tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Jan 09 16:05:29 1996

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Re: Repetition

Matt said that I said that he said:

[much snipped]

>What you mention here is a model of language instruction that incorporates
>a host of other instructional methods.  You've taken "repetitive drilling"
>and added quite a few other aspect to it.
    No, actually, I have described to you the proper way to conduct
repetition drill.  If you feel repetition drill consists of less than what
I described then I understand your belief that it is of little use.  In
such case I would agree with you.  Even there, however, repetition without
monitoring at least exercises the articulators.  {{:-]
     When I design a language course I include all the types of drills and
exercises that are necessary to get the job done.  What percentages of what
kinds of drills and exercises are used depends on the previous knowledge
and experience of the expected student population and the level of ability
to which this particular course is expected to train.

>What I was trying to say is... one of the best ways to learn a language is
>to start USING it in a way that's MEANINGFUL to you.  Is repetition
>meaningful to you?
      Is Bobby Hogan's golf swing meaningful to him?  I think, in a
physiological sort of way, it must be.  What is meaningful to the student
is not the repetition but the thing repeated, word, phrase or sentence.

>Will you go up to a warrior and start saying, "friend, jup, write, ghItlh,
here-abouts, naDev"?
     qeylIS help me!  I certainly hope not!  Nor would any of my students.
What makes you think I was recommneding anything of the sort?  That isn't
repetition; it's some sort of awkward translation drill.  Imagine the
reaction of the Klingon so approached!!

>No... you'd start talking to him, make mistakes, he'll (hopefully) give
>you constructive feedback and you start the learning process.  Just like
>you said... immersion-type.
     Yes that is true, although not necessarily the FIRST thing I would do,
but, having gotten that feedback and having heard a native speaker say a
particuar word, phrase or sentence, I would REPEAT it, and repeat it, and
repeat it, constantly trying to imitate exactly that native speaker's
intonation (not to mention keeping in mind the circumstances under which he
said it), and then I would use it with another native speaker getting still
more feedback and then repeat my now-modified version and repeat that, and
go after more feedback... all the while continuously monitoring myself.
(all of this of course, over a long period of time, nor are those
repetitions often performed in front of the informant, unless, of course, I
have hired him as a teacher/model)   I would do this until I was sure I was
producing the target utterance in a manner found acceptable and
understandable by the native speakers around me.  And then I would go on
seeking feedback and repeating and repeating and repeating and monitoring
my repetitions until I spoke the language better than the average native speaker.
     What would you say of someone who asked a friend to describe the way a
tuba is played, received such explanation and then picked up a tuba
expecting to be able to play it?  Does Placido Domingo sing scales because
he LIKES scales?  Or because they are meaningful to him?  Well, yes, they
are meaningful to him, because if he doesn't get them right that means he
needs to repeat them.


     Qapla'

     qeSmIv HarghwI'

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