Magazine_2001-1

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Side 2

innhold

Leder

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Kjære leser, Så går nok et skoleår mot hell og det tærer vel kanskje både på kreativiteten hos dere og interessen hos elevene. Med det i tankene har vi denne gangen laget en ny vri på en av artiklene i [ mægə zi:n]. I stedet for vår faste spalte Pass It on! har John Anthony skrevet en fyldig artikkel om “The Royal Canadian Mounted Police” med tilhørende oppgaver, m.a.o. et ferdig undervisningsopplegg. Canada er et spennende land, men får ofte lite oppmerksomhet, også i undervisningen.

Kanskje dette undervisningsopplegget kan være noe for vårslappe og en smule “læringstrøtte” elever?

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Canada, ja. For oss i forlaget har vinteren vært preget av savnet etter Marcie Madden Austad som døde i januar etter lang tids sykdom. Marcie var Canada, så sammensatt, så spennende, et kontinent hvor det var stadig nye ting å oppdage, nye ting å lære. Etter å ha jobbet sammen med Marcie om lærebøker i engelsk i snart 10 år, føles det tomt når jeg nå sitter med ferdige bøker som hun har skrevet manus til, men som hun aldri får se. Denne gangen får jeg ikke oppleve at hun entusiastisk blar i de nye bøkene, høre henne si “Oh yeah, it’s very nice, but why didn’t we…” Hun var aldri 100% fornøyd, det var alltid noe hun så som kunne ha vært gjort bedre. Men det er godt å vite at arbeidet og entusiasmen hennes vil være med å prege undervisningen i år framover. Vi er mange som savner henne, og i dette nummeret vil dere finne et minneord av en av hennes forfatterkolleger.

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I påvente av det, finner du forhåpentligvis noe som er nytt og spennende både for deg og elevene i [ mægə zi:n]!

Call the Embassy!

Bajan, Cajun and Creole – Lifestyle and Language av Gunnel Bergstøm

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Og 100% fornøyd er heller ikke vi når det gjelder [ mægə zi:n], det er en god lærdom å ta med seg fra Marcie. Vi ser på det siste nummeret, og sier: “Neste nummer skal bli enda bedre.”

Om vi lykkes, det er opp til deg som leser å bedømme.

Dessuten kan du påvirke det ved å komme med innspill til oss!

Er det noe du brenner for, er det noe som gleder eller ergrer deg når det gjelder faget, læreplaner etc.? Send oss noen ord, vi vil gjerne at dere engelsklærere skal kommunisere med hverandre i dette forumet også.

Apropos læreplaner, de har skapt en del hodebry for oss denne våren. Som du sikkert har observert, har skolene nå fått et høringsutkast til ny læreplan for engelsk VK1 og VK2. Dette er positivt, det har vært stor misnøye, spesielt med innholdet i VK2. Men vi har fått et problem i fanget: da vi sto klar til å sette i gang trykkingen av en gjennomgripende revidert Patterns og Projects, begynte ryktene om revisjon av læreplanen å svirre. Etter å ha sett høringsutkastet, besluttet vi å vente nok et år med utgivelsen av disse. Men, du kan glede deg til revidert læreplan gjøres gjeldende fra 2002, da skal du få læremidler som er tilpasset planen!

Raw Carrots and Mashed Potatoes av John Charles Anthony

More Poetry in the Classroom

Remembering Marcie av Robert Mikkelsen

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Read it! av Erling Gilje

Who Owns the Zebra?

[ mægə zi:n]

Ansvarlig redaktør:

CAPPELEN UNDERVISNING

Kirsten Aadahl

videregående skole, Postboks 350 Sentrum,

Redaksjon:

0101 Oslo

Birger Nicolaysen

Telefon: 22 36 51 77/5195 E-post: kirsten.aadahl@cappelen.no

Produksjon: Prepress

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Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

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Side 3

John Charles Anthony is a Canadian who for

Background text

unspecified reasons has been enduring the

with exercises

climate in Trondheim for many, many years.

for students

He has travelled throughout Europe, as young people of his generation were wont to do, and lived and worked for a few years in England before continuing his university studies in Canada and then moving to Trondheim. He teaches English at Trondheim Katedralskole, which he finds inspiring and enjoyable in

i…am…c

anadia n

spite of the weather.

!

You have been warned: what follows is an article about some famous Canadians. Before you read it, just note down a few things or characteristics you think of when someone says "Canada" or

i…am…c

anadia

n!

"Canadians". Then turn over your piece of

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paper and read this article.

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06 I suppose you would have to be a Canadian to

but the Royal Canadian Air Farce, which was

money. So we felt like a poor son and poor lit-

understand what I mean when I say raw car-

also the name of a superb Canadian satire

tle brother. But in the midst of this humble

rots and mashed potatoes. No, it’s not the

group. There were other names for the Royal

nascent nation we had a true claim to fame –

Canadian national meal. In fact, I’m not sure

Canadian Mounted Police, but let’s keep this

our men in red, especially when they rode

we even have a national meal! Nor is it a veg-

clean.

their horses to music. The RCMP musical ride,

etarian recipe. This expression dates back to

an exhibition on horseback set to music, was

the days of my youth, growing up in both

Canadian inferiority complex

a popular attraction in Canada and abroad.

Winnipeg and on the Niagara peninsula, when

I grew up in the English-speaking part of

This was truly something to be proud of.

