It’s funny how many people live in places where they don’t speak the native language. And how many of these people wonder why they have trouble fitting in. Of course fitting in is a lot more complicated than learning a language, but it’s a pretty good start. I suppose there are some types of emigration which are less about fitting into another culture and more about exporting a bit of your own. The Costa del Sol model. But that doesn’t really apply to rural Italy (the Brits are separate by miles of farmland) and we weren’t interested in that life anyway. What’s the point moving all that way just to hang out with a scant choice of the sort of people you’re constantly tripping over at home? So really as soon as we had decided to move to Italy we had to start studying.
The first thing to say about learning a new language is don’t believe anyone, any advert or any product that tells you that you can learn a language in a few week. Or in ten tapes. Or in a course of sessions in your sleep. All this is untrue. In a few weeks, if you are committed, you can learn enough to get by with holiday basics and a stab at a conversation other than with and about someone servicing you. But if you want to really understand a language and speak it, you are in it forever. I still consider myself a student of English. So cast out the myth of the miracle and get used to the disappointment.
On the plus side, when you start learning a new language (or indeed anything new) you enjoy the halo effect of an obvious mathematical truth. If you start from zero, anything you achieve is an infinite improvement. Going from no nouns to ten, or no verbs to one are momentous achievements, the first chords in your new guitar. You feel you are making huge strides and great leaps. You feel invincible. And you are. Enjoy this phase. Adding the 81st verb to the 80 you will soon know won’t have the same thrill.
In terms of how to do it, we found a mixture of ways was the best approach. Lessons are pretty indispensable as even the best books will leave questions unanswered and its good to converse. Getting into the habit of talking out loud even when all you can say is ‘my name is Cathy, i like pizza’ is a good idea. We are all embarrassed about sounding like idiots and we all just need to get over it. And also to remember that people are generally kind and encouraging. If you are in London and someone with a strong French accent asks you for directions you don’t think ‘what an idiot’. Well if you do you need to take a long hard look at yourself.
Watching films in the language you’re learning is a good idea. I used to watch a whole film then watch it again with the subtitles on to see how much i’d understood the gist even when the words had passed me by. There’s a lot about learning a language which isn’t about vocabulary lists. Watching TV is sometimes helpful but don’t be put off Italy by what’s on TV. News is quite good for two reasons – there tend to be pictures to help you with the words and there is a teensy bit lower prevalence of bikinis. There are also some great books you can get hold of with tapes/dvds attached; i’m sure there are digitial equivalents too now. You listen to a story then have the words there to help you. The better ones will then ask you comprehension questions which you can attack neat, having only just listened, or with the help of the written word when you’re setting out. But ‘getting your ear in’ and listening to as many voices as you can early on will really help you as in the real world no-one speaks as generously as your teacher. There are loads of free language exchanges that you can organise through social networks and sites like craigslist and gumtree. Its a simple arrangement – you want to learn Italian, they want to learn English so you meet up and do an hour of each. Its worth spending a bit of time finding someone you actually like and have something in common with as it turns to make the chat flow more freely.
Hi!
I went through your blog – very interesting and colorful. Suggestions for learning Italian was helpful and entertaining.
Thanks, Lary.
I cheer you for making the effort to learn Italian and I think you are really right. You may be tolerated as a foreigner who doesn’t speak the local language, but people will never let you in their heart. In fact I think this goes even when all of them would speak English. You decide to come to their country, so it’s only fair that you learn to communicate with them on your terms.
At the same time, you have a the great advantage that Italian is all around you, which will hopefully mean you progress quickly. Success with the learning process!