How Do You Talk, Eat and Live in a Language You Are Learning?

From teacher to learner

To set the record straight I will confess: as a teacher I was a touch sanctimonious about telling students how easy it was to learn English. Then I arrived in Chile in July 2010 about the only words I knew were hola and amigos. Would what I’d been telling students to do work on the other side of the language learning experience?

Come with me as I live, eat and talk what I preach.

Getting Started

I rearranged my life so that Spanish becomes front and center. The language-learning formula is that you will quickly be able to read and follow what is happening. The context will help even if you don’t understand every word. Next you will be able to increasingly comprehend what people are talking about. Moving right along you may start to talk like an 18-month old, but vocabulary will develop. Writing is the most difficult. Even people who speak the language exceedingly well, rarely write like native-speakers.

Live

So how do I live Spanish? When I get up in the morning I tune in to RTVE radio and/or television out of Madrid on the laptop. No commercials and the announcers speak in clear, crisp voices. If the people you are listening to speak well, it is much easier to follow the conversation.

And when you really listen, you will start to hear how many words are, in fact, the same as English, but with a different pronunciation. English stresses the first syllable; Spanish the penultimate.

Another perk is that the newscasts are repeated so what I miss the first time I’ll catch more of on the second go-round. My usual station is the 24-hour radio exterior – en directo. I became fluent in economics as 23 of the 24 hours are devoted to discussing the financial crisis in Spain.

For newscasts on television, watch the announcer’s mouth. Remember this is now deaf people learn to speak, so pay attention and imitate. Sports broadcasts are also good listening exercises as the vocabulary is limited.

Now I only listen to Spanish music. And only watch Spanish movies. Sub-titles – which makes it a bit of a waste of time as you are reading in English rather than listening in the target language – isn’t a problem on RTVE. If your family and neighbors complain about the gongs and wailing in the Chinese opera you’re listening to/and or watching, get head phones and tune them out.

For the first few months– when I was reading the news in Spanish on the BBC– I really didn’t know much about what was happening in the news. But once I could follow it, I realized I hadn’t missed much anyway. However, my reading skills improved.

I have kept a diary since August 1981. So I force myself to write a bit in Spanish every day. Is t is not great literature, but it is amusing to re-read it after a few months and pick out the mistakes. When I read or write, I try to concentrate on the verbs. More on this topic later.

To live the language, also check out local food festivals, multi-cultural events, language-exchange programs and Internet offerings. Even if you want to learn rather obscure languages – such as Khmer or Inuit — there are online resources ready and waiting.

Eat

Studying Spanish – and one should live the culture – is so much more fun with a glass of sauvignon blanc from Chile in one hand and a tapas in the other. The same is true for steak and Malbec at midnight. In fact, after a couple of glasses of Piso Alto vino I get quite conversant.

While you are in the bookshop, pick up a cookbook in the target language and whip up a few dishes. If in doubt about the ingredients, check with a translation program as you don’t want a cup of sugar in your soup. Then put on some music, pour a drink, light a few candles and mentally transport yourself to the target language country.

Talk

Once you get past the grunt-in-single-noun stage, it is time to tackle the verbs so that you can talk to people. Even though memorizing how to conjugate verbs rivals getting a root canal all languages hinge around these stubborn little critters. No verbs, no action. End of story so get on with it and embrace verbs as your friends.

Turn learning verbs into a fun activity of saying a sentence in the present, past and future. Then reward yourself with a sip of saki if you are learning Japanese. Read a passage and underline all the verbs.

Also make a note of which tense they are in: past, present, future. All of a sudden you will have a “eureka” and patterns will start to appear. It will all begin to make sense. And when that happens, take yourself out for a meal at your target language restaurant. Hopefully the waiters in the Korean cafe will be able to talk with you.

To learn to speak well you have to practice every day. When I started to work as a lecturer at the University of Waikato I used to practice my lessons in front of a full-length mirror. By watching myself I learned how I presented to the 400 or so beaming second-years in the auditorium. I now do the same things with Spanish. And it is a good thing, too, as I now live in Phnom Penh and Spanish speakers are not readily available.

I would pour a glass of wine, pull up a chair in the front of the mirror and review my day. Topics include what I did and what I will do tomorrow. Sometime I just sort of wander off and talk about whatever. I take my Spanish book with me so I can refer to it – particularly the verbs – when I need to.

Okay, so it may sound a touch strange, but believe me it does work. Another option is to video yourself. If you are concerned that other people might think you need a mental health assessment, tell them you are trying out for a part in the Ukrainian play. As long as you have a cover story nobody ever asks.

