ee), as hug mee gaue jee dy by ymmydoil eh Bretnish y ynsaghey er y fa dy vel ad daa-hengagh 'sy lioarlan. Cha row mee jerkal eh tra dreggyr ee dy by vie lhee oyr dy ynsaghey Bretnish.

Wahll, erreish dou toiggal ee, chowree mee jee dy row yn oyr shen eck: foddee ee loayrt Bretnish marym. Ta anaase myr shen dy liooar dou goaill toshiaght er shalee, as t'eh foym cooney lhee ynsaghey iaith y nefoedd my s'cosoylagh eh. Hooar magh mee dy row doilleeid ayn tra dooyrt ee dou nagh nod ee fockley magh [r] Celtiagh. Ghow mee yindys. S'doillee dou fockley magh [ʁ] Germaanish, agh shen er y fa (choud's noddym toiggal) dy vel eh ro-chosoylagh rish [ɣ] as [x] Celtiagh as cha noddym geddyn greim er y scansh mooar t'eddyr oc. Agh cha nod ee fockley magh [r]. Dou hene, cha nel monney scansh eddyr /r/ 'sy Ghaelg as 'sy Vaarle t'ayms dy cadjin, agh ta mish my Scouser as ta frap rhotagh ain ([ɾ]). Sleih ass ram buill elley ayns Sostyn, she [ɹ] t'oc. Er lhiam dy vel eh ny s'doillee caghlaa veih shen dys [r] creoi.

Agh shoh y red - cha noddym çheet er aght dy hoilshaghey magh yn aght ta mee gra [r]. Cha nel eh jyst sheidey aer harrish birr ny çhengey; ta'n birr craa fo'n stroo dy aer as bwoalley er y charbad ymmodee keayrtyn. Er y laue elley, cha nel mee jannoo shen jeh yoin; t'eh taghyrt, shen ooilley. Foddym soilshaghey cre'n aght ta mee fockley magh sheean erbee elley, er lhimmey jeh ny craaghyn. Mollaght orroo.

Mannagh hoig oo ny cowraghyn quaagh shen ayns lhoobeenyn kerrinagh, jeeagh er artyn Wiki ny Gaelgey er yn Abbyrlhit Sheeanagh Eddyr-ashoonagh as myn-heeanyn dys ynsaghey reddyn noa!

Ronsaghey proteenagh liorish obbyr hionnalagh as gamman co-earrooder

Victory for crowdsourced biomolecule design

Nature News 22-01-2012; http://www.nature.com/news/victory-for-crowdsourced-biomolecule-design-1.9872

DOI: 10.1038/nature.2012.9872

Jessica Marshall

Ta ymmodee artyn ayn bentyn rish y chooish shoh, agh shoh y fer ynrican gyn costys. Ta daa imraa elley ec bun yn art shoh.

Giare-chummey

Ta cloiederyn co-earrooder er ngeddyn y kione share er oaylleeyn (as cur cooney mooar daue) bentyn rish strughtoor ensyme tuarastyllagh.

Ta Center for Game Science as bea-oayllee David Baker er nyannoo gamman (Foldit) ta lhiggey dhyt filley as troggal proteenyn. Ta strughtoor bree sloo cosney skensh smoo. Liorish geddyn obbyr share ny cloiederyn as jannoo prowaltys oaylleeagh urree, t'ad er ngeddyn cummaghyn noa as anaasoil.

'Sy toshiaght, cha row ny h-arryltee agh coyrt bree obbree naggyr ny co-earrooderyn oc da'n çhalee. Ta obbyr skeaylt ("distributed processing") myr shen cadjin dy liooar – myr sampleyr, SETI@home. Chaghlaa ad dys lhiggey da ny h-arryltee feaysley er strughtooryn proteenagh, as nish dys croo proteenyn noa.

Er y gherrid, ta cloiederyn Foldit er groo ensyme ta gobbraghey 18 wheesh ny smoo na'n fer bunneydagh. T'eh catalysal ym-obbraghyn Diels-Alder, obbyr ta co-haaghey ymmodee covreneenyn. Ta ny ym-obbraghyn shoh feer ymmydoil, agh cha nel fys ain er monney ensymeyn. Ayns 2010, ren Baker as e cho-obbree kiaddey ensyme Diels-Alderase noa, agh dooyrt Baker "cha nee ensyme feer vie v'ayn". V'eh moal as missilagh, as cha dod ad eh y hareaghey. Hug magh ad y feysht er Foldit, as shirrey er ny cloiederyn feaysley er feyshtyn er lheh: myr sampleyr, aachroo lhoob geayr aminagh do beagh eh bentyn rish stoo ym-obbree ny smoo fondagh; as eisht feddyn cummey anchorragh as y lhoob noa echey. Ghow ny h-oaylleeyn ny kiaddaghyn share as jannoo prowaltyssyn rere ad dys feddyn y cummey share.

Ta Foldit lhiggey da cloiederyn jannoo caghlaaghyn mooar da strughtoor ny proteenyn, foddey erskyn ny yinnagh claare co-earrooder ny prowaltys cadjin. Myr sampleyr, ta aafilley fo stiurey ("directed evolution") ceaghey possan mooar dy ensymeyn, as ad y vynscrutaghey dys feddyn caghlaaderyn ymmydoil. Son y chooid smoo, she caghlaa un gheayr aminagh t'ayn. 'Sy chooish Diels-Alderase, ren cloiederyn cur stiagh 13 geayryn aminagh noa, ny chaghlaa mooar. Dys jannoo prowaltys oardreilagh er caghlaaghyn cho mooar as shen, veagh eh er oayllee prowal proteenyn ass towse. S'doillee da co-earrooderyn prowal caghlaaghyn mooar, as dooillee er lheh my ta'n claare er ngeddyn freggyrtyn ayns "couan" beggan bree; cha mie lhieu treigeil lhied y 'reggyrt lieh-vie as goll trooid freggyrtyn bree smoo dys shirrey freggyrt bree sloo foast.

Ta'n gamman lhiggey da aghtallys as sheiltynys deiney prowal eieyn liorish keeayll ghooghyssagh. Ta ram schlei feayslee shilley ec deiney, as ta jargaght ain strateishyn feayslee y chroo as caghlaa tra ta shin gobbraghey. Ta co-hirrey ny vrod da cloiederyn, as ta co-obbraghey lhiggey daue feaysley er feyshtyn nagh dod ad gyn nyn lomarcan.

Ec y traa t'ayn, t'eh fo ny h-oayllee shirrey er cloiederyn Foldit feddyn covreneenyn dys lhiettal veeryssyn floo as cooyl-veeryssyn ("retroviruses").

Imraaghyn elley

"Increased Diels-Alderase activity through backbone remodeling guided by Foldit players", Nature Biotechnology 22-01-2012. Christopher B Eiben, Justin B Siegel, Jacob B Bale, Seth Cooper, Firas Khatib, Betty W Shen, Foldit Players, Barry L Stoddard, Zoran Popovic as David Baker. DOI: 10.1038/nbt.2109

"Predicting protein structures with a multiplayer online game", Nature 466: 756-760, 05-08-2010. Seth Cooper, Firas Khatib, Adrien Treuille, Janos Barbero, Jeehyung Lee, Michael Beenen, Andrew Leaver-Fay, David Baker, Zoran Popovic as Foldit Players. DOI: 10.1038/nature09304

Menkid lettyryn Yernish er son coadey as cronnaghey eash screeuee

Rere yn Irish Times, ta caillin er veddyn magh saase noa dy hickyraghey teksyn Yernish. Ren Aoife Gregg oltscarrey menkid lettyr er 15,000 fockle veih ynnyd-eggey'n phabyr-naight Foinse, liorish towse lettyryn, daalettyryn as treelettyryn. Ren ee cosoylaghey ny h-eiyrtyssyn marish teks giare as geddyn towseyn cosoylagh. Hooar ee sambyl towse fondagh, as A, I, H as N smoo cadjin 'syn oardagh shen.

