Thursday 28 February 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Jerrey Toshiaght Arree

Jerrey nah vee ny shalee. Ren mee dy mie?

Hoshiaght ny bleeaney: 128 lioaryn

Hoshiaght ny mee: 124 lioaryn

Myr shen, ta mee er scryssey 12 veih'n rolley, as er chur stiagh 2 noa, as ta 114 faagit er y rolley.

Obbyr hare, er lhiam! Shegin dou gra, ta mee moalaghey nish; ta mee er lhiah ny lioaryn beggey nish son y chooid smoo, as ta carnane dy lioaryn mooarey ayns nah-hengaghyn faagit dou. Trooid as trooid, foddym lhiam skeeal caslyssagh dy tappee agglagh, gyn eiyrtys er lhaih lioaryn elley. Nee'm my chooid hare, ny nei shen. Chammah's shen, ta mee jus laccal bree, beggan. Kyndagh rish obbyr, currymyn elley, co-chummaltee noa a.r.e., ta mee jus skee as gyn vree, agh s'treisht lhiam dy bee reddyn ny share dy leah.


...as cha nel eh caghlaa...

...same pattern...


End of the second month of Reading Project, so maybe things have improved?

The Beginning: 128 books

The start of this month: 124 lioaryn

So I've crossed 12 off the list, added 2 more, and that leaves 114 to go.

Not bad, if I do say so myself. I've got to say, though, I'm slowing down a lot. I've read through a lot of pretty easy books, so there's a big heap of thick books left, many in other languages. Looking at the numbers, I can basically read a manga without affecting my other reading at all... but I'll try to keep plodding on. Also, I'm just generally slowing down. I've done a lot of reading, plus work, other activities and changes in my housemates are all reducing my time and enthusiasm. Fingers crossed things will pick up soon.

Monday 25 February 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 08

Jerrey'n hoghtoo hiaghtin. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Nightschool y.l. 1 (Svetlana Chmakova)

Manga er fansee jeianagh - dy ghra myr shen, y seihll ain as buitçhyn as sooderyn-folley ayn, as y lheid. Ghow mee taitnys j'ee - s'mie lhiam ny beiyn thie neughooghyssagh as reddyn bentyn rish y scoill hene, ga nagh row monney 'syn ym-lioar shoh (gyn scansh da'n ennym!). T'eh tayrnit dy mie, as ta Chmakova garraghey dy schlei eddyr aitt as taghyrtyn. Er y laue elley, shegin dou goaill rish dy nee skeeal fansee jeianagh t'ayn as ayns aghtyn t'eh gollrish ymmodee skeealyn fansee jeianagh elley: ard-charracteyr as pooaryn quaagh er lheh eck (ny s'quaaghey ny t'ec ny karracteyryn elley), sheshaght rheynnit ayns sleih dooghyssagh as neughooghyssagh (as ad follit), kuse dy neughooghyssee ta craghey er sleih oney, shelgeyryn (as yn ennym shen orroo) ta shelgey ny kimmeeyn shen... myr shen my t'ou shirrey reddyn lane noa, cha vow uss ad ayns shoh.

Y Llinyn Arian (Mair Wynn Hughes)

Skeeal sleih aegey ny h-Eash Chloaie, as ad streppey dy hannaghtyn bio nyn lomarcan erreish da traartys yn lught oc. Lhaih mee dy moal - she Bretnish lettyragh t'ayn, beggan doillee, as tasht fockle lane enmyn lossreeyn as greieyn nagh row er enney aym. Ny yei shen, t'eh screeuit dy mie as ghow mee soylley jeh contoyrtyssyn ny paitçhyn. Ghow mee yindys mooar, ta MWH eer çheet er y chooish neuinshit ta baggyrt orroo 'sy traa ry-heet, shen croiaght. Cha vaik mee rieau y lheid ayns skeeal sleih aegey erbee, as va mee jerkal dy jinnagh MWH ny haghney myrgeddin. T'ad ry-yerkal ny keayrtyn, as mooadit erskyn rieughid: ta'n jees oc beasaghey moddee oaldey rish mee ny ghaa, cooiney cormid ny keintyssyn as croo tilgeyr shleiy. Agh shen skeealaght dhyt, as ta ry-yerkallys ry-yerkal (...) jeh skeealyn paitçhyn tannaghtyn bio, ny ghenre ta mee er lhaih mooarane jeh, as jeh skeealyn bentyn rish amm wheesh mie er enney ain as yn Eash Chloaie. Trooid as trooid she lioar vie t'ayn.


