IF I TYPE IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS, YOU STILL WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO IMAGINE HOW HAPPY I AM!
It's no secret that Arabic is tough for me. Hard as hell. Gorgeous, but vicious.
Anyway, I was in Barnes & Noble with my girlfriend this past Saturday. I only go to the language portion of the store, and I saw a book called Arabic in Ten Minutes a Day. I picked it up and started thumbing through it, and then I had a polyglottal orgasm. That book was everything that I dreamed of. I was able to learn words, how to spell them (in Arabic and English), as well as the context for using them.
The book is about 140 pages with flash cards, sticky notes that you can put on your mirror to practice while walking around your home, as well as a CD-Rom full of information. I knew that before I even made my way to the checkout line that I was going to get. it. in.
Then, I saw something even MORE awesome. They had the same book for Hebrew, so I scooped that one up too because they were the last copies of Arabic and Hebrew, and I would have been damned if someone got them before I did, you know? Hebrew isn't as hard for me as Arabic, but it would definitely help since Hebrew is also written from right to left. There were similar books on other languages, but I didn't feel the need to get them because I was confident enough already.
Both books were 26 dollars each. I was poor, and I did not CARE. I brought them home, and I immediately went outside on the balcony and got to work on the Arabic. It took my some time to get the ball rolling, but once I got through the in-depth description of the alphabet, I was then able to learn basic words, which is what I had been looking for forever. That Kindle book I have just didn't cut it, because with this new book, it gives you sentences in English while intermittently placing Arabic words with script combined with the English pronunciation. I was in love.
It's Tuesday now, and I'm already starting to write a LOT more in Arabic. I'm tweeting in Arabic, and I'm able to read it also (very slowly, mind you). The key is turning, and once that door is open, I'm moving all my shit in and stretching out on the couch.
I've been banging at this door for far too long, and now I'm getting results. I'm only a few pages in, and I can't imagine how far I will have progressed by the end.
,السلم عليكم
Your Favorite Polyglot
Twitter: @mistercapoeira
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Polyglottality (If That's Even a Word)
What's up guys? I just wanted to take some time and address an issue that some people may have with my language learning.
Let me preface this by saying that the majority of the people I meet and have met completely and fully support my endeavors of trying to become fluent at 32+ languages. Those people do not apply to my following statements.
There have been a few people who have called me legitimately crazy in a condescending, ignorant manner; trying to say that I should just stick with one, and that it's impossible to study so many. And then there's the, "You'll just get them all mixed up!" And today I was even told that "no one would give a shit" if I could speak a certain foreign language.
To all of those people, including the ones who'll tell me this in the future, I've got two words for you: F..*breathe*..You're wrong.
First, people DO give a shit if you can speak ANY foreign language. It shows you care and are willing to not be a stereotypical, "English is the only language worth knowing" kind of person, especially in America. There are so many people who will IMMEDIATELY get treated badly for having poor English, and now, apparently, you also run the risk of getting backlash for trying hard to learn. If you have the chance to interact with someone who is of foreign descent, I would be willing to place a bet on the fact that you even trying to speak their language would warm their heart and place an ear-to-ear grin on their face. How do I know? I've seen it. Many, many times. Demeanors change, conversations about culture begin, you get treated like one of them, and you've made a new friend.
Secondly, it's not very easy to get multiple languages mixed up. Here's the reasoning. When you're in math class, you think about math, and all the things pertaining to math. When you're in history, you think about history. The same applies for an English class. Then once you're out of your class and run into a friend, you're thinking about that person. You're not going to going on about Euclid, Columbus, or Shakespeare; you'll be talking to them, despite the fact that you just finished using a different part of your brain.
Make sense? You turn one switch on, and leave the others off. It's hard to get languages confused; the mind just doesn't work like that.
