my introduction to the Graz Berlitz office happened today. It is amazing to see how much you learn about your own language when you are trying to teach it to someone else. Today, I had the pleasure and slightly nerve-wracking experience of teaching my first individual student (guinea pig student of sorts, not real student but rather new secretary) "level 3 chapter 9 berlitz business english." There was quite a lot to squeeze into 40 mins, both in vocabulary and grammar... Nevertheless, not too shaky of a start.
Having traveled a bunch in the recent months, to countries where all sorts of languages are spoken, it has been both fun and interesting to see how people communicate and how messages are conveyed both when there is a language difference and when there isn't. Either way, interpretation.... or misinterpretation occurs.
so, how does one communicate so others will understand?
clearly, this message wasn't brought across correctly!
and language now?
* Hybrid language, where terms are adapted from one language into another, especially with technological new developments, such as CDs, DVDs. Or as an example, today I heard "start-up" used in german to describe a new start-up company, despite there also being a german equivalent.
* Internet/IM speak: ttyl, brb, rofl, g2g, gr8, l8r, etc...
* Misspelled language (something I do frequently on gchat or skype as do my friends, though it hardly ever seems to hinder our ability to communicate properly) eg. somethign, smoething, smoethign, takling, talkling, talkign...etc.
* And as a great example, the following popular study from Cambridge University:
Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
the above also being true for other languages.
language is certainly fun to play with. I can write all of this in messed up english and for the most part my message will get across :) yay! (and as far as the language of english goes...british english, irish english, scottish english, american english, australian english, new zealand english, indian englsih...etc and all the dialects in between) fun times!
ok. part one, but if you have any fun language examples please feel free to share :)
The other day I was with some people who were literally translating some austrian sayings into english to produce some rather comical sentences. unfortunately, they are not coming to me at the moment. but if I remember them, I will try to share.
Having traveled a bunch in the recent months, to countries where all sorts of languages are spoken, it has been both fun and interesting to see how people communicate and how messages are conveyed both when there is a language difference and when there isn't. Either way, interpretation.... or misinterpretation occurs.
so, how does one communicate so others will understand?
clearly, this message wasn't brought across correctly!
 |
| a paper recycling bin - not an ash tray/ cigarette disposal |
* Hybrid language, where terms are adapted from one language into another, especially with technological new developments, such as CDs, DVDs. Or as an example, today I heard "start-up" used in german to describe a new start-up company, despite there also being a german equivalent.
* Internet/IM speak: ttyl, brb, rofl, g2g, gr8, l8r, etc...
* Misspelled language (something I do frequently on gchat or skype as do my friends, though it hardly ever seems to hinder our ability to communicate properly) eg. somethign, smoething, smoethign, takling, talkling, talkign...etc.
* And as a great example, the following popular study from Cambridge University:
Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
the above also being true for other languages.
language is certainly fun to play with. I can write all of this in messed up english and for the most part my message will get across :) yay! (and as far as the language of english goes...british english, irish english, scottish english, american english, australian english, new zealand english, indian englsih...etc and all the dialects in between) fun times!
ok. part one, but if you have any fun language examples please feel free to share :)
The other day I was with some people who were literally translating some austrian sayings into english to produce some rather comical sentences. unfortunately, they are not coming to me at the moment. but if I remember them, I will try to share.
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