Raw Carrots and Mashed Potatoes was a

Canada that I think suffered unjustly from an

child’s rendition of Royal Canadian Mounted

inferiority complex. Our mother was England,

The history of the RCMP

Police (RCMP). This wasn’t meant as a deroga-

which had swinging London, Liverpool, the

Compared to Europe and the USA, Canada’s

tory reference to our magnificent men in their

Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Twiggy, that poet

history is not very violent, nor, surprisingly

red coats and peaked caps, just our penchant

Bill Shakespeare, history, good movies, funny

enough, is the history of our federal police

for finding other interesting word combina-

comedians, you name it. Our big brother was

force, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

tions for popular abbreviations. For example,

our neighbour to the south which had New

This, in my mind, is also something to be

the RCAF wasn’t the Royal Canadian Air Force

York, Hollywood, and a lot more people and

proud of.

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Side 4

days, sometimes fatal. A blizzard could sweep in, almost without warning, stopping men and horses in their tracks and leaving them dangerously disoriented. The distances between settlements were great, and in many cases it was a distance that had yet to be properly charted. And over this immense area some 300 hearty souls were to enforce the law on horseback. With the settlers coming from all over Europe, language and communication was most likely also a problem. It must have been a thankless job, but certainly an exciting challenge for the rugged individualist! Yet the force prevailed, surviving the forces of nature to establish the law without major violence, helping Canada develop into the great nation it is today.

The railway and the gold rush In 1883 the force was increased to 500 men Foto: Scanpix

and its duties were expanded. One of its new responsibilities was to preserve the peace during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. This was no easy task as The RCMP was established more than a centu-

ries. The idea was that this force would be

land was often acquired, some times swin-

ry ago as the North-West Mounted Police, in

disbanded once the area had been settled

dled, by speculators as they anticipated the

what was intended as a "temporary" experi-

peacefully.

location of the approaching trans-Canada rail-

ment in policing the less populated areas of

The original force numbered 150, but was soon

way. Careers and destinies stood in the bal-

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the emerging nation. Canada did not have a

increased to 300. The uniform was bright red,

ance as the railway engineers, for numerous

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major police force in its early days. In fact

a colour that has come to symbolize Canada's

reasons, changed their plans from day to day.

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when Canada was officially born, with

federal police ever since, with white gloves

After an uprising in western Canada in 1885,

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Confederation in 1867, the two largest cities,

and a peaked cap – very visible, very striking.

partly in reaction to an indifferent federal

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Montreal and Toronto, had few appointed con-

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stables. Federal laws were enforced by the

The Great March

monopoly railway was charging, the NWMP

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tiny Dominion Police, while small towns and

In 1874 a force of mounted policemen left Fort

grew to a 1000-member force.

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rural communities had no regular police force

Dufferin in Manitoba on a journey known as

Major events such as the Yukon gold rush at

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at all. When laws had to be enforced, consta-

the Great March across the Canadian plains.

the turn of the century made the need for a

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bles would be appointed by the court on a

The force was made up of young inexperienced

permanent national police force more appar-

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temporary basis.

men with little equipment and an unreliable

ent and, by then, the NWMP was being accept-

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But the need for a law enforcement agency

map. One of their goals was to stop the ille-

ed as a permanent institution. In 1904, King

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was evident. Settlers were streaming into the

gal trade of whisky at Fort Whoop-Up (I am

Edward VII added the term "Royal" to the

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sparsely populated areas, land was being

not making that name up), a fort run by

force’s name in recognition of its services to

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allocated, farms were being established, and

Americans on Canadian soil, 800 miles away.

the Crown, and in 1920, the RNWMP became

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where there’s agriculture, borders and owner-

The land stretched far and wide, beyond the

the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was

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ship, there’s trouble. Police were needed for

imagination, and here these brave mounted

officially expanded into a national police

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land settlement issues, to protect property

policemen were the only law.

force.

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and, ostensibly at least, to protect the rights

When I think back on our history now, I think

In 1928, the RCMP began performing police

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of the Aboriginal peoples.

how utterly ridiculous this sounds today. We

duties in other areas than federal policing as

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To answer this need the North-West Mounted

are talking about a country that is in land

it helped both provinces and municipalities

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Police force (NWMP) was established in 1873

area the second largest in the world. Winters

with their policing needs.

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to oversee settlement in the western territo-

were harsh, bitterly cold, long and, in those

Canada’s Constitution defines law enforce-

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government and the high freight prices the

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Side 5

ment as a provincial responsibility. But a

dealing with narcotics, commercial crime

that is basically my point. While I can remem-

majority of provinces decided they could meet

(what we often refer to as white-collar

ber years ago that the British tabloids and

this responsibility most effectively through

crime), immigration and passport control,

American newspapers made fun of boring, no-

the services of the RCMP.

customs and excise and counterfeiting.

news Canada, I am proud of this simple solu-

• The RCMP represents Canada international-

tion to a potentially dangerous situation. Now

The RCMP today

ly as a member of the International

of course the reason why only one constable,

The RCMP therefore serves as the provincial

Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).

with his aide, was dispatched to address a

police in eight of Canada’s ten provinces. The

The force has 30 liaison agents in foreign

potentially dangerous situation might have

province of Ontario, where I once lived, has

countries.

been because no more constables were to be

its own police force. Sounds confusing? When

found within a day’s or week’s ride of the area

I was growing up in St. Catharines, a town the

An anecdote

in question, or perhaps there weren’t enough

size of Trondheim, I can remember there being

Well, that tells you a little about the RCMP.

horses to go around. But even so, this story

the St. Catharines Municipal Police

Before closing, I would like to share with you

reinforces my belief that my native country is

Department, the Niagara Regional Police, the

a brief anecdote about the RCMP, something

a relatively peaceful and sensible place ruled

OPP, or Ontario Provincial Police (we had

remembered from my Canadian history class

by law and a sense of fairness, not by the gun.

