I spent time in Lima, Peru for business, and was surprised to learn how present Quechua is among non-indigenous Peruvians. Some words are taught in school, and the group I worked with used a Quechua word -- allyu* -- to describe an organizational idea. All the native Peruvians knew the word, but other Spanish-speakers from Argentina, Brazil, and the US did not. Which doesn't explain why it's offered alongside Turkish, Russian, and Greek, but there you go.
I was definitely surprised to see Quechua among the course offerings! As far as I know the Bay Area doesn't have many Peruvian expats; Amharic would have been a more predictable choice.
Wonderful, evocative piece on "Halbuki." Had to look up "Quechua." Then, "enjambment" and "assonance," after looking at Mendelsohn's "Odyssey" site.
I (was supposed to have) read The Odyssey in the 9th or 10th grade. The Halbuki poster brought to mind mainly the epithets in The Odyssey:
• Rosy-fingered dawn
• Wine-dark sea
• Long-tried Odysseus
• Heedful Penelope
• Discreet Telemachus
I guess if that's all I remember from "reading" a classic, it could be worse.
Mendelsohn reworks all of those familiar epithets so that the reader sees them with fresh understanding.
Thank you for your observations in the wild!
'Halbuki' has a beautiful story. :)
What lovely trouvailles! Thank you.
I spent time in Lima, Peru for business, and was surprised to learn how present Quechua is among non-indigenous Peruvians. Some words are taught in school, and the group I worked with used a Quechua word -- allyu* -- to describe an organizational idea. All the native Peruvians knew the word, but other Spanish-speakers from Argentina, Brazil, and the US did not. Which doesn't explain why it's offered alongside Turkish, Russian, and Greek, but there you go.
* allyu: roughly, extended family or clan; pronounced EYE-zhu, as I remember. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayllu
I was definitely surprised to see Quechua among the course offerings! As far as I know the Bay Area doesn't have many Peruvian expats; Amharic would have been a more predictable choice.
Love learning about allyu — thanks!
Halbuki passes the "can you sing its name to the tune of 'Shipoopi'" test for sure :')