One need not have the vocabulary of a poet to feel worthy to speak the language. Most things said are terribly mundane. If you can do as well as James Joyce in inquiry about the lavatory, you are also a poet.
I’ve studied Latin, French, Vietnamese, Russian, Irish, and German. After repeated efforts and several years actually using it my French became as you say fluent. I need to get back to the Irish and the German on Duolingo. One thing I figured out was that none of us speak our native language with classroom accuracy, so I became more relaxed about using what language skills I have.
You are absolutely correct! It can feel almost wrong at times, but there are certain 'mistakes' that actually make you sound more fluent. For example, in English if someone said "yaknow" or "gonna" it would actually make them sound more natural than if they used the 'proper' forms of those words.
Great definition of fluency "Because to me, fluency isn't perfection. It's fluidity. It's being able to use the language naturally without stopping to think." Exactly. Fluency is about holding down conversations, even if your pronunication is up the creek, your tones are all wrong, and you don't get the gestures. Fluency is being understood, despite all of the above, and understanding. And when you start to dream in the new language, then you know you're well on the way.
Go raibh míle maith agat - thank you very much! As far as dreaming goes, there is definitely a shift where you feel like the language is innate in you - even if you don’t have every word or they’re held together with gramatical ducktape. But to me, that feeling is the best motivation to keep going.
i started learning irish on duolingo (mainly so i can understand kneecap lyrics) and came across your channel when looking up the ulster dialect. thanks for this post :-) i often feel like i have to be perfect to speak a language aloud and this post was a nice reminder to not let perfect be the enemy of good!
But saying “i speak little English” or “mówię trochę po polsku” is not an apology. It serves practical purpose - it signals I would appreciate the dialoguer to slow down, use less jargon and more, so to speak, children vocab.
I agree! In and of itself, it’s not an apology. But people often say it like it is. Or they’ll claim they speak less than they do in a kind of apologetic way.
Nicely done! I'd like to someday go and visit a Gaeltacht in Western Ireland.
Go raibh maith agat! You would love it! Both times I've been in Donegal, but I would love to go to Gaeltachts in other areas as well. :)
One need not have the vocabulary of a poet to feel worthy to speak the language. Most things said are terribly mundane. If you can do as well as James Joyce in inquiry about the lavatory, you are also a poet.
I’ve studied Latin, French, Vietnamese, Russian, Irish, and German. After repeated efforts and several years actually using it my French became as you say fluent. I need to get back to the Irish and the German on Duolingo. One thing I figured out was that none of us speak our native language with classroom accuracy, so I became more relaxed about using what language skills I have.
You are absolutely correct! It can feel almost wrong at times, but there are certain 'mistakes' that actually make you sound more fluent. For example, in English if someone said "yaknow" or "gonna" it would actually make them sound more natural than if they used the 'proper' forms of those words.
Great definition of fluency "Because to me, fluency isn't perfection. It's fluidity. It's being able to use the language naturally without stopping to think." Exactly. Fluency is about holding down conversations, even if your pronunication is up the creek, your tones are all wrong, and you don't get the gestures. Fluency is being understood, despite all of the above, and understanding. And when you start to dream in the new language, then you know you're well on the way.
Go raibh míle maith agat - thank you very much! As far as dreaming goes, there is definitely a shift where you feel like the language is innate in you - even if you don’t have every word or they’re held together with gramatical ducktape. But to me, that feeling is the best motivation to keep going.
i started learning irish on duolingo (mainly so i can understand kneecap lyrics) and came across your channel when looking up the ulster dialect. thanks for this post :-) i often feel like i have to be perfect to speak a language aloud and this post was a nice reminder to not let perfect be the enemy of good!
Exactly! Bíonn gach tosú lag - Every beginning is weak. It takes time to get ‘good’ and no one one earth is perfect.
But saying “i speak little English” or “mówię trochę po polsku” is not an apology. It serves practical purpose - it signals I would appreciate the dialoguer to slow down, use less jargon and more, so to speak, children vocab.
I agree! In and of itself, it’s not an apology. But people often say it like it is. Or they’ll claim they speak less than they do in a kind of apologetic way.