South Atlantic Modern Language Association

A Celtic SeminarAuthor(s): Lawrence ThompsonSource: South Atlantic Bulletin, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Dec., 1937), p. 11Published by: South Atlantic Modern Language AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3197597 .

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December, 1937 SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN Page Eleven December, 1937 SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN Page Eleven December, 1937 SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN Page Eleven

A CELTIC SEMINAR

One of the fundamental character- istics of a true university is the com- munion of scholars with no motive beyond the amenities and advantages of mutual, voluntary study. Such a group was organized in January, 1937, at the University of North Caro- lina for the study of Celtic languages and literatures with especial reference to Old and Middle Irish. Some half- dozen graduate students who had stu- died elementary Old Irish gathered under the direction of Professor Ur- ban T. Holmes to learn more about this ancient literature, which not only bears significant implication for the medieval vernacular literatures of other European nations but also oc- cupies at high place in medieval studies by virtue of its own merit.

The preparation of the members of the seminar was varied but essentially the same. Some had enjoyed their first contact with Old Irish through Thur- neysen's Handbuch des Altirischen and Chrestomathie; others, through Pokorny's Grammatik in the "Samm- lung Goschen" and his supplementary reader. With a view toward ironing out any inequality of preparation and condensing the difficult morphology of the language, the group chose to in- augurate study by reading Chadwick's Early Irish Reader, which is actually a highly annotated edition of the Scel Mucce mic Datho, placing par- ticular emphasis on grammatical forms and phonological changes from the primitive Celtic. The next text chosen for study was the Serglige Con- chulaind, which, due to the extreme rarity of Windisch's monumental Irische Texte in which this saga is edlited, had to be hectographed for the use of the seminar.

During the summer membership but not interest in the seminar dwindled. Attention was turned to the weal h of material in Old Irish which has been edited very carefully by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan in their two-volume 'T'les ('rus Palacohiberni- t'ES. From this work the seminar read the hymns of Colman and Patrick. A comparison of the latter with the ver- sion in the hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church revealed important variations from the original on the part of the translator.

In the fall interest in the seminar was revived, and the program for he year was begun by reading the famous

A CELTIC SEMINAR

One of the fundamental character- istics of a true university is the com- munion of scholars with no motive beyond the amenities and advantages of mutual, voluntary study. Such a group was organized in January, 1937, at the University of North Caro- lina for the study of Celtic languages and literatures with especial reference to Old and Middle Irish. Some half- dozen graduate students who had stu- died elementary Old Irish gathered under the direction of Professor Ur- ban T. Holmes to learn more about this ancient literature, which not only bears significant implication for the medieval vernacular literatures of other European nations but also oc- cupies at high place in medieval studies by virtue of its own merit.

The preparation of the members of the seminar was varied but essentially the same. Some had enjoyed their first contact with Old Irish through Thur- neysen's Handbuch des Altirischen and Chrestomathie; others, through Pokorny's Grammatik in the "Samm- lung Goschen" and his supplementary reader. With a view toward ironing out any inequality of preparation and condensing the difficult morphology of the language, the group chose to in- augurate study by reading Chadwick's Early Irish Reader, which is actually a highly annotated edition of the Scel Mucce mic Datho, placing par- ticular emphasis on grammatical forms and phonological changes from the primitive Celtic. The next text chosen for study was the Serglige Con- chulaind, which, due to the extreme rarity of Windisch's monumental Irische Texte in which this saga is edlited, had to be hectographed for the use of the seminar.

During the summer membership but not interest in the seminar dwindled. Attention was turned to the weal h of material in Old Irish which has been edited very carefully by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan in their two-volume 'T'les ('rus Palacohiberni- t'ES. From this work the seminar read the hymns of Colman and Patrick. A comparison of the latter with the ver- sion in the hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church revealed important variations from the original on the part of the translator.