nasty names for them), and the RCMP for fed-

that I can just barely pull from the back

I see sending one constable to handle the sit-

eral crimes. So we didn't see much of the

regions of my mind.

uation as the typical low-key Canadian

RCMP, unless we went to one of the musical

One day, long ago, when the trans-Canada rail-

approach to a problem; if you don't overreact,

rides. The RCMP’s presence would be more vis-

way was being built, some local natives, led

the situation will not escalate. I can grateful-

ible in the rural communities, away from the

by their chief, objected to the arrival of the

ly leave the mass killings and weird sex

big cities, most of which hug as far south

ugly black "Iron Horse". Of course they had

crimes to the American and British press –

close to the border between Canada and the

every right for their concern, and today would

give me boring old Canada any time.

U.S. as possible. As I said, Canadian winters

be hailed as true ecologists and defenders of

So, back in the days of my youth, when we

are real killers.

a fast disappearing nature. But, needless to

looked for our typically Canadian symbols,

Today the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is

say, in those days there was no stopping the

something that set us apart from the rest of

headed by a commissioner who reports to the

tide of progress. The building of the trans-

the world, especially from mom and big broth-

federal government and to the Attorneys-

Canada railway was one of the most impor-

er, we would turn to our red-coated heroes of

General, the chief law officers, of those

tant events in Canadian history, indeed, with-

the RCMP whose motto – Maintiens le droit or

provinces where the RCMP provides provincial

out this railway I feel Canada might never

"Maintain the Right" – continues to be a dis-

police services.

have come into being. It was the link that tied

tinctive symbol of Canada today.

With more than 16,000 police officers and

the country together and with the telegraph

about 5,000 civilian employees, the force

lines that ran parallel to it, it was the main

EXERCISES

maintains six crime detection laboratories

means of communication, the way of getting a

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across Canada and a computerized police

message back to intransigent Ottawa where

The writer uses some words that are probably

information centre in Ottawa. The RCMP also

the federal government was centred.

new to you. Skim through the text and find the

maintains a training academy and RCMP

Now these natives saw no good coming from

following words (see list A below), and read

museum in Regina, and the Canadian Police

this rumbling, belching monster, so with his

the context where the words are used to help

College in Ottawa, which offers advanced

family and followers around him, the chief

you understand the meaning of each word.

courses to members of other police forces in

pitched his teepee over the railway line and

Then match each word with the correct defini-

Canada and around the world.

refused to move. One constable and his aide

tion in list B (the definitions reflect the use

were dispatched on horseback to address the

of the word in this article).

So what does the RCMP do?

problem. As I remember it, rather anti-climat-

LIST A – words:

Below are four of its main duties:

ically, the constable told the chief to move,

a) nascent b) derogatory c) penchant d) inferi-

• The RCMP acts as the municipal police force

he did not, so the constable kicked his teepee

ority e) ostensibly f) Aboriginal g) oversee h)

down, the chief and his followers left and the

disbanded i) individualist j) numerous k)

incident was resolved.

excise l) counterfeiting m) liaison n) intransi-

in about 200 Canadian cities and towns.

• The force provides provincial police services in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and 8

gent o) swindle p) provincial q) low-key

of Canada’s 10 provinces (in addition to

The Canadian approach

LIST B – definitions:

Ontario, Quebec has its own provincial

You might be wondering what the point of this

- uncompromising; unwilling to change

police force).

simple story is and I’m sure you can’t imagine

- to detract; designed or tending to belittle or

• The RCMP enforces about 140 federal laws

a movie of the month being made out of it. But

look down upon

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Side 6

- beginning to develop

Getting to know Canada!

and the men who created and built it. Many of

- to all outward appearances; seeming

a) The article mentions that Canada has ten

the major events in Canadian history are

- restrained; reduced intensity

provinces and two territories. Write down the

described here. Try the site "famous charac-

- original; belonging to a locality by birth or

names of the ten provinces and find out the

ters" for example. This site will tell you all

names of their capital cities and write each of

about the Great March as the often raw

these beside the name of its province. Find a

recruits made their way west to establish the

merit; being or regarded as below the level

map and locate the provinces, territories and

law in outposts far from the settled east of

of another

capital cities on it. Then draw your own ten-

Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto.

minute map of Canada, putting in as much of

Another interesting site to visit is

this newly-found information as you can. (A "ten-

http://www.rcmp-learning.org/fr-welc.htm

- relating to a province

minute map" is a simple map which you can only

which is the RCMP's own on-line university.

- break up the organization of; to cease to

spend ten minutes on – not a second more!)

Take a look at available jobs in the RCMP and

Choose one of these cities that you would like

check their links to other sites to learn lots

to learn more about and search the Internet

more about what is going on in law enforce-

for information.

ment areas in Canada.

origin - being lower in position, degree, rank or

- to have or exercise the charge, direction and oversight of; supervise

exist as a unit - one that pursues a markedly independent course - consisting of a great number

b) It might be interesting to look at local

- an attraction to a particular activity; strong

Canadian newspapers on the Internet. Who

inclination

knows, perhaps the papers will show that

KEY TO EXERCISE 1:

- copy in order to deceive; print false money

Canada is not quite so innocent as the writer

a) beginning to develop

- communication between groups; a contact

of this article might have us believe.

b) to detract; designed or tending to belittle

between groups

One place to start is www.canoe.ca

- to obtain something by dishonesty or trickery

This is a central address for all the newspa-

- tax

pers under the Sun newspaper chain. You should be able to click on the Toronto Sun,

or look down upon c) an attraction to a particular activity; strong inclination d) being lower in position, degree, rank or

