Thoughts on English

WARNING:  This post is a bit different from my others.

A (very) brief history of the English language, as described in the Norton Anthology of English Literature:

Beginning in the first century of the Common Era, England was a province of the Roman Empire.  It was named Britannia after the Britons, the Celtic-speaking people who lived in England at the time.  Beginning around 450 A.D. (or 450 C.E., if you prefer), the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes began their conquest of southeastern Britain.  These Germanic invaders spoke an early form of the language we now refer to as Old English.  Old English bears a much closer resemblance to German and Dutch than does contemporary English.

The Germanic tribes and the Britons fought for decades.  The Britons were eventually sequestered in the mountainous regions of Wales.  Modern forms of the Celts’ language are still spoken in that area to this day.  (Funny fact:  When I was little, I used to think people called her Diana, Princess of Whales.  I was utterly convinced she was a mermaid.) 

In 1066, yet another invasion occurred.  This time, it was the French-speaking Normans.  Because of this, French became the official language of England until the end of the fourteenth century.  Many French words worked their way into the English language.  You could say it gave our language a certain je ne sais quoi.  This is especially evident in the odd ways in which we form superlatives in English.  Germanic languages append –er and –est to words to form superlatives, but Latin-based languages, like French and Spanish, precede words with more and most to form superlatives.  Sometimes we use the Germanic method (taller, tallest), and other times we use the Latin method (more beautiful, most beautiful).

Throughout the centuries, the English language changed even more, typically the result of other battles for power.  The English language as we know it today is a unique and odd combination of multitudes of languages from around the world.  It is no wonder, then, that English is a language of exceptions.  Some words follow the rules of one language, and others follow the rules of a different one.  When you learn English, you are really learning several languages.

Why does this matter?

The really cool thing about all of this, in my opinion, is that English isn’t alone in this phenomenon.  French, Spanish, Italian, German, and many other languages have a history that is equally rich and diverse.  This is why there are so many cognates (similar words, similar meanings) across multiple languages.

What else can we learn from this?  Languages never really die.  Many people claim that Latin is a dead language, but I respectfully disagree.  In my opinion, it is alive and well in the many languages that have derived from it.  We also use Latin quite heavily in science and medicine.  Because of this, I believe Latin is far from dead.  It may be different, but it’s still there, just like the language of the Britons.  Language, just like culture, refuses to die easily.  To fully understand a culture, it is very important to understand their language.

Isn’t language awesome?

So now that I’ve shared my thoughts on the matter, what are yours?  What do you think is cool about the language(s) you speak?

Thoughts on YouTube

Until last summer, I primarily used YouTube to watch funny videos or learn how to do something.  I didn't really give much thought to how this particular form of social media could be used to do some really amazing things.  All of this changed one afternoon when I happened upon a video by Kristina Horner.  Having many common interests, I watched several of her videos and even subscribed to her channel.  Through Kristina, I was inspired to watch videos by Hayley G. Hoover, John Green, Hank Green, and Karen Kavett.  Through this group, I learned that YouTube can be used for lots of great things.

Activism: 
Every year, John and Hank Green encourage their viewers to participate in the Project for Awesome, an event of their own creation.  To participate, all one has to do is make a short video advocating for the charity of his/her choice.  For two days, thousands of viewers from all over the world will watch, share, and vote for the videos they like.  The charities with the highest numbers of votes are given a portion of the money raised during the event.  To raise the money, many YouTubers agree to give away perks to those who give money.  For example, John, a best-selling author, gave away electronic copies of an unpublished book he'd written.
Last year, the Project for Awsome raised almost $400,000. I'm sure the winning charities will use this money to make the world a much better place.  As John and Hank would say, it helped to greatly decrease worldsuck.  Rather than accept the status quo, viewers are encouraged to get out and make a difference.  More importantly, they are taught that you are never too young, too old, or too insignificant to make a difference.
 Many of the YouTubers I've mentioned make it their mission to advocate for causes and to educate their viewers about certain topics.  All of the YouTubers I've mentioned are major advocates for human rights.  Many of them are also very politically active and encourage all of their users to vote and educate themselves about the major issues.

Education:
Many of the YouTubers I watch make education a priority.  Kristina and Hayley have an advice channel, Answerly, in which they, along with Joseph Birdsong, answer questions from viewers and provide information about various topics.  Karen Kavett frequently makes videos educating her viewers about graphic design and crafting.  John and Hank have separate channels just for educating their viewers about certain topics.  In Crash Course, John has taught World History and Literature.  He is currently working through American History.  Hank's educational channel is called Sci Show.  There, he, and many others, teach viewers about interesting science-related topics.

