The Language Lab

[JLS]

Chinese Radicals - All 214 in Memory

I've completed memorization of the 214 radicals. Now it's just solidifying and hard-coding. Already it's making hanzi easier to remember and recognize, and that's the goal.

[lichtrausch]

Chinese Radicals - All 214 in Memory

I've completed memorization of the 214 radicals. Now it's just perfect and hard-coding. Already it's making hanzi easier to remember and recognize, and that's the goal.

Congrats on learning the Chinese alphabet.

[JLS]

Congrats on learning the Chinese alphabet.

谢谢你！I'm excited for how this will change the game in reading.

[JLS]

I'm glancing at just a few familiar hanzi after having learned the radicals, and wow! Immediate transformation in how I see hanzi!

I never realized that the radical in the middle of 国 in 中国 is the hanzi for jade. Makes me curious to know why so

Very excited!

A good weekend to everyone!

[JLS]

Spanish composition continues

I've been doing composition/translation into Spanish lately. I have 14 pages of material which I intend to deliver as two different addresses at some point. My head hurts! It's getting me to a point where I actually want to rest from language practice! That means I'm progressing.

[JLS]

Resting

I've been burning at my languages, particularly Spanish. Looking back on the past few months I've really pushed myself in reading, listening, memorization, etc. I feel the difference. I see real progress!

However, my mind finally hit a point where it didn't want to see another word in a foreign language (no offense non-English speakers). I was just tired and couldn't move forward. When that happens, I know not to challenge nature: it is time to rest.

I was reminded that when you do physical exercise, your body is not developing when you are exercising--it is developing when you are recovering. The exercise puts on the strain, and the rest period is the chance for the body to rebuild. I'm sure the same principle goes for the mind. We think that by endless exertion that we are making more progress than others. We are not. We might be hindering the mind's ability to rebuild, and thus our ability to progress.

Exhausted? It's ok to rest. You'll be better for it.

[JLS]

I soon leave for the Spanish-speaking world for two straight weeks. It will be my first time in an immersive environment where my language is not primarily spoken by anyone. Excited!

[JLS]

Back from Overseas - My First Venture into the Spanish-Speaking World

I spent two weeks in the Spanish-speaking world. This was my first time in an immersion environment, at least outside the US (I've been in get-togethers before now where most of the people speak Spanish). What a wondrous time! This was uniquely challenging. Although for the first week there were a few in my company who were fluent in English, in the second week I was the only one fluent in English.

What did I discover about language learning?

- You can't "turn off" the target language. You must work with it, even when you don't feel like it.
- You find your mental breaking point a lot sooner; and after a few days, you find it takes longer to reach that breaking point.
- You do need periodic breaks to just be in your own native language. It resets you to deal with another round of the local language.
- You pay stricter attention, and for longer.
- You must deal with colloqualisms, accents, and culture.
- You find ways to communicate in the language. They aren't native-sounding, but you learn to make the language work.
- You start getting a sense of the personality of the language.
- You start finding you've got more in common with persons of these distant worlds than you expected.
- You see the advancement in your target language almost daily, whether it's in speaking or hearing.
- You have no doubt where you are doing well in the language, and where you need work.
- You get a living connection between language, people, culture, and history.
- At some odd points, it becomes more natural to express yourself in the target language.
- You might find the people and the culture getting inside of you.
- It truly helps when the local people understand that this is hard for you.
- You are very exhausted when you return back to your native country, but you are glad you went!

Spanish Strengths

I found that I could make myself understood. At some points, I could feel in my own heart the things I spoke in Spanish. There was some capacity to even joke and banter with my friends, and so I did find that I had some living connection with the language. I was able to build real personal connections as well.

Spanish Weak Points
I have determined where in Spanish I need to focus: Hearing, vocabulary, and accent.

I do just fine in reading. That's no problem. Hearing was my biggest weakness. Although I saw clear progress over two weeks, I missed much of what was said, and it was difficult to get into the flow of conversations. This was the hardest in some social settings, and when getting through the airport when dealing with staff and security personnel who are just trying to keep things moving. Therefore, over the next months most of my effort is going to be in listening.

Next, vocabulary. I can make myself understood, but now I need to increase the richness and naturalness of my communications. Advanced vocabulary is where it's at. Closely related to this is learning to speak in a natural way.

Last, accent. I try to pronounce things in an authentically Spanish way, but the US northeasterner still comes out quite easily. I'm going to choose an accent and learn to imitate it as well as I can.

Fantastic experience. I'm glad to be back in the US for now, but I'm already planning for the next out-of-country venture.

[tastyonions]

Sounds great, where did you go? I've been to Mexico, Spain, and Peru.

[JLS]

Sounds great, where did you go? I've been to Mexico, Spain, and Peru.

Chile and Paraguay, with a transition through Argentina. The Spanish in each region is distinct--particularly Chile. Scenery-wise, they were all beautiful.

I also learned that in their minds, they don't speak Español--they speak Castilleno. Oh, and they too want to be called Americans.