#1000 word essay for grammar

[katnissdoesnotfollowback]

Good luck on any final exams, papers, etc., you have and congrats on your upcoming graduation! <3

Thanks, love. I’ll need the luck. I’m at a weird point where I’ve started working on everything �� and finished none of it yet…

[ajhediting]

Hello Tumblr Writers!

Are you having trouble organizing your thoughts on the page?

Does your writing feel repetitive or incomplete?

Do you just want someone to look over the spelling and grammar?

Let me edit for you!

Services I Offer

Proofreading is checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, and layout. This is the most basic kind of editing but actually happens last—it’s very difficult to properly proofread something that is disorganized or needs more work. If you've already gone over everything and are sure it's all where it's supposed to be, I recommend the proofreading service to catch the grammatical and spelling errors that you might've missed.

Copy editing includes proofreading and checking the formatting and style. This would include making sure everything follows the style guide you’re using, such as APA, MLA, or CMoS. I recommend this more for academic writers because professors and journals are usually very strict about following style guides.

Line editing focuses on the flow of the writing on a paragraph level—things like word choice, sentence structure, and concision. I recommend this service if you feel that you're having trouble finding the right words to communicate your idea or if your writing feels too wordy.

Content editing focuses on the flow of writing on a chapter or section level—things like rearranging or deleting paragraphs and pointing out incomplete sections to improve readability. I recommend this service if you want help organizing your writing or identifying places that need more work.

Types of Writing I Edit

Fiction

My favorite genres are fantasy, sci fi, and horror, but I can edit whatever genre you write

I prefer not to edit graphic/explicit sex scenes, but it’s negotiable

I will not edit anything that supports racist, sexist, queerphobic, xenophobic, or other bigoted ideologies

Any length, from comic panels to novels

Nonfiction

Persuasive essays, informational texts, instructional guides, etc.

Any length

Academic

Anything you’re going to submit for a grade or evaluation

I have degrees in applied linguistics/discourse studies, anthropology, and psychology, so I’m best able to edit those subjects and related or similar subjects

For other subjects, message me about your writing and I’ll tell you what I can do with it

To avoid issues of academic integrity and fraud, I offer more limited services for academic writing. Message me for more information

Minimum 1000 words (about 4 double-spaced pages)

Rates

Proofreading: $15 USD per 1000 words

Copy editing: $17 USD per 1000 words

Line editing: $20 USD per 1000 words

Content editing: $22 USD per 1000 words

Rates may be negotiable on a case-by-case basis.

If you feel self-conscious about the quality of your writing, don’t worry! I understand that English is a difficult language, that getting words on the page is a hassle, that sometimes what's in our brains doesn't want to show up on the page (there's a reason I'm an editor and not a writer). I'm not here to judge your handle on language; I'm here to help you express your ideas and communicate effectively with your audience. I also have experience working with ESL writers and can explain both the basic rules of English and the complex things that even native English writers have trouble with.

[gotstabbedbyapen]

A Welcome Letter

Greetings to whoever is reading this,

I am known as The Pen, death by being Caesar'd with pens, and the owner of this Tumblr blog. Yes, “The Pen” is not my real name - it was just one of my pseudonyms. But nobody needs to know my real name and my other pseudonyms :)

Anyway, now that you have stumbled upon here and wanted to know what to expect from me, here are some things you can jot down!

1. I am an everything enthusiast.

This is a fancy way to say that my content is very inconsistent. Most of the time, I brainrot over Greek gods and heroes and everything in between, especially Apollo and Hyacinthus. I'm also interested in other mythological pantheons or non-mythology topics, which you'll come to see.

But my hyperfixation of something does not make me an expert. Everything you see on my blog should only prompt you to learn more about the “new thing” I just discovered, not accept it as a fact right away. I might be wrong. I might be missing something. I have a lot to dig through, and so do you.

2. I am a professional shitposter.

If the discoveries are too complicated and must be written in an essay with the 1000 words minimum to fully explain them, fear not! I cannot write lengthy analyses without my pea-size brain exploding, so I will make them into memes to be more digestible.

Other than that, I will be writing incorrect quotes, doodling fanarts, and cooking other shitposts and shenanigans for no reason at all!

3. I am an amateur writer.

If the incorrect quotes are too long, I will write them into oneshots, long stories, or even series. I'm trying to improve my weird grammar and wording because English is not my first language, but I promise nothing.

My works are on Archive Of Our Own (GotStabbedByAPen). Also, also, I'm currently writing an Apollo/Hyacinthus fic trilogy called Singing For A Flower, so check out that introduction post if you're interested!

That is all you need to know for now. Whether my blog is educational or entertaining or neither is up to you to decide. I still hope you have a good time here!

Thanks for sticking to the end. Don't forget to stay safe, stay sane, and keep making the good stuff!

Love you all,

The Pen

[pettyrevenge-base]

Professor fails me because he suspects I was using ChatGPT? I'll use it now for real.

I'm doing a course with a lot of written assessments.

There was a professor that most of the students loathed. He was very eccentric and arbitrary in his application of discipline. He consistently accused me of using ChatGPT to write my assignments.

I politely and submissively pleaded my case. I offered to use Google Docs and show the professor my revision history. I had even offered to write all of my essays at his office at a time convenient to him, but this all fell on deaf ears.

I was suspended for a semester and had to repeat his class. I emailed the dean, requesting whether I could be placed in the other professor's class, but my request was met with great vitriol, with the dean threatening to expel me for scapegoating and bullying the professor.

I was in his class again and had to submit our first essay. My trick for the rest of the semester? I wrote normal 1000-word essays by myself, and then asked ChatGPT:

"Hi ChatGPT, Can you please write this 1000-word essay using the grammar and vocabulary of a high school freshman: '(Insert My Essay Here)'? Please include all points and paragraphs".

I'd then proofread and edit the essay. I've now passed his class, out of spite, deception, and by doing the very thing he'd asked me not to do.

Source: reddit.com/r/pettyrevenge

[iameliseposts]

Study For Spoils - Riddle x MC

I’m absolutely awful at proofreading, so if there are any grammar mistakes, uh oops. I hope you all enjoy!

“Textbook?”

 “Yes.” 

“Stationary?”

“Yep.”

“Scrap paper?” 

“Dude, I got everything,” You sigh, “I brought my entire bag.”

Riddle takes a seat beside you. The quiet atmosphere of the library was just right. The lights were dimmed down, suiting the evening mood. You and Riddle choose to sit at the very corner of the library. A small peaceful space for you two. 

It was hard learning about this new world. You just got thrown into these new surroundings; it's only natural to get some help. And who else to ask other than the school’s number one student? Riddle was exemplary, to say the least. You knew this first hand. After his overblot, the two of you quickly hit it off, despite the rocky start. You were basically an honorary member of Heartslaybul with how much you were over there. You were invited to all unbirthday parties or just the regular tea parties Riddle hosted. 

