“ Why
do you want to learn Russian?”
Well,
it was just a whim, an impulse. I stumbled across an online language
learning site and clicked 'Russian'. The introductory lesson was free
and very easy. The course was affordable, … well why not? To be
honest there are an awful lot of reasons why not, it just happened
that not one of them occurred to me in time! I paid the fee and
enrolled.
“What
use is it to you?”
Okay
not entirely impulsive- the idea had been lingering somewhere in the
backwaters of my brain for a while, since our last visit to
Kyrgyzstan to be precise. Being asked to guide a bicycle tour in
Georgia this year was the trigger. In my heart I would prefer to
learn Kyrgyz and/or Georgian but these languages, like Dutch are in
an international perspective, more or less useless. Russian can be
of use in both of these countries and in all the former soviet
states.
I
also have to admit that 'learning Russian' may be a bit of an
exaggeration. I have set my sights rather low. In the first instance
I will be happy if I can manage some daily activities: do the
shopping, ask directions, arrange accommodation and decipher a menu.
Discussing the meaning of life will have to wait a while!
So
I paid my money, started the course and finished the first three
lessons in no time. I did all the exercises, filled in all the blanks
and put most of the words or letters in the right places. I felt
quite proud until I paused to reflect and realised that I hadn't
actually learnt anything at all. Well, not any Russian anyway.
I
had discovered a few things though.
Firstly:
that I have never really learnt a language as a conscious process. I
mean, like all children, I learnt my own language by a process of
imitation, approximation and assimilation. At school they just
extended, improved and polished it. I learnt Dutch in very much the
same way as a child does, except the basis was laid in bars and cafés
rather than at home and in the kindergarten. I tend to learn most
things this way, whether it is sport, cookery, computers, bicycle
maintenance or playing the guitar. Picking up stuff as I go along
rather than studying, a process of trial and error rather than
training or following a rigid program. The second, rather obvious,
discovery was that, whether you learn properly
or muddle along like I do, learning a language is much easier if you
are living in, or visiting, the country where it is spoken. During
daily transactions in shops, on buses or in the café you will need
to use and understand words and sentences. Menus, advertisements,
instructions and signs are a constant stimulation to learning and an
aid to memory. All around people are talking, discussing, arguing,
bargaining and telling jokes, unconsciously you will be absorbing
the sounds and
feel of
the language.
I
have none of this, no signs, sounds, external stimulation or support.
“ I'm
sure you have enough friends and acquaintances who would happily
speak Russian with you”.
That's
true, I guess... but I would find it difficult and contrived
conversing with them in a language other than the one we are used too
speaking . Especially as I do not see any of them very often. I don't
want to waste time together on conversations like: “My name is Bob,
what is your name?” when we've been friends for several years. Our
conversations and discussions about everything from food, films and
sport to sex,religion and politics would be somewhat dull, restricted
by my lack of vocabulary.
Yes,
a little late it's true, now all the reasons not to learn Russian
have occurred to me. Not the least of them being that, in my
situation, there is no alternative to conscientiously following the
lessons. With no external influences I will not be able to improvise
or skip whole sections like I usually do. This may well prove to be
a bigger challenge than the language itself!
Despite
this, surprisingly not deterred or discouraged, I have gone right
back to square one. Starting the lessons over again. Paying attention
to what I am doing rather than treating the whole process as a test
of my speed and visual recognition. I have now repeated and completed
five lessons. I do the daily tasks almost
daily
and I revise more
or less when
and what I am asked to revise.
“ How
much Russian HAVE you learnt?”
Well,
I now know some of the letters of the Cyrillic alphabet, I've learnt
some simple words and personal pronouns. But mostly I've learnt
about Anna and Tanya. I know who Anna and Tanya are. I
know where Anna and Tanya are. Anna and Tanya are at home (with
Ivan?). I have learnt that Anna and Tanya drink. I have learnt what
Anna and Tanya drink. They drink water, milk, juice, tea, coffee,
beer, wine and, last but not least, vodka...
....cheers!
Будем
здоровы!
