On Learning Languages

Earlier this week, Janet of the blog MacQue mentioned the language learning website and app Duolingo.

I got curious, downloaded the app to my phone, and found myself spellbound… It’s a free app, with no annoying ads interrupting the flow – and it works a bit like a computer game, giving immediate feedback. I decided to try a bit of Spanish, and got totally captivated. This is only my third day, and they say I’m already 11% “fluent” …

Even if I have my doubts about their definition of fluency, it certainly encourages one to go on... (If I can keep it up at this rate, I should be 100% fluent in a month, right??) (As if!)

Anyway, it is a rather amazing way of learning; which made me think back on previous language learning experiences.

By strange coincidence, I had already started planning this post when today I turned on the radio (as I often do when working in the kitchen) and there was a program discussing how learning more than one foreign language (English) seems to be on the decline in Sweden. Apparently (I have not been keeping up!) it is no longer mandatory to learn a second foreign language in school (as it was back in my day, in ‘junior high’). Neither the kids nor their parents seem to see the point any more. So while we’re getting better than ever at English (hearing it daily on TV and the internet), our knowledge of other languages is falling behind.

In my day, i.e. back in the mid 1960’s, English was introduced in 4th grade (age 10) here. In 7th grade, in addition to English, we got to choose between French and German. As my parents (growing up during WWII) weren’t fond of German, I was persuaded to choose French. (Not that I remember how much persuasion was needed.) As I liked languages, I wanted to go on in that direction in secondary school though, which meant a third foreign language then. The ones on the menu this time were German (or French, if you had started with German), Spanish or Russian. As it seemed German would probably be the most useful, that was now my choice. And while still in 9th grade (at age 15) I even decided to get a head start with a German correspondence course.

And that was what I got thinking of while trying out the Duolingo app now… The correspondence course in 1969/70 consisted of booklets with texts and exercises, sent by letter, one at a time, and accompanied by vinyl records the learn the pronunciation. If memory serves me right they were EP format, i.e. longer than singles, but shorter than LPs. I had a small travel gramophone in my room – the speaker was in the lid.

Exercises or tests were written down on paper, and sent back by letter for correction; and were returned corrected and graded. No oral exams, obviously… Mum may have helped me with the pronunciation too - I don’t really remember! But as she was born in 1930, her first foreign language must have been German. (That was only changed to English after WWII.)

Now you just click on an app on your phone, and it speaks to you, and you speak to it, or click on it, or type on it; and the app reads/ listens, and tells you immediately if you said it right, or if you misspelled something, or if you tend to forget a word it gives you extra exercises with that word.

On my first blog, The Island of the Voices (2009-10), I wrote a series of eight posts entitled About Me and Languages. You’ll find links to those old posts on the page About Me at the top of this blog. In #4 , for example, you can read about my experience when in the 2nd year of secondary school, Latin was added into my language mix, on top of English, French and German.

After my three years in secondary school, I had a gap year (working in an office in my home town), and after that went on to an 18 months secretarial education, including one term of English at university, and also special college courses in “business language”, in Swedish, English and German. (We could choose French or German, but I chose German over French, even though German was my 4th language.) We also learned stenography in all three languages. (No way I could manage stenography in German now… It’s been ages since I used it even in Swedish. But I did use it in all three languages in my first three years working as a secretary within the Swedish paper industry.)

…

I never went on with that autobiographical series. (Maybe some day I will. Who knows.) But to sum up briefly: After a few years working as a secretary I went back to University for more English, and German, and one term of history; and then also methodology and teaching practice, to become a teacher. And then I moved to the town where I still live now. But my teaching career was cut rather short because of lack of jobs in my combination of subjects; and after some stress related health problems, and because one still has to earn a living, I went back to secretarial work (with the advantage of  regular hours at least). Later also got six months additional education to qualify as a medical secretary. And remained working at the hospital (mainly for occupational therapists); until an accident (at work, but not really to do with my usual work) led to chronic pain problems and early retirement (over a decade ago now).