At first you went for your two friends, Ace and Deuce. They needed help with edicate anyways, let’s be real. However now… spending time with Riddle was enjoyable. You couldn’t the times you giggled into your teacup while Riddle was being, well Riddle. And he *never* got mad at you for breaking a rule. Most people would have gotten a 1000 word essay or extra work as punishment, but you merely got a curt reprimand. It was clear Riddle was trying really hard to be laid back for you. Oh how wonderful it feels! 

It was only natural you gained feelings. He was so dedicated and diligent, you couldn’t help it! And he was so sweet. You already expected your feelings to be one sided. He was already in a long term relationship with his schoolwork. However, each day only increased your feelings for him. He helped you numerous times with work and was still helping. 

“Alright, so. Before we go onto more difficult minerals,” Riddle started, “let’s start with some of the more known ones. I’m sure you’re familiar with Magestones?”

“Yes I am,” You preen, feeling proud of yourself for knowing. “They’re the stone on your pen! Oh, and on Grim’s collar! Despite being known as common, it does take some effort to get a sizeable amount.”

Riddle smiled, pleased with the response, “Yes correct. You’ve been studying well.”

“It's because I have a great tutor!” You replied immediately. After all, you wanted to tell him how much he’s helped you.

Riddle’s cheeks turned a little pink as he looked away. “Please, it's because of your efforts. You put in the work and are now rewarded.” 

You pouted a bit. ‘Come on!’ You thought furiously, ‘At least some of the credit is Riddle’s! Why won’t he accept it??’ You wanted to scoot closer to reply, but you underestimated how sturdy the chair was. 

You got launched forward and you heard Riddle call your name. It all happened in a blur. Riddle had tried to catch you, but ended up falling underneath, with you. Fortunately, the fall was soft for you. After all, you landed on… Riddle’s chest??

“AH I’M SO SORRY!” You nearly screech, lifting your head off his chest. You got on your hands to stop invading his personal space, but now you went and pinned him to the floor.

You look over at Riddle to apologize again, but he was staring at you. His face was bright red, redder than his hair. This usually meant he was furious and no one should be within a 100 meter radius from him, but he looks flustered. Or maybe shy? He was looking longingly at your lips. *Pitter patter pitter patter* You hoped he couldn’t hear your speeding heartbeat. …Okay, you made a decision. Which was basically a gamble on your feelings. 

You bent down, closing in on Riddle’s lips. But right before both your lips touched, you whispered, “May I?” Riddle was an actions over words person. And he responded by crashing his lips into yours.

Riddle was sheltered his whole life. He didn’t make many friends, let alone actual relationships. He didn’t know how to kiss properly. His teeth bumped into yours and his lips were stiff. …But it was the most magical thing you’ve seen in this world. You balanced yourself up on one hand and caressed his check with your free hand. He seemed to relax with your touch.

You pulled back to give yourself air. Riddle panted a bit, not used to these activities in the slightest. You never would have thought he would divorce homework for you, but you were endlessly happy. “You know,” you started, “I’d study more if you rewarded me some.” 

Riddle’s eyebrows raised in surprise before he gave one of his adorable and genuine smiles. “Alright. I’ll spoil you if you do well on the self test about minerals that I brought.” 

Oh right, you forgot about that.

[hrefgopuram]

substack overview

In late 2012 I started a writing project I called 1000 word vomits, with the intent of writing one million words in 1,000 sets of 1,000 words. The idea is that they would be mostly unedited, mostly rambling streams-of-consciousness, and yet be at least somewhat mindful of taste and sense. As of June 2023, I’ve written 825/1000 wordvomits. I’ve learned a lot a long the way, become a much better writer, and one of the things I’ve learned as a result is the importance of doing reviews. The word “review” is unfortunately a bit cluttered conceptually. The etymology of the word means simply “to view again”, but it’s come to additionally mean “with a critical lens”, such that we expect book reviews and movie reviews to tell us “whether it’s any good”. Which isn’t necessarily bad, unless it’s all there is.

Still, words are worth messing around with, and I’d prefer to use the word “overview” – in part because I’d like to avoid the judgemental connotations of “review”, and in part because I’m enamoured with the concept of “the overview effect”.

Back to the importance of reviews or overviews – so one of the things that frustrated me with my wordvomits project is how much I repeated myself, kinda “senselessly”. My view on this is itself evolving – I was most recently struck by a quote from Marshall Mcluhan’s Understanding Media where he talked about how oral traditions tend to have very cyclical ‘texts’, where you could get the point pretty quickly, but the meta-point is to go around and around on the subject so that you really get into it from all angles

Even so, I feel like there are smart ways of doing this and not-so-smart ways of doing this, and I’d prefer to do it the smart way. And the smart way in my current view is to not leave things so much up to chance, but to re-visit, re-explore, re-discover. I was in a rush with my early word vomits to write as much as possible, and as a result I found myself… disoriented?

I might explain this more on second passthrough but for now why not let’s just do an overview of all the posts on this substack so far. It’s still small enough and young enough that it’s possible, so let’s do it while we can. (The sub-bullets are for my own future reference – things that I might want to write new essays about and link to.)

The essays:

1. 🔥 We were voyagers – this essay just leapt out of me in one big burst after I had published my second book Introspect. I might say it’s about Nietzschean historical sense, or about Lincoln and Pericles and their ability to contextualize, to situate their people in the world. And I think that’s a very strong clue for what the essence of Voltaic Verses is going to be about.

2. The Essays I Have Not Published – looking back from the current context I would now describe this as a pre-view, a mapping of possibilities from where I stood. Looking at it now, it’s a pretty good mapping! Almost everything I write about here, is something I still want to write about in some shape or form. What’s interesting, I think, is a sense that the tentative shapes I have used, are probably not the ones I will be using. If they were the right ones, I’d already have used them. (mindpalaces, reconceptualization work, get really unblocked, growing pains, crossing of thresholds)

3. I don’t wanna! – in this essay I honor my resistance. I don’t want to fight the guy inside me that doesn’t want to write. I want to understand him.

4. nothing is edgier than earnestness – this essay meanders, and it opens with the Ted Hughes voltage quote that subsequently birthed the name Voltaic Verses. I talk about Ray Bradbury, Calvin & Hobbes… (digressions, inner critic, grief, X-Men: First Class, ATLA, edgelords, artful incompleteness)

5. dancing with constraints, pt 1 (grammar of tweets / constraint of mediums, multiple entities hot-desking the same meatbag, few hours of mental clarity...)

