I'm studying turkish here at the moment (to fend off accusations that I'm a *complete* layabout) 3 mornings a week. It's an 8 week course, I'm half way through - and progress so far is depressingly slow.
Being realistic I suppose it's not going badly. I'm doing ok compared to the other guys in the class, which is gratifying I suppose. You can't expect to learn a language overnight anyway. And it's definitely much quicker and easier learning it here, than from a book - you do pick up a lot from context.
(The turkish, erm, relaxed attitude to signage not always massively helpful here. For instance, seeing a road sign "tek yön" I'm thinking ok, "tek" is something like single, because I know you can order a tek rakı. And yön is direction, I think. So, single direction...oo! One way! Quick scan of the cars on the road to check the conclusion, which is initially confirmed by the fact parked cars are all facing one direction; then doubt is cast by the sight of a taxi bombing it down the hill in the other...)
And turkish speech no longer sounds like incomprehensible babble now. (Nooo, *now* what it sounds like is the massively improved 'Anyway, we went [blah blah blah], where [yada yada yada] a lot of [blabbery blabber], so he [thingummy doodad], yeah?'. Vocab! I need vocab!)
Anyway. It's a start I suppose, and I'm a lot further on than I was even 4 weeks ago. Problem being, it is a lot only when compared to nothing. It is sadly very, very little when compared to a proper adult vocabulary and expression. I reckon I've probably got the vocab of an 18 month old - and none of the natural pronounciation.
And so to this post title - guess which word in turkish when mispronounced sounds like a slang word for backside?
Ordering things in fives. It's got to be the way forward.
ps Its been snowy and cold here recently, and very very pretty to boot. I have been taking photos like a bitch, and will be posting these alongside tales of courage and woe (all ends happily). But technical issues at the moment - will get to those next week hopefully...
pps there are too many parentheses in this post.
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Oh dear. Gives the "four candles" sketch a much more filthy and somewhat nonsensical sheen in Turkey, then.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up, soldier. Early days and that.
Indeed.
ReplyDeleteYou are now my favourite internet entity, for leaving not just my first comment, but now a second. And that one encouraging, at that. Fanksh mate!