Erreish da'n eiyrtys shen, ghow ee toshiaght jannoo studeyrys er menkid lettyryn ayns shenn docamadys as scrutaghey caghlaaghyn shennaghyssagh. Va scanshyn eddyr menkid lettyr ny docamadyn; myr sampleyr, ta A as H foddey ny s'cadjiney jiu. Hooar ee dy dod ee cronnaghey eash ny docamadyn, as shen cruinn dy liooar so y chooid smoo (ren 7 ass 10 prowaltyssyn coardail rish y traih eash ta ard-scoillaryn cur orroo).

Chammah's shen, ren sambylyn menkid as cochiangley lhiggey jee jee-choadey çhaghteraghtyn v'er nyn coadey eck hene ny ec sleih elley. Myr sampleyr, roish H ta C smoo cadjin, as eddyr A as R ta Í smoo cadjin.

Ec y traa t'ayn, s'treih lhiam gra, cha noddym feddyn teks yn obbyr hene. Ta feeshag ry-akin er YouTube jeh Aoife soilshaghey'n obbyr eck.

SOPA, PIPA, ACTA as kiarail

Ta ram stoo ry-akin mychione SOPA as PIPA ec y traa t’ayn, eer er ym-ysseraght hradishoonagh ny keayrtyn. Va artyn beggey er ynnydyn-eggey pabyryn-naightey, agh ass shilley son y chooid smoo er y fa dy row reddyn scanshoil ry-ghra mychione sleih çhellveeish as cloiederyn spoyrt ennagh nagh row enney aym orroo.

Mastey ny h-artyn smoo anaasagh honnick mee er y chooish va’n fer shoh liorish John Walker, screeudeyr Rock, Paper, Shotgun, ec botherer.org. V’eh gimraa art assagagh Chotaku ren leshtallyn er son nagh ghow ad ayrn ad ‘sy Lane-Vooghey eddyr-voggyl, as jannoo argane nagh row ad toiggal bun y chooish er chor erbee.

Dooyrt Kotaku:

SOPA is miserably vague in so many ways. Its section that classifies streaming video as a copyright infringement susceptible to all of the aforementioned website-strangling, describes a potentially problematic video stream as follows:...

It’s no wonder that an outfit like the League of Legends creators at Riot Games read that and worry that a livestream of a great LoL match could be found in violation of SOPA the moment someone starts singing the lyrics of a copyrighted song on it. Is that really the kind of stifling of the Internet the writers of SOPA and PIPA are seeking?

Dreggyr Walker:

Yes! Yes it is. That is precisely the internet they’re seeking. It seems so outlandish that so many news outlets are phrasing it as if it’s a reductio ad absurdum, throwing their hands up and saying, “This bill’s so crazy it would lead to these wacky outcomes!” as if such a result is a parody of the poorly written nature of the bill.

This is to so frighteningly miss the point as to be all but helping those crafting such bills. By reducing the very intent of terrified industries – they who built their empires around plastic squares and discs that have since been rendered pointless – to a perceived exaggeration, something apparently so laughable as to parody the bills’ intentions, is to ignore the reality of what we are facing.

The terrified industries, built up around an illusion of digital ideas having physical forms, are desperate. Like a dying wild animal, trapped in a corner, they are lashing out with their last strength, and they will do anything, go to any extent, to survive. But it doesn’t matter how many children and grandmothers they sue, how many bands and singers they bankrupt and ring out to dry, how big their lies, nor how outrageous their political influence, the reaction is always the same: “They’ll be banning us from singing in the shower next!”

Yes. They will. They are so desperate for control in a world that is increasingly recognising their irrelevance that they are attempting to shut down and dominate everything they can.

Er lhiam dy vel kiart echey. Dy mennick, ta sleih jannoo coontys jeh cooish slattyssagh ny leighagh ennagh as cowraghey magh ny reddyn ‘meeresoonagh’ oddagh taghyrt rere focklyn jeeragh y clattys. Agh cha nel ad meeresoonagh dagh keayrt. Adsyn ta cur trimmid er politickeyryn er lheid ny cooishyn, ta dean er lheh oc; as er lhiam nagh vel ad cur monney geill da fo-eiyrtyssyn yn obbyr. Y sleih ta greesaghey er son SOPA as PIPA, t’ad shirrey lane niart er yn obbyr as cooid inçhynaght oc. Cha noddym shassoo noi shen hene dy firrinagh; s’olk lhiam roosteyrys, as my t’ou uss geddyn stoo ta ry-chreck gyn eeck as gyn kiart adsyn ren eh, she roosteyrys t’ayn.

Bentynagh: cha nel mee coontey monney jeh arganeyn mychione “cha nee geid t’ayn, er y fa nagh vel oo er ngoaill y nhee veih y fer v’eh echey; t’eh echey foast”. T’eh, dy feer, agh cha nee shen y coardailys. My ta peiagh erbee cur magh red ennagh as gra: “shen yn obbyr ayms, agh lhiggym dhyt eh y lhaih (ny clashtyn, ny ee, ny cummal ayn) my t’ou uss geeck”, cha nel kiart ayd goll shaghey y çhebbal. My ta mee goll stiagh ‘sy thie ayds tra t’ou uss gobbraghey, as cadley ayn rish hoght ooryn as jannoo ymmyd jeh’n stoo ayd gyn geid ny brishey nhee erbee, cre’n assee dhyts? Agh quoi yinnagh lowal shen? Ec y traa t’ayn, cha nel mee gra dy vel y roosteyrys shoh jannoo assee scanshoil da faill colughtyn mooarey; ta ny cooishyn shoh cramp dy liooar, ta taishbyney scanshoil dy liooar, as cha nod oo gra dy vel “coip jeh gyn kiart” y red cheddin as “creck caillt”. Agh ta mee lane shickyr dy vel crootee veggey coayl argid ennagh, er y fa dy vel sleih goaill ny t’ad croo gyn eeck as cha nel ad mooar dy liooar dy gheddyn vondeish jeh. Monney argid? Cha s’aym.

Ta’n sleih er son fendeil y chooid inçhynaght oc, as shen y chooish scanshoil er lhieu. S’cummey lhieu my nod oo screeu dty varel er ynnyd-eggey coloayrtys. S’cummey lhieu my nod oo laadey neese caslyssyn-soilshey jeh’n lught-thie. S’cummey lhieu my nod oo cur magh fillym beg feer aitt ren oo marish carrey ny ghaa da sleih elley jeeaghyn er. Cre’n fa nagh by chummey lhieu? She’n obbyr oc jannoo ny oddagh ad; y currym oc dy mennick. My t’ad credjal dy yinnagh saase ennagh ad y chooney, nee ad ymmyd jeh. My ta saase ry-ymmyd oc, as cha jean ad ymmyd jeh, bee ayrniee as oltscarreydeyryn dellal coontey olk jeh. Ta DRM er gammanyn co-earrooder gyn monney eiyrtys noi roosteyrys gammanyn, as she bun ram doilleeid t’ayn da sleih ynrick ta geeck er nyn son; agh er lesh ny colughtyn dy nhegin daue red ennagh y yannoo, as t’eh lhiettal sleih cadjin veih jannoo coip jeh’n ghamman da carrey. My t’eh boirey er kionneyderyn ynrick, as eer my ta coip anleighagh gobbraghey ny share na’n coip ynrick – s’cummey lhieu.

