June 2002

hey - 6/3/2002







check out the front page of my diary. just got a digital cam - courtesy of ms tan for the 2nd anniversary ... (i was predictable and got her a rock ...) but realised that the images produced from that gift open up possibilities ...

was twiddling around with frontpage and then copying the code here but it didn't translate very well ... if any one has a way of translating frontpage tables (in html)here - that would be nice ... tables seem to mess everything up ...







Angel of Silence - 6/7/2002







Why do you each waking hour
Haunt these corridors
Of words when the only sound you bring
You make by fluttering your wings?
Your bright eyes want a whisper
to smooth their angry glare
A calm sentence will order
The curls of your golden hair.


Angel of Silence
Why do you predict
Each pause and elipsis
With the pulse of your heart beat?

Angel of Silence -
Or does not that name ring true?
Am I really, merely, you.

alone with ms tan away i guess i get a little more quiet. no need to talk. just shuffle my thoughts along and like a pack of cards hope you get lucky and manage to pick out a good one. it's the hols. teachers talk too much during term time. we go quiet during the hols.







when - 6/8/2002







the night is humid and warm and mittens the cat can't sleep, she curls up in front of the blinking lights of the computer monitor and purrs her approval. The clackety punches of keys distract her momentarily but she nuzzles down onto the small space that is right in front of the screen. Facing it, she glares into a world of colour attempting to make out meaning from the sounds and the words buzzing on the screen. Occasionany, she flicks her ears because she hears the electronic noise making sense to her. But that was a different time, when cats could compute.

Distant - too distant is that memory. When C++ flowed from her paws and she could java with the best of them. Anyway, what's the point of knowing how to do the computer jive when you're one leg short.

She turns her head to check that the vague shape typing knows what its saying. Stading up to obscure the screen, she licks fur coat, pruning approval.

She settles down again, back to the screen now, nonchalent. Into the humid night, into the whirring fan, into the flashing lights of the computer screen, she allows her mind to wander, remembering at the edges of her mind of when she knew more.









Rambling Rose - 6/9/2002







- you know you should only watch England play when Back-ham is playing you know with him in the team then they play with an energy that is worth -

- you know, check out the definition on my arms. Check it out - good definition. See the point where the lines meet. There's a channel - a groove, you actually can -

- you know, babies recieve all sort of stimulii and process them from a very young age. I wouldn't be surprised if she was able to recognise all that she's seen because of the sheer amount of -

-you know the weather here right now is really cold. They just went made when England scored that goal against Argentina. Lots of crazy behaviour. Miss -

-you know it's my body shape. Born like this. You can't balme me. But check out the definition on those arms. I don't pose for nothing. Just need to get rid off -

-you know - I think she shitted. No such word? Ok I think she defecated harh harh harh I know because I think I heard it and I think I felt it her bottom sort of goes -

-you know I haven't written a long sentence, one that has all its parts in propoer place, normalised accurately with connectors and conjunctions relating to one another in clockwork fashion, a sentence that doesn't so much repeat itself as knows itself, its rhythms pulses and intricacies, its logical loopholes and fallacise, its marvellous potential and possibilities - I haven't written one like that correctly for a long time-

Rambling Rose
I don't suppose
This ramble was longer
than the Garden hose
Rambling Rose
I do propose
That you talk through your mouth
And not your nose.







The Suit - 6/12/2002







Watched a French play last night and I won't even pretend that I remember the name. But it was brilliant. The characters spoke of themselves as if they were narrating a story - in third person - and the minimalist setting was so effective in conveying the emotional tension and psychological perversion that manifests itself in the most mundane of activities. A single bed. Two clothes frames. Three chairs. And a suit.

One wonders about how these actors can shed theri inhibitions and put on display human emotion. I tend to think that writing is a less confrontational way of discussing your emotion. But the play was largely in third person - so that may have been a distancing strategy. I don't think I ever got into plays or acting - though being immensely interested in these things when I was very young precisely because of the fear of putting emotion on display. It haunts you doesn't it to think of an entire theatre of strangers participating in a real-time discourse of how a character is. Maybe other kinds of Bretchtian- Political or even abstract symbolic drama would have been a better idea. But I never had the time to get into those things. Anyway those things only became prominent much later on.

