Well. I knew that this was going to be tough. Picking up another language, after you've passed that magical point somewhere in your late 20's where your brain stops absorbing new concepts and burning them into circuit paths so readily, is just asking for trouble.
However, I want my daughter to learn Chinese, so I need to have at least some knowledge too. I'm learning a new language at 42. And not only do I have serious Teflon brain issues where the only way that I learn anything language-related is to repeat it over and over and over again until it burns into long-term memory, but I'm also trying to learn a tonal language. I'm not truly tone deaf, but I am hyperlexic, so sometimes I'll hear a word and...won't hear it. Back up, repeat, still can't hear it. Take a deep breath, focus very intently and cut ALL background noise, repeat the sound, and hear it sort of. Repeat, ad nauseum.
The FSI tapes on tonals and pronunciation are saving my sanity here. I'm watching the Big Muzzy tapes (BBC kids' language programs) with my daughter and I swear that Thank you, and 10, are the same word. I've heard at least 3 different pronunciations of the word for the number 2 in the past few weeks, one Muzzy, one the Chinese pre-school, and another from a coworker. (I think it might sound like "ar" but we'll see when I get to that tape on the FSI course) In fact, the entire Chinese language may very well just be composed of the syllables "wa" "shur" and "ne" in different patterns and floating up and down in tone. ;-)
My daughter gets it easily. I can see that I'm going to have trouble saying "My, you've really created a lovely dinner here." and having it come out as "My, I'd really like to give your grandmother a massage."
I can do this. Really. I'm a thinking human being. I have time. (well, no I don't, but there is that morning/evening commute. I like my dance music on the freeway, but maybe it is swapped out for language tapes. Maybe I should look for Chinese dance music, but chances are it would come from Taiwan. According to the (Taiwan) Chinese Drama "Devil Beside You" they don't have any music other than headbanger heavy metal in Taiwan.)
Too bad it isn't Japanese. I'm actually picking up chunks of dialogue in Japanese now without taking any language lessons simply by virtue of the fact that I have a serious Asian drama habit and most of my favorites are the Japanese dramas. Like "Trick" and "Gokusen" and "Kimi wa Petto."
--Poetry
(who is doomed to make faux pas in every language that she meets. Hide your grandmothers.)
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