The end of week eight of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

Nightschool v. 1 (Svetlana Chmakova)

A modern fantasy manga, which is to say it's basically the real world but with witches and vampires. I enjoyed it; it's nicely drawn, switches fairly well between dramatic and humorous sections, and I liked Alex's familiar and the school-related stuff (which there isn't much of here, name notwithstanding). On the other hand, it is a modern fantasy story, and while it's original so far in some ways, it has the common trappings of the genre: a protagonist with powers not merely strange, but stranger than those of other supernaturals; a world split secretly between ordinary clueless people and a parallel supernatural society; rogue supernaturals who prey on ordinary people, and hunters who track them down and destroy them. So if you're looking for something entirely novel, or you're just a bit tired of "The real world, but with witches and vampires" then move along.

Y Llinyn Arian (Mair Wynn Hughes)

The story of two Stone Age youngsters struggling to survive after the massacre of their tribe. I found it slow going, a mixture of the quite formal Welsh (MWH tends to write that way, as I've discovered before) and unfamiliar vocabulary for all kinds of plants, landscape features and Stone Age utensils. Nevertheless, it's well-written and I got pretty caught up in the adventures of the two. Much to my surprise, MWH even touched on the looming problem of incest that hung over the two's future - first time I've seen that in a children's/YA book! In fairness, it was predictable in some ways and a bit exaggerated: in the space of a few months they domesticate wolves, invent the atlatl and develop more or less equality for women. But that's how stories go, predictability is (ironically) to be predicted in youngsters' survival stories (which I've read a ton of) and stories about the well-known past; it was a very decent book on the whole.

Friday 22 February 2013

英文鼻音同化

英文有很多包括n的词,用「n」写,但常常声音其实不是[n]。普通的规定:

英文的《鼻音》会《同化》下一个音节的辅音。同时会鼻音后面的辅音,比如:

  • hand + bag 不是[hɑndbɑg],其实说法是[hɑmbbɑg]。[nd] 变成 [mb],听起来是比较长的[b]声音。
  • ten + cups 不是 [tɛn kʌps],其实说法是[tɛŋ kʌps]。[n] 变成 [ŋ]。
  • ten + men 不是 [tɛn mɛn],其实说法是[tɛm mɛn]。[n] 变成 [m]。

有时候,英文变成鼻音的写法:

  • in = 不、非或者无 (但是,不同的「in」词也存在)
  • definite > indefinite (还有[n]声音)
  • mortal > immortal ([n]声音变成了[m],写法也变成了m )

可是:

  • capable > incapable (「n」有[ŋ]声音)
  • formal > informal (「n」有[ɱ]声音)

un = 不、非或者无

  • true > untrue (还有[n]声音)
  • pleasant > unpleasant (「n」的[n]声音变成了[m],写法没变)
  • comfortable > uncomfortable (「n」有[ŋ]声音)
  • fair > unfair (「n」有[ɱ]声音)

Monday 18 February 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 07

Jerrey'n hiaghtoo hiaghtin. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Bakuman y.l. 11 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Lioar lane caggey ellynagh, as cohirrey breeoil. Cha noddym greimmey er monney dy ghra, aght ennagh, agh ghow mee ram taitnys jee, rere cliaghtey.

Ichiroh! y.l. 1 (Mikage)

Skeeal kuse dy chaillinyn aegey nagh daink lhieu ny prowaltyssyn, as t'eh orroo goll stiagh ayns scoill aaynsaghey rish blein. Cha by wheesh mie lhiam as Hidamari Apartments eh, dy firrinagh, ga dy chionnee mee eh er coontey ny caslyssyn eddyr oc. T'eh currit da spotçh as aitt, as shen mie dy liooar, agh er lhiam dy row eh lhiettal y skeeal hene, liorish ard-haghyrtys ny karracteyryn. Chammah's shen, dennee mee nagh dy row y çhyndaays beggan quaagh ny keayrtyn, as cha row eh baghtal my v'eh quaagh 'sy skeeal bunneydagh, ny jus eiyrtys çhyndaays moal. Ta notyn çhyndaays 'sy jerrey, agh t'ad neuchorrym, as rere cliaghtey y lheid, t'ad cur geill da focklyn hene dod oo ad y hirrey ayns fockleyr, agh neuhastey da taghyrtyn, imraaghyn cultooragh ny spotçhyn nagh dod oo ad y hoiggal gyn cooney.

