dios Achilleus

An examination of the grammatical dual number (so we have singular "I, she," plural "we, they," and then the dual "we-two, they-two") in ancient Indo-European languages (specifically Greek, Old Norse, and Old English). I hypothesize that the dual was used to indicate a certain level of intimacy, sort of like how we say "They make a cute couple" and not "They make a cute relationship" (where "they" is an understood "they-two"). A prominent example is in the Iliad when the dual is used of a hero's name, but it refers to the hero and his squire (a term I use for simplicity of explanation). But the plural is also used to refer to two things, so the dual wasn't mandatory. Since it wasn't mandatory, that allows for more nuance, as my hypothesis suggests. I'm afraid I cannot think of a good example in English at the moment, but it might come to me later. Any other questions, I'm happy to explain further, but that's the gist of it. What about you? I'd be happy to pass around my proposal or personal statement via PM. Crystal, if you have a good idea of what makes a good personal statement, I'll let you look mine over to see how well it conforms. Anything to help out future competition, er, I mean, applicants. ; ) EDIT: Just reread my personal statement. Damn, I write good! haha

Ah, Louisiana! It was only about an hour and a half from my undergraduate university. Great for a weekend trip. I'm sure you've tried the various local beers. Do you prefer the Abita or Covington brews? I had the same happen to me. After being rejected, I realized this wasn't just a game, this was real, something I wanted to do with my life. I think a lot of us probably get into a mode of applying for things and then having the red carpet rolled out. Fulbright was a wake up call to me, that the best things in life are being competed for by peers and equals. My main undergraduate professor helped me define a project on my first attempt and directed me towards universities in Germany that would fit the project. In looking back, I think that was part of my problem in the proposal, it wasn't my project and so I didn't know what to say. For this attempt, I started last February hunting down an affiliate professor in Norway (I like the Germans, but I love Norway), found one in March, said "these are some ideas I have," and she said, "great, pick one and show me some preliminary research. Is this tenable?" I'd then do a little research inbetween other stuff, email her, she'd respond, critique, and advise further names to look under for research, and we'd rinse and repeat all summer. By the end, I had an amazing grasp of a topic that I picked out, an affiliate who knew me and my project fairly well (all things considered, which is a great show on NPR, btw), and a tenacity that could not be contained. I wrote and rewrote my proposal based on the various critiques that different professors offered, and my personal statement was reworked more times than I can count. And here we are, days away from finding out the results of the sweat, blood, and tears. Nietzsche said, "Of all that is written, I love only what a man has written with his own blood." I think most of us can say these applications are written in our own blood, so here's hoping we all have Nietzsches judging our applications. I sincerely hope everyone who has congregated on these boards receives a grant. I've come to really like you guys and gals a lot over the last two weeks. I wish we could all get coffee together and chat about our woes....

Yep. It's already tomorrow here, so here I am, a Norway applicant, checking in for another day to week of wracked nerves! I'll be hitting refresh every few minutes, both in my email and on here (when not napping or in class : P). Best of luck to everyone who hasn't heard, even if I am Norway-centric in my hopes. Excellent choice! My family is down there. May I inquire, which state your wife is from? EDIT: gosh, I keep forgetting that this thing auto-smileys when I don't want it too. : P

Well, at T-50 minutes, I'm going to call it. No news from Norway today. Thanks, Scandinavia, thanks for leading a guy on. : P

That makes me think that tomorrow, Friday April 19th, won't be the day either.... Surely the phrasing "no later than" implies "not this week"? I am glad we'll know by the 30th, since that still gives me time to make appropriate summer plans, but I really needed to know by this weekend. Going to a conference to rub elbows with professors in potential Ph.D. programs, and it would have been nice to use "I am a Fulbright scholar" as my pickup line instead of "I am a Fulbright finalist."

I have seen Troll Hunter! I love that film. I usually describe it as "Norwegian Blair Witch Project, except they find a troll." Have you watched the German film Iron Sky? It's also on Netflix. Nazis on the moon. Hilarious.

O troll-bashing Thor, who on this day we honor in name, bless us by granting an announcement of decisions to Norway. Amen.

'grats, avocado and funk! I know what you mean, Crystal. Scandinavia must be in bad shape if Spain and Russia are announcing before Norway!

Is it safe to assume that if we haven't heard by noon on a given day that we won't hear on that day? Noon seems to be roughly when others have been notified....

It's the not knowing that's killing me. I'd rather they pierce my heart with a "Rejected" than go on in my ignorance.

I'm sure some of you have seen this, but I found it while googling this morning. A semi-official statement that the sequester is affecting Fulbright, but only slightly. No real details. http://www.facebook.com/fulbright/posts/10151470207319647

Do you mind saying which state of tornado alley you're in? Also, I feel ya on the "oh god, what was I thinking." My German used to be passable, but it has declined so much I can barely read through a research article in German, much less a book. God, I'd love to learn Finnish and Estonian. Grammar is really interesting to me. The nouns being able to function in each case without prepositions is beautiful, although it also fascinates me how prepositions begin to creep in and cases begin collapsing into each other. Thanks for this. I guess it really is the sequester that's holding everything up.

Norway applicant here. On more pins and needles than I thought possible. I found this thread last night and have been refreshing all day inbetween refreshing my email. Every time my computer says I have a new email, my heart palpitates. Now I have a whole weekend of ignorance to look forward to, and with this day passing, the last day I knew to expect a response, I now have no idea when the wait will be over. This may be the worst feeling in the world. Having no knowledge and no expectation when information will arrive.