The Friday Five...

[fajrdrako]

Got this from dargie and namastenancy:

1. If you could suddenly speak one language fluently (that you don't currently speak) what would it be? That caveat "that you don't currently speak" makes it difficult. I was just saying the other day how I'd like to be vocally fluent in Latin, which few people are. But technically I "speak" it in that I can read passages and understand them, especially if you let me use a dictionary.

There are so many languages I would love to be able to speak. Assyrian? Ancient Greek? Sanskrit? Tocharian? Anglo-Saxon? (I love dead languages!) If I could say "Etruscan" or "Mohenjo-Daran" and then reveal their secrets to the universe, I'd be the 21st century's Champollion or Michael Ventris - !

Okay, okay, putting my love of dead languages aside.... I think I'll say Chinese. It's a toss-up with Japanese, but I think Chinese has the edge as being more different (at least in sound), and having a more diverse culture and history.

2. If you were to suggest a foreign film, that you really enjoyed, what one would you suggest? What does "foreign" mean? "Filmed in a language neither English nor French"? I'll say The Wedding Banquet even though it didn't strike me as foreign, but the people who give out Academy Awards seemed to think so. Gerard Depardieu's The Count of Monte Cristo also came to mind (if I can call it foreign because it's from France) and ditto "Asterix". I've loved some Bollywood movies too, but can't think of the titles now, since they tend to be in Hindi and I have trouble remembering them. (Add that to the list of languages I'd like to learn.)

3. If you had to call another country home (other than the one you currently live in) what one would you choose? -- Italy. Second choice: the UK.

4. If you went out to buy an import music CD, what one would you buy? Opera.

5. If you were to chose an ethnic dinner, what would it be? Japanese.

Comments

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

1. Occitan (although I can sing in it); Piemontèis.
2. How long have you got?! I could go on at length here...
3. Italy or France.
4. Early Music. Probably Gérard Zuchetto's Troubadour Art Ensemble.
5. Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern (Lebanese or Persian) or Russian.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Occitan (although I can sing in it); Piemontèis.

Yes, absolutely. Not to mention Anglo-Norman and Italo-Norman, or whatever you call what they spoke in Sicily in the 12th century. Old German would be handy, and Byzantine Greek.

How long have you got?! I could go on at length here...

Please do - feel free. I'm in need of recommendations. Always!

Italy or France.

France would be my choice #3. More interesting, perhaps, to choose what specific locale - which city.

Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern (Lebanese or Persian) or Russian.

All of those and more.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

More interesting, perhaps, to choose what specific locale - which city.

Strasbourg or Asti.

I'll get back to you on the film thing... It could run on for pages...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see Asti. Even though I haven't seen it, it's a contender - I loved what I saw of the area. Tuscany was lovely, too.

I totally loved Nice.

Look forward to hearing your film comments!

[myfavouriteplum.livejournal.com]

"What does 'foreign' mean? 'Filmed in a language neither English nor French'? I'll say The Wedding Banquet even though it didn't strike me as foreign, but the people who give out Academy Awards seemed to think so."

You know, we Chinese think Ang Lee's English-speaking films, which should be foreign to us, are strikingly Chinese, too. And yes, his films are very Chinese, in a most traditional way. My mother loves his films very much.
My favourite Chinese film used to be 'Farewell my concubine'. It's a wonderful story about the old 20th Century China, about its cruelty, and its beauty which was born from its cruelty. And about the identity of a boy, who's made to play female leads in the Beijing opera, and since then can no longer tell the difference between the real life and the stage. I won't pimp it though. All the wars, the child abusing, the betrayals and the vandalism...too painful to watch. The leading actor was a big Hong Kong pop idol since my childhood, and also the first Asian superstar who came out. Ten years later, he ended up killing himself on April Fools' Day. That's my first year in college. I remember my parents told me in a message that he had just killed himself, and I laughed and said something like 'don't believe it, it's April Fools' Day'. I never thought his life and the film would be so much alike. Still the best role he had ever got, though. And he's perfect for it.

"I think I'll say Chinese. It's a toss-up with Japanese, but I think Chinese has the edge as being more different (at least in sound), and having a more diverse culture and history."

I have learned a little Japanese myself...they said it'd be easier for me because I'm Chinese and the Japanese had taken many Chinese characters into their language. It was easier, when I was a beginner, but later I found it much harder. A very subtle language, really.
The Chinese language is all about words. All about those characters. Can be so frustratingly beautiful and so beautifully frustrating sometimes. (Now I remember Firefly...the crew have invented so bizarre yet interesting curses in Chinese. I'm all 'can you believe they just said that' and then burst into laughing.)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

we Chinese think Ang Lee's English-speaking films, which should be foreign to us, are strikingly Chinese, too.

Is that because his typical style is sort of ... human? and universal? I think it's the mark of a very talented movie-maker, that people from opposite ends of the world can look at it and say, "That's about people we can relate to."

I've heard about Farewell My Concubine and I'd like to see it, but haven't. That's a terribly sad story about the actor who killed himself.

The more I think about it, the more I'd like to learn Chinese. How or when I'll ever find the opportunity, I don't know, but it would be fun. Japanese would also be interesting, though I have certainly heard scary stories about how difficult it is. And Arabic... I did study Arabic for a while, and enjoyed it, but can't remember much now.

One of the great things about Firefly was the wild and funny colourfulness of the language. The fact that they were all cursing in a strange sort of Chinese was part of the fun. And such a delightful way to have them (in the fictional sense) using all sorts of bad language but nothing needed to be censored. It was a good futuristic touch, too... I really miss that show.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Farewell, my Concubine is beautiful and very moving.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I requested it at the library.

[myfavouriteplum.livejournal.com]

"Is that because his typical style is sort of ... human? and universal? I think it's the mark of a very talented movie-maker, that people from opposite ends of the world can look at it and say, 'That's about people we can relate to.'"

I remember I used to think that Ang Lee's films are too slick, too smooth, trying to deal with woo many issues and to please everybody--and even managing to. However, the older I get, the better I like his films.
And the Wedding Banquet is brilliant. Aren't the two old parents sweet? I like their acting so much. And parents are like this, you'd never know who will be more accepting or who has knowed the truth about you all along. It's a pity that there's also some bad acting in the film, especially from the female lead. I remember she annoyed the hell out of me when I first watched. And I don't really buy the chemistry between the gay couple.
And the ending has such a mysterious beauty about it. It makes me wonder if the father is the protagonist of the film, not the son. And this film is the second part of the father trilogy of Ang Lee.
It's a wonder that after more than a decade the film doesn't seem dated at all. Maybe the world hasn't changed that much.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Aren't the two old parents sweet?

They are indeed. I love the way, near the beginning of the movie, their son is just eager to have them go back home - and then at the end he realizes how much he'll miss them.

a pity that there's also some bad acting

Yeah, it's a little uneven.... not really enough to bother me, but I could see that.

I don't really buy the chemistry between the gay couple.

I though the problem there was that the American-born boyfriend was just a little too perfect.

It makes me wonder if the father is the protagonist of the film, not the son.

Yes... he seems to have such depth, which the son doesn't show.

No, it doesn't seem dated at all. I found that remarkable. Marriage laws may have changed in a lot of places, but parents and offspring haven't.

[filkferengi]

For dead languages you'd love to learn, don't forget linear B.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

forget linear B.

Oh my goodness yes!

Oh for a TARDIS to take me to my language lessons.

[filkferengi]

You'd just spend all your time admiring the scenery. [weg]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You misjudge me. I am shattered by your lack of faith. I am perfectly capable of admiring the scenery and learning languages at the same time.

Honest.