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Crossing the Sahara in the Fourteenth Century

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Re: Crossing the Sahara in the Fourteenth Century

#21
post #2

It's a shame because of the topic seems fascinating but I couldn't read past the first paragraph. Maybe it's because I'm on my phone and somewhat distracted but the article seems very badly written.

why does every article have someone like you commenting on it? what value does this add to the conversation about this topic? is this your idea of an issue submission? do you think the author will rewrite the article now? do you think your reading aesthetic is generic enough that this is a useful warning to others? do you think that difficult texts shouldn't be read? like literally I don't know the answer to any of t…

Why the knee jerk reaction? It is not that easy to read, maybe only to non-native speakers like me or OP. I still read it, beautiful window to the past we can't ever experience, but it required focus and re-reading some sentences. Is it hard to understand that world is full of people that are different in every possible way to you?

Definitely not for usual glancing through

Re: Crossing the Sahara in the Fourteenth Century

#22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is a confusing sentence. Semicolons are stupid and shouldn't be used anymore. It has a random "then" thrown in there for no reason.

I am not a native speaker and always eager to improve. I understood the "then" as "at that time (in the past)". Is that wrong?

That is correct.

Re: Crossing the Sahara in the Fourteenth Century

#23
post #9
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't say badly written, but it's sort of an older style of prose. With longer, more complex sentences, and a different use of punctuation. If you read books from mid 20th century and before you find that sort of style which requires more focus than we are accustomed today on the internet.

I'm not convinced. > In the past, the severed heads of these Berber bandits covered the ground of the palace at Sijilmasa; there were highwaymen, then, who stopped you across the Sahara en route to the Land of the Blacks. I don't know what's trying to be said here.

Is english your native language? This seems like a pretty straightforward sentence.

Re: Crossing the Sahara in the Fourteenth Century

#24
Dorothy Dunnett writes of a fictional account of a transit like this, in "scales of gold" (hers is from Timbuktu to the coast, following salt/gold traders paths) -she always did good research on things before including them in her work.
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