to be on air

อาจารย์ภาวรรณ (ซึ่งจะเกษียณปีนี้) ชวนไปออกรายการวิทยุค่ะ ให้พูดเกี่ยวกับจุฬาฯและเคมบริดจ์ ในหัวข้อที่ว่า "ความเหมือน ความแตกต่าง การประยุกต์ใช้" จะไปอัดเทปบ่ายวันพุธที่จะถึงนี้นะคะ (หลังจากประชุม BBA)

สนุกหละค่ะทีนี้ เรื่องหนึ่งที่อยากพูดคือการที่อยู่ ๆ ภาควิชาของดิฉันก็อยากเปิดวิชาทำนอง English for Profession หรือ English for Tourism ขึ้นมา ต้องการจะเน้น practical subjects ไม่ใช่ academic stuff แล้ว ทั้ง ๆ ที่เราไม่ใช่ vocational school นะคะ ลองไปดู Vice-Chancellor ของ Cambridge (เป็นผู้หญิงเรียนที่ Newnham เหมือนดิฉันค่ะ ;-) พูดข้างล่างนี้นะคะ

ฉันรู้สึกว่าเราต้องเน้น academic stuff ค่ะ เรียนจบอักษรฯ เอกภาษาอังกฤษ ต้องรู้ภาษาอังกฤษดีกว่าคนจบคณะอื่นที่ใช้ภาษาอังกฤษได้สิคะ (เดี๋ยวนี้ ดูเหมือนใคร ๆ ก็เก่ง ๆ ทั้งนั้นเลยค่ะ อย่างเช่นเด็กบัญชีอินเตอร์ที่สอนอยู่นะคะ ชมเสียหน่อย เผื่อว่าจะมาอ่านค่ะ) ระบบเสียง โครงสร้างคำ โครงสร้างประโยค ประวัติความเป็นมาของภาษาอังกฤษ Old English, Middle English, Modern English ควรรู้ให้หมด ถ้าจะสอนแต่เน้นทักษะ เปิดโรงเรียนกวดวิชากันดีกว่าค่ะ

Notes: CAM = Cambridge Alumni Magazine, AR = Alison Richard (University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor)

CAM: Will the fact that undergraduates are now paying £3,000 a year for tuition change Cambridge?

AR: I anticipate that students and their families will certainly be paying more attention to the quality of their educational experience, and that’s no bad thing. But it won’t reshape the fundamentals of what we do. We’re not in the business of fact-cramming or vocational training. We’re educating students to think for themselves and to think critically.

CAM: So we won’t see courses in Golf Course Management?

AR: Universities do different things, and some focus more on practical skills. Cambridge operates across a broader spectrum and emphasises the value of learning for its own sake as a way of training the mind. How that education is conceived and delivered remains primarily in the hands of our academics – and I must say that the seriousness with which they take this responsibility is truly impressive, even inspiring.
CAM: What you’re saying is effectively parallel to the advice given to prospective students about A-levels on the university website? That Cambridge isn’t disparaging practical subjects, but what it does is the academic stuff.
AR: That’s exactly right. Cambridge is academically rigorous and it’s better that students know that well in advance if they aspire to study here.

อ่านเต็ม ๆ ได้ที่นี่ (หรือที่หน้าห้องทำงานดิฉัน พริ้นท์ไปติดไว้แล้วค่ะ)

Tell heart-warming pet stories

One of my favourite cats Gremlin had black paws. I was told that cats with black paws could catch a snake (if they wanted to). I told my sister this; she misunderstood that I meant Gremlin caught a snake. Gremlin has now been long gone. This one sentence I said about him was a major example on which a major argument in my thesis is grounded on.

Share interesting bits of information

Believe it or not, you can write a PhD thesis on certain five words in a certain language, with the major claim that their semantics and pragmatics seem to support the view of universality of time conceptualisation. For those who find the idea of being a PhD candidate appealing, all you need to do is to appear to be good enough at first. Later on, it is likely you will be made less confindent, or more aware of your (in)ability in the process. To me, at this point, what a PhD project seems to produce best is a humble researcher, which is a good thing.

Describe a class you're taking

It's not a class exactly. It's not what would be called a taught course. Teaching does happen, though, but not in a classroom, but mostly in my supervisor's office and also at PhD seminars and conference talks. What I've been learning is way beyond linguistics.

List your favourite hangouts

Starbucks Market Square 

Starbucks Border's 

Grafton Center 

Lion Yard 

Wolfson Lounge 

Bella Italia 

India House 

UL (for books)

Detail a recent date

No recent date to be detailed unless an SL could be one. John texted me the night before if we were still on for one and, if so, where I wanted to go. Although the theme this year is the College SL, it seemed we 'd done most colleges which allow 'unaccompanied guests' and I suggested we go to Bella Italia. John had linguine with pesto cream; I had penne with cream. We had a pleasant conversation, as always.

Write a restaurant review

Bella Italia, Newnham Road, Cambridge Conveniently located about 10 minutes from my place, this is perhaps the restaurant I've been to most often in Cambridge. Italian food is my favourite food (after Thai and Indian); I can make pasta dishes myself (from scratch, too) but I go to Bella Italia for pizza. If you like duck, you must try Anatra, which I usually refer to as Italian Peking Duck.

Keep a daily journal of your life

It was a long day. But perhaps it was so because it started late. Got a bit (ie a very tiny bit) of work done before going to the PhD seminar. It was a new format today, not the usual talk but three poster presentations were given. In the evening, there was a subject formal hall. Two high tables were set up in Sidgwick Hall. It seemed Newnham have a lot more MML, Linguistics and Oriental Studies students this year than last. Got back just in time to see Desperate Housewives. I liked how Bree said, I loved him deeply, without showing any emotions. The night ended with a call from Shirley, who is going to submit her thesis soon. I'm jealous!

my avatar

I need more space

Running out of space at http://spaces.msn.com/members/jiranthara/, I'm thinking of moving here soon. I've heard that when a guy wanted to dump you but still hadn't figured out quite what to say, he'd say, I need more space. I've also heard of this quotaion of Roseanne Barr's: My husband said he needed more space. So I locked him outside. (It was actually on the cover of a book of marriage quotations I thought I'd buy for a high-school friend as her wedding gift. But I finally decided that I should know better and settled with an a lot more traditional gift for such an ocassion (a towel set). She and I weren't that close. I bought it for myself, though, but am not sure if I can locate it on my book shelf back home.) While looking up the Internet to find the exact wording of the quote, I stumbled on this one by Rita Rudner: I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. It's definitely my favourite in this category!

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