Hello English language learners and friends of Blue Noun English Language School Perthshire! Today our English language school for creative minds talks snow and rejoices in new ways of seeing our familiar landscape.
This blog is written with a nod to John Berger‘s seminal ‘Ways of Seeing‘ – a textbook series of 7 essays on visual culture, which are familiar to students of art history.
“In Ways of Seeing, Berger explains how images have layers of deeper meaning beyond what they show on the surface: they can offer a valuable document of how their creator saw the world, but their underlying politics can also be obscured or mystified in order to uphold the powers that be.”
GradeSaver, “Ways of Seeing Summary”
I’m using this notion to re-look at a local landmark – a standing stone – which is sort of ‘reproduced’ by its layer of fresh snow, and which confirm Berger thesis that creators’ intentions are impossible to know fully.
New Ways of Seeing
Snowfall changes our landscape startlingly and while it largely masks elements – it is also capable of revealing them with great effect.
“As you approach or leave Crieff along the A822 you can easily pass this stone by. Which would be a pity, as it’s quite a giant standing alone just above the slight ridge in the field. And in times gone by, not only were there other standing stones here as companions, but a cluster of other prehistoric pits, enclosures and linear markings were all around this very spot. Some of them are visible as faint crop-marks even today, but they remain unexcavated and we are left (presently) in the dark as to their nature.”

Inform Yourself and Look Again

“This is serious megalith country!”
“As a megalithic complex, this area [Strathearn] is outstanding.”


See for yourself when you join us to learn English in Perthshire!

Additional Notes on using our blog:
These ‘conjunctive adverbs‘ are less frequently used in conversation, but extremely useful for written prose and presentations as they guide the reader comfortably from point to point (and give an air of authority and confidence).

Blue Noun English Language Challenge
We hope you’ve enjoyed our dip into the built environment of Strathearn, Perthshire.
We cover a broad range of topics in our language school blogs – some a lighthearted look at Scotland, others an in-depth look at art and culture. There’s something for everyone.
If you’ve liked this blog, you might want to read our English tips blog:
5 ways to use BBC Radio to learn English here.
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