Er lhiam dy bee y red cheddin taghyrt bentyn rish ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). Er lesh Oxfam dy jean y coardailys eh ny s’doillee da çheeraghyn boghtey geddyn stoo lheeys keintagh neugheyr. Ta lughtyn-reilley foast glackey stoo lheeys keintagh ta goll dys ny çheeraghyn lhiasaghey, as ta’n Unnaneys Oarpagh gobbal aayeeaghyn er y chooish. Nish ta Oxfam credjal dy jean ACTA y chooish ny smessey; agh ta ny çheeraghyn ta goaill ayrn gobbal taishbyney y coardailys draghtagh. Er lhiam, tra ta ny pabyryn-naightey geddyn greim er y chooish, dy bee artyn ry-akin mychione “fo-eiyrtyssyn neuchooie” y choardailys liorish focklyn neuvaghtal. Agh cha nee meechiarail t’ayn ayns ny cooishyn shoh, son y chooid smoo. She sleih tushtagh ta screeu slattyssyn dy jeeragh myr by vie lhieu, as cha nel ny deanyn cheddin oc as ain.

Geaylin ghonnagh

Cha nel ram traa screeuee er ve ayms rish tammylt.  Ta shin goan 'syn obbyr; chaill shin ben da staartey noa ec toshiaght Yerrey Geuree, as va ben elley çhin yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie, as ish ny shiaghtin s'throngey ny h-imbee.  Myr shen, ta mee er n'obbraghey ny smoo na cadjin.  S'treih lhiam gra, liorish troggal as ymmyrkey rouyr lioaryn tromey rouyr keayrtyn, ta'n yeaylin aym er vaagail jeh as t'ee gonnagh dy liooar.  Cha noddym jannoo y chooid smoo jeh'n obbyr ayms myr cooneyder lioarlan, as she obbyr olk t'ayn my t'ou cur er sleih elley jannoo yn obbyr ayds.  Erreish da'n chied laa, hug yn ard-ven orrym clibbag hroggee y cheau, as myr shen ta cagh credjal dy vel arm brisht ayms.  Wahll, nagh taitnyssagh eh feddyn magh wheesh dy 'leih ta boirey er-my-hon as siyraghey dy vriaght orrym my ta mee brisht.  She studeyryn kenjal dy liooar t'ain, er lhiam.

As geaylin ghonnagh aym, cha nel eh aashagh jannoo monney.  Cha smooinnee mee rieau er wheesh dy reddyn ta feme ayd er daa arm ad y yannoo rere yn aght chadjin.  Strulley siyn: cha ren mee shen rish traa laghyn as shegin da'n co-chummalee aym ve currit ass rish shen.  Roie: cha ghow mee lheiltys erbee rish shiaghtin er y fa nagh noddym roie gyn leaystey my laueyn.  Giarrey bee.  Ceau poagey drommey, ny cooat.

Ta red ny ghaa goll er screeu aym ec y traa t'ayn, agh er lhiam nagh noddym jerrey orroo y chur derrey vees y yeaylin agglagh shoh slane reesht.

Reading "What is morphology?", part 2

This is the second part of my discussion of What is Morphology?, and follows on from the previous post. In that post, I looked at some of the problems with their teaching style: I suggested that they present claims from authority rather than providing convincing evidence, and particularly that their use of examples is unhelpful and often fails (on closer examination) to demonstrate their points.

The second problem I mentioned was their approach to problems. Like the first post, this is a non-expert analysis and I'm willing to be corrected on any claims I make. Broadly speaking, I got the impression that Aronoff and Fudeman had got hold of a morphological hammer and every linguistic problem looked like a nail to them.

I'll stick with an example from chapter 4, which I mentioned in the first post.

(4) She’s a high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor

There is evidence that high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor is a single noun.

This is not an immediately intuitive statement, so I'm glad to see a bit of analysis follows.

First, its distribution matches that of any other noun, so we can insert it into phrases like [a good N] or [N for hire].

Second, high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor behaves as a single unit for the purposes of wh-movement. Question-answer pairs that break it up are at the very least awkward. In chapter 2 we related this characteristic of words to the notion of lexical integrity.

(5) a. Q: Which electricity grid systems supervisor did you see?

A: ?The high voltage one.

b. Q: Which systems supervisor did you see?

A: *The high voltage electricity grid one.

c. Q: Which supervisor did you see?

A: *The high voltage electricity grid systems one.

Contrast these with syntactic strings of modifier plus noun which are easily broken up, as shown in (6):

(6) Q: Which supervisor did you see?

A: The tall one.

Continuing with the notion of lexical integrity, we can ask whether it is possible to describe part of the string high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor with a modifier. When we try, the result is very awkward (7):

(7) ?A very high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor.

The most natural interpretation of (7) is the figurative one whereby very high voltage is used as an adjectival phrase modifying a smaller compound [electricity grid] giving the intermediate form very high voltage electricity grid, which in turn modifies [systems supervisor], giving the entire form in (7).

Finally we can point to the structure of high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor as evidence that it is a single noun formed by compounding. Words in English are generally head-final... a dogsled is a kind of sled, not a kind of dog... and affixed word like pollution take on the lexical category of the suffix (in this case, noun) rather than that of the stem (pollute, a verb). As speakers of English we know this, and without ever having heard high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor before, we know that it designates a type of supervisor. Phrases, in contrast to words, are less likely to be head-final. The head of [NP John’s walking into work without a tie] is walking, not tie.

Having established that high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor is a single word of the category N...

Hey, hang on a minute! Exactly when do you imagine you established that?

Just to be clear, I don’t necessarily disagree with them. There’s no particular reason to think that high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor isn’t a single noun when houseboat or penknife or bookworm all seem to be (spacing conventions aside).

However, their analysis suffers from similar problems to those I noted last time. They make a few claims about things that demonstrate noun status, without ever explaining why they think those are good tests for nounhood. At some point in the book they might eventually explain what they think it means for something to be a single noun, and whether their definition is necessarily distinguishable from a noun phrase, but I didn’t get that far.

Anyway, let’s examine their first claim.

Distribution tests for nounhood

First, its distribution matches that of any other noun, so we can insert it into phrases like [a good N] or [N for hire].

Really? Okay, let’s try it along with some similar sentences and see how they pan out.

• high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor for hire
• short-wave radio repair company manager for hire
• low-quality pulp fiction magazine publishing company for hire
• local hedgehog preservation society president for hire

Well yes, you can insert them into those structures. The resulting sentences have something in common: they all sound strange. They sound faux-portentous and self-parodying, like taglines from upcoming films. It's perhaps related to the fact that the common versions (gun for hire and so on) are short and punchy, and generally far removed in tone from these examples too. However, there are contexts where some variations of these could work; an engineering magazine with adverts for high-voltage electricity grid systems maintenance equipment for hire wouldn’t raise many eyebrows.

Let’s try the other test.