What revived my active interest in English was Harry Potter and the Internet. (Did you miss that book? haha) Seriously… Between the last two books in the series I got involved in a Harry Potter discussion forum (in English), which in turn revived my interest in the English classics, and book discussions in general. And when the Potter story had reached its end, I turned my eye to the Blog World… And here I am still, having made new friends all over the globe (yes, I mean YOU), and discussing all sorts of odds and ends. And along the way, besides books, there have been the joys of learning a bit about digital photo editing, and then there was Kindle (want to read an obscure old classic? just download it!), and Android devices and apps, and Postcrossing, and whatnot. And now Duolingo. Curious to learn a new language? No need to bother about evening classes or correspondence courses… The opportunity is just a click away! Amazing.

When I’ve learned ‘enough’ Spanish, perhaps I’ll try something even more daring – like Welsh! It was one of the suggestions that came up on top when I opened the app. I chose Spanish; but the very next day, this card dropped in through my letter-box, from a certain friend holidaying in Wales…

Seriously. I’ve always been fascinated with Wales, and anything Celtic, ever since our family holidays in Britain back in the early 1970’s...  But for now, I say Buenas Noches.

Trying to Focus Tuesday

“You can't depend on your eyes when
your imagination is out of focus.”
~ Mark Twain ~

As those who read my post yesterday know, on Monday afternoon I had an ‘emergency’ appointment at the eye clinic, due to another vitreous detachment on Saturday. (The link goes to a post I wrote two years ago after my first experience.)

Two years ago when I was first troubled by a floating grey ‘cloud’ in my right eye, I didn’t know what it was; and didn’t contact the eye clinic until after some weeks had passed, but the cloud in my eye still hadn’t (and still hasn’t).

This time it was a more sudden experience but  now I recognized what it was when I suddenly started seeing little black spots and then they gathered into another floating cloud – on my other eye. This was in the daytime but it wasn’t until the evening that I got ‘scared’, when turning off the lights to go to bed I kept getting flashes of light in the outer corners of my eyes, especially the left one. I knew from the info I got last time that this is considered an extra warning sign.

Sunday I took things very calm and wore sunglasses outside (I was wearing those on Saturday too though). During the day no experience of flashes, but again at night.

So Monday morning I phoned the eye clinic and got an appointment the same afternoon. Same procedure as two years ago and same answers. Thankfully no damage to the retina this time either. The ‘clouds’ I’ll just have to live with and hope for the best (i.e. that with time they might settle and appear less disturbing).

I was also told, for the next few weeks in particular, not to do anything physically strenuous. Going for a walk is okay though, the doctor said, and so is reading and watching TV. Computer wasn’t mentioned, but I suppose that’s as with reading and TV: More to do with my experience of it.

I have no intention to quit blogging but I may have to adjust my habits a bit further still - we’ll see.

 

 

 

Saturday Surprise: Me For A Change

I got my new glasses yesterday and decided to celebrate (?) with some self-portrait exercises. I know that some of you think that you don’t get to see enough of me, personally… ;) I usually much prefer to be behind the camera rather than in front of it…

Hush, Slush, Rush Ramble

Ladies underwear advertisement from 1913 (Wikipedia) 

Oh dear. Yesterday was obviously not one of my best shopping days. Not only did I come home with an almost identical teapot to the one I already had. Guess what else I did? (Gentlemen, please stop reading here.) I happened to buy some underwear designed for pregnant women!!! … Oh, I know my waistline is no longer what it was. Nor can I claim it was ever really what the fashion magazines keep suggesting it ought to be. That’s why I grabbed the first thing I saw in the store that seemed to have just a little bit more fabric to it than a gee-string… (My male readers are still with me, aren’t you?) Not until I tried on my purchase at home in the evening did I realize what it was that I had bought...

These were meant to grow in! The thing is, I’m not supposed to do that. (So I really shouldn’t be buying garments that encourage it!) My doctor (a nice woman about the same age and size as myself) had just been putting a measuring tape round my waist the same morning, excusing herself: They have to do that nowadays, it’s routine! Well, I’ve had to step onto their scales for years (and I do occasionally use my own at home as well) so I assured her the use of a measuring tape as well did not really come as a very great shock to me. (After all, I have had more unpleasant things than that done to me in a doctor’s office!)

