Language Lesson Part IV: Finding Teachers in Unexpected Places Continued
Sorry, folks, Blogger isn't too happy with my post today, so I'm splitting this post into two in hopes that the smaller size will satisfy him. Here are 4-6...start below if you haven't read 1-3 and the introduction!
4. Go to a church that has translation. From singing familiar worship songs that have been translated from English to Dutch to hearing prayers and sermons translated side-by-side, it’s great way to pick up a lot of vocabulary and hear the rhythm of the language. And there are other benefits, too.
5. Find people who don’t have much sympathy for my language handicap. One day, I called the hospital and started off, “Do you speak English?” “Yes,” she replied, “and you speak some Dutch?” “Yes, een bietje,” I answered. This unexpected language teacher had a plan. “OK, then, you speak Dutch and I answer in English. Otherwise you never learn.” “OK,” I said, and then began to explain my situation in Dutch. I even got an answer from her that related to my question, so I must have said something correctly.
6. Just speak, and find language teachers just about anywhere. OK, I know how to say an awful lot. If I just speak, I get the practice. And if I get the practice, I get better. And just about anybody I’ve met as the patience to try to understand what I mean. So I must get this through my head!
4. Go to a church that has translation. From singing familiar worship songs that have been translated from English to Dutch to hearing prayers and sermons translated side-by-side, it’s great way to pick up a lot of vocabulary and hear the rhythm of the language. And there are other benefits, too.
5. Find people who don’t have much sympathy for my language handicap. One day, I called the hospital and started off, “Do you speak English?” “Yes,” she replied, “and you speak some Dutch?” “Yes, een bietje,” I answered. This unexpected language teacher had a plan. “OK, then, you speak Dutch and I answer in English. Otherwise you never learn.” “OK,” I said, and then began to explain my situation in Dutch. I even got an answer from her that related to my question, so I must have said something correctly.
6. Just speak, and find language teachers just about anywhere. OK, I know how to say an awful lot. If I just speak, I get the practice. And if I get the practice, I get better. And just about anybody I’ve met as the patience to try to understand what I mean. So I must get this through my head!
posted by Beth at 1:00 AM
2 Comments:
I love #5! Whoever that person is, she sounds like the kind of person who's good to have around, taking care of patients, maintaining national linguistic standards, etc.
I love #5! Whoever that person is, she sounds like the kind of person who's good to have around, taking care of patients, maintaining national linguistic standards, etc.
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