In the fall interest in the seminar was revived, and the program for he year was begun by reading the famous

A CELTIC SEMINAR

One of the fundamental character- istics of a true university is the com- munion of scholars with no motive beyond the amenities and advantages of mutual, voluntary study. Such a group was organized in January, 1937, at the University of North Caro- lina for the study of Celtic languages and literatures with especial reference to Old and Middle Irish. Some half- dozen graduate students who had stu- died elementary Old Irish gathered under the direction of Professor Ur- ban T. Holmes to learn more about this ancient literature, which not only bears significant implication for the medieval vernacular literatures of other European nations but also oc- cupies at high place in medieval studies by virtue of its own merit.

The preparation of the members of the seminar was varied but essentially the same. Some had enjoyed their first contact with Old Irish through Thur- neysen's Handbuch des Altirischen and Chrestomathie; others, through Pokorny's Grammatik in the "Samm- lung Goschen" and his supplementary reader. With a view toward ironing out any inequality of preparation and condensing the difficult morphology of the language, the group chose to in- augurate study by reading Chadwick's Early Irish Reader, which is actually a highly annotated edition of the Scel Mucce mic Datho, placing par- ticular emphasis on grammatical forms and phonological changes from the primitive Celtic. The next text chosen for study was the Serglige Con- chulaind, which, due to the extreme rarity of Windisch's monumental Irische Texte in which this saga is edlited, had to be hectographed for the use of the seminar.

During the summer membership but not interest in the seminar dwindled. Attention was turned to the weal h of material in Old Irish which has been edited very carefully by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan in their two-volume 'T'les ('rus Palacohiberni- t'ES. From this work the seminar read the hymns of Colman and Patrick. A comparison of the latter with the ver- sion in the hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church revealed important variations from the original on the part of the translator.

In the fall interest in the seminar was revived, and the program for he year was begun by reading the famous Tain Bo Ciuailnge in Strachan's edi- Tain Bo Ciuailnge in Strachan's edi- Tain Bo Ciuailnge in Strachan's edi-

tion (supplement to Er in, 1912) and in his Stories from the T'iin. The mem- hers of the seminar have shown con- siderable enthusiasm for their study thus far, and new recruits from the regular course in Old Irish offered in the winter quarter will strengthen the seminar numerically.

The seminar has enjoyed the very able guidance of Professor Holmes, who has given unsparingly of his time and energy. Likewise the University Library has been helpful in adding texts to the Celtic collection for the use of the students. One great diffi- culty, under which all Old Irish scholars must necessarily labor, is the absolute lack of any complete diction- ary of the language. Until this gap is filled by the completion (if and when!) of Illessen's Altirisuhes Icxi- kow, the student of Old Irish must operate with several different works such as the glossary in the first vol- ume of Windisch, the verbal index in the second volume of Pendersen's Vergleichende Keltische Grammatik, Dineen's modern Irish dictionary, and MacBain's Etymological Dictionary of Scotch Gaelic.

The broader implications of this work are important. The group has shown that it is possible to organize for the study of some field of philol- ogy not provided for by the university curriculum. Not only Celtic, but also any field of linguistics and literature might be studied in a similar fashion at any institution. The inaccessibility of an extensive working library is a secondary consideration for this type of work. The main prerequisite is a genuine enthusiasm for scholarship in all its ramifications.

LAWRENCE THOMPSON, Unwivernil y of North Carolina.

COMING MEETINGS

Modern Language Association of America-Chicago, IIl., December 28- 29-30, 1937. (On invitation of North- western University.)

American Association of Teachers of French-in conjunction with the meetings of the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of German-in conjunction with the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of Italian-in conjunction with the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of Spanish-Chicago, II111., December

tion (supplement to Er in, 1912) and in his Stories from the T'iin. The mem- hers of the seminar have shown con- siderable enthusiasm for their study thus far, and new recruits from the regular course in Old Irish offered in the winter quarter will strengthen the seminar numerically.

The seminar has enjoyed the very able guidance of Professor Holmes, who has given unsparingly of his time and energy. Likewise the University Library has been helpful in adding texts to the Celtic collection for the use of the students. One great diffi- culty, under which all Old Irish scholars must necessarily labor, is the absolute lack of any complete diction- ary of the language. Until this gap is filled by the completion (if and when!) of Illessen's Altirisuhes Icxi- kow, the student of Old Irish must operate with several different works such as the glossary in the first vol- ume of Windisch, the verbal index in the second volume of Pendersen's Vergleichende Keltische Grammatik, Dineen's modern Irish dictionary, and MacBain's Etymological Dictionary of Scotch Gaelic.

