Apologies, University and Merry Christmas.

I'll open as the title suggests with an apology or sorts, I haven't written a blog in many months and that is my fault really; although in my defence reader I have started in a new world of University (at Bangor, Wales). I say started...it would be correct to say that I've just finished semester 1 of studying Linguistics.

One of my own.

In one word, fantastic! In two words, worth it! Three words, totally worth it! You get the picture. University is one of those life changing things (so to speak) that until you've been there, got the t-shirt (or polo shirt in my case) you haven't a clue what to expect. I mean I had plenty of people (mainly teachers) telling me, "It (University life) would be some of the best years of my life", not that I considered them liars, but I just couldn't comprehend how; I didn't know of all the little extras, bonuses and such that came with going to University. Sure my education path had been a pretty fun ride up to this stage, learned a lot of things, made a lot of friends, wasn't Uni just the same? Indeed it wasn't, it was far better than I imagined.

Great shot.

[My friend, obviously this blog is based on personal opinion, but I would very much recommend the idea of going to University.It's great]

The social scene is far better than that of the previous world of the Sixth Form, currently my Tuesday's involve Badminton with a few friends, then a pub quiz later thatt evening. My Sunday nights are rather fun also, involving me going to play a few hours of pool with the pool society (I even have my own cue!)..not that I'm the world's best player mind...all in good time reader. If you don't know me too well, I'm not the sort to go clubbing every night, but the nights I have entered the (student) clubs I've had fun each time.

Lorna, Myself, Fay, Ruth - at Bangor Linguistics Society Xmas Meal

Me as Santa, for festive Birthday bash.

In case you're reading this getting the suggestion I'm not actually working, well reader you'd be wrong! The Linguistics course has been interesting, fun, and a level of challenge I'm comfortable with, by no means is it easy, but you do have to bring your game up a few levels, it's pretty hard to try and bluff your way through Uni. (IPA Chart, I must know this for my January exams)


Anyway folks it's all good stuff, I'll attempt to keep this going from now on, I'm home (and have been for a week or so now) for Christmas and New Year, and return to Uni on the 9th of Jan....then exams...

Cheers for reading.

Callum.

Callum's Germanic Sounding Language...

This was made by me about 2 and a bit years ago, when I was young and naive. Still it's a good bash at trying to create a language...do note it wasn't fully finished off.
Do note some of the theory regarding the verbs is flawed somewhat, but do enjoy the reading :)

_____________________________________________________________

''Callum'' - Eng Trans.

Determiners/Prepositions
Unst - A
Unsten - The
Unstens - They/Those
Est - Is
Dak - It
Dak'est/Dakest - It's/It is.
Drau(w) - That
Drauw'est/Drauwest - That's/ That is.

______________________________________________________________
Personal Pronouns

Je - I
Da - You
Rau/Rauè/Dak - He/She/It
Mausen - We
Vrausen - You (pl)
Rausen/Rauséne/Unstens - They(masc/fem/'both')
_______________________________________________________
Posessive Pronouns

Jent - My/Mine
Dent - Yours
Rauwent/Rauéwent/Dakent - His/Her/It's
Mauwent - Ours
Vrauwent - Yours (pl)
Rausenent/Rausént/Unstensent - Their

________________________________________________________

Verbs

Rule/s: In 'Callum', endings for the 'to' form of verbs are either, 'ar', 'or', 'ur'...

As a general rule, 'ar' - what one can do, by oneself...without assistance (mental tasks), so, to think, to count, to say etc.(However expect exceptions.)

Examples;
Mindar - To think
Abousar - To count
Babblar - To say
Zaoustar - To wash
Faitar - To do
Hoplar - To jump
Moivar - To move
Sinktar - To sing
Dansar - To dance

General rule 2 'or' verbs, this is where something is needed to enforce the action that takes place. to write, to draw, to drive.

Examples;
Eschor - To write
Dessor - To draw
Divror - To drive
Tyschor - To type
Baustor - To burst
Plowor - To play



3 for 'ur', these are ways of being, and it's anything not covered by the first two types... to love, to be, to have.