• a good low-quality pulp fiction magazine publishing company
• a good national hedgehog preservation society president
• a good mass-market lacquered hardwood violin polish

To me, these imply that good is being carefully limited by the string of adjectives; damning with faint praise, in fact (consider “a good first-year undergraduate answer”). These sentences, appearing in a business article or CV, would not be read as endorsements. Only the third seems arguable as actual praise, because deciding what violin polish to use may involve complex weighing-up decisions: only a lacquered hardwood polish is suitable for my lacquered hardwood violin, but is it worth getting the specialist stuff, or is there a decent mass-market brand available?

If we really want to convey the literal meaning of those sorts of sentences, without creating other implications, what we do is tend towards the minimum necessary information when we really want to give the literal meaning of the words. Further information can be divulged later.

• a good company
• a good president
• systems supervisor for hire

I’ll come back to this issue next time. That's plenty of post for now.

Cooinaghtyn

Cooinaghtyn

Ayns glion Nis ta’n eayst vaarnee mollaghtagh soilshaghey dy thanney, as liorish eairkyn faasey t’ee raipey raad da’n toilshey eck trooid duillagys marrooagh billey-upas mooar. As ayns cree ny glionney raad nagh roshee soilshey erbee, ta cummaghyn garraghey nagh vel cooie da sooillyn deiney. S’rank ee glasseraght ny lhargee, raad ta raiseyderyn as çhionnagyn olkey snaue mastey claghyn plaaseyn currit mow, as lhoobey mygeayrt collooghyn brishtey as leacyn quaaghey, as girree straiddyn marmyragh va jeant ec laueyn jarroodit. As ayns biljyn ta gaase dy foawragh ayns closeyn boghlanagh ta apagyn beggey corlheimmey, as magh as stiagh ny thieyn-tashtee ta ard-nieughyn snaue, as reddyn crottylagh gyn ennym.

S’buillvollee ad ny claghyn nyn gadley fo curleidyn keynnagh hash, s’lajer ad ny boallaghyn huitt ad voue. Er son dy bragh ren masoonee ad y hroggal, as dy firrinagh t’ad jannoo shirveish braew foast, da’n beayf lheeah ta cummal foue.

Ec eer-vun ny glionney ta’n awin Theinney ny lhie, lesh ushtaghyn gleiynagh as sarkylagh. T’ee girree ass çhibbyryn follit, as roie da ooigyn fo-hallooin, as cha nel fys ec Imshee ny Glionney er yn oyr dy vel ny h-ushtaghyn jiarg, chamoo er c’raad t’ad roie.

Ren Jinnee ny goullyn eaystey loayrt rish Imshee ny Glionney, as gra: “Ta mee shenn, as ta ram jarroodit aym. Insh dou obbraghyn as cummey as ennym adsyn ren ny reddyn cloaie shoh.” As dreggyr y Imshee, “She mish Cooinaghtyn, as creeney lesh oayllys traaghyn t’er ngoll shaghey, agh ta mish shenn myrgeddin. Va ny bioee shen gollrish ushtaghyn ny h-awiney Theiney, harrish toiggal. Cha gooin lhiam ny h-obbraghyn oc; v’ad jeh’n çhallid ynrican. S’cooin lhiam dy dullyr y cummey v’oc; v’ad gollrish ny h-apagyn beggey ayns ny biljyn. S’cooin lhiam dy baghtal yn ennym oc, ny drane da ennym ny h-awiney: ny bioee jea shen, hug ad Deiney orroo.”

As jettyl y Jinnee erash da’n eayst eairkagh thanney, as yeeagh yn Imshee dy cruinn er apag veg ayns billey daase ayns close boghlanagh.

---

Memory

In the valley of Nis the accursed waning moon shines thinly, tearing a path for its light with feeble horns through the lethal foliage of a great upas-tree. And within the depths of the valley, where the light reaches not, move forms not meet to be beheld. Rank is the herbage on each slope, where evil vines and creeping plants crawl amidst the stones of ruined palaces, twining tightly about broken columns and strange monoliths, and heaving up marble pavements laid by forgotten hands. And in trees that grow gigantic in crumbling courtyards leap little apes, while in and out of deep treasure-vaults writhe poison serpents and scaly things without a name.

Vast are the stones which sleep beneath coverlets of dank moss, and mighty were the walls from which they fell. For all time did their builders erect them, and in sooth they yet serve nobly, for beneath them the grey toad makes his habitation.

At the very bottom of the valley lies the river Than, whose waters are slimy and filled with weeds. From hidden springs it rises, and to subterranean grottoes it flows, so that the Daemon of the Valley knows not why its waters are red, nor whither they are bound.

The Genie that haunts the moonbeams spake to the Daemon of the Valley, saying, “I am old, and forget much. Tell me the deeds and aspect and name of them who built these things of stone.” And the Daemon replied, “I am Memory, and am wise in lore of the past, but I too am old. These beings were like the waters of the river Than, not to be understood. Their deeds I recall not, for they were but of the moment. Their aspect I recall dimly, for it was like to that of the little apes in the trees. Their name I recall clearly, for it rhymed with that of the river. These beings of yesterday were called Man.”

So the Genie flew back to the thin horned moon, and the Daemon looked intently at a little ape in a tree that grew in a crumbling courtyard.

---

Ta'n skeealeen shoh çhyndaait ass Memory liorish yn Çhiarn Dunsany. Ta'n lioar vunneydagh ry-lhaih er Project Gutenberg.

Cre'n nah ghamman?

Nish as reesht, ‘sy veggan traa t’aym nagh vel mee gobbraghey, gynsaghey çhengaghyn, screeu artyn gv.wiki ny jannoo obbyr thie aynsyn, ta mee cloie gammanyn co-earrooder. Share lhiam gammanyn cloie paart, son y chooid smoo, agh ta meiyghys ayms cour gammanyn ardane as keisht. Ec y traa t’ayn, ta daa ghamman foym; Planescape Torment as Thief II. She shenn fir t’ayn; troaryn 1999 as 2000. Agh s’mie lhiam shenn ghammanyn, dy mennick. Shynney lhiam gammanyn Infinity Engine, as ta mee goaill arrys nagh vel ad jannoo gammanyn noa lioree. Cha nel mee currit da aahroggal y co-earrooder aym dagh blein lesh stoo noa, as cha nel mee cur wheesh geill da graafaght as kuse dy ‘leih. S’mie lhiam gammanyn as skeeal drualtagh oc do noddym ronsaghey seihll noa ny çheet da quaiyllyn karracteyryn anaasoil.

Son y chooid smoo, ta mee cloie Thief II ec y traa t’ayn. Ta cooid y ghamman ‘syn ennym: t’ou uss dty vaarliagh, Garrett (fer schlei er bashtal), as t’ou brishey stiagh ayns buill as reddyn y yeid. Hoshiaght, t’ou geid ‘syn aght chadjin, agh rish tammylt ta ny meoir-shee dty lorgey, t’ou shirrey feanish jeh co-chialgyn politickagh, sollaghey-laue as kimmeeys liorish brishey stiagh ayns doonyn gildey as stashoonyn meoir-shee, as caggey (dy follaghtagh, my ta keeayl ayd – she maarliagh uss, cha nee sidoor) noi cretooryn neuvio as seyr-obbree caggee. Wahll, s’baghtal eh dy s’mie lhiam ve my vaarliagh as sleetçhal mygeayrt ‘sy dorraghys, as jannoo magh cre’n aght noddym shaghney arreyderyn as glassyn dys goaill ny ta mee shirrey er. Gowym rish dy vel cummey cooiljeigagh er nish, as tro boiragh ny ghaa: s’doillee eh lhiggey voyd aaraghyn gyn lheimmey er ard as tuittym lesh tharmane ta doostey dagh arreyder ‘syn ynnyd (as keead oardagh ry-gheddyn ass y vair-chlaare, as cha aashagh eh stiurey ny keayrtyn er coontey caslyssyn-çheerey neuvaghtal as shamyryn ta gollrish y cheilley. As ta keisht ny ghaa nagh dod mee feaysley er agh liorish art-bollee (“walkthrough”).

