Mi chiamo Andria.

[podling]

Well, I calmed down about the election already. No point in going on about it really. I plan on living in states that are okay with gay and pagan people living among us as long as I possibly can. Oh, and on leaving the country... I always consider leaving the country, nothing's changed there. But you know, reality always stops me. And I like it here most of the time. :p

Anyway, so I'm trying to learn italian, very slowly, using cds. I don't think the ones I'm using are the best for my purposes, but they'll serve for now. After only a little while, I can introduce myself and say I'm not an american. ;) Kidding! I can say I'm an american AND not something else. That's how very far I've progressed. My boss gave me some attitude about how I should be learning Spanish instead of Italian, and all I have to say there is that I would like to have the ability to understand people in my family when they're speaking. That would be nice. And it would perhaps ease the boredom that occurs when I'm sitting there listening to them speak Italian. Plus it'd make my grandmother happy, and god knows I'm not exactly up there on that score.

There are two things about language cds that have always struck me as odd. One is that at the beginning at least, you're just learning specified response to stimulus. The other is that the conversations tend to be non-sequitors (which oddly, this cd is less non-sequitorial (is that a word? (in inglese, I mean)) than many I've heard, but... yeah) like the following...

1: I'm American.
2: I'm French but not Norweigan.
1: I'm not English. My cousin lives in Japan.
2: I have an uncle who is Australian.
1: My brother likes crepes.
2: Hello! I'm not Dutch.
1: Let us go to a cafe!
2: I'm bisexual.
1: My name is Bob.
2: I work in Paris, but live in New York.

Comments

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

I'm not English. My cousin lives in Japan.

That's... weird, man.

[podling]

That's what I'm saying!

Actually it's fun to try yourself. When astrophysicat was trying to learn French, we noticed those sorts of "conversations" in the booklet and started doing them in English. "I like movies." "We had pancakes for breakfast." It confused our friends.

And a new idea! Have that kind of conversation, the first person to react appropriately to the other person loses. :p

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

In I'm Sorry, I Haven't A Clue, there's a game where each contestant has to say a word that bears no relation whatsoever to the previous word; it starts off fine, but slowly disintegrates because the brain's working so hard at remembering the previous word so as to avoid a connection that it gets tricked into making one. Of course, having four professional comedians play the game makes it funnier, but it's pretty hilarious anyway.

[alcippe.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about the language CDs! I've just started learning German and thought I'd get started with a CD that I got on Amazon.com, and it was just as you describe your Italian "conversations".

So I found a real German guy to take lessons from and it's so much more helpful to have actual conversations and find out when you're making mistakes, etc.

Of course, it's a bit more expensive...
but a lot more fun!

[straif.livejournal.com]

Flipping ahead in Teach Yourself Welsh, I find:

1. "He is sticking to his story." Perfect for CSI: Cardiff.
2. "We tied the horses to them." Hmmmm.

If your boss gives you attitude for learning Italian, I imagine I'd make his head explode.

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

For some reason, "Un coffi gwyn, os gwelwch yn dda" spoken extremely slowly, has always stuck with me. Apparently because I don't drink coffee. Or milk.

[doubleyou.livejournal.com]

I'm listening to the Pimsleur Japanese CDs now, and some of the exchanges seem like they're geared-towards hitting-on women. At least, it's hard not to get that impression from exchanges like this one:

"Where is your husband?"
"He's in Washington."
"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

See?