Perfect for Christmas in Summer

7 Productivity Tips – Tested and Approved*

*by me

After some long hours and lots and lots (and lots) of typing and editing I finally feel that I’m getting somewhere with The Eternal Dissertation. And I am thanking my lucky stars that it’s a subject which I still find interesting! After these few weeks I feel I have some tips on staying productive:

The tips:

• Don’t let you computer catch on fire. Although I would have preferred it if Binky (my poor laptop) didn’t catch on fire on its own account. Very rude.
• A few supportive friends and a great sister (or sibling) who won’t mind you rambling off on a tangent about how much work you need to do on X or Y for a few minutes. Even if they have no idea what you’re talking about. 
• Get your cat to help (or get a cat). Sir T is only too happy to remind me to take breaks by going to sleep on top of my books or in my chair as soon as I get up to make some tea.
• Tea and/or coffee. But don’t overdo the caffeine (rooibos tea is a great option) or the sugar. And remember the biscuits – only to be used as reward, of course *cough cough*. I have yet to meet someone who likes chewing on carrot sticks the whole time they are studying. And a carrot is just not as good a reward as a biscuit – admit it.
• Notebooks! Pens! Sticky notes! While apps are great, I still find pen and paper the best way to get my thoughts ordered.
• Music. Whatever you like, whatever keeps your mind ticking or your fingers typing. My choices usually change during the day. On the days I get up at 4am it’s usually something like Meat Loaf (But not loud enough to wake my neighbours. Because even really nice people don’t want to be woken at 4am by Bat Out Of Hell. You do not want neighbours fervently wishing a lightning bolt would smite you.). During the day some Early Music, a few playlists with my favourite songs or soundtracks and in the evening something like The Parlotones, Theuns Jordaan or Josh Groban.
• Save. Save. Save your work! There’s nothing like losing a file (or losing something because your computer caught on fire) to make you lose all your motivation (Thank goodness this didn’t happen to me. I only lost a few sentences.)

And now it’s back to work for me. 

Image of hand by GraphicsFairy.com 

Traditional Bookbinding

The Joy of Lexicography by Erin McKean

Bookish Things: The Ring of Words

In keeping with posts related to J.R.R. Tolkien’s work, I decided to have a look at some interesting books relating to etymology, philology and language. To start with –

The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the Oxford English Dictionary byP. Gilliver, J. Marshall and E. Weiner

The book opens with a quote by Robert Louis Stevenson:

Bright is the ring of words

When the right man rings them,

Fair the fall of songs

When the singer sings them.

Courtesy of OUP

Anyone who has read Tolkien’s works will know of the superb way in which language is used throughout his works. For those (like me) who suddenly found a new world of etymology opened to them, the giddy joy of finding words Tolkien used in other texts is a simple pleasure. As a Tolkien fan, for example, reading the Anglo-Saxon poem “Crist” is a sure way of becoming addicted to the Old English corpus. 

Overview

The book’s first two chapters cover “Tolkien as Lexicographer” and “Tolkien as Wordwright” and examines the craft and care with which Tolkien approached his work. It also gives an insight to the world of lexicography and what it is that lexicographers do*. The bulk of the book, however, is spent on Word Studies. These are given in alphabetical order, and each given ample space for references to Tolkien’ work and other literary sources.

But, whether or not you are an admirer of Tolkien’s work; The Ring of Words, is a delight to anyone who is interested in etymology. The words covered in the book range from elf and dwarf to dwimmerlaik and ruel-bone. The work does not only cover words found in the books regarding Middle-Earth, but also from his other fiction. Blunderbuss, for example, is also included in the word studies. The book’s language is easily accessible, though it may be more interesting to those who are somewhat familiar with Tolkien’s legendarium. Gilliver, et al. have compiled a book for lay readers as well those already familiar with the history of English and other Germanic languages. It is hardly a “stuffy academic” book.

Want to know more?

If you would like to know more about this book, head on over to Oxford University Press or iTunes and download the podcast.

Further reading:

For more about Tolkien’s creation of Middle-Earth, I highly recommend Tom Shippey’s The Road toMiddle-Earth: How J.R.R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology, and John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold ofMiddle-Earth.

* Lexicographers do not spend their time trying to keep new words from entering dictionaries, for example.

Books:Gilliver, J., J. Marshall and E. Weiner. (2006). The Ring of Words: Tolkien and the OxfordEnglish Dictionary. Oxford University Press.

Shippey, T. (2003).The Road toMiddle-Earth: How J.R.R. Tolkien Created a New Mythology. Houghton Mifflin.

Garth, J. (2003).Tolkien andthe Great War: The Threshold of Middle-Earth. HarperCollins.

“A Fair Trade” Published!

“A Fair Trade” – some flash fiction I wrote – is now available to read* on Every Day Fiction.

Courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

*And vote for if you enjoy it, hint hint.

Hildegard von Bingen - Documentary

Watch this wonderful documentary on Hildegard von Bingen -



Documentary: "Hildegard of Bingen: Authorship and Stylometry" [HD] from Mike Kestemont on Vimeo.

Uit die argief: The Hobbit se dwerge – Durin se volk

Bilbo se mede avonturiers in The Hobbit is Dwerge en die towenaar Gandalf. Alhoewel meeste mense wat al opgelees het oor die inspirasie agter hierdie name in The Hobbit weet dat hierdie name uit die Eddasgeneem is, is dit steeds interessant om na die gedig te kyk waarin meeste van hierdie name voorkom en ook wié Durin in die Noorse mitologie is.

Die Eddas

Depiction of Andvari by F. Von Stassen (1914)

Die twee Eddas is die tekste waarin meeste van die Noorse mitologie opgeteken is. Die eerste gedig in die Ouer Edda is die Völuspá, en vertel van die skepping van die kosmos, die gode en die gebeure by Ragnarok; die einde (en hergeboorte) van die wêreld. ’n Gedeelte van hierdie gedig vertel van die dwerge en lys hulle by naam. Die Codex Regius(die manuskrip waarin die Ouer Edda opgeteken is) beskryf die skepping van die heer van die dwerge uit die bloed van Brimir en die ledemate van Bláin (Lindow2008:99). In die Gylfaginning in die Jonger Edda word vertel dat die dwerge geskep is uit maaiers wat in die lyk van die reus Ymir was. Een van die strofes in die Dvergartál; die lys van die dwerge, lees as volg:

Zuchter werd als meest imposante geschapen,

een op-en-top dwerg, Slaper was tweede.

Zij vormden velen, naar het beeld van de mens,

Uit aarde, die dwergen, zoals Slaper het zei...

(Otten 2007:28)

([Larrington 2008:5] se Engelse vertaling lees as volg:

Then Motsognir became the greatest of

all the dwarfs, and Durin another;

Many manlike figures they made,

dwarfs from the earth, as Durin recounted.)

In Tolkien se werke word daar na die dwerge* verwys as “Durin se volk”, wie duidelik vernoem is na Durin in die Noorse mitologie en, in The Hobbit, sê Thorin Oakenshield (die leier van die dwerge wat op die avontuur gaan): “Durin, Durin!... He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir.” (Tolkien 2010:50)

Tolkien gee ook sy dwerge name uit die Dvergartál. Die volledige lys van name bevat egter heelwat meer as dié wat in die verhaal voorkom. Die naam “Gandalf” word ook as ’n naam van ’n dwerg gegee en ’n paar van die name bevat “alf” (elf) wat net wys hoe vaag die onderskeid tussen dwerge en elwe in die Noorse mitologie is. Thorin Oakenshield se naam bestaan ook uit twee van die dwergname wat in die gedig gegee word. Die dwerge wat hier genoem word, word na verwys as Durin se afstammelinge en “die mense van Lofar”. Hier is die volledige lys name:

Die dwerge se name

In Larrington se vertaling word die name van die dwerge as volg vertaal (daar kan gesien word in die volgende vertalings hoe sommige van die betekenisse van die name nie heeltemal duidelik is nie):

New-moon and Dark-of-moon, North and South

East and West, Master-thief, Delayer,

Bivor, Bavor, Bombur, and Nori,

An andAnar, Great-grandfather and Mead-wolf.

