Pavlos Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 @Pavlos.. that book does sound interesting indeed Im quite interested in how spoken languages change and evolve. From my own perspective, modern Turkish has changed phenomenally in the last 30 years. My Cypriot Turkish accent and dialect keeps me at that circa 1970s meter. Unless I actually live in Turkey, theres no way Im going to pick up the quick and interwoven modern style that has developed. I can understand it, but I cant reproduce it, most Cypriot Turks cannot. Apparently Greek Cypriots have similar issues too. The Oxford English Dictionary is one of the greatest Victorian achievements; as much as one of Brunel's bridges or boats. From the introduction to the second edition (and latest): The aim of this Dictionary is to present in alphabetical series the words that have formed the English vocabulary from the time of the earliest records [ca. AD740] down to the present day, with all the relevant facts concerning their form, sense-history, pronunciation, and etymology. It embraces not only the standard language of literature and conversation, whether current at the moment, or obsolete, or archaic, but also the main technical vocabulary, and a large measure of dialectal usage and slang. No other dictionary in the world does this. It's a massive undertaking, so much so that the last edition was in 1933 (though with many, many revisions through the decades) and the third edition won't be done until the late 2030s. The OED is the history of a language on one shelf, it's really quite impressive... if rather large. Fortunately, it's also the history of a language online, too. Vox Latina is essentially only useful for classical Latin (100 BC to 100 AD), by the way, and I wouldn't know about Church Latin. I believe Darathy knows more about mediaeval Latin -- from which it is derived -- but given the way some reverends manage to arse up the stresses of the King James I edition of the Bible in English (by randomly placing emphasis on the words that they like and thereby destroying one of the greatest works of poetry in the English language) it wouldn't surprise me if people speaking in Church Latin were doing much the same to their poetic texts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Currently reading Shogun by James Clavell. Only about 150 pages into the 1000pgs+, but great book so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrotoy7 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Currently reading Shogun by James Clavell. Only about 150 pages into the 1000pgs+, but great book so far. They made a miniseries of that many moons ago... It's pretty darn good... even has Toshiro Mifune in it, so was instant win before the cameras started rolling mtfbwya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltiades Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Currently reading Shogun by James Clavell. Only about 150 pages into the 1000pgs+, but great book so far. Amazing book. Read it, loved it. Clavell also wrote books about Japan before and after Shogun, which, if I remember well, is set in 1599-1600, should you be interested. I haven't read another one myself, yet, but I might. Fun thing is, after a while, if you try a little, you learn some Japanese words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverNight Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Amazing book. Read it, loved it. Clavell also wrote books about Japan before and after Shogun, which, if I remember well, is set in 1599-1600, should you be interested. I haven't read another one myself, yet, but I might. Fun thing is, after a while, if you try a little, you learn some Japanese words. Seconded! Talk about an epic book... there is no other way to describe but epic, especially near the end of it! Also, not only can you pick up a little of the language, but you can get a small 'feel' for the people... I was amazed when attitudes and the like that I saw in the book were echoed in real life! Yeah, I just can't recommend it enough. Also, if anybody's interested, the Horatio Hornblower series by C.S.Forester is rather good... at least the 2 books I've read so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW01 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Also, if anybody's interested, the Horatio Hornblower series by C.S.Forester is rather good... at least the 2 books I've read so far. That's good to hear - I have not yet read the novels, but after watching the series I am tempted to get them. Glad to know that they are recommended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiEND_138 Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 Re-reading A Clockwork Orange and 1984. Two of my favorite books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 They made a miniseries of that many moons ago... It's pretty darn good... even has Toshiro Mifune in it, so was instant win before the cameras started rolling Yep, seen bits and pieces in the past, and I plan on getting a copy and going through it fully once I'm finished the novel. Amazing book. Read it, loved it. Clavell also wrote books about Japan before and after Shogun, which, if I remember well, is set in 1599-1600, should you be interested. I haven't read another one myself, yet, but I might. Fun thing is, after a while, if you try a little, you learn some Japanese words Yeah, its in 1600. All the cultural and historical references as well are great, and the un-PC attitudes between all the nationalities is very interesting. Definitely loving it so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Dead_Jedi Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Reading everything that is or can be Dune. Great series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I am currently re-reading Hair to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. Is that the hippy musical version? I'm still trying to finish Atlas Shrugged. The story actually wouldn't be bad if Rand's terrible writing didn't get in the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderQ Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 I'm still trying to finish Atlas Shrugged. The story actually wouldn't be bad if Rand's terrible