New Blog

After nearly three years, I'll no longer be updating this blog. I've got the "bored with my blog blues." ;) The new one is at...

Kelly's Languages: The Sequel

Rush Job

I have a new blog in the works that will replace this one. Overall, it will be similar, but I just needed a change of scenery. I'll post a link soon, but right now I have to get ready for work...

Drive-By Update

I figured after nearly a month, it was about time I posted to this thing, even though I don't really have anything exciting in the world of language learning to report. I've been studying my Romanian for the last few days (I'll elaborate on that later), as well as a little Serbian and Portuguese. I also tried to translate some Polish music this morning using this website.

Mujer = Girl?

I got a letter from the girl in Nicaragua I sponsor, and was struck by this sentence:

"Soy la unica mujer en mi familia ya que tengo 2 hermanos."

I have to say, I've never seen mujer translated to mean 'girl.' I wonder if this is a Nicaraguan Spanish thing, or maybe a mistake? I just thought it was interesting, and perhaps am proving I live under a rock, because for all I know, mujer is quite commonly used to mean 'girl' in certain parts of the Spanish-speaking world.

Making a Real Effort

I really want to get better at my languages. I'm tired of being at a standstill and my lack of motivation.

So...

No more passively listening to a newscast while organizing my desk drawer, or reading headlines in a newspaper but not the whole article.

Goodbye to language blogs sitting empty or taking months to post.

Gone are the days of books collecting dust on my shelf, telenovelas gone unwatched, and song lyrics untranslated.

I'm done with audio/subtitle options on DVDs going unused, bookmarked but forgotten podcasts, and long drives sans course CDs.

There are so many things I could be doing every day to improve any one of the languages I'm learning, and I'm going to try harder to do just that.

What'rya Drunk?

I'm trying to finish a library book, and was reading aloud to myself when I realized I sound better when reading in Spanish (I guess I should clarify the book is in English), which I think I can pull off the best of all the languages I've taken on, though I doubt I could fool a native Spanish-speaker. I'm horrible at reading in English - I sound dull and mumbly, and when I do try to sound brighter and clearer, it seems forced, like I have to do it with my eyebrows raised high and a fake smile on my face. "Thank you for flying Delta airlines..." It's weird.

This only applies to reading from a text, because in daily speaking, I don't mind my voice (unless I'm tense), though I am sort of notorious for my slurred, mumbly ways. I think instead of Marie, my middle name should be, I Didn't Understand a Word You Just Said. ;)

The Lure of Languages

When you're learning many languages, you can't help but wonder about others and even contemplate learning more, all the while ignoring the fact you need to focus on and improve those "many languages" you've already taken up.

That being said, I've become curious about Creole (that sounds like a bad talk show - 'Welcome back to Curious about Creole.') When I've gotten letters... 'Gotten' - gotta love that word. Gotta love 'gotta' too. HA! I gotta lotta love for 'gotta.' Talk about gettin' off track! Anyway, when I've received letters from the girl I sponsor in Haiti and I see the Creole, I can't help but imagine myself adding this language to my list. I don't know if I would get serious about it, but I don't see any harm in learning some basics. Ah yes, famous last words. ;)

Whether I do or don't, here's a small handful of resources...

• A Quick Grammar - Learn some basics and get an idea of how the language works.
• Voice of America - Read and listen to the news in Creole.
• The Good Book - The Word of God, Haitian style.
• Un jour en Haiti - I thought this was interesting, because each video has a Creole and French version. Not that I can understand either one, but hey, whaddya say. :)

Unglued

My TY Portuguese book completely fell apart, so I helped it along and removed the (already fallen out) pages and stapled each individual unit together, so now it's like I have 25 little booklets. How quaint. :P I'm kind of sad, because I've had that book for a long time. My TY Serbian is close to the same fate.