Ny yei shen, ta’n skeeal anaasoil dy liooar dy ‘reayll my yeill, gyn boirey orrym rouyr ny brishey stiagh er bun y ghamman: sleetçhal as geid. Chammah’s shen, ta karracteyr fondagh ayd (maarliagh schlei as granganagh) agh cha nel ad jannoo eab eh y ro-veenaghey, as myr shen, ta reamys ayds shen y yannoo. Ta’n Garrett ayms pragmatagh dy liooar; t’eh geid nhee erbee ta ry-laue, agh cha nel eh jummal traa rish ronsaghey lane thie er son buill ‘olliaghtagh. Cha nel eh marroo arreyderyn mannagh vel eh fo gaue baaish er y chooyl, agh ad y harnoal; cha nel marrooder t’ayn. As t’eh jannoo reddyn magh as magh; share da goll strooid lane stashoon arrey dy saaseagh as tarnoal dagh arreyder fer as fer, as eisht y voayl y ronsaghey ayns shee, na roie mygeayrt as jannoo dagh ooilley red ad hoc gyn plannal erbee. Agh oddagh oo cummey Garrett eddrym ‘sy chree ta goaill taitnys ass boirey arreyderyn as cur orroo shirrey er er feie ny caayr, ny fer feayr-fuiltagh ta lhiggey ad gyn faitys.

Erreish dou roshtyn jerrey ny gammanyn shoh, bee’m shirrey er fer noa, as hug my ner dy vel CGP noa er jeet magh: Skyrim. She obbyr Bethesda t’ayn; cha row aigh vie aym bentyn rish ny gammanyn elley oc (v’ad failleil dy mennick), agh er lesh ram sleih dy vel eh feer vie. T’ad cur moylley da seihll mooar as gyn lhiettrimyssyn boiragh, da graafaght ghoys yn ennal jeed, as caggaghyn creesee as feniaghtagh.

Oh, Skyrim. I really am so enamoured by your peaks, and your misty valleys. Oh, what a beautiful world, filled with possibility and with cheese. Oh, Skyrim, let us bask in the the spook of your ghosts and squirm in the horror of your catacombs. Let us be gleefully smacked about by giants and devoured by dragons. Let us steal hats and trade them for unexpected potions. Oh, Skyrim. There’s so much to you that there are even ants crawling on this log! Blimey.

(Jim Rossignol, User Interfarce: Skyrim's Silly Choices er Rock, Paper, Shotgun)

"Skyrim" sieht verdammt gut aus! Der tolle Look zeigt sich vor allem in den Außenbereichen: Die riesige lebendige Spielwelt fasziniert an allen Ecken und Enden: Windböen wirbeln Schnee auf, Pflanzen bewegen sich sanft im Wind. Es ist eines der wenigen Spiele, in denen die Vegetation ihren Namen auch verdient... Gäbe es in der Games-Branche eine Auszeichnung für das beste Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis zu gewinnen, Bethesda Softworks hätte sie sicher! Ein solches Spielemonster hat es noch nicht gegeben.

(Welt.de, Riesiges "Skyrim" ist das Rollenspiel des Jahres)

Ta shen clashtyn dy mie dou, gyn ourys, as ta ny feeshanyn-cleaynagh jeeaghyn dy mie chammah. Er y laue elley...

• ta ny Karracteyryn Seyrey ommidjagh rere cliaghtey
  
• t’ad cur magh clampyn ta jannoo reddyn ny smessey as shimmey fout t’ayn foast gyn clamp.
• ta co-eddin lane lheibeidjagh echey
  
• she co-hroggal PC as “console” t’ayn, as t’eh jeeaghyn nagh ren ad y saase stiuree y vaare-hareaghey (“optimise”) da’n ghaa ‘er. Myr shen ta troyn ayn nagh vel cooie da PC.
• as t’eh ort eh y chloie liorish Steam, corys ta mee rieau er shaghney. Cha nel fa erbee aym y co-earrooder aym y chur fo bondiaght chlaare. Ta ymmydyn ec Steam, ta mee goaill rish shen: t’eh lhiggey dhyt laadey neose gammanyn reesht, tashtey fys cloie er yn eddyr-voggyl, as reddyn elley. Er y laue elley, ny keayrtyn, t’eh neulhiggey dhyt cloie, ny eer glassey magh slieh ass yn çhirveish as dagh ooilley ghamman t’oc. Cha nel mee son lhiggey lesh reagheydys da colught ennagh; s’lhiams eh y co-earrooderyn as ny gammanyn myrgeddin. My ta feme aym er karraghey ennagh, er lhiam, foddym eh y laadey neose jeed, gura mie ayd; cha nel mee shirrey ort eh y vroojey orrym dy folliaghtagh. Chammah’s shen, ta lheid ny shirveishyn stiuree nyn munyn doilleeidyn bentyn rish ymmyd arraghyssyn (“mods”), obbyr ard-jeeaneyderyn ta shareaghey ny mooadaghey gammanyn, ny karraghey reddyn nagh charree y colught hene.

Myr shen, ec y traa t’ayn t’eh orrym gamman elley y gheddyn, er lhiam. Tybed c’red ta ry-gheddyn veih 2001?

Shirrey jeirk

Va mee 'sy vrastyl Sheenish noght, agh gyn jargaght geill y chur. Ta shin gynsaghey ayns thie ooree son y chooid smoo (cha nel agh jees jin as y ven-ynsee), as mish goll stiagh, va dooinney Big Issue ny hassoo çheumooie jeh'n thie ooree as shirrey jeirk er sleih. Wahll, hug my ner çhelleeragh nagh nee feer chreckeyder BI v'ayn: cha row eh ceau y perree oikoil, as ga dy row kaart enney ennagh echey, v'eh er streng cadjin (lhisagh eh ve ayns poagey tarhoilshan) mygeayrt e wannal. Chammah's shen, cha row agh un earishlioar echey as cha row eh shirrey eh y chreck noadyr, agh jeirk (agh, dy olk, ta mee er nyannoo feer chreckeyderyn shen y yannoo ny keayrtyn). As mish as y ven-ynsee goll stiagh 'sy thie ooree as feddyn my charrey ny hoie rish y dorrys, haink y far-chreckeyder nyn yei, as lesh shinyn nyn shassoo eddyr eshyn as y skimmee, hie eh dys coyr rioee faggys da'n dorrys as cur stiagh eh laue. Eisht ren eh red ennagh quaagh lesh y wuinneel echey, as çhyndaa as goll magh. Nagh quaagh shen! Wahll, cha dod mee smooinaghtyn dy baghtal rish minnid, agh eisht va mee shickyr dy row eh er ngeid red ennagh - boteil dy choke, er lhiam. Gowym rish, s'cosoylagh eh nagh row eh agh feayraghey e veir rish thullagh ynrican, agh... cha row, noadyr. As eisht v'eh çheumooie reesht as shirrey jeirk. Wahll, lurg minnid dooyrt mee rish my chaarjyn ny honnick mee, as v'ad fud-y-cheilley myrgeddin. Fy yerrey, hie mee as gra rish y skimmee, as ghow ad yindys, agh cha dod ad jannoo monney agh cur coontey çhellvane da'n vainshter assaaragh. As cur bwooise dou, myrçhaagh.

