Language Classes, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Hello.

First, I would like to remind those of you who have not yet done so to complete the poll on classes for next semester. Unless, of course, you are done studying languages.

Languages of Europe: Go to the computer terminals in the lab and play French verb hangman. You will get extra credit for telling me which verbs you played with and conjugating them appropriately.

Cat: I already told Miss Hopeless-Savage this, but I am suspending classes in cat-form for the remainder of the semester. I believe it would be irresponsible for me not to do so, given the plague of involuntary animal transformations at the school. Today, you may read through the web archives of "Cat and Girl", by Dorothy Gambrell. The cat in this strip is drawn largely in human form; discuss how its body language remains feline.

Comments

Cat, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Sign in and discuss here. Also, if you want to try to convince Dream to rethink the transformations policy, now's the time to do it.

Re: Cat, 12/01

[m-samuelle.livejournal.com]

Reads the strips and discusses.

Sir, I feel that we should continue to transform in class. It seems that the transformations have mainly been due to books or strange spells rather than being related to the controlled transformations that you do here. I would hate to lose the opportunity to truly experience Cat in it's native form.

Re: Cat, 12/01

[swerval_zero]

*Looks up from reading the strip.*

But both of the people who have been turned into cats, in particular, have been in this class.

Re: Cat, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Exactly, and I doubt that is a coincidence," Dream says. "The class is already down to three students. One is occasionally a cat regardless of my intervention. Another student who turned into a cat has since wandered away. I do not wish to take the risk of losing any more in my care."

He strokes his forehead. "This island exists at the juncture of many worlds. It is unstable. I cannot in good conscience add to the instability in the course of teaching my classes. Mr. Samuelle, I do not disagree that learning cat in human form is far from ideal, but it does seem the option that offers the least risk to you and Miss Matthews."

Re: Cat, 12/01

[m-samuelle.livejournal.com]

And both were turned into cats when touching books in the library. The other two of us have not turned into cats. And the people who turned into the hamster and wolf cub were not in the class.

Re: Cat, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Also a reasonable point," Dream says. He folds his arms, clearly thinking. "I will make a final decision before class on Tuesday. Thank you for your input, Zero, Michael."

Languages of Europe, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Sign in and play hangman. Yes, the extra credit offer is real.

Re: Languages of Europe, 12/01

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa lucks out and gets etre on her first time playing. The choice of a V, however, as her first letter was probably not logical. So she did get a head drawn before she won.

She then does her conjugations flawlessly.

Re: Languages of Europe, 12/01

[absolutesnark]

Piper signs in and plays. She then conjugates the verbs.

Re: Languages of Europe, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker amused herself with punir (to punish) (Je punis, nous punissons, tu punis, il punit, vous punissez, ils punissent) and mettre (to put) (je mets, nous mettons, tu mets, vous mettez, elle met, elles mettent). Then goes back to play Hangman again.

Re: Languages of Europe, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Archie signs in and stares at the computer terminal in confusion for a long time, being unfamiliar with both computers and with hangman.

Once he finally figures out (barely) what he's doing, he ends up with "dependre" and "repeindre." Naturally, he would be weak on -re verbs, and again gets the "vous" and "ils" forms confused.

Re: Languages of Europe, 12/01

[ihatedenmark.livejournal.com]

*Hamlet plays the hangman game twice, and loses both times. He still decides to conjugate the two verbs he got to the Indicatif Présent: Bavarder/to chat (je bavarde, tu bavarde, il/elle/on bavarde, nous bavardons, vous bavardiez, ils/elles bavardent) and Effrayer/to frighten (j'effraie, tu effraies, il/elle/on effraie, nous effrayons, vous effrayez, ils/elle effraient).*

Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Work in the lab or visit Dream here. Archie, your midterm is calling.

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"Um, sir?" Rory asks, knocking on the doorframe. "You wanted to, um, see me? About my nightmares?"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream rises from his chair. "If you do not mind discussing them," he says.

[OOC: Headed home in a few. Pick this up around 7?]

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I don't," Rory says, fidgeting. "I mean, if you think you can help, or something."

[ooc: Sure thing!]

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream pulls his cloak around him. His expression is one of concern. "I have some power over dreams," he says, simplifying things considerably. "The dream that Bridge alerted me to was terrible. You are an excellent student, and you know pain enough."

He taps a finger against his chin. "Is the dream something that happened to you, as you remember it?"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker stops by during office hours, wearing a bemused smile. "Professor? I ran into a friend of yours. In Special Collections."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Oh?," Dream says.

His tone is friendly, by his own standards.

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

Parker bites her lip. "A Lucien, in the library? He was catalogging a new quarto and looking for a raven. He said to tell you that everything continues well." She shook her head, looking bemused. "He gave us directions out, which was very nice of him."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Ah, Lucien. He is one of my oldest and must trusted aides," Dream says. "I wasn't aware students could find the spot where the Dreaming and Fandom meet. I'm glad he was there to point you the way home."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Archie turns up during office hours to take his midterm. He's a bit pale with nervousness, but seems calm enough otherwise.

[OOC: Ugh -- only now getting around to classes!]

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Lieutenant Kennedy," Dream says mildly. While he's no more severe than usual, there's nothing in his manner to settle Archie's nerves. He hands the student a one-page test -- half Spanish vocabulary and grammar, half translation exercises.

"Let me know when you're ready to begin our dialogue," he says. "We will talk for five minutes in Spanish."

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Archie nods nervously and goes over the test in front of him. As it's written, it's a little bit easier for him to handle than the spoken part will be; less thinking on his feet, and he can take his time. He does so, struggling a bit with the grammar, though his vocabulary is fairly solid. The translation exercises take him longer, and one or two of them involve the use of slang colloquialisms that should not, technically, be considered correct usage.

Once he finally finishes the test, he clears his throat and looks up at Dream. "/I am prepared to begin now./"

Re: Office Hours & Language Lab, 12/01

[game-of-you.livejournal.com]

Dream smiles as reassuringly as he can manage.

/Excellent,// he says. //How do you think you did on the test?//