The broader implications of this work are important. The group has shown that it is possible to organize for the study of some field of philol- ogy not provided for by the university curriculum. Not only Celtic, but also any field of linguistics and literature might be studied in a similar fashion at any institution. The inaccessibility of an extensive working library is a secondary consideration for this type of work. The main prerequisite is a genuine enthusiasm for scholarship in all its ramifications.

LAWRENCE THOMPSON, Unwivernil y of North Carolina.

COMING MEETINGS

Modern Language Association of America-Chicago, IIl., December 28- 29-30, 1937. (On invitation of North- western University.)

American Association of Teachers of French-in conjunction with the meetings of the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of German-in conjunction with the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of Italian-in conjunction with the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of Spanish-Chicago, II111., December

tion (supplement to Er in, 1912) and in his Stories from the T'iin. The mem- hers of the seminar have shown con- siderable enthusiasm for their study thus far, and new recruits from the regular course in Old Irish offered in the winter quarter will strengthen the seminar numerically.

The seminar has enjoyed the very able guidance of Professor Holmes, who has given unsparingly of his time and energy. Likewise the University Library has been helpful in adding texts to the Celtic collection for the use of the students. One great diffi- culty, under which all Old Irish scholars must necessarily labor, is the absolute lack of any complete diction- ary of the language. Until this gap is filled by the completion (if and when!) of Illessen's Altirisuhes Icxi- kow, the student of Old Irish must operate with several different works such as the glossary in the first vol- ume of Windisch, the verbal index in the second volume of Pendersen's Vergleichende Keltische Grammatik, Dineen's modern Irish dictionary, and MacBain's Etymological Dictionary of Scotch Gaelic.

The broader implications of this work are important. The group has shown that it is possible to organize for the study of some field of philol- ogy not provided for by the university curriculum. Not only Celtic, but also any field of linguistics and literature might be studied in a similar fashion at any institution. The inaccessibility of an extensive working library is a secondary consideration for this type of work. The main prerequisite is a genuine enthusiasm for scholarship in all its ramifications.

LAWRENCE THOMPSON, Unwivernil y of North Carolina.

COMING MEETINGS

Modern Language Association of America-Chicago, IIl., December 28- 29-30, 1937. (On invitation of North- western University.)

American Association of Teachers of French-in conjunction with the meetings of the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of German-in conjunction with the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of Italian-in conjunction with the Modern Language Association.

American Association of Teachers of Spanish-Chicago, II111., December

NOTES AND NEWS

University of Alabama Graham Bickley, formerly instruc-

tor in Romance Languages at the IJni- versity of Alabama, has returned as Assistant Professor of Romance Lan- guages. In the intervening years he studied at the University of Illinois, had a year in France, completed his work for the Ph.D. at the University of California, and taught at Pomona College.

Wade H. Coleman has been chosen President of the Alabama Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and President of the Alabama State Association of Teach- ers of French.

Marshall A. Nunn has recently been elected honorary member of the Stu- dent Spirit Committee, an honor rare- ly bestowed upon a member of the fac- ulty.

John C. Dawson, Head of the De- partment of Romance Languages, has recently been awarded the decoration of Palmes de l'Acadimic by the French Government. This honor was formal- ly conferred on him during the Armis- tice Day exercises by Jules Brana, Consular Agent of France for Ala- bama and Mississippi.

Davidson College George B. Watts has been awarded

the diploma of Officier d'Acadimie by the French Ministry of National Edu- cation.

Robert G. Bailey is completing his work for the Ph.D. at Princeton.

Alton C. Morris of the University of Florida has been added to the Com- mittee on Folksong of the Associa- tion.

G;wendolen W. Reed of the (;ree(nville Woman's College is studying this year at the University of Michigan.