Hie shin seose ny greeishyn as goaill toshiaght, agh eisht haink ny ner dy dod shin y marliagh y 'akin trooid yn uinniag, as eh foast shirrey jeirk. Loayrt shin er y chooish nish as reesht, as va mee boirey er ny lhisin jannoo. Veg? Fys er ny meoiryn-shee y chur? Fy yerrey, erreish da feed minnid, foddee, dooyrt my charrey, my t'ou uss jeeley 101 (ayn Sostyn er y chooid sloo) t'eh uss y chiangley rish y skimmee meoir-shee s'niessey. As mish craa, ren mee shen er y çhellvane laue aym (cha nel eh aym dy cadjin, ta mee eh y 'aagail thie). Dreggyr ad y çhellvane dy tappee as v'ad cooyrtoil dy liooar, as gra dy darragh meoir-shee ennagh, foddee. Honnick mee gleashtan claare feeal lurg lieh-oor, agh va'n dooinney ersooyl (fy yerrey) as cha scuirr eh.

Aghterbee, ta'n chooish er chur ram boirey orrym. Quoi ec ta fys er, agh t'eh rieau cur aggle (boirey, er y chooid sloo) orrym dellal rish ny shirveishyn, ga dy vel fa mie aym. Haghyr y red cheddin tra va gleashtan er aile çheu chooyloo y thie rish mean-oie as v'eh orrym y brigaid aile y hellvaney. Foddee er y fa dy ren ad cur wheesh trimmid 'sy scoill er nagh lhisagh oo ad y hellvaney er son cooish jeh beggan scansh. Dooyrt ad dy row ram paitçhyn jummal traa ny shirveishyn as va sleih geddyn baase ny keayrtyn kyndagh rish. Foddee er y fa dy nee taghyrt doaltattym as quaagh t'ayn, as ta kimmeeys boirey er cagh? Foddee er y fa nagh nhione dou ny lhisin jannoo. Cha dod mee cur geill mie 'sy vrastyl, as cha ren shen cooney nyn ynsaghey. S'treih lhiam gra nagh row mee my studeyr mie noght.

Ta mee cur dwoaie er lheid ny deiney. Chammah's boirey er sleih, t'ad jannoo assee da ny feer chreckeyderyn as jummal co-ennaghtyn y theay. Ta mee er ngeddyn wheesh boirey ayns Aah yn Ollee veih sleih "Big Issue" shirrey jeirk, ny "shen y coip s'jerree aym, lhig dou eh y 'reaylley... (agh lhig dou yn argid y 'reaylley myrgeddin)", s'goan mee kionnaghey yn earishlioar nish. She braddeeys t'ayn, dy jarroo. As ta mee goaill yindys, cre'n aght t'ad geddyn stoo Big Issue dys jannoo yn arrish? Vel ad roostey ny feer chreckeyderyn?

S'cosoylagh nagh vow ad y fer-chreckeyder mollaghtagh, as dy voghe ad, cre'n feeu? Nee ad eh y lhiettal veih shirrey jeirk? Ny jeh milley ennym ny feer chreckeyderyn? S'cosoylagh nagh noddagh ad taishbyney kimmeeys erbee. Cha nel freggyrt baghtal da shirrey jeirk (as un fa dy vel eh ayn foast). As ta mee foast smooinaghtyn, lhisin er aawoalley dy s'tappee? Dod mee er ny ghoaill, foddee, as eisht..? Ta'n lane chooish er my anveaghey dy mooar. S'treisht lhiam nagh gaillym cadley er e son.

Reading "What is morphology?"

One of the things I studied while at University was linguistics, and I'm still interested in the subject. I also find it useful in learning languages. However, as I was on combined honours, there are areas that are still largely unexplored territory for me, which I've been trying to catch up on. Recently, I picked up a promising morphology textbook designed for beginners: “What is Morphology?”. It explicitly states:

This little book is meant to introduce fundamental aspects of morphology to students with only a minimal background in linguistics. It presupposes only the very basic knowledge of phonetics, phonology, syntax and semantics that an introductory course in linguistics provides...

Exactly what I was looking for.

Unfortunately, as I've read through it, I've considently found myself getting frustrated or bemused, to the point where I can't really be bothered to finish it. Now to be fair, my situation is unusual, in that I'm not a current student. The textbook basically assumes that it'll be the main book for a course, and includes sections for in-class discussion, exercises for homework, and so on, none of which I can really use in the intended way. However, if your textbook relies on the teaching staff to cover its weaknesses, I feel that it has room for improvement. I don't necessarily disagree with the overall points they are trying to make, but the specifics sometimes seem distinctly weak or questionable.

After a fair amount of thought, I've decided there are two broad problems with the book and its writing. The first one is their teaching style, and the second one is their approach to problems, though they're often interrelated.

Illustrating vs. Demonstrating

Linguistics makes considerable use of examples to demonstrate rules or principles in operation, and morphology is no exception. However, Aronoff and Fudeman's approach to examples is one that (coming from a scientific background) I find deeply flawed. Their view of examples seems to be that they illustrate a point being made. Most of the time, though, these examples crop up in when someone is trying to argue a point of view, or make a claim about rules or properties. In those situations, I expect examples to demonstrate. Broadly speaking, this means that the example should:

• Show the property or rule under discussion (when does it apply, and what does it do?).

• Show the limits of that rule (where does it not apply?).

• If making a causal claim, show causation, not just correlation.

Obviously a general textbook covering a broad range of topics doesn't want to devote lots of space to precisely delineating every rule and its details, but I think it's reasonable to expect some evidence, not just accepting authority. After all, anyone who's read “Eskimo words for snow?” knows what a mistake that is.

Unfortunately, Anofoff and Fudeman don't fulfil those basic requirements. Their examples are often lacking in detail, and they often resort to 'tests' without explaining why they think those tests are valid. For example, in Chapter 4 (p.106), they say:

There is evidence that high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor is a single noun... second, high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor behaves as a single unit for the purposes of wh-movement. Question-answer pairs that break it up are at the very least awkward. In chapter 2 we related this characteristic of words to the notion of lexical integrity.

This is the first mention of wh-movement. Nowhere do they explain what it is; the reader must either know in advance, research it separately, or work it out from the following paragraphs. More importantly, nowhere do they give any reason to believe that wh-movement is a valid test for noun status. This sort of thing is important, and particularly so when you are making a claim that's counterintuitive (that “high voltage electricity grid systems supervisor is a single noun”, or as they say on the next page, “a single word”). People, even linguists, have ideas about what a noun is, and while I'd cheerfully accept it as a noun phrase, I want a bit of convincing here.

Their examples are similarly flawed. Here is an example from Chapter 2, where they discuss empirical tests for wordhood.

Words and phrases are often displaced to the beginning of a sentence or qualified, but not morphemes.

(7) a. That girl, I saw her sneaking around yesterday.

