Fon language resources online

Fon or Fongbe (Fɔngbe) is a language that belongs to the Niger-Congo family. It is chiefly spoken in Benin and Nigeria. In Benin, more than half of the population can speak Fon, while in Nigeria, it is spoken in the south-eastern part.

There are very few online resources available for the learner of the Fon language. Fon is Fun is one of the best websites available, covering not only the language, but also contains large amount of information on Beninese cultures. This website is a must for anyone interested in Fon language.

Another excellent website on Fon language is the French language website la Langue Fongbe du Bénin. This linguistic website contains extensive Fon grammar, phrasebook, vocabulary, dictionary and other useful information on the language. The webmaster also has websites on theVezo language of Madagascar and Aja language of Benin.

Code-switching

Code-switching is the mixing, or alternation between two or more languages. Usually, the switching occurs between free morphemes, but there are exceptions as well. Code-switching is very common between bilingual or multilingual speakers. We can hear code-switching conversations in Malaysia quite often, as it is actually a part of our daily life. To quote some of the very common examples (non-English words in italic):

1. You want to makan now? (Do you want to eat now?)
2. He balik already. (He already went back.)
3. This is so salah! (This is so wrong!)
4. He gao-dim the problem liao. (He already solved the problem.)

The liao in Example 4 comes from colloquial pronunciation of Chinese word了, a modal to mark the perfective aspect of an action. According to the universal metagrammatical rule, switches happen only when the word order of both languages is in alignment. Liao here seems to replace the English word "yet" or "already". Malaysians usually place the word "already" at the end of a sentence.

Ever since I move to my current job, I found out that code-switching is becoming more and more frequent in my conversation with my colleagues. Mixture of Mandarin Chinese, English and French is a part of our daily conversations:

1. 他沒有aller? (He is not going?)
2. 他們是從Inde來的。(They are from India)
3. 他沒有給你那份document? T'es sûr? (He hasn't give you the document? Are you sure?")

The French verbs used in code-switching conversations are either in infinitive, or conjugated forms according to the person.

Sometimes, I deliberately code-switch between Spanish and French to one of my French colleagues (who somehow often reminds me of Tanguy):

Tengo hambre! T'as déjà mangé? (I'm hungry! You have already eaten?)

I speak French much better than Spanish, and the purpose of mixture of Spanish phrases in my French conversations to this French guy (a polyglot who can speak his mother tongue French, as well as English, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin and Malay) is actually to practice my Spanish. Still, I found out that I code-switch in between Mandarin, English and French with him much more frequently than in Spanish!

Deliver me from temptation, or, newly added additions in my overflowing books

After my training yesterday afternoon, I headed to Borders in Berjaya Time Square just for some reading, but darn, Borders is having its annual discount, with 15% off for all English books. Many books there were shouting: "Own me! Own me!", how can I be so cruel not listening to their pleas? Unable to resist this temptation, part of my salary flew to this international bookseller.

Urgh, when can I resist the temptation of buying books?

Anyway, the two newly members to my already overflowing books are:

1. The Hermetic Museum: Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob



I always like art books published by Taschen, they are in very fine quality and comes in various subjects, many of them are those you wouldn't know exist until you saw them. My first Taschen book is Description of Egypt, a trilingual (English, French and German) art book adapted from the 23 volume tomes on the ancient and then (Napoleonic) modern Egypt. And this Alchemy and Mysticism is another fine example of Taschen's contribution in the work of arts and esotericism. Actually I already saw a few copies of this book displaying in the "New Age" section of Midvalley MPH, but thanks to Borders I manage to get a copy in a cheaper price.

All I can say about this book is that it's beauty, simply breathtakingly beautiful. A collection of drawing, engraving and charts from Middle Ages to Renaissance, this tome takes you to a historical and mystical tour to the world of alchemy and hermeticism. the visions of William Blake, Hildegard von Bingen, Jacob Böhme and other mystics become vivid and unbelievably touching. Alexander Roob's erudite explanations of the plates are enriching and enlightening, the reader cannot help but deeply admire the wisdoms of the alchemists of the past.

If published by other publishers, this book would cost more than a few hundred ringgit, but thanks to Taschen, this book costs less than RM55.

I insist that anyone who is interested in the field of metaphysics and esotericism go and grab a copy of this book.

