Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Mark1 wrote:well, "bibit servus cum ancilla"

Well, we've all done that, haven't we?

Richard Ruck wrote:You didn't spot my split infinitive, then?

Is that the same thing as Builders-B*m, Richard ??

J.R. wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:You didn't spot my split infinitive, then?

Is that the same thing as Builders-B*m, Richard ??

More like a wise-crack!

Richard Ruck wrote:

J.R. wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:You didn't spot my split infinitive, then?

Is that the same thing as Builders-B*m, Richard ??

More like a wise-crack!

No !! That's a SM@RT-@RSE !

oh dear...

I can't keep up - I'm lagging behind....

Richard Ruck wrote:I can't keep up - I'm lagging behind....

I thought that was a nappy !

J.R. wrote:

Richard Ruck wrote:I can't keep up - I'm lagging behind....

I thought that was a nappy !

No, it's a precaution against cold weather!

It makes me proud to think that I was carrying on a tradition of recognising a few words and endings and making up plausible-sounding translations during my GCSE!

Thankfully Mr Kemp's extra lessons during my A Level were not in vain. During the course of my MPhil studies I was able to work out what a Middle English translation of a Latin text actually meant, thanks to being able to read the original Latin!

FrogBoxed wrote: It makes me proud to think that I was carrying on a tradition of recognising a few words and endings and making up plausible-sounding translations during my GCSE!

Thankfully Mr Kemp's extra lessons during my A Level were not in vain. During the course of my MPhil studies I was able to work out what a Middle English translation of a Latin text actually meant, thanks to being able to read the original Latin!

It worked for me as well, when I was confronted by some medieval French texts....

jhopgood wrote:I now consider myself almost bilingual in Spanish, having been in Latin America and Spain since 1970.
When I started Spanish in 1970, I only had a few classes in Guatemala before being thrown in at the deep end as a teacher in Costa Rica.
I discovered that I could get by with a combination of my basic spanish and when stuck for a word, I would think of an english word that probably had a latin origin. 9 times out of 10, when I said this word, my colleague would say, "Oh, you mean ....." using the correct word, and so the conversation would continue.
Like most people, I thought Latin was a waste of time, but it served me very well in learning Spanish, and I am sure the same could be said for learning Portuguese, Italian etc.

I couldn't stand Latin and I hate languages (even though I have had to use them professionally and in private).

Latin was absolutely no help to me with any of the Latin languages; French grammer has some similarities with Spanish which itself is a huge help and hindrance with Portuguese.
When doing A level there was a rule that a) you had to be in organised clases every period and b) you had to do 2 periods a week handicrafts or Art plus 2 periods a week of a language you hadn't done before, but no exams.

For me this last meant that I had to do German - a language which appeared impossible and useless - having had to learn it professionally later I am now 150% convinced I was right (sorry, Hendrik). Not being overenamoured I found out that Mr Bourne had been a professor at Seville University so I did Spanish in the back of the German class; even did reasonably at the O level oral!

With Portuguese and Spaniosh I use the same "repronounce the English word" trick and it is pretty good, especially in Portuguese. It doesn't work in French.

marty wrote:Smeggy O'Meara) or even better - no teacher at all. Does anyone recall the 15 minute rule - if the teacher hadn't turned up within 15 minutes of the lesson starting you could leave.

Yes I remember that rule.

Re Smeggy O Meara, we always called him Smelly O Meara for obvious reasons. Always wore a horrid brown suit that looked straight out of a C & A mail order catalogue.

Smelly O Meara also taught us the "sprouts game", which I still play now in particular boring meetings at work.

Paul N wrote:

marty wrote:Smeggy O'Meara) or even better - no teacher at all. Does anyone recall the 15 minute rule - if the teacher hadn't turned up within 15 minutes of the lesson starting you could leave.

Yes I remember that rule.

Re Smeggy O Meara, we always called him Smelly O Meara for obvious reasons. Always wore a horrid brown suit that looked straight out of a C & A mail order catalogue.

Smelly O Meara also taught us the "sprouts game", which I still play now in particular boring meetings at work.

do tell

Ash wrote:Tom Keeley was the best for that.. I deliberately got into the bottom set in Latin so I could get him.. He either fell asleep or read from Lord of the Rings...

Ah Tom Keeley - sure he had narcolepsy. During one lesson someone poured a bottle of liquid used to stop biting your nails - over his tongue. He was not happy !

Another time he sat at out table at lunch and ate the entire 14 person chocolate sponge cake - luckily his wife Mrs Keeley new of his exploits and had a spare one ready for us !