Monday, July 27, 2015

Language Learning.

I'm thinking of learning a language.  I'm torn between which one I want to learn.  I figure re-learning French shouldn't be that difficult - at least not on a conversational level.  I used to be almost fluent in French - maybe not in writing literature/term paper quality, but I was able to read, write, speak, understand, watch TV & movies in the language.  It was one of those things that sat in the back of my brain somewhere and (usually on a vacation to Canada) when I started hearing it spoken or on the radio and seeing the signs, a decent working ability would come back.  Now, there are scraps and pieces, but not a full conversation left in my head.  I started trying to "brush up" on it using an app on my phone a couple of years ago - but I would get all gung ho remembering things, then I would get to the next section and be completely lost.  I thought about turning on the French audio on some movies and see if that helps me remember any of it... maybe if I could figure out where the French shows are on cable, I could do that too - but movies might be easier - especially if I've already seen them in English.. ( I think my Muppet Movies have French soundtracks) 

Then there's Italian.  I've always thought it would be cool to learn Italian. But, while I used to work with a few people that were native Italian speakers, I don't anymore- and if I never converse with anyone, I don't think I would retain it for very long.  The last language I would love to learn is Gaelic.  I can just picture (ok first I'd have to picture winning the lottery) spending a summer in a thatch roof cottage in the Irish countryside.....  Once again - the issue would be having no one to talk to, and from what a few people have told me - they pretty much speak English, with an Irish accent with a few Irish words here and there in Ireland anyway.

In the class I took, there was a bonus video with Benny Lewis "the Irish Polyglot"  He had  a lot of trouble when learning language in school, but after he left school, he became fluent in 7 languages, and can converse in 4 more.  He wrote a book ( I have a request out for it from the library - so when I get it there will be a review) Fluent in 3 Months.. and he has a website with a free 7 day starter  When I figure out what language I'm going to try the 7 day thing and let you know how that goes.   There was another bonus video with Scott Young - who took a year off and went to 4 different countries to totally immerse himself in 4 different languages.  I'll be writing more about him in the future - his "The Goal of Learning Everything" and his Holistic Learning concept fascinate and intrigue me.


2 comments:

  1. My therapist knows/speaks Gaelic. But I feel like it'd be weird for the two of you to get together. I mean, the only thing you'd have in common is speaking Gaelic and knowing me. And I don't really need the two of you speaking Gaelic about me. Oh, hey -- you both know Felix!

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  2. The worst thing about my mom when I was a kid was hearing... blah, blah , blah , blah Maria-chun, blah blah blah blah.

    C sort of wants to learn Gaelic and we've discussed it, but if there's only the two of us - we may end up inventing another language.. LOL Of course he's going to Ireland in a week and a half... for 18 days!! I'm sooooo jealous!

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