Lastly, just sticking with just one language is almost a cop-out in my opinion. I do understand if you want to really focus on one, whether it be for a major, or to spark some kind of love interest, but there are so many people you will never be able to communicate with if you just stick to one. If that applies to you, then please don't take offense. I'm just explaining my reasoning for wanting to know 32(and probably more). Someday, I'll be able to go just about anywhere in the world and be able to communicate at will. If I stuck to one, my options would be severely limited, especially if my language is only spoken by a few thousand people that live in some small island.
This is my "address". If anyone in the future even remotely wants to give me issues for trying as hard as I am, trust me, I'll quickly direct them here.
To all of the other polyglots and language learners out there, I know you've dealt with the same thing, but from me to you, never let anyone stop you, because while they're talking that b.s. and remaining stagnant, we're growing.
We're learning. We're becoming more marketable. We're making new friends, and we're networking. We're doing what most people wouldn't fathom doing, and in that, we have every reason to be proud of ourselves and to continue reading books, listening to audio, scouring the internet for open-language exchanges sites. We're busting our ass; no one is going to be able to take our skills away from us, and no one has the right to try to make us feel dumb for doing what we do.
I have your back, because I know you have mine.
Until next time,
Your Favorite Polyglot
Twitter: @mistercapoeira
Let me preface this by saying that the majority of the people I meet and have met completely and fully support my endeavors of trying to become fluent at 32+ languages. Those people do not apply to my following statements.
There have been a few people who have called me legitimately crazy in a condescending, ignorant manner; trying to say that I should just stick with one, and that it's impossible to study so many. And then there's the, "You'll just get them all mixed up!" And today I was even told that "no one would give a shit" if I could speak a certain foreign language.
To all of those people, including the ones who'll tell me this in the future, I've got two words for you: F..*breathe*..You're wrong.
First, people DO give a shit if you can speak ANY foreign language. It shows you care and are willing to not be a stereotypical, "English is the only language worth knowing" kind of person, especially in America. There are so many people who will IMMEDIATELY get treated badly for having poor English, and now, apparently, you also run the risk of getting backlash for trying hard to learn. If you have the chance to interact with someone who is of foreign descent, I would be willing to place a bet on the fact that you even trying to speak their language would warm their heart and place an ear-to-ear grin on their face. How do I know? I've seen it. Many, many times. Demeanors change, conversations about culture begin, you get treated like one of them, and you've made a new friend.
Secondly, it's not very easy to get multiple languages mixed up. Here's the reasoning. When you're in math class, you think about math, and all the things pertaining to math. When you're in history, you think about history. The same applies for an English class. Then once you're out of your class and run into a friend, you're thinking about that person. You're not going to going on about Euclid, Columbus, or Shakespeare; you'll be talking to them, despite the fact that you just finished using a different part of your brain.
Make sense? You turn one switch on, and leave the others off. It's hard to get languages confused; the mind just doesn't work like that.
Lastly, just sticking with just one language is almost a cop-out in my opinion. I do understand if you want to really focus on one, whether it be for a major, or to spark some kind of love interest, but there are so many people you will never be able to communicate with if you just stick to one. If that applies to you, then please don't take offense. I'm just explaining my reasoning for wanting to know 32(and probably more). Someday, I'll be able to go just about anywhere in the world and be able to communicate at will. If I stuck to one, my options would be severely limited, especially if my language is only spoken by a few thousand people that live in some small island.
This is my "address". If anyone in the future even remotely wants to give me issues for trying as hard as I am, trust me, I'll quickly direct them here.
To all of the other polyglots and language learners out there, I know you've dealt with the same thing, but from me to you, never let anyone stop you, because while they're talking that b.s. and remaining stagnant, we're growing.
We're learning. We're becoming more marketable. We're making new friends, and we're networking. We're doing what most people wouldn't fathom doing, and in that, we have every reason to be proud of ourselves and to continue reading books, listening to audio, scouring the internet for open-language exchanges sites. We're busting our ass; no one is going to be able to take our skills away from us, and no one has the right to try to make us feel dumb for doing what we do.
I have your back, because I know you have mine.
Until next time,
Your Favorite Polyglot
Twitter: @mistercapoeira
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