The only language I know is English. It is my "native" language (the first language I learned). My mom's native language was Polish, then she learned English when she went to school. It was a Catholic school with Polish speaking nuns and Polish speaking priests for the church. She did not teach us Polish. I'm not sure why, but I think perhaps it was because then we would know what she was talking about to her sisters (my aunts) when they were together. They always talked in Polish around us kids.
My dad's native language was Polish, but he learned German and English in his life. As many of you know, he was born in Poland. During WW2 he was in the Polish army and was captured along with his entire regiment and kept in a German war camp for the majority of the war. Because he knew English, in addition to German and Polish, he was of big help for the American soldiers for interpreting. He died when I was 18 months old so I obviously didn't learn Polish or German from him.
I took Spanish for 1 year in high school (required for graduation). I live where Spanish is a prominent language and it would help if I was bilingual, but I did not retain any Spanish learned all those years ago and I haven't attempted to relearn any of it (yet).
I think the best way to learn a new language is perhaps when one is younger. That is just my thought. One of the permanent employees where I work has a 5 year old daughter who is in kindergarten. She spends half day in an English classroom and half day in a Mandarin classroom, learning the Mandarin language. She is excelling in both classrooms. She speaks Mandarin at home, though of course her mom doesn't know what she is saying. She had to do a 2 minute speech in Mandarin about her family. Her mom had taped it and played it for us. It was amazing watching her speak that language. She will continue with the half day English/half day Mandarin for the rest of her time at that elementary school. I think it is a wonderful concept and a great learning opportunity for her.
But if I was to learn a new language right now, it would be sign language. At church one of the weekend services has ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation at it. That service is also streamed live. I have to admit sometimes I watch the interpreters as they are signing. It amazes me how they can sign what has just been said and listen to the pastor speaking the next line they will be interpreting. I know they are educated on how to do it but it is fascinating to watch. There are two interpreters there and they switch in the middle of the sermon (sermons are about 45 minutes long). There is a sign language school here in Phoenix and a few years back I looked into it. It is a 3 year program for certification. Maybe some day. (Most likely not).
Do you speak more than one language?
Sign language is indeed v tough to learn i feel! What u told about learning languages when young is so true
ReplyDeleteMy daughter managed learning Hindi English and bit of Telugu ( Indian languages) just by 5..i wish to teach her one more language by 6 if time permits .
Dropping by from a to z http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.com/
That is neat with the languages your daughter is learning and the potential for her to learn more, which means you know several languages :)
Deletebetty
My grandmother only spoke polish. When we would go to visit my dad would talk to her in polish. My brother and I knew a few words like how to say good night. Often they would be talking and your ears would perk up when in the middle of what they were saying you would hear your name. Never a clue as to what they were saying about you though.
ReplyDeleteYou know what I mean, lol. You know they are talking about you because you hear your name but that's all you can understand. My grandmother too only spoke Polish with a few words of English. I didn't really get to know her as a result (and the fact we moved away when I was 7 years old).
Deletebetty
My husband and I lived in SW Florida for over 20 years and we learned Spanish. I still can speak Spanish and understand it but not as well as I did because now I don't use it often or even hear it often.
ReplyDeleteThat is a neat way to having learned Spanish. I'm sure many an adventure living in SW Florida! Visit Phoenix; you'll get plenty of Spanish practice here :) Have a great Thursday!
Deletebetty
I took a total of 7 years of French and even earned 8 free credits in college for passing out of some requirements. I’m still able to read it fairly well, but have trouble listening due to the speed in which they talk. My DIL’s native language is Mandarin and I’m sure if they have children, it will be spoken in their home. My son is trying to pick it up. He took German for 5 years and had a summer job in Munich where his employers only spoke German to him. He said it was hard, but he got by! My MIL was a high school Spanish teacher, but my husband had zero interest in learning. I never understood that! I love languages and word origins.