Creation:
All of the YouTubers I've mentioned are very creative.  They are always working on one project or another. Karen frequently posts about various craft and graphic design projects that she's completed.  Hayley and Kristina are working on a book together and often participate in NaNoWriMo every November.  John will often share information about his books, and Hank will share songs that he's written.
My favorite of all the projects is Hank's The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is an adaptation of Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice.  It's a web series on YouTube, but many of the characters also have Twitter and Tumblr accounts.  In my opinion, it is a wonderful new way to interact with a book that's been loved for generations.  It has also encourage many who haven't read the book to do so.

Communing:
Last, but certainly not least, each of these YouTubers has created a community.  They are able to bring in viewers from all over the world and from various walks in life.  They do this because they talk about things that many people care about.  Because they see that many people care about the same things they do, many viewers are given a sense of belonging.  Without realizing it, all of these YouTubers created a community much larger than they ever imagined.  Because of this, they are able to do much more than they ever imagine as well.

Now that I've shared my story, what's one thing about YouTube, or any social network, that you were pleasantly surprised to discover?
  
Links To The People and Projects I Mentioned: 

• John and Hank Green:       http://www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers
• Kristina Horner:                http://www.youtube.com/kristina
• Hayley Hoover:                 http://www.youtube.com/hayleyghoover
• Answerly:                         http://www.youtube.com/answerly
• Karen Kavett:                   http://www.youtube.com/karen
• The Lizzie Bennet Diaries:  http://www.youtube.com/lizziebennet
• The Project for Awesome:  http://www.youtube.com/p4a
• Crash Course:                   http://www.youtube.com/crashcourse      
• Sci Show:                         http://www.youtube.com/scishow

 
 

Failing Miserably

I mentioned in an earlier post that I wanted to become the best professor I can be.  Unfortunately,  I feel like I am failing pretty miserably at it.  After each class, I am left with the feeling that I could have done things better.  Some days are more successful than others, but I have yet to have a day where I feel great about the lessons I taught.
This feeling of inadequacy is pervasive.  For example, I don't write because I don't feel like anything I write is good enough to share.  Apart from the articles I wrote for my college newspaper, this blog is the only thing I've written and shared with others on a large scale.  It probably doesn't seem like it, but I actually put a lot of thought into what I have written thus far.
I realize that feeling this way has its benefits.  It motivates me to work harder.  It encourages me to challenge the status quo and avoid the docile complacency ever so present in today's society.  It also implies that I have enough confidence in my own abilities to believe that I can do better than I already am.
However, this feeling can be very bad for me as well.  It has held me back on a number of occasions.  I didn't take a creative writing class in college because I was afraid, and am still afraid, that I would be terrible at it.  The same could be said of art.  Because I didn't measure up to my own standards of quality, I just gave up.  This has happened on more occasions than I care to admit.
I realize that good things can come from failure, and I also realize that I have to be willing to be bad at something in order to become good at it.  This doesn't seem to help, though.  I still find myself paralyzed by my fear of failure.  Do any of you ever feel this way?  If so, how do you deal with it?
Before I go, I just want to thank everyone who actually reads these posts.  It really means a lot to me.  You guys are awesome!

In Which I'm a Nerd

These days, being a nerd is a good thing.  Instead of an insult, most people now view the word as a title of honor.  Sadly, this was not the case when I was younger.  Working hard in school and enjoying learning often resulted in ridicule rather than praise.  Nobody wanted to be friends with the "teacher's pet."  Fortunately, fictional characters were always there to keep you company.
Things are quite different now.  Instead of hiding their nerdiness, people are celebrating it.  I think that the Internet has played a huge part in this.  People used to hide certain aspects of their lives because they felt alone.  They didn't realize that there were lots of people out there who liked the same things they did, or felt the same way they were feeling.  Now, a simple Google search can lead you to an entire online community of people who are just as obsessed about something as you are.
Everyone wants to feel connected.  The immense popularity of social networking sites is proof of this.  We can interact easily with people all over the world on a daily basis.  No one around you shares your interest in origami?  Well, you can go online and find hundreds of people who do.  Our exposure is no longer limited to just what's around us.  Our circles of friends can extend much further than the boundaries of our communities.
Instead of separating us, our differences are bringing us together.  We are proud of the things that make us nerds.  In keeping with this new-found pride, I'm going to tell you some of the things that I do, or have done, that some might consider nerdy.

