Speaking in Tongues

I was at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals.Themuch reflection on the experience I had, I decided
flight attendant's greeting aboard German Airlinesto widen my languages-spoken zone. To my
felt to me like a have-a-good-day message orsurprise, a handful of web sites are apparently
enjoy-the-flight customary greeting. Unable tooffering online language courses (for free at that)
decode the language she was speaking thaton almost about every language being spoken by
sounded so cryptic to me, I just jumped into anat least half of a country's population. I took a
assumption (logical I hoped) that what her soundsGerman language course (as a natural recourse to
meant were words of goodwill, either have athe trip I just had) through About 20 other
good day or enjoy the flight. "You're now justlanguage courses are also available in
few hours from the World Cup. It's our pleasurelearnplus.com, most of which are even free of
to bring you safely in Germany," she thencharges.Through my online language course, I
translated after the cryptic words. None of mylearned that my most beloved *lingua franca*
guesses was right. I then saw the biggest hurdleapparently had some of its origin from the
right before my face. I should have really broughtGerman language that I regard as so cryptic.
the dictionary mom bought.I immediately spottedMoreover, the syntax, grammar of English, and
the arranged hotel ride as soon as I got out ofGerman languages are pretty much hinged on the
the airport lobby. Checking out went smooth andsimilar rules and practices. The phonology is what
easy. I had my luggage at hand immediately andseems to set both languages' worlds apart and
some quick passport and visa checking were allprobably the hardest to learn.I'm now starting to
done in a jiffy. Airport personnel made me feel atlearn sentence construction and exerting much
ease, we spoke a common language, my English.and much effort learning the sounds (and pidgins)
Their mumblings still sounded cryptic orof my target language. offers very
"ambigramic" but the puzzling was way easierstudent-friendly beginner's modules and readings.
than that of the flight attendant's totally foreignThe course starts at the very basic levels of
language. Thanks to the holocaust movies my dadlanguage learning prior to language acquisition. Most
watches every now and then, I was somehowpractical usages of common phrases, words, and
accustomed and prepared for the German'sterms are the primary things I learned from the
morphology of my lingua franca. Think and speakfirst module. The second one taught me the
nasal to understand them and for them to getGerman alphabet and the basic sounds of the
what you're saying.On the way to the hotel, IGerman language. Helpful exercises are also
sensed that the driver or rather the chauffeur (available for practical mastering especially of the
the closest I can translate "driver" to a languagepronunciation.After learning well enough how to
other than mine) was mightily trying to extendspeak at least conversational German, my next
warmth and hospitality. Sensitive enough, hetarget language is French. I heard that it is harder
immediately recognized theto learn French than German, so my plan to enroll
I-can't-quite-understand-you crumpled look on myin a French online language course probably by
face and spoke in a more comprehensible sound.next month will be just in time for my Tour de
In fairness, his English was excellent (relative toFrance next summer. I imagine it to be more
most natives during the flight and in the airport).exciting experiencing the beauty (and hopefully
Der Chauffeur (my cahuffeur lacked Der, as heromance) of Paris if I can twist my tongue the
told me his professional title) gave me a littleFrench way. Traversing the mazes of the Louvre
crash course on practical German words and lineswill surely be more enriching for the non-art
I can use to survive until my flight back home.aficionado in me if I can at least have an easier
Hello is "hallo", good morning is "Guten Morgen,"conversation with the tour guide by being able to
How much is this is "Wieviel kostet das," hotel isat least converse decently more than a bonjour,
(luckily) "hotel," bank is "das Bankhaus," and airportsi, and non. A friend recommended for French
is "der Flughafen." I practiced to get theirlessons, saying it's more practical than the French
pronunciations right until we reached das hotel.in After French, I might also take up Spanish,
Stressed by the language barrier, I ended upMandarin, and Nihonggo. And of course, I must
succumbing to my das Beet (bed) in my cozy,learn at least one of South Africa's 11 official
homey das Hotelzimmer (hotel room) in Ibis Berlinlanguages for the next World Cup. Make it ten
Adlershof.Couple of days later, after muchrather, English is given.
re-telling of my Berlin experience to everyone and