6. Santa is real – this was a seasonal post for Christmas, but it’s also very much about a lot of the things I care about: ritual, ceremony, meaning, belief, truth, process, social reality. Santa is a great, well-understood entry-point for thinking about all manner of beliefs and narratives. I find myself thinking there has to be a similar post to be written about talismans, and maybe I ought to pick the Oscars or the World Cup as a corresponding event. (KWML, ritual initiations)

7. 🔥 Are you serious? – I think this is currently the piece of writing I might be proudest of. Justo, Dashrath, Hokusai. Takes time to discern who’s serious. Not talking about solemnity. Silliness is sacred. Optimize for survival. The divorce mystery. (Advanced Stupid, LinkedIn World...)

8. resonance over coherence – I think this was inspired in part by the talk that I gave in New York, which reminds me I still haven’t published a post about that. Getting unstuck. Possibility space. People-shaped. Oof/crackle-boom surprisingly true. (indescribable mental motions)

9. yeet thyself – Bradbury again. Crackle-boom. Project management is about enabling collaboration. Workaholism. Living gloriously. (funhouse mirror misunderstandings)

10. branching paths – talking about Robert Frost, nominative determinism, information architecture, forgetting aids remembering, desire paths, ant colonies (narrative logic,

11. Breakthrough! in the DMs – helped someone “figure out what they want”, why I wrote Introspect, my dislike of Ikigai, Beyonce-Apple MVP, Meryl Streep inscrutability, Dinesh, the dynamism problem (asking people about movies, cartoon model of reality...)

12. interestingness on demand – the ayylmao tension of being creative for a living, Christopher Alexander, the psychology of tryhards, smart writing, clever little shortcuts, misframed problems, internally conflicted, Jim Carrey Golden Globes quote, (demonstrate interestingness, specialization and trade, perfect imperfection...)

13. witching hour writer patterns – Chrstopher Alexander, existence stack, William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence, Ted Nelson, old emotional meanings, cultural jank, technical debt, Orwell’s Politics, /my-creative-process/...

14. the tavern and the temple – Bradbury’s “you must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you”, Chappelle’s “the guy onstage is the real me”, contemplation. Twitter is many places all at once. Sorkin’s greater fool. untangling knotted perception. wiggle room, patience, cracks.

15. when the vision isn’t manifesting — channelling divine inspiration is the easiest part of being an artist. all serious projects are projects of grief. I don’t have the luxury of going dark for 4 years without anything to show for it publicly. if I can’t write 20 perfect essays I can at least write 200 good sketches. The universe in a glass of water. Meryl Streep being inscrutable to herself. Dave Chappelle on letting the idea drive. Eilish’s “maybe trust me”.

16. stray clippings #01 —

17. maybe buy more waffle irons —the kkh waffles store bottlenecked by # of irons. the doors in junior college. asking statement customers for tshirt ideas.

18. are you having fun, son? — “to continue to have fun is to participate in a dynamic process, to adapt to the situation”

19. a stupid bravery — feel like i could write an essay in 2-3hrs. borges: artist working even when dreaming. mayer: stupid bravery. fran lebowitz: words are easy, books are not. good writers can struggle with professionalism. fantasy of a competent manager domming them. balancing assertiveness and sensitivity. matthew effect, wretchedness problem. wbw’s cooks vs chefs. jobs’ on risking failure. jeremy mann doc: don’t try to perfectly represent reality, but our experience of reality. wooten: if you can make it feel right, any note can work. christopher alexander: improve patterns by testing them against experience, by recognizing how we feel.

20. a matryoskha of possibilities —“Be slightly wary of the whole endeavor. Describe things. Look for interesting trapdoors. Make matryoshkas of meaning. Enjoy good digressions. Say how you feel, and keep going.”

21. facing reality pt1 —

22. if i’m honest with myself —

23. writing a facebook status in 2024 —

24. 7 mini-essays in a trenchcoat

25. ephemeral plaintext —

[nikpeachey]

EssayGrader - Grade essays with the power of AI

See on Scoop.it - Tools for Teachers & Learners

EssayGrader is a tool built for teachers to grade essays and papers online. Get essay feedback based on rubrics, find grammar, spelling and punctuation errors, summarize long essays and detect if an essay was written by AI.

Nik Peachey's insight:

Here’s an AI tool for grading essays and assignments. You can create rubrics to apply and get summaries of assignments too. The free version is limited to 10 assignments a month of 1000 words each.

[commissionsbyreg]

Who I am/What I offer

Hey there! My name's Regulus or Reg! I'm a student (not saying age or anything, I'm careful when it comes to online things) who wants to earn some money by doing commissions, both writing and making a Discord Server if that's what you'd like.

What you should know about me?

I started writing back in 6th grade and can write over 1000 words in less than 30 minutes

Most if not all of the money I'll make will go to helping with school expenses

I won't have the best grammar in this but I'll add some practice writing examples to show proper grammar

I actually write as a therapeutic tool

A few months ago I had no clue how to make a Discord server and now I can make a fully functional one including bots and roles in less than 2 days.

I do have limits on what I'm willing to write.

What all do I offer?

Help writing essays. Will not give the word for word simply so I don't get plagiarized and neither do you BUT, you'll find that if you can't meet the word limit for an essay, you'll be so far above it your teacher will be asking what's going on

Write stories

Make a Discord server

Help write articles

Help write blogs

Poems

Pretty much all writing

What are my limits on stories?

Anything involving nonconsensual acts-therapist said that would probably trigger PTSD

Heavily nsfw-this may change, I will need to talk to my partner about it

Drug use (outside of medications or something over the counter or something such as marijuana)-read first limit

What do I charge? Cost is negotiable by commission, especially on if it's something that causes a lot of research. I am open to discussing what is inside YOUR price range.

What do I accept pay through? Currently, Cashapp which I'll give through any messages we have after we decide on charge. I do ask for a partial upfront payment that way I'm not writing the entire thing without being paid.

My messages are open, as is an ask box to get what your wanting done easier!

-Reg

[eyelesslemur]

I know it’s not creative writing but I wanted to be quirky as a student so i did weird wordcounts like 420, 600, 1000 and trying to hit an exact number when writing essays. Like a history essay about industrial revolution would be 1700 words and so on. It’s really fun, and you understand grammar better when editing like that too

What is... a drabble?

A drabble is a type of literature that contains exactly 100 words. It's perfect as a warm-up, for a small idea on the go, or as a daily routine.

Writing less is not necessarily easier. You need to tell a story in a limited amount of words. But it's a fun idea to try it in exactly 100 words and adjust your writing accordingly.

If that is not quite enough for you, you can also expand it to a double drabble for example, which would be 200 words. And of course a triple drabble and a quad/quadruple drabble. It's still going to be tough to hit exactly that, so it's not necessarily less of a challenge.

