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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2021 9:35:44 GMT
The unbelievable has happened. I came here almost seven months ago hardly able to speak Greek. I suffered and tangled my words. My tongue twisted strangely in my mouth and every morning I hurt because I couldn't speak English. Yesterday my Swedish/Finnish neighbor stopped by and the English words wouldn't come out of my mouth. I was self-conscious of sentences and grammar-- not to mention I spoke with a family member over the phone a couple weeks ago and they didn't recognize me. "Who is this? " they said. "It's me, your mother," I answered in shock.
Now I hear sounds coming out of my mouth and I don't recognize them. I never imagined in my life that this could happen so quickly.
What the...?
Anyone who can relate? It would make me feel better.
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Post by Ken on May 4, 2021 9:57:16 GMT
Yes it’s amazing that it happens. What helps is watching television in the English language. I tend to mix my sentences with half Spanish and half English. Of course, it could be put down to Old Age.   |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2021 10:53:26 GMT
Yes it’s amazing that it happens. What helps is watching television in the English language. I tend to mix my sentences with half Spanish and half English. Of course, it could be put down to Old Age. Television only makes me dumber. What I need is to mouth the words, which I just did reading Star Party from 13 Creepy Rhymes. Flowed like water. By the way, I never mix languages. Better to let the brain struggle to find the proper word, otherwise it gets lazy. |
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2021 11:10:33 GMT
Yes it’s amazing that it happens. What helps is watching television in the English language. I tend to mix my sentences with half Spanish and half English. Of course, it could be put down to Old Age. Mr. Little. |
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Post by benziger on May 4, 2021 13:04:37 GMT
With Greek it went so well and so fast because you are in a language bath. Everyone around you speaks Greek and understands only Greek (you assume).
To not lose English, you need English speaking contacts. I'm just going to make up a story: Meet every Tuesday with English-speaking people for a regulars' table. Talk to your daughter/son on the phone every Wednesday. Always watch the news on BBC at 8pm. Recite English poetry on the balcony every morning after getting up.
And if you go back to Canada just reverse it so the Greek stays.
When I moved back from French speaking to German speaking part of my country, everyone told me to regularly read a French book. To not forget to do so, I subscribed to a French newspaper, so I read for many years every morning the German paper (early delivery with porter) and in the evening the French paper (delivered later by the postman).
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2021 13:35:19 GMT
With Greek it went so well and so fast because you are in a language bath. Everyone around you speaks Greek and understands only Greek (you assume).
To not lose English, you need English speaking contacts. I'm just going to make up a story: Meet every Tuesday with English-speaking people for a regulars' table. Talk to your daughter/son on the phone every Wednesday. Always watch the news on BBC at 8pm. Recite English poetry on the balcony every morning after getting up.
And if you go back to Canada just reverse it so the Greek stays.
When I moved back from French speaking to German speaking part of my country, everyone told me to regularly read a French book. To not forget to do so, I subscribed to a French newspaper, so I read for many years every morning the German paper (early delivery with porter) and in the evening the French paper (delivered later by the postman).
Those are good tips, Benziger. Thank you. I will read the Montreal Gazette tomorrow. Another thing I will try to do is avoid speaking English with the locals. The pronunciation is different and they make understandable errors, which I will likely absorb over time. I am on the lookout for native English speakers, American or Canadian would be great. I don't want to sound British. I would come across as pretentious if ever I return to Canada. I will also try to read Blue's book out loud and Jesus Ninja's as well - - and the Holy Bible. My only books. (No English bookstores anywhere to be found here.) |
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Post by Ken on May 4, 2021 14:30:14 GMT
Mr Little?
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Post by potet on May 4, 2021 17:32:09 GMT
After a year in England, back to France, I had a hard time speaking French again for about 48 hours.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2021 19:38:06 GMT
After a year in England, back to France, I had a hard time speaking French again for about 48 hours. Did you speak French at all while you were in England? |
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Post by potet on May 5, 2021 6:46:23 GMT
After a year in England, back to France, I had a hard time speaking French again for about 48 hours. Did you speak French at all while you were in England? About once a month when I met fellow French people. |
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2021 13:50:35 GMT
Did you speak French at all while you were in England? About once a month when I met fellow French people. My French hasn't been affected, strangely. |
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Post by benziger on May 6, 2021 8:11:44 GMT
You cover almost the whole world: the world language of antiquity, the world language of diplomacy and the world language of trade (including la plus belle des langues).