Spent the rest of the evening watching this documentary on THE BAND. Essentially know them from the backing up work they did for Bob Dylan. But it was like their farewell concert (1976) and they had just about everyone from the singer-songwriter community performing with them. Raw stuff - guitars jarring and all. Martin Scorcese made the docu. But seeing all these guys in outdated suits and flare pants and funny hats one wonders about being outdated. It's strange - maybe I grew up in such a frivolous time - the 80s - with all that POP stuff the alternative being HEAVY METAL (which was quite a farce also) that I deliberately turned to an earlier time of music.

My Back Pages - Bob Dylan

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin' high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
"We'll meet on edges, soon," said I
Proud 'neath heated brow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white

Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Girls' faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history

Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

A self-ordained professor's tongue
Too serious to fool

Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
"Equality," I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.



Indeed a song that grows up with you. Ah but I was so much older then
I'm younger than that now.











Bad Analogies - 6/14/2002







Portugal NOT qualifying for the next round of the World Cup is like ... someone with an IQ of 180 not making it to a LOCAL Univ because he got D7 for Mother Tongue

Korea beating Portugal is like people with very little flair or talent or interest doing very well in their exams because they studied really really hard.

Portugal getting pissed and frustrated is like being very enthusiasitic in class, doing extra reading, talking passionately about work and then seeing an exam question that is irrelevant to what you studied.

Korea having an army of fans is like the support many parents give to their kids - extra tuition, ferry them to classes, nag and shout and threaten just so they make it to the next level.

Portugal getting TWO red cards is like the System being biased and jealous of talented individuals, trying to take away innate advantages.

Korea getting away with fouls is like the way the System reacts to noisy boisterous unsupportive parents / guardians - it just gives in.

The Argentinian referee is like a teacher / ministry official who didn't make it in life and wants to make sure talented people suffer along with him.

Sigh - why Portugal? They shouldn't have lost to the US in the first match and today a couple os bad calls against them. Don't normally support particular soccer teams and my reasons for supporting Portugal are totally sentimental and frivolous. The players have really cool sounding names. Also, we (Ms Tan and I) watched the Euro 2000 matches during our honeymoon in the UK and liked Portugal very much - esp. Figo, who in Ms Tan's words - should be supported because his name sounds like a dog's ...







What I've been up to ... - 6/19/2002







I've been writing an essay! Posting this here so that more than two people (me and my tutor) get to read this - not that it's of much interest to the rest of the world ...



Activity 7 : Phrasal Verbs in Learner Materials



The Question:

You may wish to consider the entries for phrasal verbs in learners' dictionaries to see how clear and comprehensive is the advice given. In addition, or alternatively, you may consider how a text-book that you use treats phrasal verbs. How useful is the guidance for learners.



The Answer:

Issue one:



How important is it for the learner to understand what a phrasal verb is exactly?

Various descriptions of Phrasal Verbs (offered in Section 6 of Unit 4) suggest that it is a language unit that can be clearly defined. Indeed, these descriptors might be applied as tests to distinguish Phrasal Verbs from the Verb plus preposition combination.

However, dictionaries and textbooks do not seem to provide clear guidelines as to the difference.

For example, the Oxford Advanced Learners' Dictionary (ALD) has a section on Phrasal Verbs. The brief explanation on what makes a phrasal ver is as follows:

Phrasal verbs (sometimes called multi-word verbs) are verbs which consist of two, or sometimes three, words. The first word is a verb and it is followed by an adverb (turn down) or a preposition (eat into) or both (put up with). These adverbs or prepositions are sometimes called particles. (A-2)

What the explanation fails to do is to give a strict definition of Phrasal verbs as opposed to a verb plus preposition combination. The definition given by the dictionary seems to subsume both under the generic category of Phrasal verbs.

Advice is given as to separable and inseparable phrasal verbs. (To elaborate)

A less technical definition is offered in the "Preface" of English in Context: Phrasal Verbs (EC), a reference book used by pupils.