[studyinitalymeridean]

SOP Format: A Guide to Writing a Successful Statement of Purpose

A statement of purpose (SOP) is an essay that you write to explain your reasons for applying to a particular university or program. It is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and tell them why you are a good fit for their school.

The SOP format is generally the same for all universities, but there may be some minor variations. However, there are some basic elements that all SOPs should include.

Introduction

The introduction should start by introducing yourself and stating your purpose for writing the SOP. You should also briefly mention your academic background and any relevant work or volunteer experience.

Body

The body of the SOP should be the main part of your essay. In this section, you will need to discuss your reasons for wanting to attend the university or program you are applying to. You should also explain why you are a good fit for the school and what you hope to achieve by attending.

Tips for Writing an SOP

Be clear and concise. The SOP is a relatively short essay, so you need to make sure that your points are clear and easy to understand.

Be specific. Don't just say that you want to attend the university because it is a good school. Explain why you are interested in the specific program or department you are applying to.

Be personal. The SOP Format is a chance for you to share your story and show the admissions committee who you are as a person.

Be professional. The SOP is a formal document, so you need to use professional language and avoid making any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Formatting Your SOP

Use a standard font, such as Times New Roman or Arial.

Use a 12-point font size.

Double-space your text.

Use consistent margins.

Proofread your SOP carefully before submitting it.

The Length of Your SOP

The length of your SOP will vary depending on the university or program you are applying to. However, most SOPs are between 800 and 1000 words long.

Where to Find SOP Examples

There are many websites where you can find SOP examples. However, it is important to remember that these examples are just a guide. You should tailor your SOP to your own specific experiences and goals.

Here are some additional tips for writing an SOP:

Use active voice instead of passive voice.

Use strong verbs and avoid clichés.

Use specific examples to illustrate your points.

Proofread your SOP carefully before submitting it.

Conclusion

The SOP Writing Format is an important part of the application process. By following the tips in this article, you can write a SOP that will help you stand out from the competition and increase your chances of getting accepted to your dream school.

[understandsexedlj]

Final Requirement's

Understanding Sexuality Learning Journal Course Reflection Essay Worth 50 Points

For this final exam option, you will need to write a 1000 word essay that reflects upon your overall learning experience in this course. You should use your individual learning journal blog entries to help formulate the essay. I want you to provide me detailed learning experiences so think back to what you thought you knew about Understanding Sexuality at the start of the semester and compare that with the knowledge you have, now that you have completed the course.

This is a formal assignment so spelling, grammar and formatting count. Type your document, save it in a Word document or Google Doc and attach the file for grading.

Suggestions to help you pull all of your information together. Keep in mind these are only suggestions as I want you to reflect on your own learning experiences:

Reflect on 3-5 main points there were new to you, in the material we covered throughout the semester.

Your reflection on this course and how well it is meeting your needs.

How your learning in this course is related to what you're learning in other ways.

Which do you think has a greater influence on your attitude-heredity or environment? Explain.

Which sources did you learn from the most?

Topics that you might still be unsure about?

Miscellaneous interesting facts I learned from this course....

What you disliked the most about the reflective learning....

[alewar]

How AI helps me blog

AI Large Language Model chat bots, such as ChatGPT from OpenAI is opening the doors to rapid content creations. I used ChatGPT recently to write a blog post that I was passionate about. It pertains to Comic Book stores in the era of COVID pandemic.

To help understand how I used ChatGPT, here are a few steps I took to get there (yes, these steps were generated by ChatGPT after several prompts to write the initial blog post):

Start by stating your topic and objectives clearly: In this case, the topic is the impact of COVID-19 on the comic book industry, and the objective is to discuss the challenges faced by the industry and the strategies employed to overcome them.

Ask your questions: Ask specific questions related to your topic. For example, "What were the challenges faced by the comic book industry during the pandemic?" or "How did the industry innovate to survive during the pandemic?"

Start typing: Begin typing your essay, starting with a strong opening sentence that captures the reader's attention. Use me to suggest ways to structure your essay, such as starting with an introduction, followed by the main body, and concluding with a summary and conclusions.

Use me to help with grammar: Use me to help with your grammar and spelling, ensuring that your essay is well-written and easy to read.

Include relevant data: Use me to help you research and include relevant data to support your arguments. For example, you could include statistics on comic book sales during the pandemic or information on new distribution companies.

Create tables: Use me to help you create tables and other visual aids to make your data easier to understand and more engaging.

Use a catchy title: Use me to generate a catchy title for your essay that will grab readers' attention.

Add Twitter tags: Use me to suggest relevant Twitter tags to include with your post, to help promote your essay and reach a wider audience.

Now to get to where I wanted to with my post, it was important to clarify the structure of the post, how many words, who the audience was, what grammar level, and the knowledge level of the writer perspective. Here are a few prompts I used. 1000 word essay college level grammar witty language add data add tables list references use long descriptions optimistic expert in field

Let’s not forget, these generated posts should be proof read and verified for accuracy. AI is not perfect and can give out bad responses. Think, bad inputs equals bad outputs.

What are your thoughts on AI and Large Language Models? Are these tools to make work easier? Or, are they leading us to robotic overlords?

[hunxi-guilai]

all right guys, let’s have a conversation about linguistic register, Lan Wangji, and I guess Wei Wuxian can come too

(and I do genuinely mean conversation, I’d love to hear other people’s input on this, because I did just write a long-ass post about the subjectivity of interpretation in translations)

So when I started interacting with the fandom and reading people’s fics, I got really confused by the way some folks were writing dialogue for Lan Wangji; he often sounded super awkward, spoke in fragments, and sometimes exclusively in third person. To be fair, all of those are elements of his speech at various times, but like, seeing it in English-language material felt like a really heavy-handed way of rendering it in translation?

I guess when you use third person within the first three episodes of the show, it makes a pretty big impression on the audience

This is not at all intended to be a criticism of people who are 1000% writing and creating wonderful work, which is more than I can say for myself, but I want to poke and prod and tease at some linguistic nuance here.

Take a deep breath, grab a pot of tea (this’ll take more than a cup), because we’re going to take the scenic route on this one--

First, a few notes on the Chinese language:

(blanket disclaimer that I’m not a linguist, nor have I studied this from a historical linguistics perspective, nor do I consider myself an expert in the language. I can call a taxi and charm parents over tea and muddle my way through a few centuries of classical texts, but I do not consider myself remotely close to native speaker-levels of fluency. I’d give myself a solid ‘proficient’ grading rather than ‘expertise,’ for D&D folks out there.

