Ironically, of my family, I am the only one of three sisters who didn't learn any Italian during school! So this is quite an adventure and I guess in some ways, an adventure that I had not anticipated this time last year when I was travelling through Italy...
Armed with my basic Italian 'survival' phrases (thanks to crazy Giacomo at 'Italia500' in Sydney!) I have stepped into a new European experience!! When I first arrived, the first words that come to mind when in doubt seemed to be prodominantly Spanish (it didn't help going straight to Spain for 10 days!). However, slowly but surely I am combatting the little Spaniard inside (hehe) and I seem to be rewiring my lingual synapses to the Italian frequency... Over the past 8 weeks, I think that my comprehension has definately improved! Now for the speaking part... It's always so much harder but I am determined to try, even if I make a fool of myself!!
I am now staying with good friends (Rossella's family) and I am forced to speak Italian with her parents if I want to communicate with them so I would like to take advantage of my time with them and give it a go!!
I have two books at the moment that are providing a lot of assistance and inspiration...
- My Lonely Planet Italian phrasebook (it has come in handy at the most unexpected times!)
- La Bella Lingua by Dianne Hales.
In
La Bella Lingua there are some really great statements about the process of learning a language and it has made me even more determined to keep trying!!
Here are a couple of quotes that I really like:
"Learning a new language is like growing a new head... You see with new eyes, hear with new ears, speak with a new tongue."
"And so I, lacking a single drop of Italian blood, can nonetheless claim something utterly, wholly, irrevocably Italian as my own: the language hot spots that have been growing steadily within my brain for more than a quarter-century." (Taken from her introduction:
My Italian Brain and How It Grew!)
"As I mulled over the words... I realised that I was unconsciously moving my hands beneath my cape in the same way I do when I speak Italian. And I
was speaking Italian- to myself!... Springing to life in my brain, Italian has traveled to my fingertips and set them aflight."
And one last quote for the day... This one is for me!
"Sei io studiassi di piu l'italiano, lo parlerei meglio" (If I were to study Italian more, I would speak better)
Dot dot dot