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Calgary Sun, Edmonton Sun, Ottawa Sun,

merit; being or regarded as below the level

We sometimes talk about national traits or a

Winnipeg Sun or the Vancouver Sun from this

of another

"national psyche". The writer of this article

website.

e) to all outward appearances; seeming

mentions a few sides of the Canadian psyche

Other large newspapers include: the Toronto

f) original; belonging to a locality by birth or

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that he remembers. Scan the text to find what

Star, the Calgary Herald, London Free Press,

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he says about Canada and Canadians. Now

Winnipeg Free Press, Montreal Gazette,

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find that bit of paper you scribbled on before

Montreal Mirror, Halifax Herald, Leader Post

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reading the article. Do the writer’s views

(Regina) and in French Le Devoir from

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agree with what you wrote?

Montreal.

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culture sections, advertisements, movie and

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Work in pairs. Without re-reading the article,

book reviews etc. to see what is trendy and

j) consisting of a great number

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try to tell each other what each of the follow-

topical in the city you chose, and discuss in

k) tax

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ing had to do (positively or negatively) with

class what this tells you about Canada in gen-

l) copy in order to deceive; print false money

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the development of the RCMP:

eral.

m) communication between groups; a contact

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Take a look at local news, entertainment and

origin g) to have or exercise the charge, direction and oversight of; supervise h) break up the organization of; to cease to exist as a unit i) one that pursues a markedly independent course

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- railways

c) Find out more about the RCMP. You can

between groups

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- settlement of land

start from these websites:

n) uncompromising; unwilling to change

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- Native Americans

http://www.intouch.bc.ca/coqrcmp/

o) to obtain something by dishonesty or trick-

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- huge distances

This is the website of an RCMP force in

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- whisky

British Columbia. You can check this sight out

p) relating to a province

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- parades and music

to see what a local RCMP police force is doing

q) restrained; reduced intensity

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- bitterly cold winters

on a daily basis.

ery

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Afterwards, if you need to, go back to the arti-

http://www.rcmpmarchwest.com/

KEY TO EXERCISE 2:

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cle and find out more. Then tell each other

This is an excellent site. Here you can read

The author mentions the following traits:

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why mother and brother are introduced at the

more about the Great March of 1874 that the

inferiority complex, relatively non-violent,

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beginning of the article.

article refers to. The more you dig into this

low-key approach, fairness.

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site, the more you can learn about the RCMP

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Side 7

✩

✩

✩ ✩✩ ✩

✩ ✩ ✩

“If you‘re having trouble finding relevant background material for your projects, just Foto: Samfoto

call the embassy. They‘ll help you.”

Do you recognize this as something you might have said to your students

the embassy that is responsible for assisting journalists, researchers,

at one time or another? And have your students ever reported back to

educators, students and others who need information about the US.

you, saying that they couldn’t reach anyone at the embassy, or that they

They are in fact the people who pick up the phone when you or your stu-

didn’t get any help, or that the person at the other end was cranky or

dents call the embassy.

Native Americans/Ernest Hemingway/Thanksgiving/Congress etc.?

"I guess many people expect to meet an American when they call us," Line Anne says, "but it’s actually an advantage that Petter and I are

This is something quite a lot of teachers probably experience when

Norwegian. We know more about Norwegians, Norwegian schools and

their days get too stressful and crowded for them to follow up each

Norwegian culture, and it is easier to communicate with us. Students

and every student’s needs for background material. But spare a

always ask: ‘Snakker du norsk?’ And they are quite relieved when they

thought for "the person at the other end". We have taken the time to

find out we do!"

Contact with schools When Line Anne and Petter talk about their day-to-day contact with

A visit to the United States embassy

Norwegian students, it is easy to detect that they like this part of

The American embassy in Oslo is an impressively ugly sight on an oth-

their job. "All kinds of people call us. For example, I recently had a

erwise bright and sunny February day! Sturdily constructed in concrete

woman calling me who had ordered a pair of cowboy boots from the

and reinforced glass, the word fortress easily springs to mind. "Safety

States. She asked me whether I thought she had bought the right size!

first!" is clearly the motto for the guards (US Marines, no less) that

All in all, I would say that students – especially in senior high – are

greet us at the entrance as well. However, the atmosphere is friendly

the best ‘customers’ we have here," Line Anne enthuses. "They are gen-

and relaxed, relatively speaking, and after a quick inspection we are

erally very polite and fun to talk to." The IRC doesn’t get that many

allowed to enter. Mind you, we do have an appointment – otherwise it

calls from senior high teachers, though, and they would like to hear

would be near to impossible to get in.

more from them. "I’m sure it would be useful for us to get more feedback from teachers," Petter says. "And we do have some materials that

Line Anne Hovdenakk and Petter Næss work as IRC specialists at the embassy. "IRC" stands for Information Resource Center, the unit within

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talk to a couple of them about their experiences with Norwegian students and teachers.

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simply not too interested in their (truly fascinating) project about

we believe they would find useful too."

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Side 8

From library to resource center

died – we just refer them to our website. The Internet has really made

"I guess some teachers remember ‘the good old days’ back in the 1970s,

a huge difference when it comes to providing information. Our website

when the embassy was more or less open to the general public," Petter

has become indispensable – it provides links to all kinds of informa-

continues. "We had a library then, with an extensive collection of

tion about the US." In fact, the website is so vast and complex that

books, records and so on. We also used to have a small cinema in the

Line Anne and Petter would advise teachers to have a good look at it

basement, and we had lots of visits from schools." Sadly, this is not

themselves, in order to give their students some guidance. They would

the case anymore. Funds are more modest, since providing cultural pro-

also like to tell teachers that the website gives a daily political

grams for western European audiences well-versed in American art, lit-

update from Washington – "The Washington File".

erature and music is no longer seen as essential by the US legislators.

