I'm on a tear this week! I've cleaned my closets, drawers, office, including the files and took out every pile that I had accumulated! I'm doing a cleansing fast too- juices and fruits. Trying to let go of the physical, emotional and, hopefully, spiritual barnacles that have also accumulated. The months of travel are over for now and I want to refocus on being here in Italy. Why I'm here, what is the next step, what's important just now?
I restarted Italian language lessons in earnest. Job 1 is to get beyond basics and be able to converse easily on any topic that comes up. I'm doing a combination of Rosetta Stone, Italian for Dummies, and online vocabulary and grammar builder. There seemed to be so many other priorities up to now but now this has risen to the top priority. All else is in place and reasonable order. I'm surprised at how much discipline it takes since language acquisition doesn't come easily to me. And I have a goal- be reasonably good by the time my daughter and grandchildren come to Italy for the month of August. Now I've declared it!
What does language study have to do with a cleansing fast? I'm actually not sure but both are at least in part about letting go of the unimportant and focusing on the essential. Communication on a deeper level is bedrock important to further growth of any kind, and communication in Italy means fluency in Italian! It's such a beautiful language, so what's my reluctance? I vacillate between "I should, I must, I WANT to" and "It's hard, my brain is old, I already have a rich language that I'm good at". Wah, wah, wah! I've grown tired of myself and I'm ready to accept the obvious- hey, you moved to Italy, so shut up and learn the language already!
Wish me luck. Any suggestions?
(The photo is from our balcony.)
Okay - double entendre's aside - just relax and do it. Learn it. Pick up objects and say the name in Italian - Raccogliere oggetti e pronunciare il nome in italiano.
ReplyDeleteMake an effort to say simple things in Italian - Fare uno sforzo per dire cose semplici in lingua italiana.
Don't worry about grammar - just use the language - Non preoccupatevi di grammatica - Basta usare il linguaggio.
Capito?.
Oh, geez. We should have known. He speaks Italian too. Listen to Lou, Mary. He's a true Renaissance Man!
ReplyDeleteI second Lou's recommendations. For me, the best way to learn it is to use it. Learn the phrases "More slowly, please" and "How do you say..." and then get out there and use them. Find yourself a conversation buddy, and once a week, spend the day together, speaking no English unless absolutely necessary.
Have fun! You'll be chattering like a native in no time!
Imponente, Lou! Grazie mille. Vero, basta usare il languaggio!
ReplyDeleteI know, Patti- he's impressive! I use those 2 phrases but my goal is to use them even more! I like the buddy idea. I'll find one.
Hello Mary!
ReplyDeleteI have just read some of your blogg and I hade such a good time, feeling taht I got to know you some more, thank you for sharing! I totally agree with you cencerning learning the italian language. LceeL has the right aproach, let go, be wild and crazy and skip the grammer for now.
Buon fortunata con lingua italian or whatever!
Love,
Marie in Stockholm
Hi Marie! We will be learners together of this lovely language. How nice.
ReplyDelete