Liquor and Staff-elf, Wind-elf and Thrain,

Known and Thorin, Thror, Colour and Wise,

Corpse and New-advice: now I have rightly

- Regin and Counsel-sharp – reckoned up the dwarfs.

Fili and Kili, Foundling and Nali,

Haft anfVili, Hanar and Svíur,

Frar and Hornborer, Fræg and Sea-pool,

Loamfield, Iari, Oakenshield.

Time it is to tally up the dwarfs in Dvalin’s lineage,

the people of Lofar,

those who sought out from the stony halls

the dwelling of Loamfield on Iorovellir.

There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir,

Greyhair, Mound-river, Lee-plain, Glow,

Elf and Yngvi, Oakenshield.

Fialar and Frosty, Finn and Betrayer;

they’ll be remembered while mankind endures,

the long tally of ancestors of Lofar.

(Larrington 2008:5-6)

Otten (2007:28-9) se vertaling van dieselfde gedeelte lees as volg:

“Wassende en Slapende Maan, Noord en Zuid,

Oost en West, Meesterdief en Draler,

Bibber en Glitter, Papzak en Schrompel,

Vriend en Vechter, Oeropa en Medewolf.

Slokje, Toveralf, Windalf en Smachter,

de Makke en Durfal, Tochtig, Wijs en Blos,

het Lijk en Nieuwe Raadgever, nu heb ik de dwergen

- Heerser en Wijs Besluit – goed opgesomd.

De Vijl en de keil, Vondeling en Naald,

de Kruk en de Sloof, Kraaier en Draaier,

de Rappe, Hoornborer en de Fameuze, Van ’t Strand,

Uit ’t Leem, In ’t Zand, Met ’t Eikenschild.

Nu zal ik uit Dralers leger de dwergen

tot Roemrijk opsommen voor het mensenkroost.

Zij zochten een plek ver van de aarde vol stenen

in de leemvelden bij de Zandvlakten.

Je had Druppelaar en Dreiger,

Eenoog. Heuvelspoor, Windstille Wei, Gloeier,

de Pletter, de Weger, Schaver en Oeropa.

Alf en de Spies, Met ’t Eikenschild,

Spieder, Vriezer, de Lap en Bedrieger;

moger bekend blijver zolang de mensheid bestaat

de lange rij voorouders tot Roemrijk.”

’n Ander vertaling van hierdie strofes kan in John Rateliff se The History of The Hobbit:Part Two Return to Bag-End(2008) gevind word. Hy gebruik die Oudnoorse teks deur FinnurJónsson (1905), en die vertaling van die teks deur Ursula Dronke, wie se werk wonderlik, maar hoogs geannoteerd is en nie bedoel is vir ligte leesgoed nie.† Ek gee slegs die Engelse teks hier, met die dwerge van The Hobbit se name wat na die vertaling gegee word:

There did Mootsucker

become most esteemed

of all dwarfs,

andDoorward next.

They fashioned many

figurines,

these dwarfs, out of earth,

asDoorward told:

‘New Moon and No Moon,

North and South,

East and West,

All-thief, Dawdler (Dwalin),

Trembler (Bifur), Trumbler (Bofur),

Tubby (Bombur), Shipper (Nori),

Friend and Fighter,

Een van die nuwe film se plakkate

Old Father (Oin), Mead Wolf,

Potion and Sprite Elf (Gandalf),

Wind Elf, Yearner,

Docile and Darer (Thorin),

Thrive, Clever and Colour,

Corpse and New Counsellor –

now  I have the dwarfs

 - Power and Plan-wise –

Correctly counted.