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb followed by a preposition, a verb followed by an adverb, or a verb followed by both an adverb and a preposition. They do not look difficult, but they can cause major problems for those learning English.

The meaning of a phrasal verb is not necessarily simply the literal meaning of the verb and adverb or preposition put together¬Ö. Sometimes an object can come between the verb and preposition and sometimes it cannot. Sometimes the position of the object depends on whether the object is a noun or pronoun. The best way to master this aspect of phrasal verbs is to see them in context, as they are in the book. (Emphasis mine)

The description offered raises several issues. First of all, it is precisely because an "all inclusive" definition of a Phrasal Verb is used, there has to be an acknowledgement that rules for using this version of the Phrasal Verb become difficult to predict. The statements beginning "sometimes ¬Ö" are less than helpful and rather serve to confuse the learner. Secondly, the author of the guide seems to predicate the basis of her approach (teaching phrasal verbs "in context") on this confusion: "The best way to master this aspect of phrasal verbs is to see them in context, as they are in the book." Thus, the differentiation between Phrasal Verbs and the Verb plus preposition combination, while difficult (or at least tedious) to explain in terms of grammar, is deferred to an explanation via context. The underlying assumption is that learning Phrasal Verbs as they are used is a more practical approach than beginning by laying out clear grammatical guidelines.

Added to this is the additional (and non-structural) claim that "they do not look difficult, but they can cause major problems" and explanation that the meaning of a Phrasal Verb "is not necessarily simply the literal meaning of the verb and adverb or preposition put together". This serves to reinforce the notion that a mere structural appreciation of Phrasal Verbs is insufficient in learning how to use them. Yet the alternative offered, studying them in context, aims to solve "this aspect of phrasal verbs", ie the grammatical / structural confusion. Further, "context" being highly influenced by a particular culture and function, does not provide a stable framework for learning through imitation or modelling.

Consequently, these general introductions to Phrasal Verbs indicate the assumption that pupils may not necessarily need to be conversant with precise structural descriptions of what Phrasal Verbs are in order to accurately and effectively use them. However, there is also a concession to the fact that in not laying out clear structural guidelines, the subsequent learning









essay part two - 6/19/2002







Part Two:

Two examples.

"Lag behind"

"Lag behind" is considered a phrasal verb by EC. Interestingly enough, it is not defined as such by either the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (LCE) and the ALD.

The advice given by EC focuses on meanings that only relate to the relative speeds of physical movement. The model sentences provided as examples reinforce this idea. However, when the LCE defines "lag" it provides an additional sense of "develop[ing] more slowly than others (790). What is not made clear in the LCE is whether "lag behind" may be used in a non-physical sense as the example offered only focuses on the physical. Thus, the learner may be faced with the ambiguity of whether or not to transfer the idea of slow development to "lag behind".

The ALD seems to offer the most comprehensive grammatical advice. It gives two descriptions of "lag behind", first describing it as a [verb + prepositional phrase] and then as [verb + particle]. The ALD indirectly gives evidence for "lag behind" not being a phrasal verb by demonstrating how an insertion may be made between the verb and particle:

Prices are rising sharply, while incomes are lagging far behind. (680)

In summary, while "lag behind" is considered by the textbook to be a phrasal verb, both dictionaries do not agree. However, only the Oxford provides seems to provide alternative descriptions of "lag behind". The LCE seems to place accurate grammatical descriptions as less important than giving examples of the phrase in use. From a pedagogical point of view, while the Oxford shows how an insertion may be made, it may actually confuse a learner with its grammatical descriptions. In using dictionaries for advice, learners thus have to be taught what to pick out as important, in order not to get caught in detail that may act to confuse and inhibit a learner's confidence to use an expression.



Summon up:

The next expression considered, "summoned up" reveals even more disagreement amongst the various sources of authority. Again, the ALD is the most comprehensive grammatically. It considers "summon up" from two points of view, first as a [verb + noun/noun phrase] and also as a phrasal verb. The ALD tries to locate this difference by showing that in the first instance, "up" is often used but is optional. It also makes a distinction between the two meanings:

"Summon something (up)" [verb +noun/ noun phrase] – to make a particular quality come as if from deep inside oneself in an attempt to so something. I had to summon (up) all my courage to face him.

