Thinking aloud about French and English...
It has been too long. My mind is right now littered with all things French. FRENCH GRAMMAR. I don't even know where to start.
To all those who wish to take up French, let me tell you, it's one heck of a technical language. To be sure, all languages are the same - the grammar, the spelling system, the phonetics, phonemes, all -phos and -logys...yada yada yada.
While I was doing my final revision this morning (the exam ended almost 3 hours ago), I thought: "Anyone seriously thinking of learning French, must have a serious eye for detail...especially when it comes to the countless verbs and their no less numerous conjugations or conjugaisons". You either have the eye for detail prior to learning the language...or you will, sooner or later. Hehe..
I am beginning to love it actually. In a place where all life decisions made, i.e. the shower. I had a few life decisions flash across my mind as well. Just this morning. Why the hell did you not just take poetry or literature Banuuuuu???
I remember thinking that it would be challenge. And as language that has always intrigued me, I thought, why not? Little did I know that they were gonna test LEVEL FOUR. That's equivalent to GCSEs!! And now, we're at Level 5. My friends and I were soon conditioned to the reality that well....2 hours per week was all we were gonna get as far as formal instruction was concerned. And the rest was up to us.
Independent learning.
I don't know how well that has worked out for me. DISCIPLINE YO.... I like to call it my least favourite swear word =.=
Anyways, another life decision that I also thought about...but not in the shower, was at my desk. The English language must be just as technical right? I never learnt English intentionally. It was a language spoken by my parents, friends..just about everywhere I went. Along with Malay and Tamil, it was just another language. So I guess I could say I learnt it accidentally. Hmm. The grammar rules, spelling...none of it really needed my attention. They fell into place. Just like that. It never needed attention. If I had heard spoken French and used it the same way, well yeah..then it would have been just as effortless, I suppose.
What about teaching English, then? Well..that's gonna be an uphill task....I have basically put myself into the shoes of my future students...
Ok wait, I'm hungry.
You know, while we're at it, ever felt so hungry but you didn't actually want to eat? I know I could have just said, no appetite...but no, it's more than that. o.O Hmm..never mind.
So yea, English. It really scares me. But intrigues me just the same. It's a challenge. And I think I might like a challenge. I don't know. I might regret this just like I regret French every now and then. But, I guess it will pay to persevere. Just like how completely overjoyed I was when I could understand the French that was used in the latest Mad Men episode. Ehehe. I love French, the French even, (especially their accent when they speak English, ze house on ze hill!! haha, noo la, it's more than that..but yea, something like that :) ) and their culture.
I only hope to instill this love in my future students, about English. Imagine the world that they would discover through the language. The beauty, the culture, the power to express oneself. Hmm. We'll have to wait and see if I succeed hmm? And now...for my literature exam....that's in a few days time. Urgh.
Before that...this tummy needs tending to...
Will see you all soon...
To all those who wish to take up French, let me tell you, it's one heck of a technical language. To be sure, all languages are the same - the grammar, the spelling system, the phonetics, phonemes, all -phos and -logys...yada yada yada.
While I was doing my final revision this morning (the exam ended almost 3 hours ago), I thought: "Anyone seriously thinking of learning French, must have a serious eye for detail...especially when it comes to the countless verbs and their no less numerous conjugations or conjugaisons". You either have the eye for detail prior to learning the language...or you will, sooner or later. Hehe..
I am beginning to love it actually. In a place where all life decisions made, i.e. the shower. I had a few life decisions flash across my mind as well. Just this morning. Why the hell did you not just take poetry or literature Banuuuuu???
I remember thinking that it would be challenge. And as language that has always intrigued me, I thought, why not? Little did I know that they were gonna test LEVEL FOUR. That's equivalent to GCSEs!! And now, we're at Level 5. My friends and I were soon conditioned to the reality that well....2 hours per week was all we were gonna get as far as formal instruction was concerned. And the rest was up to us.
Independent learning.
I don't know how well that has worked out for me. DISCIPLINE YO.... I like to call it my least favourite swear word =.=
Anyways, another life decision that I also thought about...but not in the shower, was at my desk. The English language must be just as technical right? I never learnt English intentionally. It was a language spoken by my parents, friends..just about everywhere I went. Along with Malay and Tamil, it was just another language. So I guess I could say I learnt it accidentally. Hmm. The grammar rules, spelling...none of it really needed my attention. They fell into place. Just like that. It never needed attention. If I had heard spoken French and used it the same way, well yeah..then it would have been just as effortless, I suppose.
What about teaching English, then? Well..that's gonna be an uphill task....I have basically put myself into the shoes of my future students...
Ok wait, I'm hungry.
You know, while we're at it, ever felt so hungry but you didn't actually want to eat? I know I could have just said, no appetite...but no, it's more than that. o.O Hmm..never mind.
So yea, English. It really scares me. But intrigues me just the same. It's a challenge. And I think I might like a challenge. I don't know. I might regret this just like I regret French every now and then. But, I guess it will pay to persevere. Just like how completely overjoyed I was when I could understand the French that was used in the latest Mad Men episode. Ehehe. I love French, the French even, (especially their accent when they speak English, ze house on ze hill!! haha, noo la, it's more than that..but yea, something like that :) ) and their culture.
I only hope to instill this love in my future students, about English. Imagine the world that they would discover through the language. The beauty, the culture, the power to express oneself. Hmm. We'll have to wait and see if I succeed hmm? And now...for my literature exam....that's in a few days time. Urgh.
Before that...this tummy needs tending to...
Will see you all soon...
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