2024 School Magazine

Chinese

Chinese at Brisbane Girls Grammar School has been an insightful and rewarding experience. In the junior years we learned about foods native to China in Year 7, shopping and traditional Chinese festivals in Year 8, and learned to socialise with our peers in Year 9.

Throughout our journey at BGGS, studying Latin has provided us with a unique opportunity to explore a language that, despite the lack of native speakers, still influences the modern world. Beginning in Year 7 with the basics of Latin grammar and Roman culture from the Cambridge Latin Books, we found that the stories and characters from this course stayed with us over the years. As we advanced to senior Latin, we delved into more sophisticated literature and rhetoric. In Year 10, we started with poetry by Martial, providing insight into the daily activities of Roman life and introducing us to the refined art of epigrams. In Years 11 and 12, we tackled texts like Cicero’s In Verrem and In Catilinam and Vergil’s The Aeneid . These works, rich in linguistic and cultural nuances, enhanced our analytical skills and deepened our appreciation of their impact on the Roman audience. Cicero’s speeches taught us about rhetoric, linguistic subtleties, and Roman values, while Vergil’s epic poem allowed us to explore literary themes and poetic techniques through the tragedy of Dido. Learning Latin broadened our perspectives on language, history, and literature. The small class sizes fostered a tight-knit community, encouraging lively and collaborative discussions, enriching our learning experience. Being a Latin student has not only deepened our appreciation for the ancient world but also sharpened our analytical skills and broadened our perspectives. Latina lingua semper in animo erit. Camille Bloomfield (12G) and Charlotte McDade (12H) Despite the more challenging topics in the senior years and the never-ending memorisation of characters, the Chinese Curriculum will forever be our favourite. Whilst we thoroughly enjoyed learning about the places in China that we could travel to and the transport China offers, as well as immersing ourselves into the fascinating world of Chinese technology and social media in Year 10 and 11, our all-time favourite part of learning Chinese at BGGS is immersing ourselves in the senior Year 12 Curriculum. We got to reflect on our plans about what we will do when leaving secondary school, whilst also discovering the new opportunities that the world has to offer beyond the white picket fence—specifically the opportunities that will arise due to our comprehensive understanding of Chinese. The curriculum has been enjoyable and an insight into Chinese language and culture. It is safe to say that the Chinese skills we learned at Girls Grammar will be taken with us when we embark on our future careers. Stephanie Tsai (12R), Annabel Wang (12R) and Vicky Zhang (12R) Latin

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2024 | 077