Tei'serin was looking forward to a long trial of reading. There was no school this trial thanks to a prank that some of the older boys had pulled. They had intended to scare one of their younger sisters with a skunk; a mostly harmless, if mean spirited prank. But they had chosen the school as the place where they wanted to do it, and the prank had gotten out of hand when the skunk had gotten scared. It responded by spraying all of the children involved, and a good part of the classroom as well. Until it had a chance to air out, the stench would make teaching in the classroom impossible. Even holding class outside wouldn't work because the stench outside the school wasn't much weaker than the stench inside it. As a result, class was canceled for the next few trials until the smell could dissipate.
It was rare that she could take a whole trial to herself, and Tei'serin was planning to take full advantage of it. Her interest in the Ancient language had sparked an interest in languages in general. She liked the idea of being able to speak several languages fluently. It spoke to the teacher in her. After all, what she knew herself, she could teach. To help her feed her new hobby, she had asked Tar'isa if she knew of any good books that she could read on the subject. Since Tar'isa was the true owner of the book about the Ancient language that had mistakenly made its way to the school a while back, Tei'serin thought that her fellow Sev'ryn might be the one to help her in this. She had been right. Not only had Tar'isa been able to recommend a good book for her to start with, she had been willing to buy it for her when she when to Ne'haer so long as Tei'serin gave her the nels to cover the cost of the book. Tei'serin had done so gladly, and she planned to spend a good part of the trial reading Introduction to Linguistics.
Tei'serin made herself a quick cup of honey lemon tea, and got some paper so she could take notes on what she read. Then she made herself comfortable, and began to read.
A person who studies linguistics is called a linguist. The core aspects of linguistics are syntax, phonetics and semantics. All three aspects will be introduced in this chapter, but a full understanding of them is an undertaking that can require arcs of study. The first aspect of linguistics that we will discuss is syntax. Syntax is is the set of rules, principles, and processes that govern the structure of sentences in a given language; specifically word order and punctuation. More simply put, it is a form of grammar that is concerned primarily with word order in a sentence, and with the agreement of words when they are used together.
Tei'serin wrote the word syntax down, and jotted a brief definition for it on one of her sheets of paper. Not only was she likely to learn a lot from this book, but she might be able to use some of it in her lessons for her students.
Every language has rules of syntax. To the linguist, the essential rules are descriptive. They are the rules which underpin the life of the language, and as such, are extremely slow to change.
As Tei'serin continued to read, she realized that she knew some of these things already. Not coming from a standpoint of studying linguistics, perhaps. But word order? The "agreement of words"? Knowing when to use has instead of have, or are instead of is? These were things she had learned as a child. More importantly, she taught them now, as a teacher. She just hadn't realized that these "rules" were called syntax.
Someone who studies this branch of linguistics is known as a phonetician. In order to produce sound, people use different body parts such as the lips, tongue, teeth, pharynx, and lungs. Phonetics is the study of the human ability to make and hear sounds which use the vocal organs of speech, especially for producing oral language. A phoneme is the smallest unit in the sound system of a language. One example of this is the p in the word pin. Phonology is the study of how languages treat these sounds. The two branches of study are closely related, but at the same time, are distinctly different.
Once again, Tei'serin found herself jotting down notes. It was her hope that breaking down what she was learning into simpler terms would benefit her students. She also took note of another similarity to what she had already known. Sounding out words, which was essentially phonetics...was how children learned how to read. It was also how they learned to pronounce bigger words.
Semantics is the study of relationships between words and how we construct meaning. In other words, it means the meaning and interpretation of words, signs, and sentence structure. Semantics largely determine things like our reading comprehension, how we understand others, and even what decisions we make as a result of our interpretations. Philosophers also have an interest in this field of study because it has an impact on the way they debate the essence of meaning, how we build meaning, how we share meaning with others, and how meaning changes over time.
Tei'serin took some more notes, then paused to think about what she had learned. It was interesting to see the way different branches of study interacted. She never would have thought that philosophers would be interested in an aspect of linguistics. After a few bits, Tei'serin started to go back to her book. But a lingering sense of guilt made her hesitate. Although she could tell herself that she was studying linguistics to help her students, the truth of the matter was that she was doing it for herself. And that made her feel both guilty, and uneasy. She had learned her lessons as a young child well; doing what she wanted to do instead of what Thorin wanted her to do was a quick way to get herself punished. Even now that Thorin was no longer living with her, Tei'serin felt uneasy when doing something just for herself.
She still had plenty of time to read, though, and her vague feeling of uneasy wasn't enough to make her give that up entirely. So she set her linguistics book aside in favor of her encyclopedia on herbs. Learning about new herbs was always something that fascinated her, and since it was knowledge that would benefit others as well, she could read about them to her heart's content without the slightest bit of guilt for "wasting" her trial.
