tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Sun Jan 08 10:48:59 1995
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Re: qechmeywIj on learning a language
- From: "Mark E. Shoulson" <[email protected]>
- Subject: Re: qechmeywIj on learning a language
- Date: Sun, 8 Jan 1995 13:48:56 -0500
- In-Reply-To: <[email protected]> (message from Heidi Wessman on Fri, 6 Jan 1995 10:42:56 -0500)
>Date: Fri, 6 Jan 1995 10:42:56 -0500
>Originator: [email protected]
>From: Heidi Wessman <[email protected]>
>In teaching the language, has anyone ever used the technique of
>introducing ideas/phrases as a way of instructing? (Rather than learning
>straight vocabulary, then grammar, then putting the two together)
That's what we've been trying to tell folks. Don't come to me asking for
"a word for Umbrella," or saying "well, I've written a wonderful lyric
poem" or "I want to translate Jabberwocky": start with *concepts*.
Sentences, but simple ones. Think about writing Dick and Jane to start
with.
Personally, I've found that for my own language-learning, the absolute best
way for me to remember just about *any* aspect of a language (vocabulary,
grammar, idiom... even sandhi [maybe not spelling though]) is by learning
phrases. Whole sentences that I can remember and say over to myself. The
tapes were certainly a big help in that department (what's the we/you
prefix? The Hotel Scene has pIpIH for "we're expecting you"... must be
"pI-"!) It works well for me, at any rate, since I tend to remember things
I hear verbatim, especially if they're coherent.
>I've noticed (in my own education also) that grammar is rather sticky.
>Many student problems in translation come from trying to take an idea in
>their native language, looking at the words, translating the words, then
>failing in communicating the idea fully.
Yeah. You can't speak language X if you're still thinking too much in Y.
~mark