’n Potgooi en historiese fiksie

Potgooi oor vertaling

Sondag 2 Februarie 2014 was daar ’n baie interessante insetsel oor nie-fiksie vertaling op Die tale wat ons praat op RSG. Luister gerus hier na die gesprek tussen Magdaleen Krüger en Ilse Salzwedel.

Huidige leesgenot

Tans lees ek Karel Schoeman se klassieke werk ’n Ander land. Soos sy ander boeke stel dié een nie teleur nie. Die 2006 Human & Rousseau Klassiek-uitgawe is aanlyn by Kalahari, Exclusive Books en Takealot beskikbaar vir tussen R173 en R220.

Ek kan ook Schoeman se boeke Hierdie lewe en Na die geliefde land aanbeveel.

Gaan kyk gerus na my Goodreads-bladsy vir ander boeke wat ek al opgelaai het.

Language Matters: Some notes on South African English

Robots, robots, everywhere!

In South Africa traffic lights are very often referred to as “robots” – and not only in English. Though I am not sure where and when exactly this started, I do have an idea about why it keeps on being used.

"Red Robot" by Splenetic

1. When you give directions it is faster to say “turn right and the robot” than “turn right at the traffic light”. This is especially helpful if you, like me, are really bad with directions.
2. The true reason, in my opinion, is that you get to say things like “turn right at the robot” in a normal conversation and, after a rain storm (especially in Sandton *cough cough*) you get to say “there’s a lot of robots out” or simply “the robots are out”. While sitting in traffic it’s a lot more entertaining to think it’s caused by robots lumbering about and blocking traffic than a few lights not working.

Therefore, I will keep on referring to traffic lights as robots. Because sometimes you just need a little whimsy in your day. 

It is done!

That’s it. This morning I handed in the completed Eternal Dissertation.

I’m tumbling between wanting to party and just sleeping (but not while I’m at work, of course…)

My professor also gave me two books! (Trying not to fill the line with exclamation marks.)

So, in-between the wanting to party and sleep I’m also feeling a bit like this:

Friday Inspiration: The Gift of Inadequacy - Taylor Gahm

Taalsake: Hennie Aucamp op tagtig

Gaan luister gerus na 22 Januarie se RSG Skrywers en boeke potgooi:

"Ilse Salzwedel bring hulde aan Hennie Aucamp wat vandeesweek sy tagtigste verjaarsdag vier. Sy gesels met prof. Andries Visagie (UP), prof. Louise Viljoen (US) en prof. Helize van Vuuren (NMM) oor sy werk. Daar is ook argiefopnames van ʼn veel jonger Aucamp wat een van sy gedigte voorlees en ʼn voorlesing van ʼn Bruidsbed vir Tant Nonnie, een van Aucamp se bekendste verhale. Amanda Strydom sing Fanie en Bettie, een van die liedjies uit Aucamp se kabaret, 'n Vuur gevang in glas."

Klik hier om te luister.


(Beskrywing van potgooi verkry vanaf die RSG-webwerf.)

One Week to Go

The Eternal Dissertation

Today it is exactly one week before I hand in The Eternal Dissertation. The problem is that, now that I’m basically putting the finishing touches on the document, the perfectionist in me starts to haggle and tell me that I should rather rewrite a specific piece or that I should read through the whole thing just one more time. I’m trying my best not to listen, though.

In other, but related, news

I am also busy with a proposal for this year’s SASMARS. (Insomnia is wonderful when you have a lot to get done.) So, slowly but surely, I am getting there one step at a time and with lots of music. 

Some background music

If you read the blog often, you’ll know by now that I like background music. At the moment it’s leaning towards classical and early music. This piece from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (Op. 20, Scène) remains one of my favourites.

And now I’ll get back to work.

Proudly South African Monday: Commercial Love by Ice Project