writing didn't get in the way. Oy, that book is really long if I remember correctly, I think that is why I never really got to the end....good book though, as you said, it would've been better if Rand's writing was better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Master of the English language she was not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverNight Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Yeah... I got through the Fountainhead and then only a quarter of the way through Atlas when I realized that I had no idea what had happened earlier... I just gave up on Rand after that... SW01: Yes, Hornblower is great they are much like a Napoleanic version of Weber's Honor Harrington... thought I think Forester's writing is better along with more believable characters, but both are worth the reads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Lion54 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I'm still on the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. Wonderful series of books. There's 11 or 12 of them in all, and I'm up to the 4th one. I finished Blood of the Fold yesterday and started reading Temple of the Winds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderQ Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 SW01: Yes, Hornblower is great they are much like a Napoleanic version of Weber's Honor Harrington... thought I think Forester's writing is better along with more believable characters, but both are worth the reads. YES!! I have found more Hornblower fans! The book series is indeed amazing:D That reminds me, have you read any of Patrick O'Brian's books....Master and Commander...any of those? Fairly more recent than Forester's work, but it is pretty good:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW01 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 YES!! I have found more Hornblower fans! The book series is indeed amazing:D That reminds me, have you read any of Patrick O'Brian's books....Master and Commander...any of those? Fairly more recent than Forester's work, but it is pretty good:D Regrettably not - I really need to improve my fiction collection...but rest assured Master & Commander is also on my long-term reading list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astor Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Regrettably not - I really need to improve my fiction collection...but rest assured Master & Commander is also on my long-term reading list! I've only had cursory glances, but the Aubrey/Maturin series is definately intriguing. Gotta put Hornblower on the list for when i've finished the Jack Steel series as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrrtoken Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 It's got a pretty good plot; it's about a penguin named Tux who tries to escape from the clutches of an evil home improvement corporation that wants to put overpriced, ill-functioning windows into every household. 'Tis a bit juvenile, although rather enjoyable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miltiades Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 I heard Tux dies at the end. Is it true? I also heard it'll be made into a movie. Peter Jackson is a good candidate for directing the movie, I heard. If someone knows how to make such an epic tale into a movie, it's him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverNight Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 YES!! I have found more Hornblower fans! The book series is indeed amazing:D That reminds me, have you read any of Patrick O'Brian's books....Master and Commander...any of those? Fairly more recent than Forester's work, but it is pretty good:D No, I never did read those, but I just put the first two on hold at my Local library... should be an interesting read if they're anything like Hornblower... Thanks! And, in other news, just finished up Pillars of Creation over 700 pages or so of goodness... just took a while to figure out what was happening at the end... However, it's definitely a good way to continue the Sword of Truth series... up next will be Hornblower and the Hotspur, Master and Commander, Semper Mars, and, then, the first book of Plutarch's Lives... and then let's see what other stuff I could throw onto that list just to do so... God, I love my library... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW01 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Plutarch's Lives Plutarch is great to read - I have a few of the Penguin compilations in translation - my favourites are the lives of those notable Romans at the time of the Civil War - Caesar, Pompeius Magnus and Cicero in particular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverNight Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 I'm reading the Clough translation/publication that my Social Studies/History teacher had on hand. It's okay so far, almost as confusing -if not more- than the Silmarillion, but it's pretty good... I especially like that it's Leather-bound with thick paper... It just doesn't get much better than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavlos Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 I'm just beginning Milton's Paradise Regained, the little-known sequel to the famous Paradise Lost: I, who e're while the happy Garden sung, By one mans disobedience lost, now sing Recover'd Paradise to all mankind, By one mans firm obedience fully tri'd Through all temptation, and the Tempter foil'd In all his wiles, defeated and repuls't, And Eden rais'd in the wast Wilderness. I find Milton to be curiously fascinating. I have no emotional connection to his works but they draw me back to read again what I put back on the shelf. Cold but gripping, I suppose would summarise him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HdVaderII Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Right now I'm reading a novel by Robert Ludlum, The Chancellor Manuscript. Very good book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZimmMaster Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Darth Bane: Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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