I am, however, very enthusiastic, and an accredited institution of secondary education gave me a degree in this field, so maybe that counts for something)

1) like a lot of languages, there’s a noticeable difference between the written and the vernacular language. We write our thoughts with a certain academic cadence for our essays and thinkpieces -- in complete sentences, with parallelism and craft. We speak our thoughts out loud in chaotic tumbles, often discarding the the first part of a sentence in favor of another, or stalling for thinking time with additional words that make no semantic sense (‘like,’ ‘so,’ ‘well’). Likewise in Chinese -- there’s 口语 kouyu, the vernacular, and 书面语 shumianyu, literally book-language (i.e. intended for printing/writing/visual consumption). 书面语 shumianyu Chinese tends to be much more elegant and streamlined; you'd buff up the vocabulary and slim down the fluff. It’s all very Hemingway, really.

(quick note: I’ll be using 书面语 shumianyu from here on out to refer to both elevated written language and elevated speaking language; think how you’d speak while presenting at a conference as opposed to with your friends. That higher conference register will probably be what I’m gesturing at when I refer to 书面语 shumianyu later on in this post, even though as a term it technically only refers to written stuff)

The important thing to note here is that, in the process of cutting out unnecessary/colloquial language to move from 口语 kouyu to 书面语 shumianyu, you’re not losing sentence-level intelligibility. Sure, there are less words; sometimes you’ll take out the entire subject of the sentence and leave it to be assumed. This is no way means that you’re speaking in fragments. Grammatically, you’re still golden.

Here’s an exchange from the show that highlights this pretty well:

Wei Wuxian：你这腿... 真的没问题啊。nizhetui... zhendemeiwenti-a / This leg of yours...there’s really no problem?

Lan Wangji：无事 wushi / No problem.

The literal, semantic breakdown of Lan Wangji’s response is 无 wu / ‘nothing,’ ‘a lack of,’ and 事 shi / ‘affair,’ ‘incident.’ He’s saying “there is no problem.” A fuller, more colloquial response might have been 我的腿无事 wodetuiwushi / there is no problem with my leg but Chinese grammar says he can skip the subject (his leg) and go straight to 无事 wushi. It’s not a sentence fragment; it’s just a very short sentence with omitted parts.

(it’s worth noting that he uses 无 wu, which is an older/more literary version of 没 mei, which Wei Wuxian uses. We’ll see this again -- Lan Wangji is eternally on a higher plane of existence linguistic register)

2) 文言文 wenyanwen / classical/literary Chinese is related to but distinct from modern Mandarin (the distinction is usually drawn between 文言 wenyan and 白话 baihua, which you could conceivably as “literary words” and “plain speak”). Modern Mandarin Chinese as we know and learn it today in classrooms is something that didn’t really get codified until the 20th century, for a large variety of reasons I’m just going to skim over with:

modernization and colonialism blah blah Lu Xun blah blah Westernization of grammar and the whole simplified vs. traditional debacle blah blah

The relationship between modern Mandarin and classical/literary Chinese is vaguely comparable with the relationship between modern English and older forms of English, depending on how far back you go. If you’re a fluent Mandarin speaker and you’re reading back to, say, the Ming Dynasty, you’re probably hitting Shakespearean levels of difficulty. You’ll want to keep commentaries close at hand, but you can parse it with some time and effort.

If you’re a fluent Mandarin speaker and you’re reading back to, say, the Han Dynasty, this is where the texts start at Chaucer levels of difficulty and only get harder from there. One thing that a lot of people don’t realize is that literary/classical Chinese has a completely different grammar system from modern Mandarin, and there are times when you can actively read the wrong meaning into a sentence even if you’re fluent in modern Mandarin, because classical grammar is out to get you straight-up different.

I’m not going to rant about classical Chinese grammar right now but boy howdy the things I could tell you

the tl;dr of classical Chinese can be summed up, like most things in Chinese, with a four-character idiom: 言简意赅 yanjianyigai. Broken down, we get:

言 yan - words, speech

简 jian - simple, brief

意 yi - meaning, intent

赅 gai - complete, full, comprehensive

So you put that together and you get something along the lines of “brief words, full meaning” to describe the sheer efficiency of literary/classical Chinese. When you think about the fact that the Chinese written language originated as carvings on turtle shells and bamboo strips, you can see why ancient scholars were highly motivated to keep things concise.

2a) another important disclaimer is that we don’t think people in pre-modern China necessarily spoke in 文言 wenyan literary/classical -- in fact, we’re pretty confident that 文言 wenyan was the elite (and elitist) 书面语 shumianyu book-language to a more widely-used vernacular (which we have little-to-no record of, because, well, it was vernacular. Spoken, not written).

(I swear I’m getting back to Lan Wangji. Eventually)

3) the Chinese language also has a Thing for four-character phrases. I actually have no idea why. But especially in 书面语 shumianyu, if you can wrangle a concept into four characters, that’s good shit. That’s some good writing right there. 

(This might have something to do with the fact that the vast majority of poems/songs in the 《诗经》Shijing / Classic of Odes have four-character lines. Or maybe because it’s the perfect combination of two binomes. Or maybe it’s just a neat syllabic unit. Truly, I’ve got nothing on this.)

A lot of the time, this tendency gets codified into 成语 chengyu / idioms, which are the bane of my Chinese learning experience established four-character phrases that everyone just...knows? Magically? Sometimes, they’ll have little fables/stories that accompany them, like 自相矛盾 zixiangmaodun (lit., ‘pitting a sword and shield against each other,’ deriving from a story about a Chu merchant who boasted that he had a ‘spear that could pierce any shield’ and a ‘shield that could block any spear,’ so a sassy passerby was like ‘what if you pit your Unstoppable Spear against your Impenetrable Shield’ and to this day 矛盾 maodun / lit. ‘spear and shield’ is the binome you’d use for the word ‘contradiction’). Other times, they’ll just be descriptive and pithy, like 五颜六色 wuyanliuse (lit., “five colors and six hues,” used to describe something extremely colorful, regardless of numerical reality) or 雨后春笋 yuhouchunsun (lit., “bamboo shoots after spring rain,” used to describe the rapid growth of something).

This isn’t to say that all literary texts are written exclusively in four-character phrases; other beloved line lengths include three-character lines, five-character lines, six-character lines, and seven-character lines, but four-character lines are special.

(If you guys are interested in more about this, the Wikipedia page on 成语 chengyu does a pretty solid break-down of four-character idioms/phrases)

4) for a show like 《陈情令》Chenqingling / The Untamed with an undefined, vaguely archaic time period, the dialogue given to the characters runs all over the place, from exceedingly modern and colloquial to referencing the two oldest poetry collections in the written tradition (actually though) and back. Characters will often kick their language into a higher register of speech to match the formality of a social situation. Wei Wuxian, in particular, has a knack for language; he’s usually exquisitely informal, but tends towards more formal language when he’s making declarations of intent. And sometimes he quotes Tang Dynasty poetry when he’s drunk. It’s really a crapshoot with this one.

