Month: August 2006

Motivation

By Simon

Motivation is very important when learning a language, or indeed anything else. Without motivation it’s difficult to continue studying for very long.

An enthusiastic teacher or tutor can really help, as can learning materials at the right level, i.e. one that stretches you, but not much. Setting yourself targets and goals, and rewarding yourself when you achieve them can also help. Another good way to motivate yourself is to spend time studying the language in a country or region where it’s spoken.

Way back in 1988 when I first tried to teach myself languages, I found it very difficult to continue studying for more than a few weeks. My lack of motivation was the main reason. Since about 1998 though, I’ve been studying various languages more or less continuously. Motivation seems to come more easily to me these days.

How do you motivate yourself to study?

Name the language

By Simon

This week we have a recording of a mystery language. Can you identify it? Here it is.

A few clues: this language is part of a large, widely scattered language family and is spoken mainly on a group of quite remote islands. This language has a regular spelling system devised by a missionary during the 19th century.

The recording is a news item from an online radio station. I don’t understand it, but I think the story has something to do with Walmart.

Definite countries

By Simon

Only a few country names are accompanied by the definite article in English. These include the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, the Gambia, the Sudan, the Ukraine and the Lebannon. In some cases the definite article is only used occasionally – Sudan and Lebannon, for example, usually manage perfectly well without it. Why some countries are more definite than others is a bit of a mystery. Any suggestions?

In Welsh only some of countries have the definite article, though not the same ones as in English. Examples include yr Ariannin (Argentina), yr Aifft (Egypt), y Ffindir (Finland), yr Almaen (Germany), yr Eidal (Italy), yr Iseldiroedd (the Netherlands), yr Alban (Scotland), y Swdan (the Sudan), y Swistir (Switzerland) and yr Unol Daleithiau (the United States).

Most countries have the definite article in Irish, with the exception of Alba (Scotland), Ceanada (Canada), Cúba (Cuba), Gána (Ghana), Iosrael (Israel), Lucsamburg (Luxembourg), Meicsiceo (Mexico), Maracó (Marocco) and Sasana (England)

Accelerating fuzziness

By Simon

Words are notoriously slippery customers. They might start life with one or two well-defined meanings, but they often take on additional meanings, and in some cases come to mean the opposite of what they meant originally. This process is referred to as “accelerating fuzziness” by Geoffry Finch in Word of Mouth – A New Introduction to Language and Communication, an interesting book I’m reading at the moment.

Here’s probably the best-known example of an English word that’s undergone accelerated fuzziness:

Nice, which originally meant foolish, currently means pleasant, commendable, kind, friendly, good, satisfactory, subtle, delicate, discrimminating, precise or skillful, is sometimes used to mean fastidious or respectable, and used to mean delicate, shy, modest or wanton. That’s a lot of meanings for such a small word! This is a word I was discouraged from using in English lessons. According to my teacher, nice is far too imprecise because it can mean so many different things. Sometimes there’s no harm in a bit of imprecision though, particularly when asked to give your opinion on something about which you don’t feel strongly either way.

Nice comes from the Old French nice (simple, silly), from Latin nescius (ignorant), from nescīre (to be ignorant).

On an unrelated matter, what non-English-speaking photographers ask people to say when taking a photo? English-speaking photographers often ask people to say “cheese!”, a word that makes you smile when you say it, thanks to the ee sound. What about in other languages?

More on names

By Simon

When you go to a language class, quite often the teacher will give you a name in the language you’re learning, which might be the equivalent of your name in that language, or a name with a similar sound.

The French and German versions of my name are spelt the same but pronounced differently, while in Spanish my name is written Simón. The Irish equivalent of my name is Sím, while in Scottish Gaelic it’s Sìm. One of my Chinese teachers gave me the Chinese name 安斯韦 (Ān Sīwěi), which I later changed to 革賽門 (Gé Sàimén) – 不確定那一個名字比較華式的，但是我猜第一個是比較好的．有沒有什麼意見？

Most of my friends from Taiwan and China have ‘English’ names. Some of them were given these names by their teachers, others chose their own names. In some cases they went for quite unusual names, including Dual, Van (from Van Gogh), Rainbow, Stone and Pencil.

I suppose if call yourself by a different name when you speak a foreign language, you are, to some extent at least, adopting a different persona. This gives you opportunities to say things and perhaps to do things you wouldn’t normally do when speaking your mother tongue.

