Dear Jed, Simon, Grace, Laurel, Thomas, Daniel and Erich!
 
I just got back from an oh-so-short trip to Iceland and have now caught up with the emails.  I was really glad to see, Erich, that you had made a start and that you´ve received some feedback already. 
 
I know this has perhaps changed how we were planning to carry on translating, but I think this could be all to the good. You see, I know I sort of co-ordinated the translation of Bodvar last time, but that was only because I had my uni notes to help me.  I was very aware that doing it that way was rather restrictive for us all - it put pressure on some people to work faster than circumstances allowed and it held other people back.
 
Jed, I agree it is important that we all work at our own pace and all help each other so no-one feels like they're drowning.  I know I can't start before Sept and will only be able to do a few lines each week, but I hope that when I do then Erich, Jed or someone else will be able to give me some feedback based on what they've learnt from their own efforts previously. 
 
If we start giving each other wrong advice, I'm sure someone more knowledgeable (Haukur, Konrad, Pelle & co) will put us right.
 
I think we all just have to make sure that we do respond to everyone's efforts, no matter how far behind us they may be.
 
I know this sounds a very loose arrangement, but what does everyone else who is interested in translating Hrafnkel's saga think?
 
Kveðja,
Sarah.
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Gerald Mcharg
To: norse_course@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 11:55 PM
Subject: [norse_course] To the 'Hrafnkel' group from Jed

Dear Sarah, Raymond, Grace, Simon etc.
 
If you have been looking at the Norse course e-mails, you will know that Erich Rickheit has already had a go at the first chapter of 'Hrafnkel'. I suspect he didn't know that we seemed to agree not to begin sending in our translations until September, but the fact that such a translation has arrived early, highlights a problem that will affect all of us sooner or later.
All of us work at Old Norse for greater or lesser amounts of time, and inevitably, people like me who are blessed with more leisure than most, will find ourselves forging ahead, wishing that there were one or two others who were keeping the same pace. Personally I would like to translate half a long chapter or even a full chapter in one go. However those of you who have to work and have other commitments as well, may be unable to keep up and feel a bit miffed if you are left a long way behind.
Is there any means by which we can ensure that everyone can work at their own pace and not feel left out, whatever the amount of their output? In other fields of learning, I have been in the unhappy position myself, of lagging far behind the others and giving up in despair. This I feel, is very wrong; everybody's interest should be nurtured and encouraged at whatever level. I really would like to press on at a greater speed, but if that were to result in people with less time to spare, abandoning Old Norse altogether because they felt left out of things, it isn't worth it as far as I am concerned.
Can we have a consensus of opinion on this and any suggestions on how we can accommodate everyone?
 
Jed Mc Harg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


A Norse funny farm, overrun by smart people.

Homepage: http://www.hi.is/~haukurth/norse/

To escape from this funny farm try rattling off an e-mail to:

norse_course-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.