Snowflake Day 4: my goals

[deird1]

Okay, snowflake_challenge. Let's do this!

So I have one non-fandom goal: learning Spanish. I already know a fair bit of German, and some Latin and French; Spanish is the next language in line.

Why Spanish? Mainly because American TV has started using Spanish the way Agatha Christie uses French – with random sentences thrown in here and there assuming you'll get the gist – so it's relevant to my life.



And my vaguely-related-to-fandom goal: turn one of these two plotbunnies into an actual narrative.

Comments

[snickfic]

I always got so frustrated when Christie would do that, because I have NO French whatsoever (although I'd probably get on better now with several years of Spanish under my belt than I did back then).

BTW, the other day I wanted to use the Vegemite Effect to describe something in a non-fannish space, only to realize that it was very fandom-specific, which I should have known, because I remember when you originally posted it! It has a fanlore page now, fyi. :D

[deird1]

IT HAS A FANLORE PAGE????? I AM FAMOUS!!!

I always got so frustrated when Christie would do that, because I have NO French whatsoever

Totally. This is why I learnt a bit of French in the first place. (I can now order coffee, and understand Poirot. My life is complete.)

[gillo]

Ooh, those plot bunnies sound fascinating. Have you ever read Diana Wynne Jones' The Spellcoats? Magical weaving is important in that.

I did Spanish at school and can still read quite a bit if I have a dictionary. I found learning Italian very easy since I also did Latin and French. Major differences of course, but there's a sort of way of thinking that Romance languages have in common.

[deird1]

Never read any Diana Wynne Jones. In fact, my whole fantasy book reading has been sadly lacking. I must read more things!

there's a sort of way of thinking that Romance languages have in common.

Definitely. I'm certainly finding my Latin and French helpful when looking at Spanish.

[nostalgia]

I'm finding French surprisingly understandable with the Spanish I already have, I think it's a Romance Langauges Thing.

[lirazel]

How are you planning to approach learning it? (Asks the person who really, really needs to learn Spanish.)

[deird1]

Boring grammar bit: with a website that looks pretty decent (and is also free).

Getting used to how the language works, practically speaking: with some fiction books written for people learning Spanish. (So, progressive difficulty level in each chapter.)

Listening to the language: rewatching Jane the Virgin.


It's a foolproof plan. :)

[lirazel]

Can I get a link to the website?

[deird1]

It's this one. I've found it pretty good so far.

[lirazel]

Nice! Thank you! Best of luck to you in learning!

[lyr]

Yep, Spanish is creeping into our media, even in things not specifically intended for a Spanish-speaking audience. And shows that are meant for that audience definitely offer more nuance for English-speakers who understand at least a little Spanish. Certainly knowing Spanish was immediately relevant to Supernatural fans this year!

[deird1]

Totally. I first started noticing it a decade ago, but it's getting more and more prominent.

[bold_seer]

Why Spanish? Mainly because American TV has started using Spanish the way Agatha Christie uses French

That's a really neat observation! I think it's definitely one thing that has increased the popularity of Spanish as a foreign language choice for learners outside the US. (Telenovelas are another influence.) You have a good set of languages that will help you pick up Spanish!

[deird1]

It's certainly a language I'm encountering more and more - which keeps it in my mind as something I'd like to check out. It's hard to be enthusiastic about learning a language you never encounter.