I screamed a little when he quoted this poem, it’s a delight. Maybe one day I’ll write a way too long post about poetry in《陈情令》too but not tonight

All righty, to recap:

1) there are multiple registers of language, moving from the informal vernacular through the more formal written (and spoken) form and occasionally hopping up/sideways into literary/classical 

2) the higher you go in linguistic registers, the more dense and concise the language becomes. You are allowed to leave out entire subjects of sentences without making any grammar-level errors

3) the Chinese language has a Thing for four-character phrases

great, now let’s talk about Lan Wangji

(whew, finally)

Remember how I said that, the more formal you go in Chinese, the more language is slimmed down and the less characters are used?

Right. That’s Lan Wangji, but like, all the time.

It’s not that he talks in sentence fragments -- he’s just constantly speaking in a higher register.

Remember in episode 5, when Lan Qiren is grilling Wei Wuxian about a hypothetical haunting case with the unburied executioner, and Lan Wangji gives a textbook-perfect answer which might be his longest speech in the entire show rip? 

That’s it. It’s literally textbook perfect. Just take a look at his lines:

方法有三：度化第一, 镇压第二，灭绝第三。先以 父母妻儿 感之念之，了其 生前所愿，化去执念。不灵，则镇压。罪大恶极，怨气不散 则 斩草除根，不容其存。玄门行事 当 谨遵次序，不得有误。 

Lan Wangji is toeing the line between 书面语 shumianyu and full-on Classical Chinese here (he’s just missing a few 之乎者也 particles, and he’s there). If there’s a subject he could leave out, he did. If there was a four-character combination he could arrange in these lines, he did. 

You don’t need to be able to read Chinese to just look at the sheer number of four-character phrases he’s got going for himself (I tried to put spaces between the phrases and the transitional characters he’ll occasionally deign to use). He literally sounds like a textbook. If I came across this passage in a pre-Han Dynasty text, I would not be surprised.

(considering that, in ye olde days, the way you learned how to read and write literary Chinese was just by reading and memorizing a truckton of classic texts and absorbing the language through general osmosis, this actually puts  Lan Xichen’s comment to Lan Wangji it’s time for you to make some friends in a pretty interesting light. Smol bb Lan Wangji probably spent a great deal more time with books rather than playing outside, so it totally checks out that he’d talk like a book.)

(side note: this method of learning literary Chinese in ye olde days is precisely why the grammar would shift over centuries, which is why ancient 文言 wenyan is different from medieval 文言 wenyan is different from late-imperial 文言 wenyan, and one of the reasons why I’m afraid to read past 250 CE -- the grammar has literally changed when I wasn’t looking, which, to be frank, is very rude)

Actually, do you know what’s a cool scene where Lan Wangji unequivocally shifts into literary/classical Chinese?

we love episode 42 for many reasons, and this scene is one of them

When Jin Guangyao gloats about unmasking Wei Wuxian on the steps of Koi Tower, he loudly proclaims that the devious ways of the Yiling Patriarch deceived even the noble Hanguang-jun. Wei Wuxian laughs softly and says 不错 bucuo / correct. 

Lan Wangji practically interrupts Wei Wuxian; he turns to Jin Guangyao and shoots back 非也 feiye / false.

I don’t think I can overstate how definitive 非也 feiye is; this goes all the way into the grammar of classical Chinese. 也 ye is an ending particle that gets tacked onto declarative, factual statements, like 曹沫者，鲁人也 Caomo zhe, Lu renye / Cao Mo was a man of Lu or 天下非一人之天下也 tianxia fei yirenzhitianxiaye / the world of all under heaven does not belong to one person. 也 ye isn’t something you’d attach to the end of a judgement or opinion (that’s actually a different particle, 矣 yi, which shows up in 人生得一知己，足矣 / In a lifetime, having one person who knows you is enough). 也 ye is something that’s reserved for like, fact, something as incontrovertible as “person A comes from place B” or the premises of philosophical arguments.

Are we getting a feel for how absolute Lan Wangji’s denial of Jin Guangyao’s accusation is? Great, because it’s very, very absolute, and Lan Wangji’s use of the highest linguistic register available to him perfectly complements his demonstration of his undying commitment to Wei Wuxian in this scene.

Speaking of Wei Wuxian, let’s look at an exchange in episode 9, when Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji do their back-to-back battle sequence in the forest with their eyes closed:

Lan Wangji: 这幻音不仅能让人 迷失方向，还能 扰乱心神。我们现在 根本无法 集中念力. / These illusory sounds can not only make people lose their sense of direction, but also disturb one’s state of mind. Right now, there’s absolutely no way for us to gather our spiritual concentration.

Wei Wuxian: 诶，不对啊，那为什么你没事啊？/ Ei? That’s not right, then why are you completely fine?

Lan Wangji: 枭鸟幻音，心思越多越容易干扰。/ The more thoughts one has, the easier it is to be affected by the illusory sounds of the dire owl.

Wei Wuxian: 这不是明摆着欺负我聪明吗? / Isn’t this obviously picking on me for being smart?

Lan Wangji: [internally, oh my GOD, now is NOT the time for banter]

There are a few four-character set-ups in here, not as many as textbook scene, but Lan Wangji’s fighting for his life in a foggy forest so we’ll cut him some slack. In extenuating circumstances, he’ll drop down to 书面语 shumianyu / elevated vernacular. 

What is fun to look at in this exchange is how colloquial Wei Wuxian is. Not a four-character phrase in sight, and full of colloquialisms. It’s hard to render in translation, but Wei Wuxian is constantly using exclamatory particles like 诶 ei 哦 ou 呗 bei 吗 ma/me 啊 a in his speech, which aren’t usually translated in subtitles (which is a shame for this post, because they’re a dead giveaway for vernacular). I can think of maybe one time in the entire show that Lan Wangji uses one of these particles, and it’s 吗 ma/me, which also performs a grammatical interrogative function, so that barely counts.

Here is a Brief Tangent About Third-Person I Didn’t Know Where Else to Put

There are already great posts about personal names and courtesy names and titles and the etiquette of using them, so I don’t want to re-invent the wheel here, but I do want to talk about speaking in third person.

Speaking in third person performs a similar function to shifting your speech into a higher register; it effectively moves something that might otherwise be more or less colloquial into a more formal context. It’s another way of increasing distance between speaker and listener, and one that often demonstrates respect on the part of the speaker.

