shavian  

[shavian] Teaching the Shavian Alphabet

paul vandenbrink
Fri, 24 Sep 2004 10:39:04 -0700

Hi Joe 
In response to your comments and questions, here is what I think.

I do want to incorporate quizzes and prizes in our discusions in 
order to get some interest going. 
Since the Shaw Alphabet was orginally designed, by making up a 
contest and Co-opting people and their ideas, it would be 
appropriate to continue the tradition of making Shaw a challenge. 
> 
You are correct that we need to come up with good quizes for 
beginning students. Ideally, they would be good prizes, but not
require a lot of money. For example, we might name a Shaw letter 
after you
or some such honor.
As for contributons for the prizes, I certain I can get some 
Donations. Obviously we don't have to pay out any money until we get 
a winner, so we can certainly proceed with making up the questons. 
If we have multiple winners in the same test,
We would have run-off test just between the winners and only the 
finalist would get the prize.    


It is hard to convey the utility of Shavian to people, but I use a 
couple of examples that get the point across.
Compare the benefits of switching from Roman Numerals without a zero 
to Arabic Numbers. (10 Digits) A friend of mine persist in sending 
in his income tax form made up in Roman Numerals and refused to 
correct it. He was audited for 6 years in a row before they let up 
on him.
Compare the benefits of switching from Decimal numbers to Binary 
Numbers for computer programming. (10 Digits)
Compare the benefits of switching from British Units (inches, Feet, 
miles pints gallons) to a Metric Units (kilos, Liters, Meters)
Ask any scientist what he uses.
Now is an Alphabet any less lkely to benefit from being consistent, 
than those other systems?

, and it's their own procrastination that keeps them from 
> learning it.  Or maybe other obligations 

> > Regards, Paul V.

P.S. It's funny (pecular) that you asked about the point of 
Ghostworld and
then made a comment about people not having enough time to learn 
Shaw, because of the Real Stuff that is more important(i.e. family 
obligations, homework, Jobs, Real Day to Day Life) 
Because the story Ghostworld is all about 2 girls growing up, close 
friends who face the same dilemma as you referred to.
One girl opts for conformity. The other (female version of David 
Letterman) refuses to be political correct, refuses to moderate her 
sarcastic derision of modern hypocracy and eventually goes off to 
her own world. Symbolically, she re-creates her own world.
It's quite funny (humorous).


--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Joe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Maybe we can incorporate quizzes and prizes to get some interest 
> > going?
> > I can make up some sample questions, if anyone wants to see what 
I mean.
> 
>    We need to come up with good quizes for beginning students.  
What 
> kind of prizes are you talking about, and who's paying for them?
> 

> I haven't been able to convey the utility of Shavian to but a 
couple 
> people, and it's their own procrastination that keeps them from 
> learning it.  Or maybe other obligations . . . but who needs 
> homework?  Jobs?  Life?  Nah.



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