Therefore, what used to be a library is now a reference center. Schools’

Materials

visits are less frequent, mainly for security reasons. "But if a group or

In the days when the Internet was just a crazy idea in some computer

a class has done a project on something American, and is really moti-

scientist’s mind, the embassy used to send a lot of material to schools

vated and serious, a visit to us here at the IRC can be arranged," Line

in Norway. "We still do that to some extent," Petter explains. "When

Anne assures us. "But we have had a few unfortunate experiences in the

students want some general information in printed form, we send them

past. It’s no fun chasing around after students in the halls. Security is

a brochure called ‘Portrait of the USA’. For teachers, we have the

very tight here!"

‘Outline’ series, which gives more detailed information about politics, geography, history etc. And we have an informative CD-ROM as well. All

Services provided

this is free of charge, of course." These products can also be accessed

So, what happens when a student calls the IRC to get help on some-

electronically (see link below). In addition to this, they have a lot of

thing? "Well," Petter answers, "the most important thing to remember

contacts in the USA itself, and are confident that they can provide

is to call us between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – otherwise they’ll only hear an

teachers with almost any kind of information if requested.

answering machine. This is because we don’t have the capacity to answer questions all day." Line Anne has another point: "Some students

Before we leave them, Line Anne and Petter welcome teachers and stu-

call us with detailed lists of questions, it’s almost as if they want us

dents to call or mail them, but they also have a special plea to all

to do their assignments for them! Again, we don’t have the time to

teachers out there:

answer all of these questions. And even though we know quite a lot

"Could you please tell all your students this (we have answered this

about the USA, we don’t know everything. But this can often be reme-

question literally a million times): there are 50 states in the USA!"

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U s e f u l i n f o r m a t i o n :

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Home Page: www.usa.no (especially the About the USA section) Information publications from the Department of State:

U s e f u l

http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/

i n f o r m a t i o n :

E-mail: irc@usa.no

08 09

The United States Embassy:

U s e f u l

Telephone (teachers): 21 30 88 02 / 21 30 87 08 Telephone (students): 21 30 89 96 (Mon-Fri 2 p.m.-4 p.m.)

i n f o r m a t i o n : The British Embassy:

U s e f u l i n f o r m a t i o n : U s e f u l i n f o r m a t i o n :

Home Page: www.britain.no Information for schools: www.britain.no/news/schools.htm E-mail: britemb@online.no Telephone: 23 13 27 25 (Assistant Public Affairs Officer Kate Langstrøm Nordahl) The British embassy offers, among other things, - information material for students (wall charts, CD-ROM, printed publications) - materials for teachers (booklets, handbooks – some of which you must pay for) - video library (factual videos about Britain) - class visits - visits from the embassy (not always possible) - website with many useful links

Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

09:34

Side 9

Alligator, tortoise, fish, duck, oyster, crawfish, crab and shrimps and why not a garlic sausage. Use what you have, spice it with love and Tabasco, and let it simmer to a solid gumbo. In

??????

Louisiana, the Cajuns know how to 01

make such juicy casseroles.

02 03

04 05

06 07

Bajan, Cajun and Creole–

08 09

By Gunnel Bergström Photos: David Dahmén

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‘Cajun culture is also a gumbo,’ popular chef

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Paul Prudhomme explains at his restaurant in

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New Orleans. ‘The language, music and food

16

are a mixture of French, English, Spanish, German, American and Afro-American ingredi-

moved to southern Louisiana, where they

ents.’

became fishermen, farmers or trappers. The

Prudhomme’s family descends from the

Cajun people are famous for their joie de

Acadians who emigrated from France to Nova

vivre, having as their motto ‘Laissez les

Scotia (Acadia) in the early 17th century.

bons temps rouler!’ (‘Let the good times

They were banished by the British in the

roll’), and their music – a blend of country

middle of the 18th century, and most of them

and rock’n roll – is captivating and distinc-

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Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

09:34

Side 10

The Fish skinner: ‘How de fish goin?’ Not bad, O’Bayan Lord has plenty of customers as he once again has been crowned ‘fish skinning champion’ in the annual competition at the Oystins Fish Festival in the Barbados. tive, to put it mildly. Prudhomme tells us,

out an instruction manual.

American or Spanish origin. Approximately

for example, that Cajun music developed a

Cajun is a melange of Acadian French, Creole

25,000 people in Louisiana still speak this

unique accordion technique because the bel-

French, 19th century French and English. Some

language. It has been threatened with extinc-

lows came from Europe by mail order, with-

Cajun French words are of African, Native

tion, but thanks to an increased interest in Cajun culture in general, the language has seen a new rise in popularity.

Louisiana Creole – a complete language

01

Sometimes Cajun is confused with Louisiana

03

French, even if both forms have influenced

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Louisiana Creole is more closely related to

02

Creole, which lies even further from standard

04

each other over the years.

06

the Creole languages of Haiti and the Antil-

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Some expressions in Louisiana Creole

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Bonjou – Hi!

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Mo pele Paul (or Mo non se Paul) – My name is Paul

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Sa-ki to non? – What is your name?

Mersi – Thank you Mo chagren – Excuse me/I am sorry Sa ki to ole? – What can I do for you?

M’ ole … tanpri – I would like

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M’ole aprann kreyol tanpri – I would like to learn Creole

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Ki le li ye? – What time is it?

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Le fe cho – It is hot

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Mo swaf – I am thirsty

Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

09:34

Side 11

iar? That was a so-called commercial pidgin

Some expressions in Cajun

Pidgin

that was spoken between Russian and

Lâche pas la patate – Don’t drop the potato/don’t give up

What then is the difference between Creole

Norwegian fishermen in the 19th century, but

and pidgin?

died out after the Russian Revolution. Here

Fais do do – a party with a traditional Cajun dance (‘do do’ is French children’s language for sleep)

‘Creole is a mother tongue, while pidgin is

are a couple of examples of what it sounded

characterized by a strictly limited vocabulary

like: ‘moja tri vekkel stannom’ – I stayed

and a very simplified grammar,’ Gadelii

there for three weeks; ‘tvoja njet bra man’

Lagniappe – something extra special

answers. ‘Pidgin is spoken in addition to the

-– you are not a good man.

Mardi Gras – Fat Tuesday

mother tongue in special situations, for exam-

Pidgin and Creole languages are mainly found

Bayou – mouth of the river or a river delta

ple when you do business with a foreigner.’

on islands as well as in coastal areas that in

Banquette – pavement

Maybe the concept ‘russenorsk’ sounds famil-

some ways have been colonized. The largest languages are found in Haiti where 8 million

Facts Learn more about Creole and Cajun in Louisiana at www.cajunculture.com

les, and has a special grammar. The definite article is, for example, placed after the noun, so that the man becomes ‘nom la’. Nouns do not have gender. The plural form is denoted by the article ‘yé’ following the noun, so that

cows or the cows becomes ‘béf yé’.

There is no genitive. Instead, that which is owned is placed in front of the owner: the

man’s horse –‘chwal nom la’ (horse man the).

Andouille and chicken gumbo

people speak Haiti Creole and in Nigeria

(for 6-8 persons)

where approximately 30 million speak

c. 500 g okra (parted, seeds removed) 1 red paprika 1 yellow paprika 1 green paprika c. 200 g stalk selleri 2 onions 6 andouille sausages 300 g chicken filet 4 cloves garlic bacon (1 pack) 2 Spanish pepper 6-8 crawfish ground black pepper c. 1 dl sassafras leaves salt

Nigerian pidgin.

tion has the same word order as a declarative sentence, but is spoken with a rising intonation: Is your name Paul? – ‘Vou pele Paul?’

‘Creole languages are complete languages, something earlier linguists did not realize,’ says Karl Erland Gadelii, researcher at the Institute for Oriental and African languages at the University of Gothenburg. ‘Linguists used to claim that Creole languages were degenerate, most likely because these linguists were stuck in their offices and did not travel into the real world.’

In his research, Gadelii has specialized in pidgin and Creole languages spoken in many former French, Dutch, Portuguese and English colonies and which appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries.

‘The colonization by the western world was certainly a tragedy but, for a linguist, the study of pidgin and Creole languages is rewarding because of what it reveals about man’s language skills and the way he communicates in multilingual situations,’ he says.

It is rather humorous that some researchers state that English is also a Creole language.

In a way one might argue that this is so: English is full of French words, but has an English grammar.

‘Creole French has a "transparent" structure,’ Gadelii says. He gives an example of something he calls a one-to-one relationship: grammatical markers for tense, mode and aspect in a verb – and even definiteness in a

A negative statement has a ‘pa’ in front of the verb: I see no man – ‘M pa oua en nom’. A ques-

English is also Creole

Brown roux (2 dl olive oil, 2,5 dl flour.

Heat oil until it smokes. Carefully stir in flour to a dark brown batter. Be aware of the risk of skin damage from the hot oil.)

5 dl chicken bouillon or water 3 dl tomato juice Cut the ingredients in equal parts and sauté Add water or bouillon Boil for 5 minutes Carefully add the hot roux Simmer for 15-20 minutes Garnish with crawfish, half a sausage and some grilled chicken Serve with rice

noun – are expressed with separate words rather than with inflectional suffixes. I was

running is translated ‘An té ké ka kouri’, where the French would say ‘je courrais’. The past tense always has one expression – ‘té’, whereas the verb itself remains in a kind of

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Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

09:35

Side 12

basic form, like ‘kouri’ in this example.

so is ‘Bajan’ taken from the last part of the

Gadelii thinks a Creole language is organized

word Barbadian. In Bajan speak, they glide

in a logical and clear way. The subject, predi-

across the words. Sometimes the sentences

cator and object are always placed in the

are cut short as in ‘How de fish goin?’ which

same order. This is also what children do

means How are things with your fish

when they learn to speak, no matter what lan-

business? Constructions like ‘dem people’

guage they are in the process of learning.

instead of the people and ‘Was dat you say-

Those who teach Swedish as a second lan-

ing?’ instead of What were you saying? are

guage might have noticed that an immigrant

quite common. Words are cut short and the

speaks a kind of ‘temporary’ Swedish with the

word order is sometimes altered, she will do

same logical construction as a Creole lan-

that might just as well be ‘will she do that?’

guage. Before one knows all the combinations

even though it is a declarative sentence

and inflections, one tends to arrange the

rather than a question. Furthermore, ‘mines’

words according to this logical order, for

instead of mine and ‘her’ instead of she sug-

example the colour of the house instead of the

gest a relatively liberal grammar.

house’s colour.

Bajan is spoken among friends, although not

‘Language teachers may learn more from the

so much at home when the children are small.