Ancient China and Classical Chinese has a Whole Thing About First-Person Pronouns -- there are different first-person pronouns for different situations depending on relative social status in the room, and some people are allowed to use certain first-person pronouns and other people aren’t. For example, 朕 zhen is the imperial first-person pronoun which only the emperor can use; 臣 chen is the first-person pronoun for ministers. You’ll sometimes hear 本公子 bengongzi 本王 benwang 本宫 bengong in political intrigue dramas, which are all self-referential third-person pronouns that more or less translate as this lord / this prince / this royal hall. These are used in situations where the speaker is the highest-ranking person in the room; if a prince goes and speaks to the emperor, we might hear him use 儿臣 erchen / lit. ‘this son and minister’ instead. We hear Wei Wuxian, on occasion, call himself 魏某 Wei-mou, which is a super low-ranking self-identification -- that’s basically calling yourself “some dude with the surname Wei.” You’re not even giving yourself a personal name -- that’s how unimportant you are.

committing a faux-pas and bringing back this screenshot from earlier

Lan Xichen, in episode 3, expresses his concern that he’s overworking his brother/expecting too much of him. In response, Lan Wangji says 忘机分忧而已 / Wangji is doing nothing more than dividing [his brother’s] worries (分忧 fenyou is a lovely little binome that means “to share someone’s worries and relieve their burdens,” but literally means “to divide worries”). Yes, he’s shifts third-person here, but it’s not an idiosyncratic occurrence; he’s uses the respectful distancing granted by the self-referential third-person to demonstrate respect for his brother, right after his brother expresses concern about his own uncertainties and leadership. It’s a deliberate choice, using aspects of social ritual to communicate respect.

We probably see Lan Wangji use the third-person most often in this show, but this isn’t because he’s an awkward speaker -- he’s just exceedingly formal, all the time. And since he doesn’t have a ton of lines to begin with, I think this third-person tendency came to dominate people’s impressions of how he speaks. He uses the regular (modern) first-person pronoun 我 wo plenty of times, such as --

Lan Wangji: 我想带一个人回云深不知处。/ I want to bring someone back to Cloud Recesses.

-- among other memorable moments, like 我有悔 woyouhui / I have regrets.

What I’m TRYING to say is that self-identification via names-as-first-person-pronouns is an established Thing. It’s not a weird verbal tic of Lan Wangji; in fact, it shows up with plenty of other characters (I’m fairly confident that self-referential third-person also happens with Wen Qing, Meng Yao, and Lan Xichen, off the top of my head. Is it a coincidence that these are some of the most polite characters?).

Here’s an example of Wei Wuxian using his personal name as a first-person pronoun in episode 7, when speaking to Lan Yi:

Wei Wuxian: 前辈放心，魏婴定当 全力以赴. / Rest assured, elder -- Wei Ying will of course spare no effort.

This is actually one of the few moments we can see Wei Wuxian kick into a higher register of speech -- both in shifting into third person, as well as strict adherence to four-character phrases. Look, look, Lan Zhan, he can be respectful too!

Okay, one last case study of linguistic register, this time with tears:

tears tears tears

Lan Wangji: 你要想好，此一去便是真正的 离经叛道，不容回头. / You have to think this through. This departure is proper desertion and rebellion. It will allow no return.

Wei Wuxian: 离经叛道？离那本经？叛何方道？/ Desertion of the classics and rebellion against the way? Deserting which classic? Rebelling against which way?

[flashback]

Wei Wuxian: 许我一生 锄奸扶弱。 而如今你告诉我：孰强孰弱，又 孰黒孰白？/ We promised that we would spend our lives eliminating the wicked and supporting the weak. Now tell me: who’s strong, who’s weak? Who’s wrong, and who’s right?

Wei Wuxian：蓝湛，如果我和他们之间 必有一战，那我宁愿和你 决一生死。要死，也至少死在你含光君的手上，不冤了。/ Lan Zhan, if I must fight with them, then I would rather fight to the death with you. If I must die, then at least I would die at your hands -- it would be worth it.

This post, at its inception, was supposed to be about Lan Wangji, but Wei Wuxian continues to offer an engaging and dynamic foil to Lan Wangji in every way possible so I couldn’t resist. The rain scene in episode 27 is an excellent case study of when Wei Wuxian moves from his usual, informal speech patterns into a higher register. Lan Wangji is in his usual mode of elevated vernacular, complete sentences, with two four-character phrases for the count. It’s not his most informal (that would be when he’s drunk) or his most formal (like, all the time, but the schoolroom monologue probably takes the prize).

Wei Wuxian, in his first two chunks of dialogue, is hitting the four-character phrases/idioms hard. In fact, the lines 孰强孰弱 shuqiangshuruo / who’s strong, who’s weak 孰黒孰白 shuheishubai / who’s wrong, who’s right are full-on 文言 wenyan literary/classical; the giveaway, here, is the character 孰 shu -- it’s the archaic/literary variant for 谁 shei / who. This is (I’m pretty sure) the most formal he gets in the entire show, and I think it’s worthwhile to note that he rises to this level in an attempt to reach out to Lan Wangji, of all people.

but wait! we’re not done crying yet!

Because those lines come back to haunt us in episode 43! 

It’s common knowledge that Lan Wangji borrows what Wei Wuxian said, word for word, when he’s being beaten half to death by the Lan Sect. The lines turn from

Wei Wuxian, ep 27: 如今你告诉我：孰强孰弱, 又 孰黒孰白？/ Now tell me: who’s strong, who’s weak? Who’s wrong, and who’s right?

into

Lan Wangji, ep. 43: 敢问叔父，孰正孰邪，孰黑孰白？/ I dare to ask, Uncle -- who’s just, and who’s evil? Who’s wrong, and who’s right?

Wei Wuxian, back in episode 27, was literally speaking to Lan Wangji on Lan Wangji’s linguistic register, which few (if any) other characters rise to throughout the show. So it’s no accident that Lan Wangji internalizes Wei Wuxian’s words; that when Lan Wangji turns them on Lan Qiren, he’s taken the structure of Wei Wuxian’s entire line and shifted it into the highest linguistic register possible to emphasize his utmost respect for the principles he believes in, essentially codifying it into an alternate school of thought he offers up as a challenge to the Lan Sect’s fifty-second rule: 不得结交奸邪 / do not befriend the traitorous and evil.

Conclusion

this post is so long I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t include a tl;dr thing at the end

1) various aspects of Chinese and classical Chinese make self-referential third-person and linguistic register a demonstration of distance and respect rather than an idiosyncratic mode of speech

2) in Chinese, you can cut out a great deal of a sentence in the name of elevating language without losing grammatical integrity

3) Lan Wangji is super formal, all the time

4) when Wei Wuxian kicks into a higher linguistic register, you know shit is going down

5) I’m incapable of writing short posts and it’s a bit of a problem, send aid

[snorpington-fizzlebean]

Beta Reading, Proofreading and Editing Services

Examples of my work

Seeker of Truths

Overtime

Avatar (joint project)

Snaktooth’s Last Secret (extensive editing throughout, prominent advisory role)

Monarch Sunrise (part of editing team, advisory role)

Services

These prices are a guideline, and are negotiable. Timeframes will be agreed upon while discussing payment, and I offer rush services but this will cost extra. Arrangements can be made to spread the cost in cases of very long pieces. I am happy to be discreet and will not discuss contents of unpublished works with others if you wish to keep them confidential for any reason.

