The following reflection was submitted to Tyndale University for Elementary New Testament Greek, Winter 2024. ~*~ Saint Jerome, by Caravaggio, c. 1605 As I have studied and translated New Testament Greek over the last eight months, I have realised that translation is hardly a straightforward process. There are moments of marvelous recognition and understanding, and … Continue reading Reflections on Translating the New Testament
Category: Language
“My So Called Language,” by Anonymous
The following was found slipped into a tattered pamphlet titled “A Glossary of Literary Terms,” printed in 1958. To its ingenious anonymous author, I owe the utmost admiration. ~*~ My So Called Language Let’s face it---English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in … Continue reading “My So Called Language,” by Anonymous
Tor, Brae, How, & Other Hill-ish Words
A view of Fleet Moor, Surrey, by Alfred de Breanski, 1876 I began to discover different words for “hill” as I travelled through England and Scotland. In Canada, places are often named after people or after towns in the old country. In Britain, place-names often reflect the landscape. If, in the days of the Celts … Continue reading Tor, Brae, How, & Other Hill-ish Words
A Glossary for Howard Pyle
Wordstapas registration for the fall is now open! You can read all the details by visiting the main Wordstapas page in the header, or by clicking here. If you feel inspired to share the news on your blog or social media, you can right click and select “Save image as” on the graphic below. ~*~ … Continue reading A Glossary for Howard Pyle
Why “The Wordstapas”?
It was in October 2021 that I announced the creation of The Tolkien Club. At that time I expressed my hesitation to name the society “The Tolkien Club,” for I knew we would not be reading much of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, but rather focusing on ancient mythology (albeit of the kind that Tolkien read). So … Continue reading Why “The Wordstapas”?
English in the Dock: Have, Have, Have & Will, Will, Will
English is an unruly little beast. Although it boasts borrowed words from over 350 different languages, it has shamefully neglected itself and must often stand trial on charge of its ludicrous inconsistencies. Nouns mascarade as adjectives, verbs change hats with auxiliary verbs, and the amount and variety of nouns that flirt with verbs is distressing. … Continue reading English in the Dock: Have, Have, Have & Will, Will, Will
Old English Poetic Elements in Beowulf
Each line of Old English poetry is divided into two half-lines with a caesura in the middle. A caesura is a break or pause in the syntactical rhythm of a line of poetry. In modern publications of Old English poetry, publishers indicate the position of the caesura by leaving a white space between the two half-lines ...
5 Words You Thought Tolkien Invented
During the fall semester, as I was studying Old English texts, I unearthed several Old English words I vaguely assumed J.R.R. Tolkien had invented himself. I am not referring to words Tolkien borrowed and modified to his own taste. These were words whose form in The Lord of the Rings was identical (or nearly identical) … Continue reading 5 Words You Thought Tolkien Invented
On “Fernweh”
Purpose: To enlighten my readers on the word fernweh, which I have used at least twice without any explanation of its meaning. Fernweh is a German word, and its meaning requires a little explanation as it does not translate very comfortably into English. Fern means “far” and weh means “ache” or “pain.” Fernweh describes the … Continue reading On “Fernweh”
The Rubicon of Language-Learning
I have attempted before to describe my remarkable experience of learning Latin and how it revolutionized my perspective on language-learning. All this was due to the way I was taught: submersion in the language itself. No toe-dipping---complete submersion, head and all. The book I was taught from was Hans Ørberg’s Lingua Latina. Lingua Latina uses … Continue reading The Rubicon of Language-Learning
Remembered Lore 