Do you behave differently when speaking in foreign tongues?

The Seven Simons

By Simon

In my class at school I was one of seven Simons, hence the title of this post. The name Simon seems to have been particularly popular in the UK in the sixties and seventies – not sure why – any suggestions? I was born in 1970 and often meet other Simons, quite a few of whom are roughly the same age as me. In fact I know at least five other Simons in Brighton.

There are fashions in names, as there are in many things. Lists of the most popular names are published in newspapers annuallly and prospective parents peruse them with interest. You can see some examples here. In 2005, for example, many parents in the USA gave their sons biblical names, with Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Daniel and Joseph were among the top ten.

Opinions about names seem to be based, at least to some extent, on the people you know with those names. If you like and respect the people you know with a particular name, then you may well think of it as a pleasant and respectable name. Although if you meet somebody you don’t like with that name, your opinion might change. When considering names for your offspring, you may be inclined towards names of people you respect and/or admire.

Which names are popular in your country or region at the moment?

I heard that in some countries (Spain and France I think) there are lists of approved names you can choose for your children. If you want to call them something else, the authorities will refuse to register them. Is this true?

Baby sign

By Simon

The idea of using simple sign language to communicate with your baby before he or she can talk has been around for a while, and there are now various books, classes and websites that teach you how to sign with your baby.

Baby sign, as seen in the movie Meet the Fockers, enables babies and parents to communicate on a basic level with each another, which makes for happier, less frustrated babies, and happier parents. The fear that babies taught baby sign will not learn to speak appears to be unfounded. In fact such babies tend to become very keen talkers.

Have any of you used baby sign with your children, or do you know anybody who has? This is certainly something I’d like to try if I every have children.

You can find further information at:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/babysign/
http://www.signingbaby.com
http://www.babysigns.com
http://www.handspeak.com/tour/kids/

Language learning in the news

By Simon

According to report in the Times, increasing numbers of primary schools in the UK are teaching, or plan to teach, their pupils foreign languages, usually French. The idea is to use new, inovative teaching methods to get children excited about languages at an early age, with the hope that they will continue studying them at secondary school. So far this scheme appears to have a success.

At the same time, there have been decreases in the numbers studying languages such as French and German at secondary school, but increases in those studying more exotic languages like Chinese and Arabic. Those schools that teach the more exotic languages find it difficult to find teachers – there are only a few colleges in the UK offering teacher training in Chinese, Japanese or Arabic. In fact there’s such a shortage of language teachers that generous finanicial assistance and incentives are on offer to those who train to teach them.

Name that language

By Simon

This week we have a quiz question from TJ. Can you identify this language and provide a translation?

Abán hav lan lahhamá d’sunqan yawman

Clues: this language acted as a lingua franca in a large region for about 1000 years, and is still spoken by a few small communities in that region. It was also the mother tongue of a famous carpenter. The above sentence refers to a type of food.

Word of the day – eisteddfod

By Simon

eisteddfod /aɪˈstɛðvəd/ (pl. eisteddfodau), noun – cwrdd cystadleuol, eisteddiad. eisteddfod

Related words
eistedd, verb – gorffwys ar sedd neu gadair, seddu. to sit, to seat
eisteddfa / eisteddle, noun – lle i eistedd, sedd. seat
eisteddfodol, adjective – yn ymweud ag eisteddfod. eisteddfodic, to do with eisteddfodau
eisteddfodwr, noun – un sy’n mynychu eisteddfodau. an eisteddfod-goer

Eisteddfod is one of the few Welsh words that is used in English, at least in the UK. The word is derived from eistedd, to sit/seat. The first eisteddfod was held in 1176 by Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth at his court in Cardigan (Aberteifi), when he invited poets and musicians from all over Wales to a grand gathering. The best poet and best musician were awarded a chair at the Rhys’ table, a tradition that continues to this day.

The modern eisteddfod, which dates back to the late 19th century, is a folk festival featuring music, poetry, dance, drama and literature. Local, small-scale eisteddfodau are held all over Wales, and there a number of larger eisteddfodau, including the National Eisteddfod of Wales or Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, which is held once a year alternating between North and South Wales, and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod or Eisteddfod Gerddorol Ryngwladol Llangollen, featuring performers and visitors from all over the world, and held annually in Llangollen.

The 2006 National Eisteddfod is currently going on in Swansea (Abertawe), and you can hear live broadcasts from it on Radio Cymru. For details, see: www.eisteddfod.org.uk