Learning another language is mental gymnastics. The more practice the better you get. In summary live, eat, and talk it and it will be more fun.

Business Language – Building Your Business Knowledge

Image – It is important to take note of how the market views your services. Your image comprises the visibility of your business, your logo, the uniform of your employees, the signage on the road, your reputation on the market. Image is everything. I have seen small companies grown to large conglomerates all because they managed their image consistently and excellently. If there is anything that seeks to damage the image and outlook of the organization, there are people designated to repair and remove the impact of any such image dents. Your image speaks for you in your absence.

Impact – This refers to the positive effect your product, service or your company has made in the lives of others. The reason a company is to grow and make a positive impact on the lives of its stakeholders which includes the shareholders, customers and employers. Companies that spend on corporate social responsibility make so much impact even with the little they spend on the under privileged. After all, what is success if it does not touch one that has not access to success and also make them great.

Implementation – This is putting to action all that has been planned. In most situations, corporates emphasize planning and preparation and fail at the point of execution and actually doing the planned activities. Implementation is equally important. It requires a consistent follow through the suggested action plans. Most failure is not because there is no dream; it is at the point of putting all the dreams to action. When the rubber faces the road, when the pain comes in, when the unanticipated difficulties come, that is when quitting seems to be the only route to follow. However, those who decide to persevere and implement all that is carefully planned become successful. Start implementing what you plan and always finish implementing what you start.

Import – This is the movement of goods and services from one nation that has the resources into the nation that has need for the goods and services. In cases where it costs more to make the item within a country, most companies choose to bring in the items either as raw materials or finished products into their own countries. Every country has its own import regulations, duties, import levies and taxes for each category of goods. It is important to acquaint yourself with such laws as you may import substances or goods that are prohibited without your knowledge.

Incentive – this is an element that increases an employee to achieve more and increase in effort and delivery. Usually companies that provide production bonuses or other gratuities outside of salaries stand a better chance to retain employees and have consistency in production than places where no additional incentive is ever talked about or implemented. An incentive is not merely monetary but can be a gesture such as giving an employee time off, extra recognition of good performance etc. As leaders, you need to be creative about how to incentivize your employees. In countries where access to basic commodities is a problem, leaders choose to procure these items in others countries and make them available to employees thus adding the convenience employees need.

Income – This is money that is received on a consistent and regular basis either through salary payments or through interest accrued from investments made. In any situation, the endeavor is for the income to always outweigh the expenditure. Income should be budgeted. As a company you must be able to budget where all your income comes from or where the anticipated inflows are coming from. One way to guarantee regular income that is predictable is to go into sales and maintenance agreements which become a consistent form of income.

Incorporation – this is a process by which a company or organization is constituted as a as a legal corporation. In some countries, companies have Inc after their name which means Incorporated. A company is a legal entity which can be sued, it is a legal persona. It is therefore important to ensure that the organization sticks to the confines to the conditions of the incorporation or registration.

Independence – This is a state by which a company or business entity has capacity to stand on its own without the continual injection of capital by the shareholder. It is the dream and desire of every investor that at some point they get a return on what they have invested over time. When a company has enough funds to finance its orders, monthly expenditure and any such costs, it is independent and mature. There are varying durations that companies take to come to a place of freedom and independence. Some companies depend on the shareholder for many years. This can also refer to the state of a nation. When a nation is under colonial rule it is dependent. When the colonizer eventually leaves the nation then Independence is declared.

Industry – this is economic activity and structures that a focused on the processing of raw materials and manufacture of goods in factories and plants. The activities in the industries of any country determine the economic status of that nation. A nation will not be able to export or make goods for its own people if the conditions given to industry owners are not conducive for them to operate profitably. No economy can thrive based on goods and services imported from other nations. Only when a country or community begins to manufacture and sells its own goods do we see the standards of living improve. They can then trade their goods for cash which is in turn used to sustain the communities and families.

Information – This refers to your access or exposure to facts and knowledge (information). Sometimes this is learned through attending formal education or in other instances information is obtained through news sources like radio, newspapers etc. Your access to information determines how far you go in life. Information is what separates the informed and the ignorant. The ignorant will never realize that they lack information until someone who has the information shares it with them. A company or country must always endeavor to keep its people informed of what is going on in the country or company so that no one is caught by surprise. People fail to move in the same direction in situations where the direction is only known to a few individuals. Only when education, explanation and illustration are done will people buy-in.

