The iguana's tale- Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Ladino

[SGP]

If I go on to learn Russian, Arabic, French, Italian, German, Swahili or Sranan Tongo, how will I make room for them? How can I make room for them? That's probably too much thinking. I would have never thought that I could make room for seven languages eight and a half years ago when I first joined HTLAL. If I learn a next language, it will most likely sort itself out and find its place alongside the others.

As for Swahili, maybe a certain niche language learning approach could work for you, too. At least it works for me. The post about that method has just been "outsourced" to another log to preserve the space of yours.

[NoManches]

Spanish
My writing class from the Escuela de Escritores has been delayed until January 16 because there weren't enough students signed up. .
While replying to Chmury's log, I discovered this course opening on December 10 Técnicas para la escritura creativa

I just came across this (well, maybe I did see it before but didn't really pay attention to it).

I am strongly considering taking this course since I am taking the C1 DELE in November. My writing is probably my weakest skill in Spanish, and I think this course (or ANY course) would help me a ton. Just forcing myself to write on a regular basis would probably help me get back to the level I attained on college when writing all the time. Not sure if this will be worth the ~$125, but if I do sign up I will let you know. I think this might be way above my level but it might be what I need to get my skills to a more acceptable level.

[iguanamon]

A belated Happy New Year to all, Anyada Buena!; Feliz Año Nuevo; Bòn Ane; Feliz Ano Novo; Bon Any Nou. It's been a busy New Year here for me. The weather this time of year in the Caribbean is as close to perfect as you can get on this earth. We live for this time of year here, when the weather is actually quite pleasant. It generally stays nice until mid-March, then, back to hot again.

Català
I'm still studying Catalan and reading and listening. I'm reading and listening in all my languages.

Español
I rang in the New Year in Viejo San Juan with an old friend, the colonial heart of our neighboring island, Puerto Rico. It's as close as we can get to urban around here without flying to Miami. We had a good meal at a restaurant and danced salsa. She doesn't speak Spanish but wants to learn, so, looks like I've got a task before me. Of course, it's all about consistency and putting the time in, but more important than that is desire and commitment. If the will is there, there will be a way. It's been lacking in the past. Her intentions are good but the road to language learning Hades is paved with good intentions. ¡Vamos ver!

I've started my Spanish writing course Escribir en Internet. It's just a four week course. I thought it would be a good introduction to the school's courses and a good way to refine my Spanish writing skills, which I don't do as often as I speak. The courses are intended for native-speakers and are all online. This may be the answer to "How do I improve my language when at C levels?". The professor is a journalist and author in Spain. I've already warned the class that I am "vosotros challenged"! ¡Vamos ver!

Kreyòl Ayisiyen
I've picked up "Papa Dòk" again and will try to finish this book. What happens is, since it's non-fiction, I'm more prone to reading a chapter and just putting it aside and then forgetting about it. Still watching the VOA Kreyòl news. Still reading the Bible and am well into 2 Samyèl now.

Djudeo-espanyol
Reading Shemuel Bet (2 Samuel) in Rashi script in the Bible. I'm having less difficulty with proper names and place names in Hebrew. In the Ladino Bible, these are almost always rendered in Hebrew script- missing vowels and with letters that don't exist in Rashi. It's not been easy puzzling them out but I've reached a point now where it is much easier after so much exposure through reading.

One of the accounts I follow on twitter, Ladino 21, posted a video today by Benni Aguado on writing Soletreo (Ladino cursive script based on Rashi). Those interested in learning Ladino/Djudeo-espanyol can check out his youtube channel. Benni Aguado wrote a book on Soletreo writing that I downloaded a few years ago when he posted the link on the ladinokomunita forum, which, unfortunately is now broken. Edit: the link to the video is now broken so here is one by David Bunis


Português
I'm still conversing regularly, listening and reading and writing. I should start a new book in Portuguese soon. Estou com tantas saudades do Brasil e preciso de voltar em breve! Vou deixar vocês com o João Gilberto cantando a versão definitiva de "Aguarela do Brasil".


Até logo, amigos.
M a wè nou pita zanmi'm yo. Mèsi pou li tou sa. Orevwa.

[AndyMeg]

I rang in the New Year in Viejo San Juan with an old friend, the colonial heart of our neighboring island, Puerto Rico.

This made me remember a song I like a lot (I learned it from my mom):

[iguanamon]

It has been a very busy last couple of weeks in work and personally which has left me with less time for languages. I have even been, shudder, listening to music and watching films in English! Not to worry, languages are part of my life and always will be.