Creole languages,’ Gadelii says. ‘Swedes are

‘First they have to learn correct English;

very quick to pass judgement on someone who

Bajan must wait till they have grown older,’

speaks broken Swedish or who speaks with a

a mother explains.

foreign accent. However, that does not mean

A collection of proverbs testifies to a rather

that he or she speaks bad Swedish. When it

cool attitude to life. You might hear expres-

comes to Creole French, Creole English or other

sions like: ‘Yuh nevah miss de watah till de

kinds of Creole, the variety is enormous –

well run dry’, or ‘You dead longer dan yuh live’.

speakers do not worry about differences in

When I listened to some men discussing a

accents.’

cricket match all I could understand was ‘Australia’ and ‘we don use whole area’, which

Broken English in Barbados

probably meant that they were dissatisfied

01

Reggae is playing from cars’ stereo systems

because the home team did not make use of

02

and the clock at the fish market in Oystins

the entire field. I did not understand the rest

03

plays calypso every hour. The atmosphere is

of what they said at all – it sounded like one

04

cool and so is the talk. In Barbados – whose

long ‘rrdogedo’. My lasting impression is that

05

head of state is still the British queen – they

Bajan is pretty laid back, and a comfortably

06

speak English, but also Bajan. It is an English

lazy manner of speaking. Perhaps this memory

07

dialect or, as they themselves say, a kind of

is strengthened by the beating reggae sound

08

broken English.

and the fact that the sun almost always

09

Just as the word Cajun comes from Acadian,

shines in the Barbados.

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Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

Teachers who are familiar with PASSAGE, Cappelen’s textbook for

09:35

Side 13

Or, as she says, "In the book itself, there is a progression from the obvious – structure, rhythm, rhyme – to the less obvious – such as

the first year of upper secondary

imagery, symbolism and interpretation. We

school, are perhaps aware of the

present the poems within different frame-

emphasis put on teaching poetry in an accessible manner in the

works rather than as isolated entities, and we

poems and we think they add a new

believe this makes it easier for students to

dimension to working with poetry."

appreciate poetry."

"Of course," Theresa continues, "this lesson

book. Now the authors of PASSAGE have gone a step further, as they are about to complete a new "poetry lesson plan" that will be sent to all teachers of English in Norwegian

This time, the framework is called Modern

plan is but one of many possible approaches

Poetry: An Introduction to Two Poets – Robert

to working with poetry in the classroom. Each

Bly and William Stafford. Both men are acknow-

teacher must decide what will work best in

ledged contemporary poets, but the main rea-

his or her classes, but we have chosen poems

son why they were chosen is that they write in

and illustrations that we think will appeal to

free verse, and in language that students

students’ imagination and creativity. For

should have few difficulties understanding.

more in-depth work, there are suggestions for additional tasks at the end of the poetry

upper secondary school.

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08 09 10

What is "the poetry lesson plan"?

sequence. Many of these tasks can be done

Theresa explains: "There is a series of poems,

with the help of the PASSAGE website at

"We would like to give teachers more reasons

followed by activities which encourage stu-

www.cappelen.no."

12

to teach poetry," Theresa Bowles Sørhus

dents to reflect over and thus better under-

explains. "Many people have told us that they

stand the poems. There’s also a Teacher’s

Theresa ends our conversation by saying that

14

have liked our approach in the textbook, so we

Resource that provides some of the reasoning

it is the authors’ hope that in whatever man-

wanted to give students and teachers alike the

behind our approach to teaching poetry, as

ner teachers wish to work with this poetry

opportunity to work with poetry once again."

well as some information about the poets and

sequence, students will find their encounter

some suggestions for how to use the poems in

with modern poetry a pleasurable experience

the classroom. In addition, there are colorful

and that a good foundation for later work with

Theresa is anxious to stress that the empha-

illustrations on overhead transparencies for

poetry will have been laid.

20

sis at this level should be on exposure to the

most of the poems. These illustrations can be

mystery and wonder of poetry rather than an

used either for pre-reading activities or for

Next term, there will be another lesson plan

22

exhaustive study of every aspect of the genre.

discussions after the students have read the

from the authors of PASSAGE.

Exposure rather than exhaustion

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Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

09:35

Side 14

She was so fast! It’s rare to meet a person who could so quickly understand and deal with issues. It was like having an intellectual ninja on our side. She was absolutely fearless at tackling problems. And she called a spade a spade – usually in a flood of words that would come pouring out so fast that English and On January 12, 2001 the world became a little poorer, a little emptier, a little sadder.

On that day my co-author, Marcie Madden Austad, passed away after a long illness, only 47 years old. I still cannot believe it. I

Norwegian would trip and tumble over one another in her impatience to express herself. Now, I come from the Midwest of the United States and I recognized that kind of straightforwardness, so aptly summed up by the phrase, "Oh yeah?

Show me!" She was both clear-eyed and caring – a rare combination and a remarkable match.

know in my mind that Marcie is gone, but my heart tells me it cannot be so. Not 01

02 03

04

Marcie. Especially not Marcie. She was one of the most vibrantly – passionately – alive persons I have ever met. It just is not conceivable that a spirit that has burned so

05

brightly could be extinguished.

