Random News

The RAI is wrapping up today, and I have had a great time! I ended up making a few new friends, having some great conversations, and listening to some interesting talks. My favorite part of being at the conference was watching old friends from around the world get excited to see each other. Maybe one day I will have friends like that!

And, for your enjoyment, here are my two favorite quotes from the paper giving sessions:

One woman, talking about medicine, stated that many treatments "involve purging through the mouth or anus, which will be dealt with in detail." (It was interesting!)

And, in response to a discussion in which sexual taboos and seeing family members in the afterlife were both mentioned: "Let us all hope to meet our relatives in the afterlife, but not to sleep with them."

And though I didn't get to see this paper, my favorite title, because of its sheer nerdiness, was "Copular Biclausal Constructions." Go philology!

In other news, you know how I joked early on in this blog that my host family might be related to that great witticist, Francois de la Rochefoucauld? Well... it turns out that they ARE! Here is a delightful quote of la Rochefoucauld's to remind you of his awesomeness:

I have ability. I have no hesitation in saying it, as for what purpose should I pretend otherwise. So great circumvention, and so great depreciation, in speaking of the gifts one has, seems to me to hide a little vanity under an apparent modesty, and craftily to try to make others believe in greater virtues than are imputed to us. On my part I am content not to be considered better-looking than I am, nor of a better temper than I describe, nor more witty and clever than I am.

Later members of this illustrious family were important public figures in France, and even built a hospital. As it happens, I passed it the other day!



Pretty cool, huh?