Thursday, January 25, 2007

My blogging replacement activity

So the fact that I don't know German keeps coming up as a career-stopper. I've decided to do something about that finally and take Anatoly Liberman's advice. (He was the first one to ask that crushing question "Can you read German?") He recommends reading children's books to acquire reading ability in a new language. Just read regularly without stopping to look things up. I don't know how it's supposed to work, but I'm giving it a shot. I don't have any children's books in German, so instead I'm reading the Gospel of Mark (available on biblegateway.com). I read a passage in Spanish (to help refresh those skills) then in the Elberfelder translation. After I leave Trinity, I'll add Greek to the mix, but I get plenty of Greek right now.

In order to squeeze in this new daily activity, I have to squeeze out some others. I decided to stop reading blogs--mostly blogs of people I don't know (Lileks, Steyn, ...). I don't even read the news online anymore. I will still try to read my peeps Linus and Pirate Jimmy. And post here from time to time. But for know I must go the way of most bloggers....

Pax Christi, yo

4 comments:

Special K said...

Yeah, I´ve often been compelled to learn my "mother tongue" as I like to refer to it. But as with the time I tried to independently study French, every time I encounter a new word or phrase, I think of how I should really be studying more Spanish. I really like the idea of being proficient in many additional languages, but I just get so overcome with my desire to be fluent in at least one! Plus, with whom would I practice? Do they have polka dancing in Chicago? They must.

Pirate Jimmy said...

The one language I wish I knew is Old Norse.

PopStar said...

rest in peace - dear one.

Anonymous said...

You write very well.