Är min stil inte intressant? ha ha

Engelska
Today I’m wearing a white shirt and black sweater. I have on an old pair of jeans. I like them. They are comfy. I have on purple shoes. They are new. It is cold today and snows a little. I have a black jacket and striped scarf.

Isn’t my writing interesting? ha ha (Jag skrattar.)

ett frimärke > ok, I know this one > STAMP! that’s it! a stamp >

Occasionally, this is shortened a bit and, luckily, a few phrases have sunk in so that I don’t have to think, “Tack .. tack means thank you.” The biggest problem with translating, is the pause during which the brain has to sort through its stored information and return the correct meaning to you. This is when you can easily to miss the rest of the sentence and miss something key to comprehending what is being said. So how do you get from translation to fluency?

Before fluency comes memorization.
Initially, it is necessary to memorize words and their meanings. Later, one must memorize conjugations in the case of verbs and for nouns, their gender. So, how do you memorize?

Currently, I am using a multi-pronged approach. My learning tools are a book, corresponding audio files, a dictionary, and a workbook. In addition, I have been using index cards and lots of good old fashioned notebook paper.

The textbook was created for immigrants leaning Swedish. Because not everyone speaks English (or French, etc) there are no translations in the book – only text and illustrations. These are very simple at first:

Jane: Jag heter Jane. Vad heter du?

Dick: Jag heter Dick.

Even without the illustration, it is pretty easy to figure out the gist. Jane introduces herself, and asks what the other person’s name is. He is called Dick.

My Memorization Process

Step One :: Try and get the gist of the text by looking at the illustrations in the book. Try to guess the meanings of words by their similarities to other languages.

Step Two :: Look up the meanings of the words you can’t guess. For additional clarification, look up the meanings of the words you guessed to see how close you are. I write these words down on index cards and add additional information if it is relevant. In Swedish, the nouns are either en or ett words and this determines how adjectives are used with them. It makes sense then for me to write down ett glas and en bok so that I memorize both the meaning and the en eller ett association.

Step Three :: Listen to the corresponding audio file while reading the text. Most of the audio files are read through then ask the listener to listen and repeat. I go through this at least 3 times when practicing. If I am able to listen at least once a day after that, then by the next week the text is easy.

Step Four :: Listen to the corresponding audiofiles while not looking at the book. All of a sudden things sound different and some subtle meaning can be lost. As a visual learner, I often realize how much I rely on the look of the word to determine its meaning. I listen until I can hear and repeat the individual words and “hear” their meaning. Doing this while traveling back and forth to work makes the commute much nicer.

Step Five :: I have a hard time remembering certain words and conjugations. Since each chapter (in almost every language book I’ve ever seen) groups the chapter into topics like food, travel, or clothing, I pretend I’m in first grade learning English. We were always given a word list and told to write out each word 10 times. While this can lead to writers cramp since we often have a longer word list than I did back then, it really helps. I try to envision what the word means and not just think pratar = talk. Instead of translating the word, I just know what it means without brain lag.

Reader Suggestions?
Are you learning a new language? a master thespian? memorize poems for fun? How do you memorize words and phrases? I would love to hear about others’ tips and tricks for memorization!

Engelska :: This is way more detailed that I was able to get across above.
Seeing And One yesterday inspired me. One of my goals is to record an original piece of music. Because I love synthpop and electronic, that is the genre I wish to emmulate. Hopefully, it won’t be so bad that it will seem disrespectful to the genre. Anyway, since And One sings in German, I had the thought to write my own lyrics in Swedish. As I was thinking this, min pojkvän tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You should write music in Swedish!” It is scary how often we think alike.

Ikväll ni ska se ett band heter And One. De är från tyskland och sjunger i tyska. Ni pratade med synthesizerspelar i Mars 2007. Han var snäll och tålamod med mig när jag försöket prater tyskt. Jag taler tyska sämre än jag skriver svensk!

Väder Idag :: Solen skiner men det är kallt.

First, do you want to learn a new language for personal or professional reasons? If professional, your choices may be limited. Since you’re reading this, I’m assuming your company isn’t requiring only one specific language but that you have a least a few options to choose from. If the sky is the limit, then take a look at countries in which your business may take you. It wouldn’t make much sense to learn French if your company is mainly dealing with businesses in Japan. Write out a list of countries in which your company does business. Do any or many of these appeal to you?

If you decide to learn a language for personal reasons, it may be easier to decide. When your girlfriend lives in Germany, it’s a good bet that German will be your language of choice. If you just want to learn a new language for personal development, look to your friends since they can be excellent resources. Do you know a lot of people who speak Spanish? Then perhaps signing up for a Spanish class will work best since you will have lots of people to converse with and guide you in your studies. Or maybe, like me, you’ve just always wanted to learn a new language and simply need to which one would be best for you. If there are several you’re inclined towards, write them out in a list.

Second, take a look at your list. Do any of the languages appeal to you more than others? Why? When I first looked at my list, I had written down French, German, and Swedish. Each appeals to me for a different reason. French reminds me of my Mom (and I love France), German reminds me of my Opa, my Dad, and friends in Germany (and I love Germany and Austria), Swedish was the only language my grandmother spoke until she was 8 and I have a Swedish prayer memorized from when I was little. Even if you’re learning a new language for professional reasons, it is good to have a personal reason as well. If you choose a language you’re interested in, then you’re more likely to stick with it and study harder than if it’s just b/c your boss thinks it would be a good idea.

Third, now that you have your languages and reasons listed, research your opportunities. Are there classes in those languages at nearby schools or through community programs or adult education classes? Is there one language that will be easy to learn anywhere, but another that will be difficult to find courses for? Are you going to one of those countries on an upcoming trip?

Sometimes something as simple as class schedule can help you make a final decision. Maybe the Russian class is only offered on the evening you have a prior obligation, but the Italian class fits your schedule perfectly. Look for future opportunities as well. Currently, I’m in an area where there are Swedish courses offered. I know there will be French courses offered almost anywhere I may choose to live in the future, so I would rather take advantage of my current opportunity to learn Swedish in a classroom environment.

Finally, if you’re in an area that doesn’t offer classes, look online! There are many courses and tools offered for free. While I would always advocate classroom learning first, if you are dedicated, there is much to be learned online and through books.

If you’re learning a new language now, how did you decide it was the right one for you?

Svensk
Väder Idag :: Vilket väder! Det är kallt och molnight och mulet. Det regnar och blåser. Jag vill det snöar i stället.