Comments on: On being a foreigner, again. http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language wanderings and wonderings of stan james Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:37:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: chris http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language/comment-page-1#comment-5116 chris Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:51:05 +0000 http://wanderingstan.com/?p=268#comment-5116 I lived in Germany but I was never in Berlin.Maybe if I go Back there i would more to a better place than Frankfurt that place turned me off going anywhere anymore.Germans are hosttile and Rude after living there for 5 years I think there is about 3 people in the whole country I would like to see again. I lived in Germany but I was never in Berlin.Maybe if I go Back there i would more to a better place than Frankfurt that place turned me off going anywhere anymore.Germans are hosttile and Rude after living there for 5 years I think there is about 3 people in the whole country I would like to see again.

]]> By: admin http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language/comment-page-1#comment-4868 admin Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:28:56 +0000 http://wanderingstan.com/?p=268#comment-4868 "Treading water"! Yes, that's exactly what it feels like sometimes. And sometimes my legs get tired and I drown. :) Dinner parties and other social gatherings are indeed the hardest. I never realized how so much of being "witty and funny" at a party is changing the conversation and taking it in unexpected directions, or using lots of slang and wordplay. This is fun for native speakers, but makes things very difficult when you're learning. I really enjoy using German when playing sports or in business contexts, where the goal is clear communication and the topic of conversation doesn't suddenly shift. “Treading water”! Yes, that’s exactly what it feels like sometimes. And sometimes my legs get tired and I drown. :)

Dinner parties and other social gatherings are indeed the hardest. I never realized how so much of being “witty and funny” at a party is changing the conversation and taking it in unexpected directions, or using lots of slang and wordplay. This is fun for native speakers, but makes things very difficult when you’re learning. I really enjoy using German when playing sports or in business contexts, where the goal is clear communication and the topic of conversation doesn’t suddenly shift.

]]> By: Alexandra http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language/comment-page-1#comment-4867 Alexandra Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:14:07 +0000 http://wanderingstan.com/?p=268#comment-4867 I lived in France for 25 years, married to a Frenchman. While I got good enough in French to have a radio talk show, at the beginning, I treaded water. Your post reminds me of these moments. I always found sit-down dinner parties of eight to be the toughest of all. I lived in France for 25 years, married to a Frenchman. While I got good enough in French to have a radio talk show, at the beginning, I treaded water. Your post reminds me of these moments. I always found sit-down dinner parties of eight to be the toughest of all.

]]> By: Maria http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language/comment-page-1#comment-4748 Maria Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:06:18 +0000 http://wanderingstan.com/?p=268#comment-4748 Totally agree with "Fake It Till You Make It". Perilously easy with Japanese, which has many phrases that imply understanding/interest ("aizuchi"). People tend to be absorbed in their own speech and don't notice the lack-of-withit-ness until it's much too late. Re. Tuning Out, I experienced a curious inversion of that during my last couple years in Japan. I found myself hyper-aware of Japanese-language conversations in cafes, bus stations, etc., probably because I'd trained myself to be very attentive to Japanese in general. It was very exhausting. About to head to Japan tomorrow for the first time in two years; it's going to be interesting. Totally agree with “Fake It Till You Make It”. Perilously easy with Japanese, which has many phrases that imply understanding/interest (“aizuchi”). People tend to be absorbed in their own speech and don’t notice the lack-of-withit-ness until it’s much too late.

Re. Tuning Out, I experienced a curious inversion of that during my last couple years in Japan. I found myself hyper-aware of Japanese-language conversations in cafes, bus stations, etc., probably because I’d trained myself to be very attentive to Japanese in general. It was very exhausting.

About to head to Japan tomorrow for the first time in two years; it’s going to be interesting.

]]> By: Rob http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language/comment-page-1#comment-4158 Rob Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:17:29 +0000 http://wanderingstan.com/?p=268#comment-4158 awesome stack overflow analogy. it IS just like that. awesome stack overflow analogy. it IS just like that.

]]> By: jason http://wanderingstan.com/2009-07-01/listening-in-a-foreign-language/comment-page-1#comment-4156 jason Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:37:41 +0000 http://wanderingstan.com/?p=268#comment-4156 I loved this post. You rule Mr. James, you rule. I loved this post. You rule Mr. James, you rule.

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