Chammah's shen, 'syn aght cheddin as Suzunari, ta reddyn quaagh goll er - s'cummey lhiam ny mraane ta cur graih er y preeu-chaillin Nanako, ga dy vel ad beggan boiragh, agh braar..? Um, c'red t'ou jannoo aynshoh, Mikage?

Jeih skeealyn scaanjoon (Koizumi Yakumo, çhr R. Teare)

Ta mee er lhiah y lioar shoh rish daa vlein, beggan er veggan, do nagh beign roshtyn y jerrey ro leah. She lioar feer vie t'ayn, lane skeealaght anaasoil as breeoil (as beggan agglagh), as obbyr vie jeant ec Teare. S'treih lhiam nagh vel ny smoo ayn, choud's ta fys aym. Gyn ourys, ta abbyrtyn trome ayn nish as reesht, agh shen gaaue çhyndaays; ghow mee ram taitnys assjee.


The end of week seven of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

Bakuman v. 11 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

A book full of artistic battle and ferocious competition. Somehow I can't pick anything specific to talk about, but I certainly enjoyed it.

Ichiroh! v. 1 (Mikage)

The story of a few girls who head to a... well, some sort of revision school that doesn't exist here, after failing university entrance exams. I didn't enjoy it as much as the similar Hidamari Apartments, although I bought it on the basis of that similarity. This story is more focused on gags, which is fine, but I felt at times that the larking about was hampering any actual story, with some pages mostly consisting of emoting and yelling. There were also some places where the writing seemed clumsy or very stiff, and it's not clear whether that was in the original, or an artefact of poor translation. There are translation notes in the back, but as these things often are, they're a bit uneven. As usual, they mostly focus on specific words, which can be readily looked up in a dictionary (or one of the many websites happy to explain manga terminology) or just guessed at, whereas I find the main challenges are usually cultural references or jokes that don't make sense without the right background.

It's also got a similar issue to Suzunari, in that while there's a few girls with crushes on the protagonist Nanako, which is only mildly tiresome, her brother also has a distinctly creepy attitude towards her.

Jeih skeealyn scaanjoon (Koizumi Yakumo, tr. R. Teare)

I've been reading this book over a couple of years so as not to finish it off too quickly. It's a very good read, full of interesting (and creepy) tales and with lots of life to it. Teare's done a good job, and I'm sorry there's no more, as far as I know. There are certainly some bits that seemed a bit clunky, but it's a hazard of translation, and I enjoyed it very much.

Thursday 14 February 2013

Oie y Dell Mooar

For English, click here.

Wahll, ta Oie y Dell Mooar er jeet reesht. Cha dod mee feddyn bara lawr er chor erbee, myr shen cha dod mee aarlaghey y lhongey tradishoonagh. Agh ga nagh row mee dy yerkal, va traa dy liooar aym dy 'uinney brishtagyn dellagh.

Er y fa nagh vel yn oghe obbraghey lane vie ec y traa t'ayn, cha ren mee brishtagyn ayns cummey dell rere cliaghtey. T'ad lostey ro-aashagh er ny birr, as mannagh dod oo gurneil çhiassid ny h-oghe dy cruinn, cha nel eh feeu. Myr shen ren mee brishtagyn cadjin as deill orroo, rere yn aght-aarlee tradishoonagh. Nagh aalin ad?

As shoh yn aght-aarlee:

  • 10 unns / 280g flooyr marroo
  • 4 unns / 100g shugyr dhone
  • 4 unns / 100g far-eeym
  • 4 spein buird syrup airhey
  • 1/2 spein tey tharrey almond
  • 4 spein tey poodyr cannial

Mest y clane, as fuinn as giar y teayst ayns brishtagyn mysh 1cm er yrjid. Cur ad er pabyr jeen noi smarrey, as sahll er. Cur ad 'syn oghe er cowrey gas 4 (180°C) rish 10-15 minnid, tra vees ad dhone lheeah. Lhig daue feayraghey rish tammylt, agh jean ad y scughey roish my nod ad lhiantyn rish y phabyr (ayns caa nagh row sahll dy liooar er).