"Summon something up" [Phrasal Verb] – to make a feeling, an idea, a memory, etc come into the mind: to evoke something: a smell which summons up memories of my childhood. (1197)

The difficulty for the learner on encountering the entries above is to clearly see the difference in terms of meaning in the two definitions. The second definition seems to focus on an external stimulus which causes feelings to come into the mind while the first one focuses on qualities "deep inside" the self. But this difference is never made explicit in either entry. Further, there is the implication that the difference in meaning leads to a differentiated grammatical characterisation. This is so as both examples tag a noun phrase after "summon up". The decision to classify one as [verb + noun/noun phrase] and the other as phrasal verb seems arbitrary.

Applying the rules laid out in Section 6 of Unit 4, we find that "summon up" cannot be separated by an adverb and cannot be broken up by moving the part of the sentence:

*I had to summon quickly up all my courage to face him.

*Up all my courage, I had to summon.

On the other hand, summon up can never stand alone:

*The smell summoned up.

The LCE is more direct in characterising "summon up". It's examples indicate that "up" is optional all the time and that "summon up" as a phrasal verb does not exist. However, it's definition does not capture the nuance of the ALD's second definition and leaves the learner with the impression that to "summon up" must involve "making a great effort" (1444). The textbook, EC, is similar to the LCE here but does not emphasise the effort involved:

Summon up : to try to get together enough (of something, such as enthusiasm, energy, etc) to do something. (33)

Some conclusions

Grammatical categories are not considered as crucial in advising on the use of a phrasal verb. This may result from a lack of clear consensus as to what constitutes a phrasal verb and the recognition that even if a student knew the various rules that identify a phrasal verb as such, this might not have a bearing on accurate usage.

Secondly, by comparing different sources of authority, this essay has highlighted that the learner would certainly find it difficult to pin down (conceptually at least) clear semantic principles by which phrasal verbs may operate. Because the advice given in each source emphasises a different aspect of the phrasal verb, clarity may be compromised.

Thirdly, with regards to the issue of comprehensiveness, if a learner were to encounter a phrasal verb and then fail to find it characterised appropriately in one source and then turn to another, the lack of agreement might lead to confusion. By extension, even if a range of possible usages were offered by a single dictionary, not enough goes on to make clear the distinction between different possible usages. This is precisely what happens in the example of the ALD's definition of "lag behind".

you made it! That's what some teachers do with their time - that and read comics ...









Day First Day - 6/24/2002







A million Billion thoughts from home
Waiting for the morning to come (or is it dawn ...)
Why are these thoughts so strange, thoughts of a new school?
So weird? So filled with quirky unexpected worry
that they rob you of sleep.
Where will the classrooms be?
Who will I greet? Where do the teachers meet?
All these thoughts have been there
But are conquered (momentarily) by potato chips
at four am.

And my new table.
Finally, my new table.
Is it there to keep noisy chilren away?
To hide things that creep in dark places?
Things you don't like to MARK?
First day - and already a stack of essays - waiting to
Eat me up ...
What does an essy look like?
Sounds large and dirty.
They make them out of ink.
Whole creatures made out of ink. Imagine.

I do not pretend I am completely at home
Or at ease. Familiar faces - they come in useful
They set you at ease when there's no one else you know.
Set you at ease when teachers are mean.
Tea-cher. Hey, that's me.







Tried Tiredness - 6/29/2002







Tried tiredness on and found the fit too tight
Her creases complicating my skin.
Tried Shrugging her off
But tiredness clung on like the year-old
stench of unwashed jeans.
Tried passing her on
To the street where
I frowned at people passing.
She quickly multiplied
And drugged each glance.

Now tiredness
Rests on my shoulders
Like she's always been there.
People see her first
Not me.


The drab colours of the fabric
strangely catch everyone's
attention.

Mumble mumble some more please.

Consider the dew drop and the bead of persperation. Drip drop splot splat you're dripping sweat on my cat. You're spinning dew before the day is due. Consider the dew drop and the bead of persperation.