| I was at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals.The | | | | much reflection on the experience I had, I decided |
| flight attendant's greeting aboard German Airlines | | | | to widen my languages-spoken zone. To my |
| felt to me like a have-a-good-day message or | | | | surprise, a handful of web sites are apparently |
| enjoy-the-flight customary greeting. Unable to | | | | offering online language courses (for free at that) |
| decode the language she was speaking that | | | | on almost about every language being spoken by |
| sounded so cryptic to me, I just jumped into an | | | | at least half of a country's population. I took a |
| assumption (logical I hoped) that what her sounds | | | | German language course (as a natural recourse to |
| meant were words of goodwill, either have a | | | | the trip I just had) through About 20 other |
| good day or enjoy the flight. "You're now just | | | | language courses are also available in |
| few hours from the World Cup. It's our pleasure | | | | learnplus.com, most of which are even free of |
| to bring you safely in Germany," she then | | | | charges.Through my online language course, I |
| translated after the cryptic words. None of my | | | | learned that my most beloved *lingua franca* |
| guesses was right. I then saw the biggest hurdle | | | | apparently had some of its origin from the |
| right before my face. I should have really brought | | | | German language that I regard as so cryptic. |
| the dictionary mom bought.I immediately spotted | | | | Moreover, the syntax, grammar of English, and |
| the arranged hotel ride as soon as I got out of | | | | German languages are pretty much hinged on the |
| the airport lobby. Checking out went smooth and | | | | similar rules and practices. The phonology is what |
| easy. I had my luggage at hand immediately and | | | | seems to set both languages' worlds apart and |
| some quick passport and visa checking were all | | | | probably the hardest to learn.I'm now starting to |
| done in a jiffy. Airport personnel made me feel at | | | | learn 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 or | | | | of my target language. offers very |
| "ambigramic" but the puzzling was way easier | | | | student-friendly beginner's modules and readings. |
| than that of the flight attendant's totally foreign | | | | The course starts at the very basic levels of |
| language. Thanks to the holocaust movies my dad | | | | language learning prior to language acquisition. Most |
| watches every now and then, I was somehow | | | | practical usages of common phrases, words, and |
| accustomed and prepared for the German's | | | | terms are the primary things I learned from the |
| morphology of my lingua franca. Think and speak | | | | first module. The second one taught me the |
| nasal to understand them and for them to get | | | | German alphabet and the basic sounds of the |
| what you're saying.On the way to the hotel, I | | | | German 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 language | | | | pronunciation.After learning well enough how to |
| other than mine) was mightily trying to extend | | | | speak at least conversational German, my next |
| warmth and hospitality. Sensitive enough, he | | | | target language is French. I heard that it is harder |
| immediately recognized the | | | | to learn French than German, so my plan to enroll |
| I-can't-quite-understand-you crumpled look on my | | | | in 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 to | | | | France 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 he | | | | romance) of Paris if I can twist my tongue the |
| told me his professional title) gave me a little | | | | French way. Traversing the mazes of the Louvre |
| crash course on practical German words and lines | | | | will 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 is | | | | at least converse decently more than a bonjour, |
| (luckily) "hotel," bank is "das Bankhaus," and airport | | | | si, and non. A friend recommended for French |
| is "der Flughafen." I practiced to get their | | | | lessons, 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 up | | | | Mandarin, 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 Berlin | | | | languages for the next World Cup. Make it ten |
| Adlershof.Couple of days later, after much | | | | rather, English is given. |
| re-telling of my Berlin experience to everyone and | | | | |