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Pavlos

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@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.

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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. :)

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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.

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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! :)

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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.
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I am currently re-reading Hair to the Empire by Timothy Zahn.

Is that the hippy musical version? :p

 

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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! :)

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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.

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Apress.Beginning.Ubuntu.Linux.From.Novice.to.Professional.Mar.2006.jpg

 

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.

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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...

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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.

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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.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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.

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