Which girl did you see sneaking around?

b. Possible, it’s im-.

Which school- did you see bus? (i.e. which school’s school bus did you see?).

Ignoring standard practice, they haven’t marked any of these as ungrammatical (I also feel that the bus example should have been 7c, as it's unrelated to the first phrase). I am forced to draw my own inference on what I think they want to claim, which is that the examples in 7b are ungrammatical. I do in fact agree with this.

However, when trying to prove a contrast between things, the usual way of doing things is to have parallel examples where one is grammatical and the other isn’t; you could consider this a kind of minimal pair, though it's not quite the same thing. Aronoff and Fudeman have not used parallel examples, or at least if they have, they haven't explained why we should consider them to be parallel.

In this example, we are looking for a situation where something ungrammatical for morphemes (like 7b) is grammatical for words. Let’s try it, with the non-morphemic versions slightly blue and smelly bus.

(7) c. *Blue, it’s slightly.

d. *Which smelly did you see bus?

Oops! Those aren’t valid for words either. Your example fails at the first hurdle of demonstrating your point.

The example in 7a is made less useful because they leap straight to an example of displacing part of a phrase, without including the unmodified version. It would be more useful like this:

(7) a. That girl, I saw her sneaking around yesterday.

Which girl did you see sneaking around?

aa. I saw that girl sneaking around yesterday.

Which girl did you see sneaking around?

ab. I saw that tall girl sneaking around yesterday.

?Which tall girl did you see sneaking around?

ac. I saw that tall platinum blonde girl sneaking around yesterday.

?Which tall platinum blonde girl did you see sneaking around?

ad. I saw that undertaker sneaking around yesterday.

*Which under- did you see -taker sneaking around?

ae. I saw that tall blonde girl sneaking around yesterday.

*Which tall did you see blonde girl sneaking around?

af. That tall girl, I saw her sneaking around yesterday.

Which tall girl did you see sneaking around?

ag. That tall platinum blonde girl, I saw her sneaking around yesterday.

?Which tall platinum blonde girl did you see sneaking around?

ah. That undertaker, I saw her sneaking around yesterday.

Which undertaker did you see sneaking around?

This example starts with the unmodified version, and moves from there. It incorporates examples with modifying adjectives (ab and ac), demonstrates that neither modifiers nor parts of the original noun can be moved separately (ad and ae), includes Aronoff and Fudeman's inverted example (a) and other versions of it (af-ah).

Although 7ad is clearly ungrammatical, a quick check in 7ae (cross-referenced with 7b and 7d) shows that the same problem would apply to any displacement which doesn’t move the whole object, be it a single word or a phrase. Whether the object consists of a set of connected morphemes, or a set of connected words, is apparently irrelevant.

Let’s see that statement again:

Words and phrases are often displaced to the beginning of a sentence or qualified, but not morphemes.

Their example does not demonstrate anything about qualifying. It does not demonstrate that words can be displaced in situations where morphemes cannot. It does not demonstrate that morphemes cannot be displaced in situations where words or phrases can. It is entirely pointless.

I'll look at the other problem in a second post.

Asathoth, liorish Lovecraft

Asathoth

Tra haink shenn-eash er y teihll, as skeill yindys magh ass aigney deiney; tra ren caayryn lheeah sheeyney seose da’n speyr yaaghagh nyn dooryn graney groamagh, as ad mooghey dagh ashlish ny greiney ny jeh lheeantyn arree my vlaa; tra ren ynsagh skilley breidey aalinid ny cruinney j’ee, as nagh ghow bardyn arragh arrane agh er conrieught chassit er ny fakin liorish sooillyn goorlagh çhyndaait çheusthie; erreish da ny reddyn shoh çeheet gy-kione, as doghys lambaanagh lheie ersooyl er son dy bragh, ren dooinney dy row jurnaa magh ass bea dys ronsaghey yn ‘eaynid raad va ashlishyn deiney er ngeddyn fastee.

Mychione ennym as oayll y dooinney, s’goan ny ta screeuit; venn adsyn rish y teihll doostee ynrican; agh t’ad gra dy row ad imlagh. S’liooar eh toiggal dy chum eh ayns caayr ard-woallit fo cheeiraght hiast, as tooilleil er fud y laa mastey scaa as corvaal, as çheet thie ‘syn oie da shamyr raad nagh doshil yn uinniag lomarcan er magheryn as keyjlyn, agh er close dullyr fo vlakey dooagh uinniagyn sheer-hreih elley. Trooid yn uinniag shid cha vaik oo agh boallaghyn as uinniagyn, mannagh chroymm magh oo foddey ny keayrtyn as jeeaghyn seose er ny rollageyn beggey hiauill harryd. As er y fa dy nhegin da boallaghyn as uinniagyn lhomey cur dooinney ashlishyn as lioaryn ass e cheayll dy leah, boallagh baghagh ny shamyr shid croymmey magh oie er oie as blakey seose dys geddyn shilley beg er sleig erbee jeh reddyn erskyn y teihll doostee as lheeaghys caayryn ardey. Erreish da bleeantyn ghow eh toshiaght enmyn er ny rollageyn shiaullee y chur, as eiyrt orroo liorish sheiltynys tra snaue ad dy arryssagh ass e hilley; derrey fy-yerrey lheeadee e hastid da ymmodee reayrtyssyn follit harrish oayllys sooilley cadjin. As oie dy row hie çharvaal vooar er tarcheimnaghey, as lhieen y speyr ashlishagh neose da uinniag yn arreyder lomarcan dys covestey marish aer breen ny shamyr as eshyn y ghoaill stiagh ‘sy yindys thanvaneagh echey.

Da’n çhamyr shid haink awinyn feie ny mean-oie phlooreenagh as joan airhey glistral ayndaue; eeiraghyn ooirey as ailey chass magh ass ny h-ard-eaynidyn as ad trome lesh coorane harrish oayllys ny seihill. Gheayrt faarkaghyn cadleenag ayns shid, fo hoilshey greiney nagh vel rieau ny arragh ry-akin ec y tooill, as shimmey doraid whaagh as shee-varrey ny diunidyn do-chooinaghtyn v’ayns ny puill sluggee oc. Ren neuyerrinaght hostagh y dreamyder y hoailley as y heidey ersooyl dy meein, gyn eer bentyn rish y chorp ghob magh dy creoi ass yn uinniag lomarcan; as rish laghyn ass towse imbee deiney ren tidaghyn cruinnaghyn foddey eh y ymmyrkey dy meein da quaiyl ny h-ashlishyn v’eh yeearree orroo; ashlishyn caillt deiney. As rish ymmodee lhingyn daag ad eh, dy meiyghagh, ny chadley er traie ghlass ec irree ny greiney; traie ghlass mastey soar millish blaaghyn-lotus as breck lesh lossreeyn ny folley jiargey.

---

Azathoth

When age fell upon the world, and wonder went out of the minds of men; when grey cities reared to smoky skies tall towers grim and ugly, in whose shadow none might dream of the sun or of spring’s flowering meads; when learning stripped earth of her mantle of beauty, and poets sang no more save of twisted phantoms seen with bleared and inward-looking eyes; when these things had come to pass, and childish hopes had gone away forever, there was a man who travelled out of life on a quest into the spaces whither the world’s dreams had fled.