Examples;
Lustur - To love
Aimur - To like
Draqur - To be
Holokur - To have
Needur - To need

For present tense, the 'to form' verb ending is dropped and is replaced with 'ig'. So this can be to say, 'counting'..or 'I count', so Je Abousig would be either, I count/or I am counting, applied context would give the meaning.

example verbs.
Abousig - Counting
Dessig - Drawing
Lustig - Loving etc.

The past tense

As a general rule, any verb put into the past tense, simple drops the 'to form' ending which is replaced with a 'ek'.

Examples
Abousek - Counted
Dessek - Drawn
Lustek - Loved

*in the case of two vowels touching a 'w' is added before the letter 'e' of 'ek'
eg. 'ar' verb, 'hikear'
to get past particible...
hikewek

Future tense

For the future tense forms, the infinitive is taken, but a prefix is added, the prefix equals the 'will', so eg, 'I will'.
for the future tense, depending on the infintive ending, a different prefix is added.

So AR verbs - Ra'
OR - Ro'
UR - Ru'

So examples are,
AR - Zaoustar = Ra'zaoust
OR - Tyschor = Ro'tysch
UR - Holokur = Ru'holok
to complete the future form, 'et' is added to the end,
so, AR - Ra'zaoustet



Nouns.

Here are a few nouns...random ones.

Voirts - glasses
Pond'ko - money
Barbee - tree
Howse - house
Klup - club
Schoul - school
Vingt - bird
Gotten - goat
Potsch - cup
Wrel (W = harsh 'V' sound)- car
Handi-Mob - mobile phone
Bus - bus
Clok-clok - clock
Boople - bubble
Amelko - anything
Mates/Coplins - friends
Pepo - People
Pep - Person
Men - Men
Femen - Women
Meno - Male
Femeno - Female
Plateau/s - place/s
Wateau - water
Roktet - right.
Loftet - left.
Muptet - middle
Al - all
Pal - None/nothing

Idioms & Coversational terms/Time periods/time phrases.

Danker - Hello/Yes
Jupden - Goodbye
Snel (pr Shnel) - Yes
Pa - No
Snelpa/Rektaus - Maybe
Vrae - Good
Damt -Bad
Greks - Thanks (Thank you)
Pa greks - No thanks

Beck - A lot
Pabeck - Few/Not a lot.
Trist - Very
Aut - Quite
Dixtu - But
Frackel - Sometimes
Et - And
Ashfen - Always
Pawl - Never
Sool - Soon
Daine - Then
Juss - After
Knetl - Before
Dat - Day
Datru - Today
Nekda - Tomorrow
Mont - Month
Yeart - Year
Nect - Next
Thime -Time

Adjectives

Grant - Big
Peti - Small
Midi - Average
Loudi - Loud
Kiles - Quiet
Kileso - Shy
Vraiol - Nice/friendly
Badun - Bad/Nasty
Sly - Sly
Noki - Chatty

Questional terms

Keln? - What?
Kaount? - When?
Kink? - Who?
Klutz? - Why?
Kenk? - How?

Prepositions

Eck - In
Onk - Out
Hut - Under
Trunt - On

My entry for the David Crystal Scholarship.

Do you think our language influences our understanding of the world? Does our knowledge of the world influence how we understand what people say?”
(Use examples from your own experience)

Language, the tool of communication. No matter if you’re reading a book, sending an email, having a phone conversation or in fact reading this essay, language is being used to communicate thoughts and opinions, ideas and concepts all over the world. And English has its own way of doing this, and in this essay I aim to show relationships between (the English) language and the perceptions, understanding, and knowledge of the world we live in.

I've changed address since the last time I did one of these...

I'm at Bangor University and it's fantastic!

At the University during freshers week, the staff and Peer Guides were so helpful in making everyone settle in, furthermore, because all the freshers all effectively in the same boats, well everyone you meet is friendly with you, and lots of new friends are made.

So, everyone is more or less passed any stage of worrying.

As for myself, I've been able to head out to a variety of events, quiet drink in a pub, a silent disco, and a few games of badminton. These were very fun to be part of, and hopefully I'll do more things, and meet more nice people along the way.

