CHAT: Conlang/Concultural education was Re: CHAT: University Advice (was Re: A bit of advice)

On Fri, 8 Sep 2000, Yoon Ha Lee wrote:

>ObConLang: *education* in concultures/conlangs?  Education in mine is
>associated with the magistrates, who form the scholarly elite, in Qenar,
>though the word for "knowledge" connotes more wisdom/enlightenment (in a
>vaguely Zen-ish sense) than book-learning.  Education in Qenar is a
>privilege of the wealthy, and there "knowledge" connotes more
>philosophy/ethics.
There is no educational system amongst the Talarians. Most Talarians
are therefore illiterate (as far as Philosophers are concerned); but
then again, the average Talarian who spends his entire life amongst
herds of animals and out in the fresh air probably knows twice over
what some two bit philosopher does about natural history, university
degree not withstanding. There are wandering scholars, though, who
generally start out as "keepers of Tradition". I suppose we'd call
em bards or seanachies. Some are later trained by a temple to read
and write and all the various subjects considered important by
Educators. These people lead a wandering life teaching a little,
reading and writing letters for people, reciting history and the
like. Those that remain in the Capital tend to take positions as
Government Clerks or minor clerics. Others enter the formal
priesthood.

The Eastern Romans on the other hand, are simply mad for education.
The Empire sponsors local schools for youngsters, who learn to read
and write; to cipher, conjugate, rhetorically elaborate, and all that
jazz. Such schools are not compulsory, though, and are most often
found only in larger towns and cities. They have universities as well,
where one can take one of several degrees in just about any topic
(except anything related to medicine). They have four degrees: the
first three roughly correspond to the three you can get at *here*'s
universities (librettos , magistras, & doctor); while the fourth is
granted to a doctor in at least three different branches of knowledge
(except medicine) and is called philosophas. They are often more full
of themselves than any philosophy, but there you are.

The most impressive university in the world is, of course, the great
university at Alexandria in Africa. Certainly one of the jewels of the
Western Empire.  Having some 3.000.000 books at present, as well two
dozen colleges (including medicine!), observatories, laboratories and
ultra modern surgical theaters. [They have a rudimentary knowledge of
asepsis, for example; and instruments that are a lot less related to
those of the Torturer than in most other places in the world.] Most
other doctors around the land snort and say "Bloody Egyptians!"

Padraic.

>YHL