Languages

I have recently become really fascinated with language. It's really interesting to be in a place where I can't understand anything that goes on around me. I realize that I have always taken for granted my eavesdropping abilities, for one. A couple times lately Eric and I have been on the train overlooking some intense or riveting conversations, but we have no idea what they're actually saying. Yesterday we got in a elevator with a cute old couple and he laughed a little and muttered something in German, and I wanted so badly just to know what he said so that I could know if smiling and nodding was an appropriate response.

I'm sure a lot of you know what this is like, being in a place or just a situation where language becomes a barrier. It's so tricky sometimes. I don't expect all of Austria to turn themselves upside down and learn English, then change all the signs and library books and menus to English, but it would be really nice for me if they would.

It's fun though, trying to learn a new language. I've started to recognize some words or phrases and that's exciting when it happens. It's also really fun for me to notice patterns or to figure words out on my own. I filled out a form for something the other day and it was in a few different languages (German and English being a couple of them), and one of the slots said "city, stadt...and then a couple other words for city". I finally realized then that Stadt Park here in Vienna is City Park and that Stadt Halle must mean City Hall. It was really fun for me, and now I notice that word everywhere.

Another fun one: we were printing some things at Eric's school, where the computers are all in German, and the word for the Print button was Drucken. Then I was in a shop yesterday and saw that word on the door. It also means Push.

These are all really fun little things that get me learning and adapting to this German world I live in. But it just starts me thinking: how did I learn French? I went to school for French from grade 1-12. Half my classes every year were French, and I guess you could say I know French. But I've been thinking, what is it to know a language; to really know it? I mean there are some words that I just think "when did I learn what that word was in French"; or the young man who gave a talk in our ward today, "when did he learn that word in English".

On Monday night we had Spencer and Rachel over for dinner and Rachel shared with us a little message. First a short message on something specific that interests her, that none of us know anything about yet (philosophy), then one spiritual one as well. The philosophical one she shared with us, I can't really try to explain in this entry (so I Wikipedia'd it and you can learn more here if you're interested. I think it's super cool), but it was fascinating to me. Just a little bit about one person's perspective on different ways to learn and teach language, which I thought was cool.

I have decided that I think I want to learn some more German. There are a few things that maybe I would like to know how to say or to pronounce properly, but mostly I am interested in the recognition and repetition of words and phrases. I want to be able to recognize and apply important words, or maybe phrases. I am not claiming that I will know the launguage of German when I come home, so don't quiz me or anything. But I am going to take the chance I have here, to learn more about language itself, specifically applied to German. It's like a really fun and long word puzzle kind of. It should be interesting, and I'm actually kind of excited about it!