“Hidden in the manuscripts of early British settlers are the last surviving records of many indigenous languages. Last week, the State Library of NSW launched a new project to rediscover these forgotten dialects. Of the 250 indigenous languages spoken at the time of British settlement, fewer than 20 are still in daily use.”
Tag: 08.19.11
Why Preserving Endangered Languages Matters
“As the famous example says, Eskimo [sic] have numerous words to describe what Americans would just call ‘snow’ and ‘ice.’ This suggests language systems don’t merely translate universal ideas into different spellings; they encode different concepts. And when we lose a language, we risk losing those concepts.”
The Line Separating Addiction From Simple Pursuit Of Pleasure
“In normal circumstances, there is an internal relationship between what we do and the satisfactions that result. … You read the book, and the pleasure results from reading itself; it is not a state imposed on you by having read. With addiction, in contrast, the relationship between action and pleasure is … mere cause and effect; you press the button, the elevator goes up. There is no such thing as learning to press the button well.”
The Struggles Of A Freelance Choreographer (Even An Admired One)
Susan Shields: “Choreography is a lonely profession. You never know when you’re going to get your next commission. I’ve been very fortunate, but I’ve noticed a slump in the past few years. Companies can’t afford new work, so they have to bring old work back.”
Russian Court Bans Mickey-Mouse-As-Jesus-Christ Painting
“A court in central Russia has ruled that a painting of the Sermon on the Mount that features Mickey Mouse instead of Jesus Christ is extremist, the regional prosecutor’s office said on Friday.”
Give Thanks For James Patterson, Bestselling And Best-Paid Author
Best paid author in the world can’t write novels fast enough to please fans — and that’s good news for libraries, bookstores, readers and even other authors.
Raoul Ruiz, 70, Revered French-Chilean Auteur
With a career that spanned more than 100 films and a life that included flight from Chilean dictator Pinochet, Ruiz “left us all inspired, bewildered, and more in love than ever with the possibilities that cinema could create.”
Streaming Video Mostly Sucks — But Gems Hide In The Muck
“The shelves of the two leading services, Netflix Instant and Hulu Plus, seem to be full of films you’ve never heard of, arranged in no particular order. The latest hits haven’t arrived yet, and there’s no one around to help you out except for the digital equivalent of the surly, underpaid clerk: those ‘recommended for you’ algorithms that pretend to know your taste but come up with the oddest suggestions imaginable.”
Stealing The Mona Lisa: A Minute By Minute Recreation
“Vincenzo Peruggia breathed in heavily the scent of his sweat as he waited, barely willing to exhale, in the tight, dark closet beside the Salle des Sept Martres gallery in the Louvre. He listened for the footfalls of the guards.”
Ballet Star Heads To New Zealand
American Ballet Theatre star Ethan Stiefel’s peripatetic dance life keeps him busy in New York and Europe. But now he’s headed way, way south to become the artistic director of Royal New Zealand Ballet.