I don't really like to talk about how I'm trying to learn French right now. When I approach the subject, some people look at me as if they already know I will become bored of it and move on to some other sideline hobby, and that being the case why would I even bother taking it up at all? Perhaps they took a foreign language class in their past and all the words and rules and nuances they once knew have now slipped into the shadowy regions of their memory. And so, rather than be supportive and excited, they pre-condemn you to a fate of failure.
Not that I am exempt of this behavoir. There are a lot of things we people say flippantly, frequently, and without commitment. Whenever I hear others talk about losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more, and saving money, I often smirk to myself and wonder how long it will last before I don't have to hear about it anymore. So I can't say that I blame people for doing the same to me, and my only defense is to try keeping my own flippancies on the down low.
Nonetheless, I've been listening to the Pimsleur French lessons and I can now ask for directions and times, invite you out for a drink or a meal, make basic chitchat, and discuss the cost of things or how much money I have. I can use sentences to say I go, I do, I want, and I know, or tell you there's a frog in my bidet (I learned that one on my own). Maybe I will never become fluent, but it tickles my tongue to say new words and that's what really counts in life, right?
2 comments:
Good for you. I tried learning French at the JC years ago. But it was a time I didn't care about school much, so I often cut class. All I remember is je fait le mange, besides the "my name is..." and "how are you?" I'd love to speak Italian. I even have the CDs. I shoudl. Keep up with it. Good luck.
thanks for the support jose. and you should totally give your language cds a go. italian words are like sex-cascades rolling throughz your mouth.
Post a Comment