Category: Uncategorized (Page 5 of 19)

Some studies.

February 1, 2015 / Josh / 0 Comments

Well, I’ve been about uploading some papers that I wrote while I was an undergraduate and I decided that would be a good idea. It’s a shame to leave them behind after all these courses. The ideas and the writing are not perfect at all, I laughed at myself a little bit when reading them because of how much more I know about these subjects now, but I think they could be useful for some people. In any case, read them here, under “Writings.” The new ones are those entitled “Juggling About Cajun French Morphology” and “Meaning in Musical Quotations.”

Also, I intend to start posting something every Sunday from now on.

Accidental poetry in academia.

December 14, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

As Diana and others speak, on this and many other occasions, a formulation of the world comes into being. The world as described comes into existence at that moment. In an important sense, the social reality constructed in the Panorama interview and in other places of Diana’s happy marriage bucking under media pressure did not exist before its emergence as discourse.

-Margaret Wetherell, using Princess Diana to explain an idea in discourse analysis.

Be careful what you say, you’re creating worlds.

Avant la guerre.

November 9, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

Je te connaissais
Avant la guerre
Avant t’étais content
Avant t’as rencontré ton mari
Avant t’as rencontré ta femme
Avant le jour éoù t’as décidé que le Bon Dieu existe
Avant t’as trouvé l’agrément de servir ton voisinage
Avant le cancer
Avant t’as rencontré le Bon Dieu
Avant ton éducation
Avant t’as commencé ta carrière
Avant ton bébé
Avant l’alcoolisme
Avant t’as abandonné ta famille
Avant t’as pris ta retraite
Avant t’as vu la terre
Avant le jour éoù t’as décidé que t’étais chez nous-autres
Avant t’as grandi
Avant t’avais si tant d’idées
Avant tu me haïssais
Avant tu m’aimais
Avant t’as quitté
Je te connaissais
Avant la guerre
Avant aujourd’hui

BYOBed…

October 12, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

… or juste use theirs. The organizer, someone named Reese, provided some that you could rent (ours was covered in glitter).

This annual event started just three years ago and is interesting because it’s really a variety show.. that last from 9pm to noon the next day (hence, the need for beds). There was art, music, interpretive dance, plays, poetry, even burlesque. The description lacked details but it’s worth going to. This is a free jazz group, Enfuego, that played there. It includes Jeff Zielinski, John Grimsley, and Mike Mito.

The name of this event interests me also. BYOBed is a play on the acronym BYOB (“bring your own beer”). Usually, this implies that one must provide their alcohol themselves, but in this case, the beds were already there. Maybe the sense of this phrase is changing.. or maybe the organizer doesn’t understand the way it works.

Reading, the Cajun way.

September 21, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

I use flash cards for everything, like this. So, I created a deck to help you all learn to read and write in French, Louisiana French to be exact.

The details are in the link. You will need the program Anki, available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone, and the deck itself: https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1725941306.

It’s easy to start. Install Anki, create an account, download the deck, then open the deck in the program. If you have any questions, let me know.

When west becomes east.

September 9, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

Louisiana Loses Its Boot

I always thought it was a bit strange when people in Louisiana called Lafayette a part of western Louisiana. In my opinion, Lafayette is central, New Orleans eastern, and Lake Charles, that’s western. However, my point of view is moot because the region that I consider to be to the east is disappearing. Eventually, Lafayette will become moreso the east of Louisiana due to an environmental nightmare.

This article mentions that someone didn’t want to see marks around New Orleans that showed the height of the floods during Hurrican Katrina because “it would scare people.” Well, I think that the marks, and the truth about the bayous of Louisiana, would humble people, and provide a reason to act, before they would become frightened. The people of Louisiana know hardship quite well, that’s not a good reason to hide the facts.

Let’s do some business…

August 26, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

… in French.

I created a map of Louisiana, using Google Maps and a list from this Facebook group, that includes all the francophone businesses known by the users of said group. I think the use of a language in business is possibly the most effective way to safeguard it. One has to know that a language is useful outside of school before one will decide to learn it well. So, I give you this map.

I would be extremely happy to add more information if y’all would like to help me. Visit this link to see it and get more information.

The Widows’ Table.

August 12, 2014 / Josh / 0 Comments

This is a play from Louisiana that didn’t exist on the web before. It was written and recorded by Le Théâtre Cadien around the 70s or 80s with the help of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). CODOFIL did these things in the past but, today, the majority of their efforts are in the schools. It’s a shame because I think the usage of Louisiana French in the arts is as important as teaching it in school, especially if the arts contribute to the economy. That’s why Cajun music has been around since so long ago.

Anyway, watch and enjoy.