Beta reading - $2/1000 words (Offered for all forms and topics of writing, including original fiction, fanfiction, blog posts, essays, or anything else you can think of) I will read your piece and correct any spelling or grammar errors I can find. I may offer constructive criticism if desired, but this is not guaranteed. Constructive criticism - $2/1000 words (Offered for all forms and topics of writing) I will read your piece and offer constructive advice on what you have done well and what I personally think you could do better, including plot and characterisation if applicable, as well as overall writing style and structure. Please note that I will be able to offer more detailed information for fandoms or topics I know, but will happily advise you on any writing you have to offer. Proofreading - $5/1000 words (Offered for all forms and topics of writing) I will correct spelling and grammar errors, edit for readability (including tweaks to word choices, sentence structure, and so on) and give you basic constructive criticism if desired.

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The Works - $10/1000 words and credit on edited work (Offered for Bugsnax fanfics only at this rate. Transformers, Sonic, or other fandoms I am familar with may be negotiable at a higher rate - DM for details) Do you have a story you would love to tell, but feel like you don’t have the skill to make it really shine? Do you have a piece of writing you’d like to see modified into something closer to my style, with my flair? This is for you. I will extensively edit your fic, working closely with you to refine it to the absolute best of my knowledge and ability, all while ensuring your creative vision is preserved and even enhanced. I will offer advice on plot, characterisation and style, as well as worldbuilding details and character creation where applicable, and work these into your fanfic if you wish. Please note that this is not a fic commission! If your piece is a work in progress and you would like my assistance throughout the writing process, I will gladly help you, but I will only edit what you give me and offer advice - I will not write your fic for you.

What I will not work on:

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Anything written for a grade, exam, or qualification

Documents with any legal ramifications

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(Image by myself and @rooniegrumps​)

[ilovedear-mimi-marquez]

This is why corner-murfee should get an award for the essay about connor murphy (an even longer essay)

Introduction

not only was she able to write something that made so much sense at 3am in the morning, she was also able to include every single reason why he deserved better, leaving the reader with no reason to dislike the character in the book or musical (except maybe the film - which is also addressed, nothing was left out!!)

it was incredibly extraordinary and despite the fact it's only 1am i am hoping to have the same essay-writing in the middle of the night luck.

the essay was absolutely amazing and anyone who hasn't read it must go and read it now, i don't care if you've never seen dear evan hansen (go and see it now) , i don't care if you don't like connor murphy (i care a lot go read the essay) and basically anything you have to say i don't care, reading the essay will solve every single problem you have

connor murphy is not a bad character at all and nobody could make him understood better than corner-murfee (read the essay now)

anyways i'm done with good writing so here is a list of words to describe how good the essay is (which will hopefully get the word count up so that i can beat however many words the original essay was - not that i want to i love the essay with all my heart)

it was fabulous amazing super tremendous superior superb stupendous phenomenal extraordinary mythical legendary mythological astonishing outstanding great cool good stunning bewildering surprising holy shit astounding substantial distinguished super cool great fab amazing wow

that somehow isn't a lot of words, and the sad thing is i actually had to look up synonyms for words to discover even half of them, and you know why that is?? no skilled writer, or practiced essay person could ever even come close to the standards of the essay on why connor murphy deserved better, because it WAS superior (go read it) and if you think this essay is good , then you will think that the other essay is even better, i mean it actually has grammar and stuff actually makes sense and somehow it has so many words and isn't just rambling (which incase you can't tell i'm relying on)

am i anywhere near 1000 ? probably not. am i gonna give up? probably

you know why? it takes skill and dedication to produce a peice as astounding as corner-murfee's on connor murphy, which is why it should be read by everyone because it is so super fab

conclusion

no essay can ever beat the one i have just read (iver and over)

the average person (me) can only write an essay for like 10 minutes before giving up

it is super cool awesome fab go read it now or else

the end

[meimae]

hello! i recently saw your immersion year in review post and become very motivated :> i’ve been slowly studying japanese for 6 years but rly need to work harder in order to pass jolt n2 in december. one question i had though was how do you structure your anki decks? i’m very interested in the kanji-grid add-on for anki, but i’m not sure what the most effective organization is for reach card. thank u! ❤️

Hi! Thanks for dropping by.

lmao pls ignore my reviews I just woke up (°͈▵°͈)

This is how I have been sorting my decks. All the sentences that I have taken from media that I haven’t reviewed goes into 例文. Usually there’s a couple of similar target words in there, and I just pick out which ones make most sense (e.g. single unknown word in the sentence, know all the grammar involved, understand the context, etc.). 漢字 is my suspended deck of the Remembering the Kanji book, and 文法 are grammar structures from the Dictionary of Japanese Grammar series that I have been neglecting, because I’m silly lmao. Everything related to vocabulary that I have reviewed goes into 語彙 and is sorted like this:

Normally, I would separate my <140 ease deck because it stresses me out, and I have to review them separately in timebox format, but for the purposes of showing you everything I know/familiar with in the grid, I’ve mixed it in as a subdeck.

I sentence mine from the media I consume, and so far that’s mostly from anime, dramas, visual novels, and books. 単語 deck is just a premade I used in the beginning to get started, they’re mostly the kind of words taught in N5/N4. 

My 片仮名 deck are all mature, suspended cards, because they’re usually English borrowed words and to review them would just add to the time spent in Anki even if they only take a few seconds.

You’d be surprised just how much Japanese media can provide a great variety of words in all frequencies (there’s literally N1 level words in the <1000 frequency range in anime and dramas), and I haven’t even mined/tapped into all of them (news, manga, magazines, podcasts, Youtube, etc.), so if you haven’t made attempts to consume Japanese media, start small, start easy, and most importantly, start now.

For the Kanji Grid addon, I usually just target 語彙, because those are the cards I’ve learned so far. The Field Name depends on what you have set as your target word field. Mine is Sentence, since I mostly used sentence cards in the beginning, and it’s essentially a requirement to know every word in them. 

Clicking Generate will produce an image that you can save, like this:

lmao my <140 deck is murdering me

Anyway, this has turned into an essay, but I hope this helps you figure out how to set up your decks to make the grid give you accurate results.

Good luck with your studies!