However, while mentioning the Hindu alchemy, the book largely ignores the Arabic / Islamic and Chinese alchemy which undeniably contributed to this mystical art. If Taschen could publish another book on Arabic / Islamic and Chinese alchemy, then this would simply be one of the most wonderful things that ever exist in this world.

2. Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism by Lilith Dorsey



African disaporic religions in Caribbean and in the Americas are the most misunderstood and most discriminated religions in world. Many people, ignorant of the truth about these religions, bluntly accuse them as primitive superstition or satanism.

This is a saddening fact, and this ignorance still haunts a large part of our world. Thus, anyone that claims himself or herself as an adherent of such religion is doomed to be discriminated or even persecuted.

Far from being primitive nonsense, African diasporic religions are among the most beautiful, vibrant and uplifting spiritualities in the world. They give strenghth and power for their adherents to survive in this harsh world, bring them closer to the divinity.

Lilith Dorsey's insightful book provide a concise and comprehensive description on these religions, dispelling myths and misconceptions that plague the mind of those who are ignorant of these religions. Highly recommended for those interested in religious study.

咖啡香‧ 書香

期待已久的五一勞動節和衛塞節假期終於降臨了，總算可以暫時把煩人的工作推到一旁，好好讓充肉體和精神休息一番。

昨晚和室友去吉隆坡市中心處﹑正舉行年度盛事的時尚夜店舞廳。在夜店裡，我遇見了許久不見的一個長得很俊秀的男模特兒朋友。這個曾經是某本男性時尚雜誌所選為2005年度馬來西亞三十名魅力猛男之一的朋友看起來比以往更加秀氣，可是卻有些消瘦了。在他離去之前，我幾乎都是在他身邊，加上近來工作和生活的一些壓力讓我即使在強勁音樂和酒精之下也無法完全放下心情去狂舞享受；因此雖說是去夜店舞廳，可是也說不上是什麼狂歡吧。回到家的時候已經是凌晨四點了，因此今早起床得特別遲，不過反正是假期，也就無所謂了。

既然是假期，那麼就該好好充電。家裡會悶得令人發狂，而且只要我在家裡就會忍受不住MSN的誘惑，只會顧着電腦銀幕上面的即時通。看着房裡堆積如山的封塵未動書籍，就下了決定去臨近的Coffee Bean邊品嘗香醇咖啡邊看許久以來沒有時間也沒有心情看的一些書。

到了咖啡館點了咖啡和午餐之後，我把帶在背包的一本本書取出。厚厚的拉丁語教程《Wheelock's Latin》﹑敘述時尚歷史的《時尚考》﹑上次在法語書店Kartu L'Agenda買的法語柏拉圖哲學入門書《Platon》﹑關於都會型男的《伊林魔男的異想世界》就呈現在我面前。

我慢慢地吃着意大利千層面，讓乳酪在我的舌間融化，也讓自己的心情放鬆下來。

之後，我把盤子和刀叉放置一旁，是時候讓那些不同的語言文字隨着咖啡館裡播放的幽幽女聲爵士樂和馥郁醇厚的拿鐵敘說他們的傳奇。

拉丁語的格數和動詞變化是魔術師，耍着邏輯的戲法，可是有時卻會上演不軌距的演繹。香奈兒﹑愛瑪士﹑三 宅一生﹑凡賽斯以文字和圖片展示他們的藝術與傳奇。柏拉圖不在雅典，而在吉隆坡的咖啡館相隔兩千多年和我進行對話。台灣的時尚名男模娓娓說着健身﹑潮流﹑髮型﹑美容的型男秘密。

就在這個寧靜的咖啡館，就在爵士樂旋律和香醇咖啡的陪伴，我暢游於時尚和古典﹑詞語和哲學的境界之間。

而時間，在咖啡的味道和一頁頁的紙張之間悄悄逝去，是時候回家了。

逗留在咖啡館，或許對有些人來說是浪費時間嗎，可是生命總是要浪費在最美好的事物吧。在咖啡館偷閒看着自己喜歡的書，不就是一種最美妙的樂趣嗎﹖

Wheelock's Latin

Ah, finally I bought myself a copy of the Wheelock's Latin.

I found a used copy of the book in Pay Less Books. It's the fourth edition, not the latest sixth edition, but still a valuable tool to learn Latin. The book is in good condition and only costs RM20, what more can I ask for?

I really hope now I have time and energy to finish this book. I have too many books left unread.

So, now it's the time for agricola, agricolae, agricolae, agricolam, agricolā...