Page 82 - Herioter 2020

Geographers Foundation’s Scotland’s Climate
Champions competition, the prize was a
inspired in dinner with the renowned TV presenter
and environmentalist.

Attenborough Eight pupils, along with Ms Hay and
Mrs Hughes, enjoyed a memorable
evening at the National Museum of
date Scotland hosted by Sir Tom Hunter.
The guest of honour was, of course, Sir
It is not every day you get to eat David Attenborough, who spoke about
dinner with Sir David Attenborough – his lifelong work, and how things have
but these are the circles that Heriot’s changed in documentary film-making
geographers move in. over time. He addressed deep concerns
Having been declared one of three about the Earth and the urgent need for
national winners of The Hunter action. ‘If we don’t do something right presented by climate change. It was
now we are heading for disaster,’ he an incredibly exciting opportunity for
said in stark warning. staff and pupils who now plan to use
Sir David’s message as a catalyst to
Sir Tom Hunter and classical violinist
Nicola Benedetti added to the sense promote and encourage sustainability
of urgency, encouraging us all to ‘think awareness within the Heriot’s
outside the box’, and to collaborate community.
and listen to young people’s ideas to The Geography Department
find solutions to the huge challenges and EARTH

Linguists solve S6 host charity dinner with Ken Hom

language riddles

Linguistics is the study of language itself as
opposed to one specific language like French
or German. In linguistics you are asked
to transliterate texts or vice versa – this
means taking letters from one language and
putting them into their English equivalents
regardless of their meaning. Translation is
going from one language into ‘good’ English
or English that a native speaker would
understand. In order to arrive at the correct
answer, you must examine the grammar and S6 students cooked with Ken Hom and chefs from Prestonfield House Hotel
the pronunciation of the language as well as to create a Chinese banquet for 90 guests. Don Sloan, of Oxford Cultural
trying to understand the interesting symbols Collective, held an ‘in conversation’ with Ken during which guests learned
present in that specific language. Often about the celebrity chef’s life, and the evening was rounded off with a charity
people who enjoy subjects like computing, raffle and auction. More than £11,000 was raised for Action Against Hunger
cryptography, or even maths, find linguistics and the CEO of the charity, Jean-Michel Grand, travelled from London to
fun. attend the dinner. He described the evening as a ‘sharing of food, kindness and
Pupils from S1 to S6 came to the Modern generosity’.
Languages Department to enter the The S6 pupils – all of whom have learned their trade in cookery interest
United Kingdom Linguistics Olympiad. classes this session – worked incredibly hard in the kitchens for two days and
They attempted to interpret passages impressed the chefs with their hard work, team work and enthusiasm. The
of languages from Ancient Cypriot to an great atmosphere and delicious food led to a wonderful event, culminating in
aboriginal Australian language. The school a moving standing ovation from the diners. The S6 cookery class comprised
has previously had teams who have received Adam Tyler, Andrew McCall, Caitlin Greenlees, Douglas Blood, Eilidh Redpath,
bronze and silver awards and we hope to
achieve the same high standard this year. Ethan Davis, Gregor Whyte, Jasmine Mitchell, Kyle Thomas, Milly Hean and
Rory Tait.

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