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Post by potet on May 6, 2021 9:15:18 GMT
An anecdote. I ended my career teaching English at the Honoré-de-Balzac grammar-school of Paris, that has several international sections.
During my first year, there was that new girl student from Mexico (the daughter of a diplomat) who hardly spoke French. I suggested she leave the school for the rest of the year, and attend French courses at L'Alliance Française that delivers French lessons custom-made for foreign students.
A boy from Chile, who spoke fluent French, said she'd better stay and say nothing. He revealed he was like her the year before. He attended all the courses without understanding much so remained silent, and my colleagues were wise enough not to ask him anything. Now a miracle occurred. By the end of the school year, a couple of weeks before the summer holidays, one morning, he woke up realizing he could speak French.
I did some research about this, and found a US study on the subject. Researchers discovered that if you leave the newcomer alone, his/her brain will do the job by itself, and within about 9 months, he/she will speak plain English fluently. Conversely, when the teacher compelled the newcomer to speak English and to share in all class activities, the poor foreign student still spoke faulty English with a lot of mistakes by the end of the school year.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2021 9:46:08 GMT
An anecdote. I ended my career teaching English at the Honoré-de-Balzac grammar-school of Paris, that has several international sections. During my first year, there was that new girl student from Mexico (the daughter of a diplomat) who hardly spoke French. I suggested she leave the school for the rest of the year, and attend French courses at L'Alliance Française that delivers French lessons custom-made for foreign students. A boy from Chile, who spoke fluent French, said she'd better stay and say nothing. He revealed he was like her the year before. He attended all the courses without understanding much so remained silent, and my colleagues were wise enough not to ask him anything. Now a miracle occurred. By the end of the school year, a couple of weeks before the summer holidays, one morning, he woke up realizing he could speak French. I did some research about this, and found a US study on the subject. Researchers discovered that if you leave the newcomer alone, his/her brain will do the job by itself, and within about 9 months, he/she will speak plain English fluently. Conversely, when the teacher compelled the newcomer to speak English and to share in all class activities, the poor foreign student still spoke faulty English with a lot of mistakes by the end of the school year. I think that's wise. When you spoon-feed anyone anything or coddle them it retards their learning. Let them suffer in not understanding. The desperation to communicate will help them. The brain will race. Many people here speak Albanian. It drives me mad that I can't understand even a little. This frustration is useful. |
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2021 9:57:56 GMT
With Greek it went so well and so fast because you are in a language bath. Everyone around you speaks Greek and understands only Greek (you assume).
To not lose English, you need English speaking contacts. I'm just going to make up a story: Meet every Tuesday with English-speaking people for a regulars' table. Talk to your daughter/son on the phone every Wednesday. Always watch the news on BBC at 8pm. Recite English poetry on the balcony every morning after getting up.
And if you go back to Canada just reverse it so the Greek stays.
When I moved back from French speaking to German speaking part of my country, everyone told me to regularly read a French book. To not forget to do so, I subscribed to a French newspaper, so I read for many years every morning the German paper (early delivery with porter) and in the evening the French paper (delivered later by the postman).
Those are good tips, Benziger. Thank you. I will read the Montreal Gazette tomorrow. Another thing I will try to do is avoid speaking English with the locals. The pronunciation is different and they make understandable errors, which I will likely absorb over time. I am on the lookout for native English speakers, American or Canadian would be great. I don't want to sound British. I would come across as pretentious if ever I return to Canada. I will also try to read Blue's book out loud and Jesus Ninja's as well - - and the Holy Bible. My only books. (No English bookstores anywhere to be found here.) I asked for bacon today. On the third try I changed the pronunciation to b e i k o n so I could be understood. I learned months ago not to ask for stick deodorant but steek deodorant. This is becoming a habit. Change the language in order communicate. An interesting concept: What do we sacrifice? |
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