Thursday, April 12, 2012

To love the language(s)...

Everything I read about moving abroad tells me to learn some of the language before I go.  Right now I’m just really wishing there weren’t three of those.  And that the kids and I weren't each probably going to be learning different ones.

I plan to focus on French (since I took some in high school and I've heard it's the language you tend to encounter spoken most frequently in the city and in print), and hopefully catch a little bit of basic German alongside Daphne and her schoolwork.  James…oh, James…might have to be on his own with Luxembourgish.  Google Translate is no help with that one, and I figured out that Paul’s lessons turn quickly to topics not applicable to 4-year-olds (“I like to go to bars.”), and then abruptly end.   

I’m making a cheat-notebook of common phrases in English, Luxembourgish, German, and French side-by-side.  I figure it can't hurt to learn to say "hello," "good-bye," and "sorry for being such an idiot" in all of them.

(For the record, my brain is totally short-circuiting and I actually KNOW nothing at the moment.  The cheat sheet just makes me feel smarter and productive and in control of my life.  I plan to ride that illusion indefinitely).

But so help me, whatever happens, I am resolved to not purchase expensive Rosetta Stone software (or equivalent) if I can.  I’ve got cds from the library, youtube videos, podcasts.  All free, baby.

A big part of me just wants to say screw it, I’ll figure it out when I get there.

Meanwhile, observe how smart and productive and in control I am. 





2 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUgYryBlxtc

To luhhh-ove the language, you gots to be born on the banks of the... Klierf?

PKT

Pete and Rosie said...

Thank you for catching my Harry Connick Jr. reference, dear husband. But I'm wondering why the uploader got the title wrong..."Love to the language??"