This is a random rant, so be warned. Not that I have any problem with "any" language, but I'm taking a Czech 202 class and it is driving me crazy! I've heard that there are people who can get a different language like nothing and those who just don't do so well. I'm just not the kind of guy who absorbs foreign language because I'm one of the ones who just isn't getting it. Not only that, but I'll have no practical application for it after this semester when I finally finish my language requirement. I have to pass with at least a C for it to count toward my major, so I'm optimistic.
I chose Czech because my family is from that country. Also, many language classes at the University are insanely structured, so if you aren't keeping up, then you're sunk. My advisor suggested Czech because it is a small class, very laid back and rather slow going. So I guess you could say I lucked out. Mostly I wanted to vent this because my teacher refused to accept my latest 10 sentence assignment because it was so badly written! I'll try better next time, *catches breath*
One needs motivation to learn a language. I don't mean to be rude, but it sounds like you were not terribly interested in learning Czech to begin with. Finding a good practical application is a good thing; it need not necessarily mean living in the Czech republic, but perhaps just reading a novel in its original form or wooing some Czech-American crush.
Heh, when I was in Prague I picked up a tourist map of the city that also came with a short phrase book. Here is one dubious selection; a prize for the first person who figures out what it means (shame it's in the English phonetic version; all the more challenging, I suppose):
"Pro seam vass, mou who poHlad eat vashe Prr-del-kuu?"
seanvegas
Lincoln, NE
December 2004
FEB 18, 2007 09:23 PM