Spanish
I am now in my third week of my writing class from Spain. So far I have narrated a trip, written a "blog entry" and just wrote a "crónica". Next up is a microrrelato.

El microcuento es un texto breve en prosa, de naturaleza narrativa y ficcional, que usando un lenguaje preciso y conciso se sirve de la elipsis para contar una historia sorprendente a un lector activo.​ Microcuento, cuento brevísimo o minicuento son las denominaciones dadas para un conjunto de obras diversas cuya principal característica es la brevedad de su contenido.2​ La obra de patriarcas del género como pudieron ser Juan José Arreola, Leopoldo Lugones, Augusto Monterroso, o los propios Borges y Cortazar, a lo largo del siglo XX, ha provocado que se haya desarrollado con especial dedicación en hispanoamérica, donde es un ejercicio literario muy popular.

¡Vamos ver! The microrrelato in the assignment will be limited to 500 words. Years ago, I used to entertain myself writing haikus. I liked the limitations of the syllables- first line has five syllables- second line has 7 syllables (woo hoo!)- third line has 5 syllables. The structure tends to enforce my creativity as I search for the right words to use to fit it and get my point across. I'm hopping that the format of the microrrelato will have the same effect on my creativity.

I like the interaction with the professor and the students in the course. This course, "Escribir para internet" has been a good introduction to the "Escuela de Escritores". What I notice in the difference between my writing and theirs is my vocabulary breadth is just not as wide as the native-speakers' vocabulary, obviously, but I muddle through anyway. I don't receive many corrections on my grammar but do on my writing style, which is important.

Portuguese
I wish there were a similar course available in Portuguese. I must have a look around. I spoke in Portuguese a couple of evenings ago for two hours and have been text chatting more.

Catalan
Took a few days off studying this week. I'll get back into it tomorrow.

Djudeo-espanyol/Ladino
Taking a bit of a break here, too. I really should lay off the red wine at night!

Kreyòl Ayisyen
Reading Lavwadlamerik and 2 Samyèl

[eido]

I just wanted to say I listened to some Creole today after you posted that video in the other thread -- not only that one but some more, and it sounds lovely. So lively but gentle at the same time. The people on the Carribean islands seem so friendly and sharp and kind. No wonder you're so fascinated by Haitian Creole and the other creoles you encounter. It's wonderful.

And a microrrelato is "flash fiction," no?

[iguanamon]

I just wanted to say I listened to some Creole today after you posted that video in the other thread -- not only that one but some more, and it sounds lovely. So lively but gentle at the same time. The people on the Carribean islands seem so friendly and sharp and kind. No wonder you're so fascinated by Haitian Creole and the other creoles you encounter. It's wonderful.
And a microrrelato is "flash fiction," no?

Thanks for dropping by, eido. Yes, Haitian Creole and Lesser Antilles French Creole are wonderfully expressive languages and very accessible for English-speakers. For me, there are native-speakers close by and the cultures are quite vibrant. Anyone who wants to learn HC can do so for free with the resources I've listed in the Haitian Creole Study Group.

Yes, you are right, I had to search "flash fiction" in English, but yes, it is the equivalent of a microrrelato.

I've been taking a bit of a break from writing in my log lately. I'll probably get back into it sooner rather than later but, there's not much new I can say. My routine is just that, routine. Other than Catalan, I'm not really learning anything new... and with Catalan- I can already listen to native media and read books in the language. It's really not that big a deal for someone with my language background, so, I don't really see it to be of all that much use to the community. Still, I guess I miss my time here sharing what I've been doing and my observations in language-learning, for what they're worth.

Até logo meus amigos. M'a wè nou pita, mezanmi'm yo.

[iguanamon]

It's been a while since I've posted about my language journey here. In the meantime, I have still managed to make progress. I recently reached somewhat of a milestone in my Haitian Creole/Ladino studies upon which I will elaborate here. Rest assured, I am not a religious fanatic or a fundamentalist of any kind. I use many other resources in my learning... which continues at C levels... believe me. I'll be sharing more of what I have been doing during my absence from this log in my next post.

Haitian Creole
When I started learning HC a few years ago, I used a parallel text of the Book of Genesis along with my courses and conversations with a native speaker. Of course, I haven't had the need for a parallel text in a long time. I have now completed 10 books of the Old Testament and am up to 1 Wa (1 Kings). Along with my reading the Biblical text, I am going through the parallel chapter study of Atravè Labib (Through the Bible) which has half an hour of audio and a transcript for each chapter. The transcript generally has seven to eight pages.