On the whole I got through the medical check-up okay, i.e. nothing new turned up that I’m not already aware of. Blood pressure was okay (on medication since my 30s). Cholesterol levels still not alarmingly high. Other blood tests normal as well, including the thyroid hormone levels (in spite of being diagnosed with goiter last year). No new medication needed, except some eye drops that I asked for. (My right eye still troubling me.) Still left with a list of fifteen different “drugs” though... (Including the ones I only need during the allergy season, i.e. ~ 7 months of the year...)

On Thursday, I had been able for the first time in a couple of months or so to walk “in strides” (well…) most of the way from home to the supermarket, and without ice creepers on the soles of my shoes as well, since the sidewalks were nearly ice-free. Oh, I’ve missed that feeling...! There’s not much hope of spring yet, though. On Friday, when I had to go out early again for the doctor’s appointment, I woke up to this (or worse):

The ground was again covered with a rather thick layer of very wet snow/ icy slush. For a while I wondered if I’d have to get a taxi; but I was able to get myself to the bus stop.

Today I was woken up around 5 am by a snow plow. My head was immediately filled with images of unexpected heavy snowfall during the night; but when I got up and looked out the window, there really didn’t seem to be much to plow. I guess they were just trying to scrape the roads bare before it freezes again. So I guess I should be thankful for that, even if it goes a bit beyond my understanding why they go plowing seemingly bare ground at 5 am on a Saturday, when they rarely bother to come round here before 8 on a snowy weekday!

While I was in town anyway, plodding my way through the slushy streets, I also went to pick up a test modem at my cable company yesterday, as suggested by their support desk on Monday. I plugged it in when I got home and so far (24 hours) I have not noticed any breaks in my internet connection since then. I’m not sure exactly what that proves though, since I noticed none in the previous 40 hours before I made the switch either! I’m supposed to return the test modem on Tuesday afternoon at the latest.

Today, we have +5°C and a storm warning issued. I didn’t really get that either when I looked out the window at breakfast.  The kitchen window faces NE; as does the bedroom. Coming into the study later on, on the other side of the building… Now I get it, because the wind comes from the west, and on this side it also has a lot more to rattle about (the balconies). Here the west wind often sounds worse than it is when you actually go out.

So just now the question is: Stay in, or dare a short walk after all? (Not raining at the moment, and the streets more or less ice free, although with the odd little lake here and there.)

Oh I guess I need to take the garbage out anyway. So I’ll do that, at least, and see what it feels like when I get outdoors…

Have a Nice Weekend!

Monica

One Of Those Days

One of those days. One of those phrases that can mean just about anything. In this case, another of those days when I started out determined to get certain things done; but  didn’t manage to get to “the end of the road”.

First mission was to get myself down to my health care centre and get some blood tests done for a doctor’s appointment next week (an annual check-up of this and that). Spent quite a while in the waiting room, and when I finally got in, the lab assistant asked me if I had been fasting. ?? I had not, because no one had told me that I should; and as my routine tests over the last few years have not required fasting, it had not occurred to me to ask.

I was given the option to either come back and do all the tests early next week, or do some today and the fasting ones next week. Since I was already there, and they often have problems getting enough blood out of me in one go anyway, I decided we might as well start the procedure. Hm. I hope the bruises go down over the weekend, because she had to try twice even today...

From there, I went on to the bank, with some things still to sort out about my dad’s accounts, and the decedent estate after my mum (who died over 1½ years ago). I thought I had got all that sorted last year, but apparently not. After discussions involving what seemed to be the entire staff of the bank (three people – although I guess there must be more of them in the background somewhere), we did manage to find a way round the immediate problem (part of dad’s pension still coming into an account that I can’t access from the internet, which means not being able to use that money to pay bills). Closing that account for good turned out not so easy though. (Which probably explains why it had not already been done.) And until that can be solved we’ll still be receiving bank statements for the ‘estate’. Feels a bit weird…

‘Minor’ problems really (seen in a bigger perspective) but things like this still tend to make me very tired nowadays. Got home, heated some soup for lunch, and went to bed for three hours…

Later, trying to get this posted… My Internet connection went down. Again. It has been happening more and more frequently lately…

All in all – a ‘trying’ sort of day…