1. I love Harry Potter.
2. I have a degree in Computer Science.
3. I like Pokemon games.  I have played the Soul Silver, Pearl, and White versions.
4. I think that the Oxford English Dictionary is really awesome.  I love to tell people the story behind its creation.
5. I adore Doctor Who!  David Tennant is my favorite, but Matt Smith is a close second.
6. I would much rather enjoy a quiet night in than go to parties.
7. I play Dungeons and Dragons.  My Paladin is now level eight!
8. I spent many Tuesday nights watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

I am sure that there are things that I have left out of this list, but this is definitely a good start.  Now it's your turn.  What makes YOU a nerd?

Graduation

Well, I finally accomplished one of the major goals I set for myself.  I earned my Master's degree.  It's a really odd sort of feeling.  I've been working toward this goal for a very long time, and now that the pressure to complete it is gone, I have felt a bit lost.  It almost seems like I'm in some sort of dream.  I have an idea of what I would like to do with my life as far as my career goes.  I want to be a professor.  I want to feel like I have made a difference in the world, however small that difference might be.
I'm still trying to figure out what else I might want to do.  I think it would be nice to work more on my photography, or I might even learn to play the violin that I've owned for almost eight years now.  There are definitely lots of books that I want to read.  It is almost overwhelming!  I guess the best thing to do is pace myself.
Apart from being the best professor I possibly can, my other goals at this point include:

• Paying off my student loans
• Buying a car
• Saving money to travel
• Going to conventions

I'm not sure how I will do in achieving all of these goals, but I will do my best.  I have amazing relatives and friends who support me in all of my endeavors, and I cannot possibly express how truly grateful I am for them.  I can't wait to see what this next chapter in my life brings!

Declaring Independence

On July 4, 1776, thirteen British colonies located in North America declared their independence from England.  Had I been alive then, I would have thought they were crazy.  England ruled most of the world at that time, and they had an incredibly powerful navy.  To do what the colonists did required an inordinate amount of bravery.  I know that we consider them brave because they were successful.  Had they failed, we probably would have called them stupid.
Every year, we celebrate their success with cookouts and fireworks.  This year, I say we also celebrate by declaring our own independence.  We all have things in our lives that hold us back.  In my case, it's fear.  Of all the emotions I feel, this one is definitely the strongest.   It's also the most prevalent.  Before just about any action I take, I fret over the potential consequences, frequently imagining much worse things than would actually happen.
I apologize for my mistakes a million times, and I still worry about them months after everyone else has forgotten them.  There are so many things in life that I miss out on, and continue to miss out on, just because I'm too scared.  I am petrified at the thought of hurting others or getting hurt myself. Instead, I just let opportunities pass me by and reminisce on what could have been, wishing I would have had the courage to do or say what I really wanted to.
So this year, I declare my independence from fear.  I'm not sure how well this will go, or if I'll even be successful at all, but I'm going to give it my best shot.  Is there anything you would like to declare your independence from?  I wish you the best of luck with whatever it is.  Let me know how things go for you, and I will return the favor.  As always, thanks for reading!  Happy Independence Day!

The Online Universe

Like many people, I spend quite a bit of time online.  Whether I'm checking e-mail, going to funny websites for a laugh, or keeping up with social networks, an hour can pass by without my noticing it.  One thing I've been doing lately is watching YouTube videos.  In particular, I have found myself watching Kristina Horner's channel.
We actually have quite a bit in common.  We both like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Doctor Who, and singing.  She's also traveled extensively, something I can't wait to do.  Had we lived closer to each other, I would definitely have wanted her to be my friend.  In truth, she actually reminds me quite a bit of my friend Megan.
Many people argue that technology has worked to isolate people, and to some extent, this is true.  We spend lots of time on the computer and playing video games rather than physically interacting with others.  We've all spent time with people who seem more interested in the person they are texting than us.  I've even heard of relationships ending because one person spends too much time playing video games.
However, it also cannot be denied that technology brings us together as well.  Because of Facebook, I've been able to keep in touch with people that have meant a lot to me at various points in my life.  Some of my friends live far away, but through social media, I am still able to keep up with them.  Many video games are also interactive.  My entire family became addicted to Words With Friends.  We loved challenging each other, and we could still interact with each other even though we weren't in the same place.
One of the coolest things, however, is that we can use technology to easily connect with people all around the world.  No matter what your interest is, you can find others online who share your passion.  Without technology, we wouldn't even know those people exist.  Who knows?  Maybe you can even find someone close by and make a new friend.