So I did a little calculation of how much I have actually done. In page count of the Bible, there's not much to show for how much time I've spent. I am only on page 478 so far in my Kreyòl translation. This represents 291 chapters; 6,885 verses and I don't know (nor do I care) how many words that is. Reading the Bible isn't like reading most books. It's dense.There is a lot going on in there to inspire thought and questions. I'm still trying to work out all the hullabaloo with the census that went on in Chapter 24 of II Samuel. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, the Bible throws a curve ball at you.

My Atravè Labib reading and listening is one part of what is drawing this process out. This amounts to another approximately 2,300 pages. I've never been one to count pages, hours or minutes. I've never seen the point in it. I guess to some it's a sort of touchstone, a way to chart progress, and/or a motivation. That's something I don't need or want. Basically, it's how I spend an hour in the mornings before I get out of bed.

What this process has done for me is make reading and listening Kreyòl automatic. I read as fast in Kreyòl as I do in Spanish, Ladino and Portuguese. Even so, I still come upon a few unknown words and idioms. Reading Atravè Labib alongside my Bible readings makes me connect more with the source and makes me think more about what I am reading. It's the analyses that make the reading much less of a passive activity. When I add in the listening aspect at a later time when I'm driving or walking, I know well what I am hearing. I am lucky that the translation of the Bible in Kreyòl is modern and the language of the companion study is contemporary.

Of course,what is slowing me down even more is reading the same chapters in Rashi script in Ladino and struggling through Hebrew place names and proper names at the same time. In Ladino, the Hebrew names remain the same as in Biblical Hebrew. For example, the name Rachel, is spelled "rshl" in Hebrew or rather "lhsr" as read from right to left.

A lot of learners wouldn't and don't use the Bible as a resource. That's understandable. There is indeed religion in it, duh! The advantage for me was and is my familiarity with the content, the availability of the resource (there are a scant number of translations of popular literature in Kreyòl or Ladino/Djudeo-espanyol available), and the analyses. In a weird kind of way, the Bible for me in these small languages is akin to what's available for viral "watercooler" series like "Game of Thrones", "Westworld", and "The Walking Dead". These viral series are discussed across a wide variety of platforms and they make a "passive" activity more active by helping the viewer to think more deeply about the content. Believe me, if I could watch/read "The Walking Dead"/"Westworld"/Game of Thrones" in Kreyòl or Djudeo-espanyol, I certainly would.

What makes the Old Testament enjoyable up to this point for me is that it is basically a history of a people- a collection of short stories. Yes, of course there's also religion and religious thought- the whole book of Numbers for example. The stories are also a description and representation of human foibles and actions and their consequences. These are universal across humanity. The OT is a deep, fundamental part of Western civilization and culture. It is rewarding to me. It helps me to appreciate and more deeply understand this connection through my readings.

So, to sum up- the Bible can be a good resource for learning a less commonly learned language as it may be the only (sometimes), or simply the best resource, available for a deeper delve into a small language while living outside its culture. For bigger languages, what I have done with the Bible and the companion study/analysis of Atravè Labib can be replicated with "Harry Potter"; viral television series; popular telenovelas; or any book or books (translated or not) with analyses available online. Popular books and series have forums dedicated to them among fans; twitter accounts; bloggers; even derivative fan-fiction available. These extra resources (if sought out and taken advantage of) can provide an even deeper delve into the content, make it more enriching and reward the learner with the sometimes ellusive ability to "think in the language". It's always difficult for me to describe this process of "thinking in the language" to learners, but this is how it works for me. As I've said this is only one part of what I do in my language-learning.

I'll be back soon with a non-Biblical update. M a wè nou pita. Orevwa pou kounyea e mèsi pou li tou sa.

[iguanamon]

I've had a bit of a break with language-learning over the past six months. I dropped my Assimil Catalan courses. I've maintained my languages learned over that time by reading, listening, speaking, writing.

Catalan
Though I've stopped actively studying the language, I have gotten back into reading it. My twitter account kept me in touch with the language... so... it never went away. I am now at the point of finishing "La clau de vidre" ("The Glass Key") by Dashiell Hammett. It's a fine example of "una novel-la negra" or literature noir. The book was written in 1931. Hammett has said that it was his favorite novel, though it was not his most famous work- which, arguably, was "The Maltese Falcon".

