SCOTS Project - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk Document : 866 Title : Correspondence from Canada: Letter 18 - 14.11.81 Author(s): 852 Copyright holder(s): Name withheld Text The Maggie Sat 14th Nov. Dear Mum & Dad, Thanks for your 3 letters, which I received last week. Thanks too for the lecture notes, and, most important, the birthday presents, which arrived yesterday. The scarf is great and the photo album's just what I need. I've only just started my Christmas shopping, so I'm afraid my presents will be late getting to you. Temperatures dropped sharply this week, and it snowed for the 1st time on Wed. - Remembrance Day. Only a light fall though, just enough to cover the ground with a thin layer of ice. Today is lovely and sunny, though, even warm. Work is still piling up, and it's really going to be a rush to be finished for Christmas. I saw the 1013 class again yesterday. They'd told Prof. [CENSORED: surname] last week that I was a nice guy but they couldn't understand a word I said! They seem nice enough kids, but there's about 3 French-speaking Canadians in the class who have difficulty with the language (and especially mine, I suppose.) My phone number is: AREA CODE [CENSORED: phonenumber] NUMBER [CENSORED: phonenumber] If you get the no. for Canada out of the directory, or I think it's actually in the list of area codes, you should be able to dial direct. I'm in Room 126. We'll arrange a day and time later, but if you ever wish to get in touch with me urgently, I'm usually in on Sunday mornings. Remember I'm 4 hours behind you! All in all it's been an uneventful week. There was a party at the Faculty Club for graduate English students and staff on Tuesday evening but it was pretty dire. I've decided that next term and over the summer I'm going to try and learn some elementary Arabic - I have access to a tape course if I can get the handbook from one of the anthropology profs. I've asked Alison for Teach Yourself Arabic for Christmas. Yes, I heard about Al's English escapade. If she got 9/20 for a totally inadequate piece of work, I wouldn't worry. The more she reads and becomes familiar with her subject, naturally the more she will be able to write. I wasn't really writing essays of adequate length for English until 4th year. A lot depends on her ability to grasp what are the essential points in an argument. She'll be OK. Remember I struggled at the beginning. From her letters I gather she's enjoying herself, anyway. Glad to hear that Dad's still running the Church like a well-oiled machine, and that the house is gradually being transformed. I hope you enjoy(ed?) your weekend at the Hydro with the Greigs. Mark's gone away this weekend to Dunblane Hydro - what am I saying!! - I mean, Prince Edward Island (Anne of Green Gables-land) with his girlfriend, Barbara, so I've the room to myself. Wow! Take care, and give my best to all, Love, [CENSORED: forename] This work is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. The SCOTS Project and the University of Glasgow do not necessarily endorse, support or recommend the views expressed in this document. Information about document and author: Text Text audience Adults (18+): Audience size: 3-5 Writer knew intended audience: Text details Method of composition: Handwritten Year of composition: 1981 Word count: 510 Text medium Other: airmail Text publication details Part of a longer series of texts: Name of series: Correspondence from Canada Text setting Private/personal: Text type Correspondence/letters: Author Author details Author id: 852 Gender: Male Decade of birth: 1950 Educational attainment: University Age left school: 17 Upbringing/religious beliefs: Protestantism Occupation: University Lecturer Place of birth: Ayr Region of birth: S Ayr Birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Country of birth: Scotland Place of residence: Bridge of Weir Region of residence: Renfrew Residence CSD dialect area: Renfr Country of residence: Scotland Father's occupation: Insurance Broker Father's place of birth: Auchinleck Father's region of birth: S Ayr Father's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Father's country of birth: Scotland Mother's occupation: Dental Receptionist Mother's place of birth: Ayr Mother's region of birth: S Ayr Mother's birthplace CSD dialect area: Ayr Mother's country of birth: Scotland Languages: Language: English Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In most everyday situations Language: Portuguese Speak: Yes Read: No Write: No Understand: Yes Circumstances: When trying to communicate with my in-laws Language: Scots Speak: Yes Read: Yes Write: Yes Understand: Yes Circumstances: In domestic/activist circles; reading literature