Okay, I admit it! I'm horrible at learning languages. Spanish was a complete nightmare and one that I would never want to repeat. But Mandarin??? Holy moly Mandarin! I am blown away by how hard it is. I am taking an hour a day to learn it. I bought the Rosetta Stone version and sat down with it for the first time Wednesday. When I started it, I thought, "Hey, this won't be so hard." Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I was SO wrong. I mean, hey, why use 4 words to make a sentence when you can use 12, right?
But I am determined to learn enough that I can communicate with Scarlett and she doesn't feel entirely alone in her new world. I really want to be able to know what she wants, she needs, she feels. I don't want her thinking that it is all her making the effort here and we expect her to assimilate immediately.
So off I go for lesson 4. :::::: strapping on my helmet :::::::::
Jeremiah needs prayer.
11 years ago
Hey darling friend...make sure they speak Mandarin. Our Solomon is from Fujian/Fuzhou and he speaks a local dialect called Minnan...doesn't speak a lick of Mandarin :)
ReplyDeleteThe families on your orphanage yahoo group should be able to confirm that for ya.
Have fun...it is a difficult language indeed...4 tones per word...ahhh!!! :)
Fortunately she is outside of Beijing right now at Shepard's Field and she does speak Mandarin. Yah! LOL I figure if I'm able to say things like "would you like eggs and milk?" and "I love you", I'm going to be okay.
ReplyDeleteIt is a difficult language. Luci and I are using RS's Mandarin. Don't some of the ayis in the SF place speak English? So you might not need as much Mandarin as you think.
ReplyDeleteSusan,
ReplyDeleteThe ayis do speak a tiny bit of English but I want to be able to speak Mandarin when we are elsewhere in China, as well as to Scarlett so that she doesn't feel quite so "alone" in all of this.
How far in are you and Luci? The kids and I are to Lesson 3. I've been having to ask a friend of mine what certain words and phrases mean though because it doesn't tell you. They should have am English=Mandarin book that goes along with it.
We are still on lesson one! Because I can't speak with the right inflection, apparently. I think I am saying what I am hearing. Maybe I just am not hearing the differences anymore. I mean, really, 6 ways to say each vowel sound?? No wonder I have difficulty.
ReplyDeleteWe have the muzzy stuff for Mandarin. They are fun, and easier for me (and Luci). The Mei Mei dvds are fun, too.