Infrastructure – these are basic physical and organizational structures (such as roads, buildings, drainage, etc) necessary for the operation of a country or society or business enterprise. Companies invest in immovable assets because of the nature of their stability and consistency to maintain value. It is wisdom for any corporate or country to invest in infrastructure. That is legacy for generations to come. Descendants after your will still find the company warehouse standing and not need to build one from scratch. Invest in infrastructure as much as possible.

Innovation – This is also referred to as creativity which is the ability to create new ideas, products and services. There is no limit set as to which products a company can make. Sometimes innovative ideas are simply modifications or remodeling of existing ideas. Innovation helps organizations to stay on the cutting edge of development. We can both make a bicycle but because I am more innovative, I will add value and put other small gadgets on the bicycle I make, my innovation will make me stand heads and shoulders above my competition.

Intentionality – This is a deliberate and calculated move by leaders of a company to do something for the benefit of stake holders. The leaders have to have intentionality in dealing with employees. They have to be deliberate about salary increments, benefits, health care of the employee and general welfare. There are things a country needs to be intentional and deliberate about for the livelihoods of its people to be lifted. It must be something that is imposed upon the leaders but something the leaders are willing to do without any coercion or force being applied.

Interest – In business this can mean the money that you get charged for borrowing money. Usually it is a percentage per annum. It can also relate to the areas concern or areas of focus. One can say “I have business interests in that country”. The same person can say “the bank charged me interest on the loan I borrowed”. In the case of money charged on borrowings, my advice is that the company finance staff has to keep an eye on this figure as oversight can actually lead to bankruptcy. I have watched with great shock how a company seems to be doing well until the lender demands their money and repossessions of property start.

International – this is when a business or service exists across nations. There is a need for a business to uphold high standards whenever there are international transactions. Companies strive to get into international markets as they may outgrow their own market within the country of origin. International existence of a company is governed by the respective laws of the land on which the company is registered. With the existence of the internet, companies’ resources and services are available to a more global client base. Import and export is the main activity in international business.

Internet – this is also referred to as the World Wide Web (www). This is the connection of computers all over the world for the purpose of information and resource sharing. It becomes the electronic way of handling information, news etc. With the advent of this technology, we now have e-news, e-business, e-health, e-commerce, e-education etc the e- standing for electronic. Businesses have been revolutionized as they have become available to international markets through websites or web pages. This phenomenon has changed the way business is done between nations and communities. News is transmitted faster and cheaper to the intended audience in a more efficient manner. Solutions to common problems one faces are available on the internet. One just has to search for the information. With the right keywords you can get access to all the information resources you ever need.

Intranet – this is almost similar to internet above except the fact the reach is more restricted to internal customers. It enhances intra company communication. This becomes the company notice board.

Invention – this is linked to innovation above. It is when something is discovered for the first time e.g. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, Henry Ford invented the motor vehicle. There is no limit as to what can be invented. There are new things being invented every so often. Some are quite significant while others are not so significant and worth mentioning. Inventions make the life of mankind on this earth more pleasurable, smoother, more efficient and effective. There are also some inventions made which go against humanity’s existence e.g. some weaponry and poisons etc.

Inventory – this is a complete list of items such as goods in stock or the contents of a building. It is important to always take stock of what items the company owns or what items the company has in stock in order to enable leadership to make a decision on ordering more items to replace those lost, damaged or non functional. The inventory is then summed up in dollars on a balance sheet to reflect the residual value of equipment and also value of goods in stock which can be converted into cash through sales.

Investment – this is when someone put away money into something that has a promise to bring the same money back with return on it. No one puts away money expecting no return or growth on the initial investment. You always invest or put money into something that promises a good return in the future. No return promised, no investment otherwise is merely charity work. Some investment vehicles are more profitable than others. In some cases, the investment portfolios that promise a bigger return have a bigger risk factor. High risk, high turnover.

Invoice – this is a list of goods or services provided by a company or individual. The invoice has an invoice number unique in the organization where originating it, who is supposed to pay, a breakdown of the actual items that have been sold, quantities, unit price, taxes (if any) and all other charges such as handling, shipping etc. The full amount due is also reflected with payment options and conditions also spelt out. This is a legal document which can be used in the courts to demand payment. No invoices should ever be verbal as people tend to become a problem when time to pay comes.

Time to Learn Another Major Language or Two!

On Sunday, the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia reached a grand finale with France hoisting the coveted gold trophy after beating Croatia 4-2. And soon the new season of the English Premier League will kick off as are other leagues in Europe. For soccer lovers, these are exciting times!