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When I first met her and she looked me

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Then I watched when fate turned against her and she turned those lean and chiseled features of hers against the wind and forged on, honing her qualities down to the essentials. She threw herself into her work, her world and her family, drawing on her passion and her love of life to the very end. She was angry. It was not just, she said. And she was right once again. She was smack-dab in the middle of her life. Her children were still growing. She had so much yet to do. It is not just. It is not explicable or acceptable.

straight in the eye while she shook my hand firmly, almost the first thing that crossed my mind was – "Hey! This is one focused lady. Watch your step!" And I was right. As we worked together, I gradually got to know her, to learn her qualities – committed,

But now, we who are left behind must turn to one another for comfort, as she would have wanted. We are Marcie now – all of us whose lives she touched. We all carry some part of her with us. As long as we live, she will live on in our thoughts and our dreams and our memories. For my part, I will always have her with me in my mind – advising me, nagging me, informing me, disagreeing with me, encouraging me, sharing with me.

fiercely loyal, inventive, workaholic, outspoken, affectionate, pragmatic, impatient,

It’s not as good as really having her here.

talented, and above all energetic. She was truly interested in the world around her, be

But it is a lot better than never having had her here at all.

it literature, or politics, or teaching, or movies, or pupils, or what to have for dinner on many a Saturday evening when all us Cappelen authors were held up in some hotel, crossing swords and writing books.

With gratitude, Robert Mikkelsen

12-09-07

09:35

Side 15

Read It!

Reviewed by Erling Gilje Godalen videregående skole

Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

My book is Behind the Scenes

We take part in the fami-

the "who done it?" and of the

at the Museum by Kate

ly coronation celebration

"what’s the crime?" kind.

in front of the "telly",

Atkinson. The main character

holidays at the seaside

Something awful has happened!

in dingy B&Bs and

Something that has affected the

Sunday outings in the

relationship between all the mem-

motorcar. With Ruby we

bers of the family: a ghost from

experience the effect of

the past. And so ingenious is Kate

Ruby’s sisters, they live above

the educational and

Atkinson’s storytelling, that when

the family-run pet shop in one

social reforms that took

it suddenly and horrifyingly dawns

place in the UK after the

on Ruby what dreadful crime has

of the back streets in York. We

Second World War,

taken place, we realise that we

follow them through weekdays

reforms which meant

have in fact been told and we

of the novel is Ruby Lennox.

Her parents are called Bunty and George. Together with

and Sundays, joys and griefs, life and death.

that kids from back

should have known, and it shouldn’t have come as a surprise and a

streets could hope for an

shock. Yet we are as shocked as Ruby. And then, we re-read the book to

education and a way up –

assure ourselves that we have known all the time, but the same thing

as long as they passed

happens again.

the dreaded eleven-plus.

In addition to telling her own story, Ruby also tells the story of her In other words, a plot that has been used over and over in recent years.

family – her roots. This she does as "footnotes" interspersed within

However, Atkinson’s storytelling technique makes this fairly straight-

the story of her own life. There are also cross-references to the foot-

forward storyline into a book with a difference. The first paragraph is

notes helping to tie it all into one interconnected story.

enough to convince you: The footnotes first tell the story of Alice, Ruby’s great-grandmother

"I exist! I am conceived at the chimes of midnight on the clock on the

– a misplaced country beauty who, bored and frustrated in a marriage

mantelpiece in the room across the hall. The clock once belonged to my

with an unsuccessful small farmer who had turned drunkard, elopes

great-grandmother (a woman called Alice) and its tired chime counts

with an exotic, handsome travelling photographer sometime towards

me into the world. I’m begun on the first stroke and finished on the

the end of the 19th century. Then we hear the story of her abandoned

last when my father rolls off my mother and is plunged into a dream-

children, and of course of Bunty, Ruby’s mother, and of Bunty’s sib-

less sleep, thanks to the five pints of John Smith’s Best Bitter he has

lings and cousins.

drunk at the Punch Bowl with his friends, Walter and Bernard Belling.

At the moment at which I am moved from nothingness into being my

To sum it up, Kate Atkinson has written a book that from a very per-

mother was pretending to be asleep – as she often does at such

sonal point of view tells us about England in two World Wars, growing

moments. My father, however, is made of sterner stuff and he didn’t let

up in the 50s, pain and suffering throughout, downtrodden women and

that put him off."

pitiably weak men – and a murder mystery. Fairly standard soap realism. But somehow, with a Yorkshire skill for understatement and irony

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After this, events somehow don’t develop quite chronologically. There

and for using laughter as a bolster against pure despair, Kate

is no index of chapters staking out a course, either; it is an interwoven

Atkinson has given us a book that is neither boring nor depressing.

story that twists and turns. Just like life, you just have to carry on to

Enjoy it!

20

mystery – a mystery we only gradually become aware of through

I would like to encourage Bjørn Thrana at Haugaland videregående to

22

Ruby’s growing up and her gaining in understanding. A mystery both of

write about a favourite novel in the next issue of this magazine.

find out the score. And as you read you realise that there is also a

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Magazine 2003-1:Magazine 3/01

12-09-07

09:35

Side 16

Who Owns the Zebra?

In the yellow house they smoke Dunhill.

There are 5 houses.

In the house in the middle they drink milk.

All houses have a different colour.

The Norwegian lives in the first house.

All house owners are of a different nationality.

The man smoking Blend lives next to the house with a cat.

All house owners have an animal.

In the house next to the house with a horse they smoke Dunhill.

All house owners drink a different drink.

The man smoking Blue Master drinks beer.

All house owners smoke a different cigarette brand.

The German smokes Prince.

The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.

The Englishman lives in the red house.

They drink water next to the house where Blend is smoked.

The Swede has a dog.

The Dane drinks tea.

The green house is to the left of the white house.

In the green house they drink coffee.

The man smoking Pall Mall has birds.

?

Who owns the zebra?

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CAPPELEN UNDERVISNING, Videregående skole, Postboks 350 Sentrum, 0101 Oslo. Faksnummer: 22 36 50 46

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