ReplyDeleteThat is neat that your "potential" grandchildren will be raised to speak Mandarin. I have seen jobs listed where they want people to be bilingual in it so it will be to their benefit! I think immersed in the language, like your son was in Germany, is a good way to learn the language too; kind of like "baptism by fire" lol. I never really cared for learning a different language in my youth but I do like learning about word origins :)
Deletebetty
Some folks think Southern talk is another language. LOL At times I don't even understand it. LOL But NO I cannot speak another language. I had French in school to no avail. While I hiked the AT I tried to learn Spanish via tapes, to no avail either. I admire bi-lingual individuals and sorta envy them. Good entry. THANKS
ReplyDeleteLOL, I heard about that with the Southern talk! Someone mentioned here that a friend took a job in Mississippi but came back a few months later, having quit the job, because he couldn't understand half the time what the people were saying down there :)
Deletebetty
YES~ American Sign Language! I do not speak it but if I were to learn a second language, like you, that's the one I'd pick! I am fascinated by ASL. I have a cousin, Lori, who was born with no auditory nerve. She attended the school for the deaf in Atlanta and of course her entire family attempted to learn sign language, but only her mother (my late Aunt Linda) became fluent. Aunt Linda had beautiful long fingers with pretty nails and to watch her sign was like liquid music! Another dear friend of mine, also in heaven, signed fluently and often interpreted the sermons in church (as did Aunt Linda). I think a knack for learning a second language is truly a gift -- from God! I do not have it; I love the English language so much that I dedicate my energies to learning it better). My big sister, from early childhood, was for some reason infatuated with the French language. She studied it in school, then went on a mission trip to Belgium as an older teenager, and ended up marrying a Frenchman! They have been married for 45 years and have seven children, some of whom speak French but none like their mother. My brother-in-law can barely speak English, even after having been married to an American for nearly half a century and having seven children whose first language is English. So I think it is both a special gift, and obviously an intense desire to learn a language, that is the key. BUT as you said, if you begin as a small child to learn other languages, you are way ahead! So wonderful, your coworker's child speaking Mandarin. I wish Dagny would take Spanish lessons because I think if you can fluently speak another language, you can probably always get a job as an interpreter. I want to say that I have enjoyed this series of posts you've been doing! Each one has been so interesting. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenny! It would be great if Dagny did have an interest in Spanish. It makes one more marketable down the line I do believe! How interesting about your cousin Lori. I could see her mom learning to sign because that is what us moms do lol. Honestly when I see worship praise songs signed it is so beautiful it moves me to tears.
DeleteBetty
I wish I spoke another language too. I love languages. I took French all 4 years in high school. Didn't retain. Took two years of Spanish in college. That didn't retain either. And then when the pandemic hit, we were working from home. And since we are a front line workers, most of the staff took ASL online. We do have a couple of customers that are deaf so it was justified that ASL was part of work day. But alas, that also didn't retain since coming back.
ReplyDeleteIf you were were interested in learning, I found a really great YouTube instructor named Bill Vicars. Check him out if you have time.
Thanks,I will check him out. I think it would be great to sign as then you could sign to someone who also signed and those around you would have no idea what you were saying lol.
DeleteBetty
I wish I knew another language, but I don't. I tried taking Spanish, but it didn't work out for me. All I remember is how to ask where the bathroom is (but I can't understand the answer) and how to order a beer (I don't like beer), so nothing of any use to me.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lady here who does Arabic lessons in eight week blocks. I'd love to take those, but so far the scheduling hasn't worked out.
Now Arabic would be interesting to learn! Hope the scheduling works so you can do it sometime down the line. That would be an interesting post if you did so.
DeleteBetty
There is a girl with special needs in the church youth group who signs the songs they sing and she is beautiful to watch. I have dabbled in ASL, but as with other languages, I have forgotten it because of lack of practice.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is beautiful to watch and like I mentioned above in another reply to a comment, it moves me to tears to see a praise song signed. It just looks so worshipful!
DeleteBetty
Those fluent in ASL are amazing! I really doubt that's something I could master -- but applaud you doing so. (If that's what you want.) I've no idea how I graduated HS without ever taking a foreign language. Then again, I got my drivers license without ever having to parallel park, so there's that. New Mexico's weird! (LOL)
ReplyDeleteTom wouldn't be able to carry on a conversation in Polish, but still remembers a few words and certain phrases from time spent with his grandparents. I remember when we lived in Goodyear, I happened upon a little Polish grocery. There was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5, just chattering happily away in Polish. I couldn't help but stare in amazement!