Giant Starfish Night

Another year, another Giant Starfish Night. Tragically, I couldn't get hold of any laver bread by hook nor crook, so I had to skip the traditional meal. However, to my surprise there was enough time to do my usual baking, so hooray for Giant Starfish Biscuits!

Because the oven isn't exactly working right now, I didn't attempt the usual star-shaped biscuits. The tips burn really easily, and if you can't control the oven temperature reliably it's just not worth trying. So this time I made fairly ordinary biscuits with starfish on, to the traditional recipe. Delish.

Here's that recipe:

  • 10oz / 280g plain flour
  • 4 oz / 100g brown sugar
  • 4 oz / 100g marg
  • 4 tablespoons golden syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond essence
  • 4 teaspoons cinnamon powder

Mix everything, roll out a bit and cut into biscuits,about 1cm thick. Pop them on some greaseproof paper with a decent layer of marg to stop them sticking. Shove them in the oven on regulo 4 (180°C) for 10-15 mins, and they'll be brownish-grey (depending on the sugar and flour you use, natch). Let them cool a bit, but pry them off the paper soonish in case they're inclined to stick.

Sunday 10 February 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 06

Jerrey'n çheyoo hiaghtin. She shiaghtin ghooillee v'ayn, ayns aght ny ghaa, as myr shen, shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Bakuman y.l. 8 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Shoh y caggey graih va mee jerkal rish, as v'eh jeant mie dy liooar, dy firrinagh. Dymmyrk ny gillyn ayns aght sturneishagh as moyrnagh deiney aegey ta mee foddey ro-ainjyssagh rish ass my vea hene, as ad soit er yn 'irrinys nagh row ad er nyannoo red erbee lane olk; va ny caillinyn lhottit 'sy chree er feanish so-chredjal as er fys dy row ny gillyn follaghey reddyn jeu; as y kiare jeu noi lowanse erbee. Honnick mee y lheid 'sy scoill... Er lhiam dy ren Ōba as Obata obbyr vie jeh. Chammah's shen, haink Ko my vlaa dy mie myr carrey, agh by hreih lhiam fakin erree fer elley. Ta co-obbraghey as (an)chaarjys ny h-ellyneyryn niartal dy liooar as s'anaasoil dou eh fakin ny foddee ad dy chooilleeney rish y cheilley. As myr dagh cheayrt, ta obbraghyn sthie colught manga anaasoil dy liooar, as ny fir cheirdey mooar dou.

Oh, as ta mee jeeaghyn er No Béarla ec y traa t'ayn. Feer anaasoil, ga dy nee drogh-naight t'ayn son y chooid smoo. Kiangley YouTube: Ayrn 1

Strawberry Marshmallow y.l. 2 (Barasui)

Eiyrtyssagh cooie da'n chied ym-lioar, er lhiam. T'eh foast lane taghyrtyn aitt, quaagh, agh so-chredjal jeh possan d'inneenyn aegey lane vioys. S'mie lhiam y 'neen noa, as ta beggan hene-chaslys ry-akin aym aynjee: ta mish lhiggey er nagh vel Baarle aym ny keayrtyn dys shaghney reddyn nagh by vie lhiam...

Bakuman y.l. 9 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

'Syn ym-lioar shoh, ta cochiangley Takagi/Kaya gaase dy fondagh, gyn scansh da boiraghyn so-chredjal. S'mie lhiam shen, beggan bea thie mastey crampyssyn bea ellynagh. Ta Nizuma, y reih-chohirreyer oc, er naase dy vee ny sloo oney rish eash, as t'eh plannal, smooinaghtyn dy cramp, as eer cooilleeney beggan kialg kenjal 'sy lioar shoh dys greinnaghyn ny h-ellynee elley t'er goayll cree. By vie lhiam fakin ny freggyrtyn oc da'n chialg shen, as ad cramp dy liooar. Ny yei shen, she ny reagheyderyn eh reih-gheiney y skeeal shoh, er lhiam. Beggan er veggan, ta Ōba as Obata er chur blass er lheh er dagh fer ga nagh vel ad ry-akin dy mennick, as rish politickaght cheirdey y skeeal shoh, t'ad tayrn vondeish feeu ass yn obbyr shen. Ta ellyn Obata wheesh mie as v'eh rieau, as t'eh caghlaa gyn marranys veih firrinys-sooilley dys mooadaghey ellynagh, ny goaill urree aght tayrnee elley dys cur trimmid er lheh da ny ta taghyrt. Yindyssagh.

