Sunday 9 February 2020

An old interview.

Hello Everyone!

Howdy-do-dy?

Sundy again, and what a day! Sunny and warm with a cool breeze making them trees go we wish-dis we wish-dat. It did feelin' like one o' them Enid Blyton-days, you know when she describe pixie and fairy village, and when you was a chile, it feel like something different and wonderful?

(I really need to grow up and stop being so childlike or childish, choose the adjective).

Me and Mum been for a walk and coming back, I stare at them sheep-clouds plodding in the blue scene up there, and the sunlight lick me face. I smile wide like the sea, then I think, "Shees, imagine what the people driving by must be thinking."

Me 'n' Ma been proper mellow. Now and then, when the moon full, we does have a li'l misunderstanding, y'know. Tell me who don't. (Between you and me and these four walls, Ma is a Very Stubborn Oldster! Stubborn as a Teenager!). But we don't stay vex for long, thank goodness.

Anyway, I come home, and been going through some old stuff, and find this link, a' interview I do back when we been living in the big ole family home by the sea:

https://globalvoices.org/2005/12/29/a-conversation-with-guyana-gyal/

Ahh, them was days, when blogging was the thing.

I want to go and read blogs, so see y'all soon....



9 comments:

  1. Love your interview. And you can add at least one Australian to the list of those who happily read your blog.
    On the argumentative side? If ever I hear of a couple who never ever argue I assume that one of them is fibbing. We don't agree with ourselves all of the time, how can we possibly agree with anyone else. It isn't the disagreement which matters, but how we move on after it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Child, my mother says this! If anyone says that they [as a couple] never argue, somebody's lying.

      Ohhh, I like this! We don't agree with ourselves all the time, how can we possible agree with anyone else?

      It's how we deal with it that matters.

      When we argue, we talk again as soon as. Ten minutes. Half an hour. I find staying angry makes me miserable.

      Thank you for sticking around and reading my blog...and for posting such healing photos, thoughts, ideas.

      I still believe that blogs are so soothing, gosh, I don't know how I survived without reading your (and other) blogs.

      Delete
  2. I like the interview. I guess I must be one of the lots of folks from the UK :)
    The bit about speaking or writing in Creolese reminded me of people using/writing in "Scots" in this part of the country - the language of Scotland's most famous poet, Robert Burns. Some call it a dialect, other's a distinct language.
    While Gaelic is a very distinct Scottish language, and there is a strong, recognised movement to have it taught in schools (in many counties road signs are dual language English/Gaelic), Scots has often been seen as a "low" language. I know several advocates for Scots who would recognise your story about your visit to see Santa.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kim, thank you for reading the interview.

      My cousin (who studied linguistics) and I were chatting about this 'snobbish' approach to languages. She gets upset when people (who don't know) decide what is or isn't acceptable as proper language.

      I've read a bit here and there about teaching Gaelic, but I didn't know that it's regarded as a 'low' language. Wow. Even in enlightened places. Live and learn.

      If Enya can sing in Celtic.......

      Delete
    2. And thank you SO MUCH for reading the interview!!

      Delete
  3. Sorry if I wasn't clear - it's not Gaelic that's dismissed, but "Scots" - which is seen as a dialect, and in some circles something to be dismissed.
    Follow this link:
    https://www.gov.scot/policies/languages/scots/
    You can also click on the bit that says "Read this page in Scots".
    You'll see, much like Creole, there are plenty of words that are near identical to English, some with more differences, but still recognisable, and some which are completely indigenous.
    I wrote a blog post about 12 years ago about Scots, when my daughter learned a poem at school which was translated into it.
    I think you might enjoy it
    (unfortunately the actual sound recording link doesn't work any more though)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, Kim, I understand that it's "Scots" that's dismissed. I was thinking out aloud, that if Enya can make Gaelic sound cool, then all other languages and dialects can be just as cool.

      Look at what Jamaicans have done with their patois. And the Guyanese who snub Creolese have no problem singing in patois.

      After lunch, I'm definitely checking out that link.

      I'm going to look for your blog post about Scots too! And the poem.

      Delete
  4. Guyana Gal...I used to read you way back in the day, yes back when 'blogalisation' was at its peak- the interview reminds me of that exciting time and it was really interesting to get that window on your world. Great to see that you're still out there, and still writing.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you again, Jonathan. I wish you could know how much I appreciate your coming here to say this. Thank you, thank you :-)

    ReplyDelete