Lol I can't parallel park to this day! I really envy those families who are bilingual and teach their kids a second language. I doubt I will do the ASL training now. I should have done it 4 years ago when I was looking at other careers. Always a day late and a dollar short lol.
DeleteBetty
Great take on "L". Didn't know that about your dad.
ReplyDeleteI only speak English, and can read a bit of Spanish to get by. My mom was from the Philippines and spoke Tagalog, but I only learned a few words.
I had a friend who taught ASL, although she herself was not deaf. She said that ASL speakers have "accents" too, just like people when speaking. It is interesting how fast they can "talk", but I think it's probably like typing. Once you learn it, it just flows.
That is so true about ASL being like typing. I hadn't thought of it like that, but I can see that is a good possibility for them with their signing! Now I'm curious how an accent would come across in someone signing. That is very interesting!
DeleteSince I've been blogging off and on since 2005 and have mentioned my dad's story a few times, I never knew who knows it or who doesn't, lol :) He did come over to the States in 1948. He was sponsored by an uncle of his who had to guarantee a place for him to live plus help in him getting a job. My dad did become a naturalized American citizen. He picked up a chronic lung condition from being in the war camp and the poor conditions there. He was in and out of the hospital at times during their marriage. He died at 39 years of age. They were married for 6 years and 3 kids :) My mom thought she would be an old maid as she was 32 when they got married.
You are doing good if you can read Spanish to get by. I can read a Spanish menu, does that count?
Have you visited the Philippines?
betty
English here too. I know a few Cajun French words and a few Spanish words, but that's about it. Valerie is taking Spanish in school but it is a joke! They just have to 'do' the work online and it doesn't have to be right. So nobody puts any effort into it at all. They just click through the lessons answering randomly! It's the craziest thing.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem crazy with how Valerie's Spanish class is. Hardly seems worth the effort as I don't think they are learning anything. That is a shame too!
DeleteBetty
I don’t know any other language- I’ve often thought of using Rosetta Stone!
ReplyDeleteWe have thought about Rosetta Stone too for learning Spanish. Maybe on day :)
Deletebetty
I can read write and speak 4 languages - 3 Indian and English .... you are absolutely right... its easier when you are younger and science supports that too
ReplyDeleteJayashree writes
That is great with the languages you can read, write and speak! Very impressive!
Deletebetty
I didn't realize your father died when your were so young. James is learning Spanish from Gabby and her mother. Both sides of my family (grandparents) spoke Bohemian. I never learned it or did my parents. I agree that sign language would be nice to learn.
ReplyDeleteThat is great that James is learning Spanish! A big benefit for living in Southern California! I hadn't heard of Bohemian as a language. I'm going to have to google it and see if I can listen to a sample of it.
Deletebetty
I can barely speak the one language... 🤣
ReplyDeleteMary's grandparents were all from Lithuania (right over the mountains from Poland; in fact her maiden name was Kacza, which is Polish for "duck") and her mother and grandmother spoke it around her. She never learned the language, but could always tell when they were talking about her...
We have a way of knowing when we are being talked about, even if we can't understand what is being said :)
Deletebetty
I am fluent in sarcasm. :) Actually the Hubs was born in Portugal, moving here when he was 10. He has absolutely no accent so you would have no idea. It is hysterical though when he gets Brazilian or Portuguese customers talking behind his back at the PO. Particularly when he responds in English as they are walking out the door. When the guys talk in Spanish in the office, I always smile and say "Ok, no more talking in code".
ReplyDeleteLOL, I love your comeback with "no more talking in code." Used to drive me crazy when I worked at the unemployment office. The supervisor would talk to the other Spanish speaking people in Spanish. I'm sure it was easier for them to do it as it was their native language but frustrating in a business situation like that. The nice thing about knowing a language and people don't know you know it is in situations like your husband. He can see what is being said and then respond how he wants and confuse people too I think! I love your being fluent in sarcasm. That doesn't show in your blog posts though.
Deletebetty