Bakuman y.l. 10 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

...s'feer dy ren mee lhiggey lesh, as lhaih tree ym-lioaryn 'sy çhiaghtin cheddin. Dym fendeil hene, ta tree oyryn mie ayn, shen: 1) cha row bree aym dy lhaih reddyn doillee; 2) va tree ym-lioaryn aym ry-lhaih; 3) t'eh feer, feer vie. Ta'n ym-lioar shoh lane çhionnid, as t'eh fondagh ga dy nod oo cur çheb mie er ny haghyrys. Ta ram taghyrtyn-lhiattee mie ayn chammah, as aawoallaghyn ny boiraghyn ny fo-charracteyryn snaue dy dooghyssagh stiagh ayns yn ard-skeeal. Gyn çheet er yn ard-skeeal shen, ghow mee ram taitnys ass far-chimmeeys Takagi as Mashiro, as reesht, ass eddyr-obbraghyn ny reagheyderyn.


The end of week six of the Reading Project, which has been tricky for a few reasons. So here's what I've read this week:

Bakuman v. 8 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Here's the relationship drama I was expecting, and it's actually done pretty well. The lads act with the pride and stubbornness I remember all too well from younger days, standing on their confidence that they've done nothing really wrong; the girls are hurt on some pretty convincing evidence, and by the knowledge that the lads are keeping secrets from them; none of the four will admit any compromise. Just like the old days at school... I reckon Ōba and Obata did a good job of it. As well as that, I enjoyed seeing Ko come into her own as a friend, though I was sorry to see another character come to grief. The collaboration and frenemyship of the artists is pretty compelling stuff, and I like to see what they can accomplish together. As always, I also find the glimpses into the inner workings of a manga company intriguing, and I'm fond of the characters there.

Strawberry Marshmallow v. 2 (Barasui)

A worthy successor to the first volume. It's still full of entertaining weirdness, but stays believable for a gang of girls full of high spirits. I like the new character, and there's a wry hint of self-recognition there for me - I've been known to sham not speaking English now and then to get out of awkward situations...

Bakuman v. 9 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Eiji Nizuma becoming a bit more sophisticated with age, and engaging in some more complicated thinking, engaging in some well-meaning plotting to get the rest of the artists fired up. The rather complicated reactions of the other artists to his success are quite well-done, though at least early on, I found the editors stole the show. Obata's artwork is as good as ever, switching styles fluidly from realism to symbolic exaggeration in a way that always highlights rather than distracts from the story. It was also nice to see Takagi/Kaya's relationship progressing so solidly.

Bakuman v. 10 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

So, yes, I did crack and read three volumes in a single week. There are three main reasons: I wasn't up to reading anything else; I had three volumes to read; and it's really good. This one is full of tension that works even though you can probably guess how things will turn out. It also features some great action on the sidelines, with the repercussions or concerns of the supporting cast drifting into the main storyline very naturally. Aside from the main plot, I very much enjoyed seeing Takagi and Mashiro playing at crime, and from the interactions of the editors.

Wednesday 6 February 2013

英语发音课:添加「r」

Wikipedia会显示下用的声音标记

把个元音(a、e、i、o 或者 u)添加会变化发音。十之八九是有系统地变化。

美国 、澳大利亚 、苏格兰和爱尔兰的英语都通常发音最后的「r」。英格兰的英语通常不发音,只有比较长的元音。比如:

  • 美国:torn 发音[tɔːn]
  • 英格兰:torn 发音[tɔrn]

通常,一个短元音会变城长的「uh」声,相「 和」的中声一样差不多(国际音标[ɜː])。i,e,u都按这个系统变化。

  • bid 变成 bird
  • will 变成 whirl
  • ɪ 变成 ɜː

  • let 变成 alert
  • pet 变成 pert
  • ten 变成 tern
  • ɛ 变成 ɜː

  • luck 变成 lurk
  • pull 变成 purl
  • hut 变成 hurt
  • ʌ 还是 ʊ 变成 ɜː

a会变城长的「ah」声:

  • pat 变成 part
  • van 变成 varnish
  • tan 变成 tarn
  • pack 变成 park
  • a 变成 ɑː

o 比较复杂,有时短地o被发音相 u 一样。尽管短的声音,一添加r,就变成「or」声:

  • pot 变成 port
  • spot 变成 sport
  • ɒ 变成 ɔː
  • ton 变成 torn
  • honey 变成 hornet
  • ʊ 变成 ɔː

Sunday 3 February 2013

Shalee lhaih 2013: Shiaghtin 05

Jerrey'n wheiggoo hiaghtin, as shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Bakuman y.l. 7 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Va mee jerkal rish y skeeal son y chooid shoh, agh ren Ōba as Obata obbyr vie jeh. Va aase nyn giangley rish y reagheyder aeg jeant dy mie, as ghow mee ram soylley jeh streppey aignaghyn jeean ellynagh. By vie lhiam shilley bieau er Nakai boght myrgeddin. Shegin dou gra nagh vel mee lane sullyraignagh er y snaie-skeeallagh noa: Takagi (firrynagh) as Ko (bwoirrinagh) cooney lesh y cheilley dys screeu er y cheintys elley ny share. Eie mie dy liooar, agh s'baghtal ass credjue eh nagh vel eh cooie ny tushtagh da Takagi gyn insh da'n chaillin echey ny t'eh jannoo, as dy bee eh jannoo assee da'n chooish ghraih. Chammah's shen, t'eh loayrt rish Ko er fud ny h-oie, as eisht cur er e charrey breag y insh dy nee eshyn v'ayn; cre'n fa nagh dinsh eh firrinys? S'doillee dou eh staayney jee-chredjue er shen. Agh shoh treisht, t'ad er gooilleeney gialdyn derrey nish.

Suzunari y.l. 2 (Iwami Shoko)

Hoshiaght, shoh elefant shamyragh: ta'n skeeal shoh currit da cur stiagh blass cooish ghraih. As y skeeal shoh bentyn rish jeigeyryn as ad (bunnys) shuyraghyn... cha nel mee lane sonnysagh, ga dy vel ad shirrey aitt ass y chooish. Bwooise da Jee, cha row eh trome dy lioar y lane skeeal y villey. Va'n chaillin ro-ghraihagh ny kayt thie ayns cummey caillin, dy firrinagh, as va shen dy liooar dou goaill rish y chooish myr graih paitçhagh gyn loght; as va ny karracteyryn elley spotçhal er y chooish dy kinjagh. Myr shen, son y chooid smoo, cha ren eh cosney jonse jeem, as v'eh aitt ny keayrtyn. Ny yei shen, ta drogh-ourys orrym dy row mee lhaih noi'n 'troo, as y screeudeyr beaghey feddish ennagh... v'eh ny sloo quaagh 'syn Çhapaan, foddee? Cha s'ayms.

Agh mish, dod mee lhiggey harrish shen, as goaill soylley jeh aittys aashagh, karracteyryn gerjoil, as y metaskeeal, aashagh agh millish, ta Iwami er vidderaght stiagh 'sy daa lioar.

Journey Into The Deep (Rebecca L. Johnson)

Rere dean as cummey, she lioar phaitçhyn t'ayn. Agh t'eh cur orrym aachooinaghtyn er cre'n oyr ren mee studeyrys er bea-oaylleaght (er dy ren y trimmid er bea-chemmid, mynveaghoaylleeaght as fyshoaylleeaght mooghey yn eunys). T'ee dy leeideil dy meein trooid obbraghyn y Census of Marine Life, lesh soilshaghey shiartanse dy reih-chretooryn aalin as yindyssagh hooar ad 'syn çhalee. Ta Johnson er reih coraa slanjeant, er lhiam: t'ee soilshaghey yn çhalee gyn coayl aalid ny lioar; t'ee dty ghoaill stiagh myr co-oayllee 'sy ronsaghey gyn vlass ro-villish; as t'ee cur wheesh dy fys er dagh ghuillag dy hoilshaghey cooish ennagh, gyn jannoo boalley focklyn jeh ny brishey aalid ny caslyssyn. Ta mee jeant lane wooisal ec y yioot shoh (gura mie ayd, huyr vayrey!) as y ghraih 'oddeeaght t'ee er n'aaghoostey beggan.