Within the past year, at least two new research clubs have been organ- ized in the territory covered by the South Atlantic Modern Language As- sociation, one at Wake Forest College, and another at the University of South Carolina.

A CORRECTION

In the remarks on misplaced ad- verbial modifiers in my review of Pro- fessor Smith's Learning to Write (SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN, October, 1937), I inadvertently used for illus- tration only instead of not. I regret the error. I. Willis Russell, University

NOTES AND NEWS

University of Alabama Graham Bickley, formerly instruc-

tor in Romance Languages at the IJni- versity of Alabama, has returned as Assistant Professor of Romance Lan- guages. In the intervening years he studied at the University of Illinois, had a year in France, completed his work for the Ph.D. at the University of California, and taught at Pomona College.

Wade H. Coleman has been chosen President of the Alabama Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and President of the Alabama State Association of Teach- ers of French.

Marshall A. Nunn has recently been elected honorary member of the Stu- dent Spirit Committee, an honor rare- ly bestowed upon a member of the fac- ulty.

John C. Dawson, Head of the De- partment of Romance Languages, has recently been awarded the decoration of Palmes de l'Acadimic by the French Government. This honor was formal- ly conferred on him during the Armis- tice Day exercises by Jules Brana, Consular Agent of France for Ala- bama and Mississippi.

Davidson College George B. Watts has been awarded

the diploma of Officier d'Acadimie by the French Ministry of National Edu- cation.

Robert G. Bailey is completing his work for the Ph.D. at Princeton.

Alton C. Morris of the University of Florida has been added to the Com- mittee on Folksong of the Associa- tion.

G;wendolen W. Reed of the (;ree(nville Woman's College is studying this year at the University of Michigan.

Within the past year, at least two new research clubs have been organ- ized in the territory covered by the South Atlantic Modern Language As- sociation, one at Wake Forest College, and another at the University of South Carolina.

A CORRECTION

In the remarks on misplaced ad- verbial modifiers in my review of Pro- fessor Smith's Learning to Write (SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN, October, 1937), I inadvertently used for illus- tration only instead of not. I regret the error. I. Willis Russell, University

NOTES AND NEWS

University of Alabama Graham Bickley, formerly instruc-

tor in Romance Languages at the IJni- versity of Alabama, has returned as Assistant Professor of Romance Lan- guages. In the intervening years he studied at the University of Illinois, had a year in France, completed his work for the Ph.D. at the University of California, and taught at Pomona College.

Wade H. Coleman has been chosen President of the Alabama Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and President of the Alabama State Association of Teach- ers of French.

Marshall A. Nunn has recently been elected honorary member of the Stu- dent Spirit Committee, an honor rare- ly bestowed upon a member of the fac- ulty.

John C. Dawson, Head of the De- partment of Romance Languages, has recently been awarded the decoration of Palmes de l'Acadimic by the French Government. This honor was formal- ly conferred on him during the Armis- tice Day exercises by Jules Brana, Consular Agent of France for Ala- bama and Mississippi.

Davidson College George B. Watts has been awarded

the diploma of Officier d'Acadimie by the French Ministry of National Edu- cation.

Robert G. Bailey is completing his work for the Ph.D. at Princeton.

Alton C. Morris of the University of Florida has been added to the Com- mittee on Folksong of the Associa- tion.

G;wendolen W. Reed of the (;ree(nville Woman's College is studying this year at the University of Michigan.

Within the past year, at least two new research clubs have been organ- ized in the territory covered by the South Atlantic Modern Language As- sociation, one at Wake Forest College, and another at the University of South Carolina.

A CORRECTION

In the remarks on misplaced ad- verbial modifiers in my review of Pro- fessor Smith's Learning to Write (SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN, October, 1937), I inadvertently used for illus- tration only instead of not. I regret the error. I. Willis Russell, University

30-31, 1937. 30-31, 1937. 30-31, 1937.

December, 1937 December, 1937 December, 1937 SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN SOUTH ATLANTIC BULLETIN Page Eleveii Page Eleveii Page Eleveii

of Alabama. of Alabama. of Alabama.

This content downloaded from 78.24.223.18 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:21:37 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions