Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"

In a world where English – and its attendant writing conventions – is the dominant language of research, it becomes increasingly important to explore academic patterns of writing and teaching, and their related etymologies. In particular, this article investigates the relationship between the Norweg...

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Main Author: Tom Muir
Format: Article
Language:Danish
Published: The Royal Danish Library 2017-11-01
Series:Kvinder, Køn & Forskning
Subjects:
Online Access:https://tidsskrift.dk/KKF/article/view/110552
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author Tom Muir
author_facet Tom Muir
author_sort Tom Muir
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description In a world where English – and its attendant writing conventions – is the dominant language of research, it becomes increasingly important to explore academic patterns of writing and teaching, and their related etymologies. In particular, this article investigates the relationship between the Norwegian “mønster” and the English “monster”, arguing that monsters allow us to make space for new kinds of writing, new languages of thought. Monstrosity, and monstrous patterns – meanings that are available in Norwegian rather than English – let slip alternative ways of thinking about teaching, writing and teaching writing. This is done through an exploration of the work of the literary critic Barbara Johnson, who gives us three uncanny topics – prosopopoeia, monuments and repetition compulsion – that help us release the warnings (Latin: “monere”) from mønstre (Norwegian: “patterns”). The article argues that prosopopoeia, monuments and repetition can help us to hear the monster within mønstrene (the patterns). At the same time, the paper seeks a critical self-awareness of its status as an English language text about a Norwegian word. Acknowledging that these conventions are themselves historical and cultural artefacts – are mønstre – the article therefore tries to interrupt and unravel itself in the hope of making space for alternative kinds of writing.
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spelling doaj.art-51bebfed5c024f26ace4a4382d2b40672022-12-21T23:08:42ZdanThe Royal Danish LibraryKvinder, Køn & Forskning2245-69372017-11-01262-310.7146/kkf.v26i2-3.110552Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"Tom MuirIn a world where English – and its attendant writing conventions – is the dominant language of research, it becomes increasingly important to explore academic patterns of writing and teaching, and their related etymologies. In particular, this article investigates the relationship between the Norwegian “mønster” and the English “monster”, arguing that monsters allow us to make space for new kinds of writing, new languages of thought. Monstrosity, and monstrous patterns – meanings that are available in Norwegian rather than English – let slip alternative ways of thinking about teaching, writing and teaching writing. This is done through an exploration of the work of the literary critic Barbara Johnson, who gives us three uncanny topics – prosopopoeia, monuments and repetition compulsion – that help us release the warnings (Latin: “monere”) from mønstre (Norwegian: “patterns”). The article argues that prosopopoeia, monuments and repetition can help us to hear the monster within mønstrene (the patterns). At the same time, the paper seeks a critical self-awareness of its status as an English language text about a Norwegian word. Acknowledging that these conventions are themselves historical and cultural artefacts – are mønstre – the article therefore tries to interrupt and unravel itself in the hope of making space for alternative kinds of writing.https://tidsskrift.dk/KKF/article/view/110552Monster studiesBarbara JohnsonPedagogyAcademic WritingThe Uncannypatterns
spellingShingle Tom Muir
Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"
Kvinder, Køn & Forskning
Monster studies
Barbara Johnson
Pedagogy
Academic Writing
The Uncanny
patterns
title Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"
title_full Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"
title_fullStr Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"
title_full_unstemmed Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"
title_short Three Views of a Secret: The "Mønsterlig"
title_sort three views of a secret the monsterlig
topic Monster studies
Barbara Johnson
Pedagogy
Academic Writing
The Uncanny
patterns
url https://tidsskrift.dk/KKF/article/view/110552
work_keys_str_mv AT tommuir threeviewsofasecretthemønsterlig