wendy devlin
Mar 31, 2007, 7:21 AM
Post #10 of 12
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Dick,
As someone who applied as much effort to learning Spanish as anything else, am disappointed at the level of fluency so far achieved. Like you, though, started studying later in life.
Our teen-age daughter around the same time, became bilingual in just a few months of (only) social immersion in Melaque. Younger brain?
Needed some workable strategies to compensate for a lack of fluency.
Concentrated on become an effective 'communicator' not just a 'talker'. Certainly no expert on this topic. Need drove me to develop the strategies below.
Grammar may be wrong, vocabulary askew, but is there understanding?
After learning survival spanish...numerous words, sentences, expressions that allow a person to hop on and off buses, take accomodations, make purchases, ask directions etc. started building a stronger vocabulary around topics of interest. And topics that might interest others.
1)Communicate in context.
For instance then, when talking with fisherman, discuss fishing or futbol with a teenager wearing a Chiva jersey or recent games with a bus driver etc.
Talk about pets with children, music with musicians, that sort of thing.
When someone speaks only Spanish, (which was the situation often transpiring)can I catch enough words, to make sense(context) of the conversation. Pick up the feelings, tone behind the words. The body language. Seems much easier to follow the flow of conversation when both parties are sharing ideas and feelings about topics they are keen about.
2)Make friends with bilingual Mexicans, who can speak and understand English but are understanding/helpful with your efforts to learn Spanish. They seem to have more empathy with the process. Will slow down talking, repeat words, explain expressions when they read the puzzled look on your face.
3)Carry a small note-pad and pen.
This is especially helpful in places like Hardware stores, pharmacies and the like where you have a vested interest in a successful interaction like buying the right screw/tool/ or medication. Write down the name of item, show it to clerk and vice-versa. If they are speaking and trying to explain and I'm only getting the gist but not important info, get them to write it down.
4)Read everything and anything in Spanish or English about Mexico, listen to the radio, the TV, tune your ear. The more that a person has in their back-ground about the culture, again the more context you have for understanding what is being communicated.
That's a few strategies found to be helpful.
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