The end of week five of the Reading Project, and here's what I've read this week:

Bakuman y.l. 7 (Ōba Tsugumi, Obata Takeshi)

Saw this coming, but it was well-handled nonetheless. Developments in relationship with editor were good and the clash of passionate temperaments pretty good stuff, as well as the brief glimpses of unlucky Nakai. Not hugely optimistic over the plotline with (male) Takagi and (female) Ko collaborating to improve each others' opposite-gender writing, though: you can see relationship tension coming a mile away and it's so blatantly dumb and insensitive for Takagi not to talk to his girlfriend about it - especially as Ko actually suggests that it's problematic - that I'm having a hard time with the SODisbelief for that one. Let alone him phoning Ko all night and getting his mate to cover for him, rather than explaining this perfectly innocent professional relationship to his girlfriend. Fingers crossed, though, they've done me right so far.

Suzunari y.l. 2 (Iwami Shoko)

So there's a room-elephant here, which is the story's fondness for adding a romance angle. Given that the two protags are young teenagers and are effectively sisters... yeah, it's a bit off to me, even though it's played for laughs. Clearly not the target market. Thankfully, for me it wasn't enough to ruin things. The lovey-dovey character actually being a transformed pet cat worked for me as a basis for a naive adoration, and the very jocular way other characters joke about their relationship was enough to make it mostly funny rather than cringeworthy. But I suspect I'm reading against the grain here, and the author was actually keen to play to some kind of fetish... Maybe it's less weird in Japan? I dunno.

Personally though, I was able to shrug it off as one of those things, and enjoy the fairly easy comedy, the cheerful characters, and the simple but sweet metaplot that's woven in across the two volumes.

Journey Into The Deep (Rebecca L. Johnson)

This is, technically speaking, a children's book. But it reminds me why I ended up studying biology, until the relentless focus on biochemistry, microbiology and physiology sapped the joy out the subject. It gently and lightly sketches a trail through the Census of Marine Life, highlighting a cross-section of the beautiful and wonderful creatures the project revealed. Johnson treads a skillful path of tone: explaining the project bit by bit without getting dry; putting the reader in the scientists' shoes without getting twee; and saying just enough to make each page revealing without turning it into a wall of text or distracting from the fascinating images. I am delighted with this one, and the nostalgic love of natural history that it stirred.

Loghtyn

Hooill mee thie oie dy row, erreish da shayll liauyr as lhongey thie bee. She straid oie t’ayn, lane thieyn-bee as thieyn-oast, as soilshey cadlagh nyn lheid deayrtey magh assdaue er y phemmad. Straid scaagh as ombyragh. As yn oie shid hooill mee er çheu hwoaie ny straiddey, rere cliaghtey, do nagh beagh orrym obbal femagh erbee va shirrey jeirk fo choodagh ny çheu yiass rish ny jeshaghtyn argid, son shimmey femagh ta mee shooyl shagh’echey ‘sy chaayr verçhagh shoh, as ta’n obbal broo sheese ort. As honnick mee possan aegey gra rish femagh ennagh v’ayns shen. As mish goll shagh’ad, hooill ad ersooyl voish, as cheayll mee fer jeu gra “Who does he think is gonna stop and play cards with him?”. As eisht dirree keayney seaghnagh jeh, as eh gra “My cards! My beautiful, lovely cards! No! They’ve ruined them!”, as scuirr mee rish thurrick, as fakin kaartyn skeayll harrish y phemmad, as dooinney boght çhaglym ad dy treih.

As eisht hie mee roym as faagail eh fo hoilshey creoi jeshaght argid, ny ghooinney boght keayney er ny reddyn goan v’echey millit ec laue neuerreeishagh. Dirree yllee vran my yei as brishey my chree, bunnys, “My beautiful cards!” as y treihaght oc agglagh; agh cha hyndaa mee, son she oie v’ayn as joarree v’ayn, as cha b'lhoys dou dy gherjaghey. As hooill mee as sooillyn jeiragh aym, as t’ad boggey reesht rish screeu, son daag mee eh yn oie shid, as son shione dou dy jinnin eh reesht.

As she skeeal firrinagh t’ayn, as ta mee dy chlashtyn foast, keayney.