There's not really anything to complain about, it's been a nice week and a half, although I've picked up a cold which isn't great as you can imagine. Also, the walk from my accomodation to where my lectures are, is about 20 minutes, which can be a bit annoying. Just wauit till winter...

I'll try and keep you updated, I know this wasn't long but hey I haven't got much else to say at this point.

Bye for now.
Callum

A few late night thoughts...

Hello reader, hope you're well.

Just one or two things before I shut up shop tonight.

I start Uni on the 21st of September, I'm both really nervous, but looking forward to it just as much, thankfully I ''know'' someone who will be joining me there, so at least I'll have someone who I can enjoy the highs and who can help me through the lows.

I haven't been out for a week, partly due to my fixing my laptop, I've had to put loads back on plus I've been content in the house and just walking the dog etc.

I want to see my girlfriend Vivien before I head off to Uni, she's been away for the last week. When I go to Uni, and she goes to Uni we will be at opposite ends of Wales, so I can't see her and hopefully we can meet up here and there. I'll help her get through Uni if she ever needs help, and I'm sure she'll return the favour.

Callum.

I'm in (part 2)

You may recall in my last blog I told you that I had passed my A levels to such a degree that I cemented my place at Bangor University, I also told you that I headed off to Bangor the day after knowing I had a place ... this is where we shall pick things up.

The brief and basic plan of the day was thus;

6am - Left house
10.15 - Arrived at University
12.30 - Left the University; went for lunch
1.30 - Left City
6.30pm - Returned home.

As you can tell it was a long day, but well worth it might I add! What's got to be said is that Bangor is a really lovely place that I'm sure as sure as sure AS SURE can be that I'll enjoy my time studying down in Bangor; it just has a really nice atmosphere around both city and University, the two members or staff at the Uni seemed like really nice people who wanted to promote ''fun and learning'', so it'll be a good environment to work in; there wasn't a sniff of patronisation, or snobbery about the place...Ok I spent a day down there, but first impressions do matter and they were very positive ones.

So, this isn't a long blog by any means but I just wanted to give some details and info on things really.

Callum

I'm in.

I'm in, I did it, I'm on board, I've got my shot at the big time, and any other clichés and idioms you wish to add at this stage...
Don't dwell on that for too long, as the rest of this entry is one I hope you enjoy.
At this point it may be a good idea if I uncover the mystery to what I'm actually ''in'' on, that my friends is Bangor University; as I obtained enough UCAS points to be given the chance to study there. Hurrahs and hurrays are in order!

I will note here that I needed 260 UCAS points, and got 260 UCAS points. The reason for me saying that is so that you know I'm not going to be all high and mighty; the fact is I could have got higher in terms of both grades and therefore points. For example I know I was really close to a 'C' for English Language, but one or two bad exams gave me a 'D' overall; before anyone goes, ''oh well, he isn't very good then (at English Language)'', the fact is I like English Language and I am good at it, that is to say I understand the course content, and can speak about it well in the realms of the classroom this being said when it comes to actually writing in the exam itself (for whatever reason) I must do things slightly differently, because they usually come out lower than my practice runs. Although I did a resit in English which went from an E to a B, so I was chuffed as hell with that.

Just so you are aware for my other A levels; I got an E for French, I did really well (for me) in my coursework and oral exam, had my 'reading, listening, writing' paper been A LOT stronger who knows, I may have ended up with a D...
I got a D for General Studies, a C for Psychology, and this combined with a E for my AS Graphics 'ta da' 260 UCAS points, place confirmed; not exactly ''passing with flying colours'' by any means, but a place confirmed nonetheless.



Enough about that though, important thing is I'm going to Bangor University (in Wales) to study English Language and Linguistics (hence the bit about my English Language A level) and nobody can take that away from me; it's in my hands to decide where I want to take it.

Another pretty good thing is that my girlfriend (Vivien) got into Swansea Uni to study Egyptology and Classics, so I'm really happy for her :u).

I did visit Bangor the day after my A level results were revealed and my place confirmed at Bangor; I'll talk about the visit in my next blog.

I think this is a fairly short one, hope you enjoyed regardless.

Callum