Of the name and abode of this man but little is written, for they were of the waking world only; yet it is said that both were obscure. It is enough to know that he dwelt in a city of high walls where sterile twilight reigned, and that he toiled all day among shadow and turmoil, coming home at evening to a room whose one window opened not on the fields and groves but on a dim court where other windows stared in dull despair. From that casement one might see only walls and windows, except sometimes when one leaned far out and peered aloft at the small stars that passed. And because mere walls and windows must soon drive to madness a man who dreams and reads much, the dweller in that room used night after night to lean out and peer aloft to glimpse some fragment of things beyond the waking world and the greyness of tall cities. After years he began to call the slow-sailing stars by name, and to follow them in fancy when they glided regretfully out of sight; till at length his vision opened to many secret vistas whose existence no common eye suspects. And one night a mighty gulf was bridged, and the dream-haunted skies swelled down to the lonely watcher’s window to merge with the close air of his room and make him a part of their fabulous wonder.

There came to that room wild streams of violet midnight glittering with dust of gold; vortices of dust and fire, swirling out of the ultimate spaces and heavy with perfumes from beyond the worlds. Opiate oceans poured there, litten by suns that the eye may never behold and having in their whirlpools strange dolphins and sea-nymphs of unrememberable deeps. Noiseless infinity eddied around the dreamer and wafted him away without even touching the body that leaned stiffly from the lonely window; and for days not counted in men’s calendars the tides of far spheres bare him gently to join the dreams for which he longed; the dreams that men have lost. And in the course of many cycles they tenderly left him sleeping on a green sunrise shore; a green shore fragrant with lotus-blossoms and starred by red camalotes.

---

Ta'n skeealeen shoh çhyndaait ass Azathoth liorish H P Lovecraft.

Feyshtey feamagh

Mastey ceaughyn traa elley, ta mee gynsaghey çhengaghyn, as Sheenish Vandarin nyn mast'oc. Ta mee er ny h-ynsaghey harrish tree bleeaney nish, neayr's ghow mee toshiaght dys goll da'n Çheen as ynsaghey Baarle ayns ollooscoill ayns Xi'an rish daa vee. Ghow mee ram taitnys jeh'n cheayrt, ga dy row doilleeidyn reirey ayn bentyn rish yn obbyr. Myr sampleyr, va mee gynsaghey Baarle beill as beggan cultoor Goaldagh; va brastyllyn Baarle formoil oc hannah er son screeu as lhaih a.r.e. Agh cha row laare-ynsee erbee ayn! Myr shen, cha row fys aym er c'red v'ad er n'ynsaghey foast, ny c'red by ymmydoil daue, ny c'red verragh dreeys baaish orroo. As cha row eh ro-vaghtal dou ny v'eh orrym ad y ynsaghey, cur tastey da mooadys ny brastyllyn - feed dys daeed, foddey rouyr da brastyl çhengey beill mie. Fy-yerrey, hayrn mee beggan fys assdaue er ny by vie lhieu eh y ynsaghey (obbyr trome), as goll rere shen.

Agh shen skeeal elley da laa elley. Neayr's va mee goaill toshiaght er son y cheayrt shen, ta mee er n'ynsaghey Sheenish Vandarin. Dy firrinagh, ta anaase er ve aym urree rish bleeantyn. As mish ass Lerphoyll, ny bunnys, va stoo Sheenish as "Sheenee" (Scousee son y chooid smoo, s'cosoylagh) ry-akin dy mennick. Tra ghow mee toshiaght studeyrys er çhengaghyn as çhengoaylleeaght y yannoo, hug shin ram geill jee (mastey mraane elley). Shen er y fa dy vel ee mie er enney da cagh, agh ta lhiettrimyssyn eddyr ish as çhengaghyn Ind-Oarpagh. As chammah's shen, ta ram studeyryn Sheenagh (ny as Sheenish Vandarin oc) 'sy rheynn aym. She çhengey aalin t'ayn (ta gagh çhengey aalin*) as ram troyn anaasagh eck, as ec y traa cheddin, she ben cham t'ayn. Ta mee dy kinjagh mollit eck cowraghyn yl-cheeayllagh, ny shenn raa ennagh, ny caillt er y fa nagh vel baarnaghyn erbee dys cowraghey creeaghyn ny focklyn. Agh ta mee goaill ram taitys jeh ynsaghey ish as jannoo ymmyd j'ee, as jeh ny nod mee lhaih nish as beggan Sheenish aym.

Aghterbee! Rish blein nish, ta mee er n'ynsaghey jeh ben-ynsee ass Hunan as shen feer vie. Rish nuy mee, ta mee er n'ynsaghey marish carrey dou ayns co-ynsagh beg, ayns thie-tey son y chooid smoo. Nish t'ee er nyannoo briwnys dy lhisin ynsaghey mychione bee Sheenagh, as ren shin beggan studeyrys er kaart bee noght. As yn çhiaghtin shoh çheet, hemmayd dys thie bee Sheenagh as cooilleeney'n lane oie 'syn Çheenish, my ta shen jantagh. Feyshtey feamagh dy firrinagh (ny bashtey ailey my share lhiat!). Bee eh orrym jannoo ram studeyrys er tasht-fockle Sheenish rish y çhiaghtin shoh çheet...

*agh cha geayll mee rieau çhengey erbee ta cur wheesh graih aym as ny Celtiee as gennaghyn myr undinaght chaillt

Gyn vree

Er y gherrid, cha nel monney stoo noa jeant aym er son yn ynnyd-eggey beg aym. Dy firrinagh, ta bea er ve trome rish y vlein shoh chaie. Cha nel my vea hene cho olk, agh ta mee tarroogh as fo stroos bentyn rish yn obbyr as reddyn elley. Ta'n rheynn gobbraghey ain arraghey dys troggal elley y sourey shoh hugain, as ta obbyr ass towse ry-yannoo. Agh ta'n lught reirey neuarryltagh briwnys erbee y yannoo, as ta'n ard-ven ersooyl fo asslaynt ennagh kerroo ny bleeaney dagh blein, as cho skee as faase nagh nod ee jannoo monney tra t'ee erash. Myr shen, ta'n lught obbree er nyannoo tooilley obbyr rish daa vlein, as ceaut as skee. Cha nel shen ro-olk dooys, dy firrinagh, agh t'eh jeeaghyn dy vel dagh ainjyssagh aym fo doilleeid trome ennagh; çhingys, mooinjer çhingey, studeyrys gyn raah, argid, staartaghyn, cooish ghraih chrampagh... as myr shen ta aeraght trome as groamey er feie ny caayrey. T'eh cur lhag-chreeys orrym as cha nel eh greinney aittys ny gientynaght - ny bree.

Liorish ooilley shen, cha nel monney bree aynym ny laghyn shoh, as s'doillee eh red ennagh y screeu. Ta shalee ny ghaa foym as lieh-yeant, agh cha nel traa ny breeaghys aym ad y chooilleeney. Chammah's shen, mannagh vel glout dy hraa ayd, cha aashagh eh reddyn gientynagh y yannoo dy corrym. T'ou jummal traa liorish smooinaghtyn er c'red v'ou jannoo, ny shirrey noteyn, ny shirrey er y vree skeeeallagh v'aynyd y keayrt s'jerree. Myr shen, ga dy by vie lhiam red ennagh noa y chur magh, ta mee aareaghey ny skeealyn ta caghlaait ny screeuit aym hannah, obbyr gyn feme er wheesh bree. S'treisht lhiam dy bee caa aym red ennagh noa y yannoo dy leah.