The School/Uni Thread

[Cythraul]

What kind of words were they?

Just stupid words like 'desiccate', 'malingerer', 'penury', 'torpor', etc., etc. This is stuff that you don't know unless maybe you're an English major or some shit. I studied philosophy and linguistics as an undergraduate, and I've read a lot of classic literature and whatnot and none of these words were familiar to me before I actually started studying my ass off for the GRE. It's just stuff that will probably never be of use to me. I mean, I know terms like 'meta-induction', 'antinomy', 'sorites', etc. etc., none of which appear on the GRE. And these stupid words appear in questions that should be really easy, e.g. questions about synonyms and antonyms, you know, shit that 3rd graders are supposed to understand.

 

[Ben_t]

Just stupid words like 'desiccate', 'malingerer', 'penury', 'torpor', etc., etc. This is stuff that you don't know unless maybe you're an English major or some shit. I studied philosophy and linguistics as an undergraduate, and I've read a lot of classic literature and whatnot and none of these words were familiar to me before I actually started studying my ass off for the GRE. It's just stuff that will probably never be of use to me. I mean, I know terms like 'meta-induction', 'antinomy', 'sorites', etc. etc., none of which appear on the GRE. And these stupid words appear in questions that should be really easy, e.g. questions about synonyms and antonyms, you know, shit that 3rd graders are supposed to understand.

Is penury never used in English? We have the same word basically in French (pénurie) and it's pretty common that we use it. What are you using to say that there's a severe lack of something?

And is torpor that uncommon as well (in French we have torpeur, which is relatively common)?

Anyway I don't have clue about the other 2 words but torpor and penury (maybe because I speak French and equivalent words are pretty common in this language) don't seem that obscure to me. In fact, I'm surprised that you don't seem to use these in English as I would have thought otherwise.

 

[False Joe]

Not really.
They seem quite over the top really. A severe lack of something is usually just "You're severely lacking something"

 

[cookiecutter]

More common synonyms might be dearth, deprivation, or impoverishment

 

[Zephyrus]

Death, Decay.

Den-tist, chugga-chigga-wagga

Deli-Style, chugga-chigga-wagga

 

[unknown]

@ Zeph

jesus. I haven't been to homestarrunner in years

 

[Ben_t]

More common synonyms might be dearth, deprivation, or impoverishment

hahah, I had no idea "dearth" even existed. I would have been far more confused with that word.

 

[Einherjar86]

Just stupid words like 'desiccate', 'malingerer', 'penury', 'torpor', etc., etc. This is stuff that you don't know unless maybe you're an English major or some shit. I studied philosophy and linguistics as an undergraduate, and I've read a lot of classic literature and whatnot and none of these words were familiar to me before I actually started studying my ass off for the GRE. It's just stuff that will probably never be of use to me. I mean, I know terms like 'meta-induction', 'antinomy', 'sorites', etc. etc., none of which appear on the GRE. And these stupid words appear in questions that should be really easy, e.g. questions about synonyms and antonyms, you know, shit that 3rd graders are supposed to understand.

I am an English major, and lots of those words are still extremely esoteric. I've had to read countless essays and books of literary criticism, and no one uses those words. I've read poetry and prose from the Medieval period onward and never encountered words that show up on the GRE. It's really outrageous.

 

[unknown]

ditto

 

[optionthree]

Finally finished my Roman Studies term paper, on the reforms of Diocletian. Actually researching these things and finding decent arguments and points to make is the hardest part; sure, the actual writing of the thing took about six hours, but you can autopilot right through that. Not to sound pretentious, but I'd be surprised if this didn't get an A, mostly because it's better than my last one, which got knocked down to a B+ because I had some technical errors with my references and I made stupid editing mistakes. My favorite thing about this class is that the Roman Empire is so fascinating it barely seems like work sometimes.

 

[Zephyrus]

Finally finished my Roman Studies term paper, on the reforms of Diocletian. Actually researching these things and finding decent arguments and points to make is the hardest part; sure, the actual writing of the thing took about six hours, but you can autopilot right through that. Not to sound pretentious, but I'd be surprised if this didn't get an A, mostly because it's better than my last one, which got knocked down to a B+ because I had some technical errors with my references and I made stupid editing mistakes. My favorite thing about this class is that the Roman Empire is so fascinating it barely seems like work sometimes.

So what's your assessment of Diocletian?

 

[optionthree]

So what's your assessment of Diocletian?

Brilliant man who probably saved the entire Empire from collapsing, at least for a few decades. He had a couple of ideas that didn't work out so well, but the majority of his reforms helped restore the failing economic and political systems, and even allowed for a brief period of reconquest. Really the only reason the Tetrarchy failed was because none of his successors had the willingness to put the needs of the state over their own desires for power.

 

[cookiecutter]

I would agree with that assessment. Are you a history major?

 

[Zephyrus]

Brilliant man who probably saved the entire Empire from collapsing, at least for a few decades. He had a couple of ideas that didn't work out so well, but the majority of his reforms helped restore the failing economic and political systems, and even allowed for a brief period of reconquest. Really the only reason the Tetrarchy failed was because none of his successors had the willingness to put the needs of the state over their own desires for power.

I tend to agree with this. He should have taken an even harder stance against Christianity and wipe it out completely, but by then the Christian population was too large and effective legislation of persecution impossible, even with all the new bureaucracy. And the idea of the Tetrarchy was doomed from the start, as an empire so large demands a more clear autocracy, otherwise rival Augusti/Caesares conflict and the empire is split.

Unfortunately for Diocletian, things were out of hand past the point of no return. There was never a full cultural integration between the Latin West and Greek East, so his division of power on those lines only officially divided the empire, leaving the poorer West vulnerable to barbarian attack while the rich East kept to itself and used its wealth to secure its survival for the next 1,000 years.

 

[cookiecutter]

Wiping out Christianity was an impossibility. I also agree that things were beyond saving at that point. The rise of the Sassanids and the increasing westward migrations of Germanic tribes made it tough even if the Roman Empire had had good emperor's throughout which of course by nature of an autocratic rule is impossible

 

[Death Aflame]

These SATs and there variants sound retarded. Thankfully they only exist in Canada via re-runs of Saved by the Bell.

I just got a few essays back from professors today, on one I got a 95 (A+) the other an A (85-89). Recently I have been getting high marks on writing assignments across the board (nothing lower than an A, the majority get an A+) to the point where it almost seems like a bit of a joke. Like I think I earn the marks, I do put a lot of time into producing these essays, but it feels weird, almost as if I have revealed the shoddy marking system professors use to hand out grades. Any of you ever had similar feelings with grades?

 

[cookiecutter]

I usually manage to scrape together Bs with an occasional A- and I feel happy about because they average to a C.

 

[Death Aflame]

I usually manage to scrape together Bs with an occasional A- and I feel happy about because they average to a C.

You're in second year correct?

 

[Zephyrus]

Wiping out Christianity was an impossibility. I also agree that things were beyond saving at that point. The rise of the Sassanids and the increasing westward migrations of Germanic tribes made it tough even if the Roman Empire had had good emperor's throughout which of course by nature of an autocratic rule is impossible

The barbarian problem was aggravated by estrangement. If earlier emperors had promoted economic and integrational incentives to deal with northern tribes, they wouldn't be constantly on the attack. Instead, people like Hadrian decided to turtle in and pay no attention to lands beyond the fortifications.

 

[optionthree]

I would agree with that assessment. Are you a history major?

Nope, currently business, although that's a complete mismatch that's thankfully being corrected to political science next year.

Zeph: agreed.