What is of more interest to me though is how all the transnational players that ply their trade in these lucrative leagues communicate effectively. I mean how do their coaches manage to get the message across on the training field to all these players of different nationalities? Could it be that a player that speaks many languages has more chances for success in these cutthroat competitive leagues than those who don’t?

Multilingualism gives one an edge over others

Oh yes, multilingualism gives one an edge over others. Arsene Wenger who was at the helm of Arsenal FC for 22 years became hugely successful not only because of his coaching nous but also because of his ability to speak many languages. Monsieur Wenger speaks six languages fluently: French, English, Japanese, German, Italian and Spanish. This ability helped him to transmit his ideas clearly and easily to the players who could not speak English. For example, when he signed Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona in 2003, the latter didn’t speak or understand a word of English. Thus Wenger always interacted with him in Spanish. He also encouraged him to learn English and by the time Fabregas left the club, he was bilingual; very fluent in English and Spanish.

Wenger’s realization that the ability to speak many languages helps players to bond and understand the world and football philosophy better saw him advocate for language learning in Arsenal’s youth setup. The benefits from this quickly spilled over so much that everyone knows about the “Arsenal way”, which is basically about Arsenal’s synergy; Arsenal players having a bond akin to one close family as well allowing their feet to speak a language of their own on the field by playing quick, beautiful and aesthetic football that is hard to imitate.

Also the fact that football managers and players that are multilingual have been hugely successful wherever they have plied their trade shows that speaking many languages is a huge plus. For example, Pep Guardiola who has been very successful in Spain, Germany and England as a manager speaks German, English, Catalan, Spanish and Italian. Jose Mourinho who is also one of the most successful football managers speaks Portuguese, Spanish, French, Italian and English fluently.

Cristiano Ronaldo who has four times won the Fifa Ballon d’Or as the best player in the world speaks Portuguese, Spanish and English, whereas Manchester United star Romelu Lukaku who was born in Belgium but has Congolese roots is fluent in six languages: Dutch, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Swahili.

All these coaches and players are hugely successful because their ability to speak many languages helps them to easily receive and internalize messages. It gives them that extra edge and boosts their confidence. They can easily settle into many geographical realms and feel at home, thanks to their ability to easily interact with the natives of those areas.

As people continue to intermarry and travel, being multilingual becomes a necessary skill that comes with many opportunities. Moreover, many countries today have more than one official national language, thus those unable to communicate in at least two or more major languages such as English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic or Hindi, will soon be left behind in a world that gets more complex and competitive with every passing day. However, translation companies have also kicked in to save the day with services like Somali translation services, Yoruba translation Services, Malagasy translation services, Africa Conference Interpreters among many others.

Learn Tagalog Online – Getting a Taste of a Beautiful Language

The word Tagalog comes from two words–taga means “from” and ilog means “river.” So tagalog refers to something–in this case, people or language–from the river.

Tagalog is a language spoken by Filipino people, though it’s not the official language of the Philippines. Much of the official language is based on Tagalog, though a native Filipino will quickly tell you there are many differences between the two languages. In general, the official Filipino language borrows more heavily from English and Spanish than Tagalog does. The Filipino people who don’t speak Tagalog may be offended if you refer to Tagalog as the official Fillipino language.

Tagalog is also spoken by small groups of people in other areas of the world. It’s an ancient, native language, filled with beauty and tradition. Many people want to learn Tagalog strictly because it’s a beautiful language. They may also want to learn Tagalog to get in touch with native roots, or because they plan to travel to areas where Tagalog is spoken.

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to learn Tagalog, you have more resources available now than in the past. A quick internet search returns several websites where you can learn Tagalog. You may even be able to order programs for more advanced study.

To whet your appetite, here are a few common English words with their Tagalog translations.

  • Thank you–Salamat
  • How are you?–Kamusta?
  • Beautiful day!–Magandang araw! (This is also the phrase most Tagalog people use in place of our “hello”.)
  • Farewell–Paalam (Or, for an informal parting, ba-bay.)
  • Yes/no–Oo/hindi
  • Wait–Sandali lang
  • Take care–Ingat ka
  • I love you–Mahal kita

Another interesting feature of the Tagalog language is their use of the word “po” as a way of showing respect. If you’re speaking to someone older than you, or otherwise worthy of showing deference, you should add the word po at the end of your phrase. So, for instance, if you greet an elder, you would say, “Kamusta po?” instead of simply, “Kamusta?”

Learning any foreign language can be a difficult task, and Tagalog is no exception, but you’ll be rewarded for your effort by learning a beautiful language and joining in an ancient tradition.

Ingat ka!

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