Herbal remedies come in many different forms. Teas are perhaps the most common. But there are also herbal salves, poultices, creams, lotions, balms, ointments, infusions, essences, and tinctures are also useful. The true herbalist knows how to make them all, and when one remedy is more useful than another.
Tei'serin was instantly fascinated by what she was reading. She knew how to make herbal teas, tinctures, and salves. And she had heard of some of the other remedies. But others, like herbal essences were completely unheard of to her. Tei'serin eagerly grabbed her herb journal, and began to wrote as she read.
Creams and lotions are water based remedies that contain varying amounts of fat. Lotions contain very little fat while creams require more. Salves, balms, and ointments are oil based remedies. Little, or no water is used in making them. They can hold their shape outside the container but may “melt” on contact with body heat. The levels of wax, or lard used in making them determine how solid they are.
Tei'serin quickly wrote down some detailed notes. Then she skimmed through them before adding a little more information. She wanted to make certain that she got everything down right. She had never worked with lotions, creams, balms, and ointments before. And while she had done a little work with salves, she was far less familiar with them than with teas.
In order to make an herbal poultice, dried herbs are mixed with warm water until a paste is formed. This paste is then applied to the injury. Once applied, the poultice should be covered with a layer of cheesecloth or linen to prevent it from coming off. This in turn is held in place with a bandage for added protection. Fresh herbs can be used in place of dried ones when making a poultice. When doing so, they must be chopped, then ground in a mortar with a pestle until the fluid is released and a pasty texture achieved.
Tei'serin was especially interested in poultices because they could be used on animals as well as people. In a farming community like Treth, many of her patients were animals, so she needed to know how to treat them, too.
An herbal infusion is a stronger version of an herbal tea. In order to make one, an ounce of dry herb is covered with a quart of boiling water and allowed to steep for up to 10 breaks. The mixture is then strained and the liquid must be allowed to cool before drinking. An herbal tincture is an extract made using apple cider vinegar or 80 proof alcohol. A pint sized jar is filled halfway with the desired herb. Then the rest of the jar is filled with alcohol or vinegar. The herbs may be moistened first with boiling water. This mixture must sit for several weeks before it can be used. When ready, it will keep for a season or so.
Tei'serin double checked her notes once more, before turning the page to a random herb. Since she wasn't looking for anything specific this time, that was as good a way to choose as any.
Chamomile is an annual flower that can grow up to 24" tall. It has white daisy like flowers with yellow centers, and produces a sweet scent similar to that of apple blossoms. This herb is a common herb that can be found in the wild growing freely in pastures, cornfields, roadsides, and other sunny, well-drained areas, or grown in a pot. Although it is easier to grow chamomile in your garden from plants or divisions than it is to grow it from seeds, growing it from seeds is also relatively easy. Chamomile grows best in cool conditions and should be planted in part shade, but it will also grow full sun. The soil should be dry. If growing chamomile from seeds, the seeds will germinate after roughly 7-14 trials. When the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall, they should be thinned out so they're at least 8 inches apart, or transplanted in your garden about 8 inches apart.
The medicinal value of this herb is found in the flowers. So unless you are looking to transplant the plant into your own garden, you only need to harvest the blossoms. The flowers are also edible, and have a delicate flavor. Chamomile should be harvested in the morning after the dew has evaporated but before the sun is high. When harvesting it, select the flowers that are nearly open, then pinch the stalk just below the flower head and pop off the bloom. The blossoms should be placed in a tightly woven basket so they won't get bruised.
Chamomile can be used either fresh, or dried. When drying the flowers, they need to be spread out in a single layer and left alone to dry in a warm, dark, dry spacein a dark, warm, dry spacein a dark, warm, dry space in a dark, warm, dry spacefor 7-14 trials. Chamomile can be used in many different forms, but the tea is perhaps the most versatile. It can be drunk, used as a gargle, used as a topical wash, or even bathed in depending on the need. One recipe for chamomile tea is to boil 8 ounces of water for each cup of tea that you want to make. Once the water is boiling, pour it into a teapot, and stir in either 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile flowers or 4 tablespoons of fresh chamomile flowers, for each 8 ounces of water that you boiled. To alter the strength of the tea, more or less can be added depending on whether you want to strengthen or weaken it. The chamomile flowers should be allowed to steep in the water for five bits. You can decrease or increase the steeping time for a weaker or stronger tea. When it's ready, the tea should be strained into a cup using a small sieve. The tea has a mild, pleasant flavor, and can be drunk plain, or sweetened with honey.
Tei'serin took careful notes on the material she was reading. Chamomile sounded like it would be easy enough to grow, and she thought it might be a good idea to try and grow some next arc. She also paid close attention to the recipe. Making herbal teas had some similarities, but there were some differences as well. And those differences could be important. After reviewing her notes to make sure she got the details right, she continued to read.
