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You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Further education

Linguistics Olympiad -- it's all Greek to me

18 replies

FebruaryRainandSleet · 04/02/2020 13:30

DD (who is clearly a secret masochist) has apparently entered herself for the Linguistics Olympiad at her sixth form and brought home some of the past papers at the weekend.

Dear god.

I have never felt so dim in my life.

Has anyone else's offspring been regaling them with how to introduce a widow to a giant by means of transcendental algebra, or describing the way to the underground in Uzbek?

I vaguely remember Maths Olympiads existing when I were a lass, but this is a whole new level of horror.

OP posts:

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Pepermintea · 04/02/2020 22:29

My DS has done this for the past 3 years. He found out about it himself and asked his school to enter him into it. He has always been the only one in his school doing it, but this year a girl in Year 12 is doing it too. I'm wondering if it's your DD!

steppemum · 04/02/2020 22:33

so, the questions require you to think laterally about the words? I'd love to see some examples and answers.

It sounds like Round Britain quiz on radio 4. I love that program, have not a clue how to answer and am in awe of the contestants as they unpick them.

FebruaryRainandSleet · 04/02/2020 22:35

That would be so funny - but (counts on fingers) she's Year 13. Has he enjoyed the challenge? I'm guessing so, as he's kept coming back for more?

I have managed (most of) one question. I'm feeling quite smug, even if it took all weekend, as that was the one DD couldn't get started on.

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FebruaryRainandSleet · 04/02/2020 22:44

Not even words in some cases, Steppemum -- one of them was entirely symbols!

Roughly speaking, the questions say things like 'This is how you say in Obbologgle
'The goat ate my handkerchief'
'On Tuesday we eat goats'
'On Monday the boys wave handkerchiefs'

and then ask you to translate into or out of Obbologgle to work out how to say 'Will the goat be eating handkerchiefs on Sunday?'

OP posts:

steppemum · 04/02/2020 22:48

Oh i could do that, that is more like a logic puzzle or basic code
(like some of the 11+ stuff I teach)
I think I need to find some to look at, they sound like fun.

Are they just called linguistics olympiad questions?

FebruaryRainandSleet · 04/02/2020 22:50

ioling.org/problems/2003/

Have fun!

Yes, it's very like coding in some ways.

OP posts:

forkfun · 04/02/2020 23:06

Oh, just had so much fun with transcendental algebra! Thanks OP!

Pepermintea · 05/02/2020 07:53

Yes, it's actually quite logically and mathsy, but having an understanding of how grammar can work in different languages helps!

DS really enjoys it and has got through to follow on rounds. I am no help (I don't even try) but DH is also quite into languages so they sometimes have some fun conversations that I don't understand!

FebruaryRainandSleet · 05/02/2020 16:29

DD can't risk going through to the next round as it would clash with drama. I don't think there's much risk of it, anyway: she just wanted a fresh challenge.

Good luck to your DS. Isn't it great when they dive off down turnings that you would never even have heard of?

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lazylinguist · 05/02/2020 16:33

I'm a language teacher and had somehow never heard of this until last week when it was mentioned on the MFL page of the website of a school where I was applying for a job. Amazing stuff and right up my street, but very difficult! Kudos to any of your dc who can even attempt it!

exexpat · 05/02/2020 16:36

At least one of my DCs has done it and enjoyed it. Some of the exercises are very similar to what you get in the aptitude tests for doing linguistics at Oxford. If anyone's DCs really enjoy it and do well, that could be the next step.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 05/02/2020 21:02

You have just made me very happy. Thank you!

ChanChanChan · 05/02/2020 21:06

DD yr 12 just did this today, she said it was really hard!

MacavityTheDentistsCat · 05/02/2020 21:15

Had never heard of this. I love it - it's brilliant! Thanks so much and good luck to your DD!

FebruaryRainandSleet · 05/02/2020 21:34

Ooh, don't tell me any of the questions, ChanChan, as DD is doing it later in the week!

OP posts:

steppemum · 05/02/2020 21:36

can someone explain the transcendental algebra one?

I have foudn a few on-line, not easy, but great fun.

I think dd1 would like this, I'm going to find some to try on her (and, just realised that linguistics is actually a GREAT thing for her, as she loves languages and maths. I had never made the connection before)

FebruaryRainandSleet · 05/02/2020 21:44

It's a bit hard to explain without the symbols, but:
Think of them as little cryptic pictures.
i is a person.

i is a bigger than usual person (hence giant)
n(i) is a number of people, plural people
n(>i) is plural giants etc

Subscripts 1, 2, 3 indicate first, second, third person (I, you, he/she)

Is that enough to get you started?

OP posts:

rsmithson00 · 13/04/2020 14:09

I did Linguistics Olympiad papers to train for the Oxford admissions exam - it's really helpful to get an extra piece of paper and write down the meaning of each new word as you discover it. This means you can remember them more easily and don't have to retrace your steps! Eg:

nom (name)
tocar (to touch)
tocan (touch, 3rd person plural)
etc...

It really is just an exercise in logic, but be careful to watch out for things like cases (it'd helpful if you've studied German or Latin) or active/passive verbs.

Good luck!

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