I made a parallel text out of "La clau de vidre/The Glass Key". I use the English sparingly, but I do find it useful when my dictionary has no definition of an unknown word, or I run up on a phrase I'd like to highlight and learn. I read the text on my small 7" tablet in pdf format. (It's funny, I find that I have subconsciously devoted my small tablet exclusively to Catalan and my large tablet to the other languages) I enlarge the Catalan text so as to exclude the English on the right and scroll over when I have the need. I am reading it intensively in that I use the English to confirm my guesses and also to see what other meanings the word may have in the dictionary. I go to my free, open source, Catalan/English bilingual dictionary in pdf. It is far from perfect but it is good enough for my needs. Combined with a parallel text, which I made myself, I can learn from this resource. Making the parallel text takes about 20 minutes to align on a chapter by chapter basis.

Català

Quan Janet Henry se n'hagué anat, Ned Beaumont anà al telèfon, trucà al número de Jack Rumsen, i quan el tingué a l'altre cap de la línia, digué: —Pots deixar-te caure per casa, Jack?… Molt bé. T'espero. Ja estava vestit quan va arribar Jack. Van seure en dues butaques l'un davant l'altre amb un got de whisky Bourbon i aigua mineral. Ned Beaumont fumava un cigar, i Jack un cigarret. Ned Beaumont: —Has sentit parlar de la baralla entre Paul i jo? Jack digué: —Sí —amb veu neutra. —I què en penses?

After Janet Henry had gone. Ned Beaumont went to his telephone, called Jack Rumsen's number, and when he had that one on the wire said: "Can you drop in to see me, Jack?... Fine. 'Bye." . He was dressed by the time Jack arrived. They sat in facing chairs, each with a glass of Bourbon whisky and mineral water, Ned Beaumont smoking a cigar, Jack a cigarette. Ned Beaumont asked: : "Heard anything about the split between Paul and me?" Jack said, "Yes," casually. "What do you think of it?"

As can be seen, this is not a word for word translation, but rather, it conveys the meaning, which is what I want and need.

The story itself is quite good. Friendship, corruption, the criminal underworld, relationship dynamics, these are all topics explored in "la clau de vidre/The Glass Key". The actual crime, the "whodunit" is almost secondary. It's analogous to the crime being like a tortilla chip which is a delivery vessel for the salsa that is all the other facets of life which are explored within the book. Despite being 88 years old, it really reads like a modern novel. Some of the English slang is way out of date but still understandable. The Catalan translation of it is modern. On a side note, I find it fascinating that are so many words in Catalan for the meaning of "to sink into a chair". I've encountered at least four of them so far. I'm on Chapter 9 and only have about 40 pages left in the book to finish it. I may read "Collita Roja" ("Red Harvest") next. This book made Time's "100 best novels in English since 1923" list. Hammett's influence runs deep in both literature and film.

Noir literature and film generally has characters who are all flawed in some ways, even the heroes. In a sense, this is more realistic as we are all an imperfect mixture of good and "not so good" traits, for which hopefully the balance swings toward the latter more than the former.

I've also been reading "Les croniques marcianes" ("The Martian Chronicles") by Ray Bradbury. It's amazing how well the stories hold up despite being written about a future (1999) which has already happened and did not include manned missions to Mars or the discovery of life, let alone sentient life, there.

I have plenty of original literature available in Catalan. At this stage, I am still learning vocabulary and idioms in the language and I find this kind of translated literature more accessible for me right now. Rest assured, I will indeed be moving on to original literature when I feel I am ready. I have already read and enjoyed "El zoo d'en Pitus" by Sebastià Sorribas without any parallel text in the original Catalan.

The good thing about reading in pdf on my tablet means that I can take notes easily and save them. I can then go over them in the "comments list". I can click on them to see the context in which I made them, too, when I review them. After a while of this, the words start to enter even my thick head.

I am also watching a series, a situation comedy, called Plats Bruts on the TV3 website with Catalan subs. It was originally broadcast in 1999. I would describe it as a cross between the US series "The Odd Couple", "Friends" and "Frasier". It's from the same era as one of my favorite Brazilian series- "Sai de Baixo". Having the Catalan subs available at a touch certainly helps my comprehension, when I need the help. There are around 70 episodes (40 or so minutes each) available on the site. It will be a fun way to learn a lot of the language.


My Catalan journey is not coming at the expense of my other languages. Catalan is more of a "side language". I will probably only speak it when traveling to Catalunya or elsewhere in Spain. I know and realize that my odds of running into Catalan-speakers here in the English-speaking Caribbean on the tiny island where I live (not a hotspot for mass immigration!) are slim, but, you just never know. I've been around long enough to know never to say never. I may even get back to those courses soon. These courses indeed have their uses. In my case, though, I don't need courses just to read and listen in Catalan, thanks to my other languages... but to speak and write, I will. A veure!

[MorkTheFiddle]

Hats off!