Chamomile is a gentle herb that is safe to use on children, and even infants. It is used to treat colic, croup, diarrhea, fevers, teething problems, and diaper rashes in children and babies. This herb will also aid in reducing the itch of chickenpox if the tea is used as a bath. It helps to relax the abdominal muscles, so it is often given to women after giving birth to ease their pain, and allow them to rest. And it can soothe the pain of cracked nipples, so it is a useful herb for nursing mothers as well. Although chamomile can be used to ease morning sickness, it can increase the risk of miscarriage. Ibut caution should be used becat should only be used if the morning sickness is so severe that the pregnant mother is having difficulty keeping anything down, and does not have a high risk for miscarriage. Chamomile is good for helping with the symptoms of menstruation like bloating, cramping, anxiety, sweating, inability to sleep, and mood swings.
Tei'serin made special note that chamomile was safe for children and babies. Not every herb was, so it was important for her to know which herbs could be given to children, and which were too strong for them. It was also important for her to always keep a supply of them ready.
People who are allergic to flowers like chrysanthemums, daisies, marigolds, asters and ragweed may also be allergic to chamomile. So when using chamomile on them, it is important to test the herb on a small patch of their skin to see if they have a reaction to it before giving them a full dose. Possible allergic reactions include skin irritations, hives, and in severe cases, breathing difficulties. People who have asthma shouldn't drink chamomile tea because it may worsen their symptoms.
Knowing who not to give an herb to, and what the potential reactions someone who was allergic to it might have was every bit as important as knowing what the herb could help with. With this in mind, Tei'serin reread the info she had just taken notes on several times before going back to her book.
Chamomile can be used as a mild sedative to calm nerves and reduce anxiety, which makes it a good remedy for symptoms of chronic anxiety and stress, including hysteria, nightmares, insomnia and various digestive problems. It is also a good remedy for insomnia. In tea form, it can be used to treat gas, acid reflux, indigestion, motion sickness, diarrhea, anorexia, motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. When added to toothpaste, or used as a mouthwash or gargle, it can reduce the inflammation caused by toothaches, as well as ease the pain of toothaches and canker sores. If it is used externally as a tea, salve, or lotion, it is good for reducing pain, congestion, swelling, and redness; this makes it a good remedy to help ease the pain from arthritis, injuries, muscle spasms, stomach cramps, bed sores, back pain, fevers, bruises, burns, and pregnancy.
Chamomile is effective at reducing facial swelling, skin irritations, toothaches, pain from infections and underlying issues of inflammation. It can also be used around the eyes to fight infections and sties. If used as a bath, it will soothe skin rashes such as eczema, minor burns, and sunburn. The same effect can be achieved if it is applied to the affected area in lotion form. And it will speed the healing of skin ulcers, wounds, and burns.
This herb is good for boosting the immune system. 5-6 glasses of tea drunk over the course of 14 trials can significantly improve the body’s ability to fight infections. Chamomile is good for fighting infections, and relieving the symptoms of colds, the flu, asthma, and sinus infections. It can also be used for relieving allergy symptoms.
There are beauty related issues than chamomile can help with as well. It is useful for getting rid of signs of aging like dark spots and fine lines, and can help to reduce the appearance of scars, and wrinkles. When used as a hair treatment, it can reduce dandruff, and bring out golden highlights in your hair. It's pleasant scent also makes it a popular ingredient in perfumes, and herb satchels used to freshen clothing.
Tei'serin was less interested in the ways chamomile could be used as a beauty treatment than in learning its medical uses. But she did have some people coming to her to ask for advice on such things, so she jotted down that information along with everything else. She was about to begin researching another herb when someone knocked on the door. Tei'serin froze at the sound, barely even daring to breathe. Most of the "visitors" that Thorin sent to her came closer to nightfall. She wasn't expecting anyone, but then again, she was never given any warning when Thorin sent someone for her to "entertain."
It was far more likely that someone from the village was looking for her, so she shoved her fear back, and hurried to answer the door. If she had a patient who needed her help, time might be an issue. The woman who stood there wasn't one Tei'serin had ever seen before. That was unusual given the size of the small farming community, but not completely unheard of. There were several farmers who lived near Treth, but who rarely even came to the village except to sell their produce. So it was entirely possible that this woman was a member of one of those families. Tei'serin couldn't see any outward signs that might tell her what was wrong with the woman, but there might not be any. For that matter, the woman might not be the one who needed her help at all. She could be there looking for help for someone in her family.
"May I help you?" Tei'serin asked politely.
Off Topic
The money for a non fiction book - Introduction to Linguistics has been deducted from my ledger