Trunky (Fili), Creeky (Kili),

Found, Needly,

Handle, Drugde,

Craftsman, Dwindler,

Brilliant, Horn Borer,

Famous and Lagooner,

Loam Lea, Earthy,

Oakenshield.

It is time to trace the dwarfs

in Dawdler’s troop,

for men’s progeny,

back to Praiser –

those dwarfs who sought,

from Mansion’s Stone,

the homes of Loam Leas

at Earth Plains.

There was Dripper

And Strife Eager,

High, Grave Treader,

Shelter Field, Gleamer (Gloin),

Joiner, Groiner,

Crooked Finn, Old Father,

Elf and Yngvi,

Oakenshield,

Hider and Frosty,

Finn and Potent.

Uplifted in memory

as long as the world lives

will be this list

ofPraiser’s lineage.’

(Dronke 1997:9 – 11)

’n Paar van die name wat aan die dwerge gegee is word egter slegs in die Jonger Edda gevind. In die Gylfaginningword die lys van dwerge weer gegee, maar hierdie keer word die name Dori, Ori, Dain en Nain bygevoeg (Rateliff 2008:868).

Wonderlike Vakmanne

Freyja met die Brisingamen - 'n kunswerk deur J. Penrose (1890)

Soos Tolkien se dwerge, is die dwerge in die Noorse mitologie ook skeppers van wonderbaarlike voorwerpe, soos Sif se hare, die Brisingamen halssnoer, Thor se hamer, Odin se spies en die ring Draupnir. Hulle maak ook die boeie waarmee die wolf Fenrir tot Ragnarok vasgebind word en die mede van digkuns.

In Tolkien se wêreld is die Elwe en Dwerge twee heeltemal aparte rasse, elk met hul eie geskiedenis en taal. Die skrif wat deur die dwerge gebruik word is ook die runes van die Germaanse volke wat steeds op verskeie stene en artifakte gesien kan word.

Nog boeke

Nog verhale oor die verskillende rasse, hulle skepping en die geskiedenis van Middle-Earth kan in die The Silmarillion gelees word. Alhoewel hierdie boek baie donkerder as The Hobbit en selfs The Lord of the Rings, is dit pragtige, epiese verhale en kan ek dit werklik aanbeveel vir enige iemand wat meer te wete wil kom oor Middle-Earth.

En geniet ook regtig CarolyneLarrington se vertaling van die Ouer Edda, aangesien dit in kontemporêre Engels geskryf is en vlot lees. Dit is ’n goeie weergawe om mee te begin as jy net begin om die Eddas  te lees. Jesse Byock se vertaling van die Jonger Edda is ook ’n baie goeie vertaling alhoewel dit nie die Háttatál bevat nie. Die mitolgie is baie makliker om te verstaan indien mens met die Jonger Edda begin en dan die Ouer Edda lees as anders om.

Bronne aangehaal:

Dronke, U. 1997. The Poetic Edda: Mythological Poems, VolumeII. University of Claredon Press.

Larrington, C. 2008.The Poetic Edda.Oxford World’s Classics,Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Lindow, J. 2001. Norse Mythology: A Guide to the Gods,Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Otten, M. 2007.Edda: De liederen uit Codex Regius enverwanten manuscripten. Ambo, Amsterdam.

Rateliff, J. 2008.The History of the Hobbit: Return to Bag-End.Harper Collins Publishers, London.

Tolkien, JRR. 2010. The Hobbit. Harper Collins Publishers,London.

(*Tolkien gebruik die meervoud “dwarves” in sy fiksie om spesifiek te verwys na die afstammelinge van Durin.)

† Die derde volume van Dronke se werk is nou beskikbaar. Ek hou maar duim vas dat die universiteitsbiblioteek dit aankoop of dat ek die lotto wen...