The wording of a question.

funky penguin

Assignment......

"What can princely burials tell us about continental Iron Age society?"

The adjective "princely" - would you consider it to be strictly male in its regard to burials? ie, do you think I can discuss only male burials?

Apparently my tutor thinks so, (I only found out today, I missed my last turoial). However, my whole assignment (which I'm half way through) stands on two large burials, one a female. Moreover, I disagree with her take on the word. Opinions?

funktastic

it's very specific to your course. Try asking your lecturer.

funky penguin

Its, eh, due tomorrow.

Its really my own fault. If I had attended the tutorial I could have argued with her then.

Edit: when used the in the source material, the word is used in an asexual context.

humbert

it doesn't much matter is someone disagrees with her here though the wording is ambiguous. for example a princely sum.

Exar Khun

When I read 'princely' in this context I think of princely as like, of, or pertaining to royalty or nobility. I think stretching the umbrella to fit in females of royalty should be acceptable. I presume this is for archeology and I am not very well acquainted with this school and their rules. Furthermore I dont know much about Iron age societies burial practices and thus the treatment of male only princes could be an important anthropological insight into the society of the time so using only one male example could limit your essay.

P.S. I love semantics.

funky penguin

humbert wrote:

it doesn't much matter is someone disagrees with her here though the wording is ambiguous. for example a princely sum.

Yeah, thats what I kept thinking. To be honest I think I've made my mind up, I just needed some sort of validation from my peers I think.

Or......I just needed a distraction from a tedious essay.

Thanks for the feedback.

funktastic

Best thing to do then is state at the start of the essay your interpretation of the word (as it is pretty ambiguous). Then put forward your argument.

If your tutor has an issue with it later you can say that the question was very vague and this was the way you saw it. I'd say you'll be fine then

funky penguin

Exar Khun wrote:

When I read 'princely' in this context I think of princely as like, of, or pertaining to royalty or nobility. I think stretching the umbrella to fit in females of royalty should be acceptable. I presume this is for archeology and I am not very well acquainted with this school and their rules. Furthermore I dont know much about Iron age societies burial practices and thus the treatment of male only princes could be an important anthropological insight into the society of the time so using only one male example could limit your essay.

P.S. I love semantics.

Yep, tis archaeology, and you basically have given my reason for not choosing purely male burials.

funktastic wrote:

Best thing to do then is state at the start of the essay your interpretation of the word (as it is pretty ambiguous). Then put forward your argument.

If your tutor has an issue with it later you can say that the question was very vague and this was the way you saw it. I'd say you'll be fine then

I think this is the route I shall be taking.

Again, thanks for the feedback.