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Visit a 100-year-old monastery in Western Australia. Some of the people kept diaries to record exactly what happened there, and we look at the words used to describe this sort of writing.

GAENOR THOMAS: Within these hallowed walls, sex rears its ugly head. I've come this far, but I can't go through the gates into the monastery, and I can't go up into the library.

MICK O'DONNELL: Once the world was shut out of New Norcia, this Spanish Benedictine monastery near Perth. But now the diaries kept by the monks over a century are being translated and recorded by the National Library - hidden lives revealed in the words of the chroniclers.

FATHER DAVID BARRY: The day-to-day life of the community, involving not everything that happens, but the comings and goings of individuals.

The chronicler tries to, he's not a reporter, in the sense of a journalist.

MICK O'DONNELL: So he's not looking for the most sensational moments?

FATHER DAVID BARRY: That's right, that's right. So what he wants to give is to convey the life of the community as it develops from day to day.

MICK O'DONNELL: So here are their thoughts. From the mundane...

FATHER BARRY: "The mechanic who installed it was paid 8 shillings an hour and did a good job."

MICK O'DONNELL: ...to the malicious.

UNIDENTIFIED NARRATOR: "The lay novice Placido Ferrer has decided to dispense with the holy habit and go back to Europe. May God not take into account all the suffering he caused and other things that are best left unmentioned."

MICK O'DONNELL: New Norcia was a home for Aboriginal families and children sent here either by their parents, for education, or under the stern regime of the government protector of Aborigines.

Some entries show how out of place were these Spanish missionaries, transplanted to a working outback sheep station.

FATHER BARRY: And he had come from a very observant monastery in Spain and was not used to this kerfuffle over such a thing as lambing. And then he goes on further to note, "And some of them even expect us, as priests, "to go out and help lambs come into this world."

MICK O'DONNELL: Today the chronicle is kept by Father David Barry. He records our visit, but says he tries to keep his own personality out.

Now the National Library is storing the New Norcia chronicles on microfiche, many more readers will be able to interpret the mysteries of the monks.

New Norcia
New Norcia is near Perth in Western Australia.

diaries
personal records of events

Someone who writes a diary is called a diarist.

Words for writers are the subject of today's spotlight.

monks
Monks are religious men who live together in groups, separated from the rest of society.

The place they live in is called a monastery.

translated
changed into a different language

The chronicles or diaries are written in Spanish and are being translated into English.

A translation is the thing that is translated.
An English translation of the diaries has been made.

A translator is the person who translates things.
A translator from the National Library has translated the diaries from Spanish into English.

Words for writers are the subject of today's spotlight.

revealed
made known; shown
She revealed the identity of the murderer on the last page.

chroniclers
A chronicle is record of events or a history.

The people who write chronicles are called chroniclers.

Words for writers are the subject of today's spotlight.

reporter, in the sense of a journalist
A reporter or journalist is a person who writes about news, for the television, radio, newspapers and other media.

They usually write about important events or issues and not everyday things.

Words for writers are the subject of today's spotlight.

convey
express, make known

microfiche
Microfiche is film that stores lots of information in a very small amount of space.

It’s a common way of storing newspapers, diaries or other old writings.

interpret
to find the meaning of something; to understand
His behaviour is difficult to interpret.

Interpret can mean the same as translate, but we use it when talking about spoken language rather than writing.
Can you find someone to interpret what this man is saying?

The person who interprets, or tells you what someone speaking in another language is saying, is called an interpreter.
Do you need an interpreter?

Writers

The general term for people who write is writer or author.
Some kinds of writing have specific names.
Someone who writes news articles for newspapers or the media is called a journalist or a reporter.
She’s a journalist from the local TV station.

A columnist is someone who writes a regular newspaper or magazine article form his or her point of view.
Newspaper columnists have opinions about everything

Someone who writes poetry is called a poet.
Shakespeare was a poet.
Someone who writes plays for the stage is called a playwright.
Shakespeare was a poet and a playwright.
The person who writes movie or TV scripts is a scriptwriter or screenwriter.
A good film needs a good scriptwriter.
A novelist is someone who writes novels or long works of fiction.
Tolkien was a novelist.

Someone who writes a diary is called a diarist.
A chronicle is a record of everyday events.
The person who writes it is a chronicler.
hidden lives revealed in the words of the chroniclers.
The person who translates, or changes the language or a piece of writing is called a translator.


		spotlight Writers The general term for people who write is writer or author. Some kinds of writing have specific names. Someone who writes news articles for newspapers or the media is called a journalist or a reporter. She’s a journalist from the local TV station. A columnist is someone who writes a regular newspaper or magazine article form his or her point of view. Newspaper columnists have opinions about everything Someone who writes poetry is called a poet. Shakespeare was a poet. Someone who writes plays for the stage is called a playwright. Shakespeare was a poet and a playwright. The person who writes movie or TV scripts is a scriptwriter or screenwriter. A good film needs a good scriptwriter. A novelist is someone who writes novels or long works of fiction. Tolkien was a novelist. Someone who writes a diary is called a diarist. A chronicle is a record of everyday events. The person who writes it is a chronicler. hidden lives revealed in the words of the chroniclers. The person who translates, or changes the language or a piece of writing is called a translator.			communicate with us Join our mailing list Chat in the Learn English forum Contact us