Just Think About How Grateful Your Future Self Will Be If You Keep Going. How Glad You Will Be For Having

A common mistake English speakers make in learning a new language is translating every word in English literally. By extension, this also involves translating whole sentences word for word.

This is a wee (actually, not that wee) problem for a few reasons:

It means that you will be translating words that don’t have an equivalent in the target language.

It means that you’ll be losing the chance to use words in the target language that don’t have an English translation (advanced vocab).

You’ll be ignoring vital stylistic elements of speaking/writing in the target language. You’ll end up saying things that native speakers of the target language just don’t ever say, even if you use correct grammar and vocabulary.

Now, if you don’t get the hang of this in your target language, I repeat, do not panic. This process of getting the feel of your target language and familiarising yourself with advanced vocab words comes only with practice. It’s not possible to just learn off every rule/word/stylistic element in your target language.

Allow me to illustrate these issues using Spanish and French:

1. Translating words that don’t have an exact equivalent in the target language. Not every word in English has the exact translation in another language, thus a phrase or supplemental synonym is used to convey the meaning in context.

“I think I forgot to lock the door”. In Spanish, this is Pensé que olvidé cerrar la puerta con llave. Pay attention to the phrase for lock. There isn’t a single verb to convey the idea of locking a door. You just say that you close it with the key.

“I want to pass this test on the first try”. In French, this is Je voudrais réussir l'examen au premier essai. We use the word essai to indicate attempt or try, even though this word generally means essay in most other contexts.

2. Not using target language-specific words that don’t exist in English. Some words just don’t exist in English- don’t miss out the chance to use them in another language though! (this is basically the opposite of #1) It indicates a better grasp of the language, comparable to that of natives.

“Last night, I hardly got any sleep because I was anxious”. In Spanish, instead of directly translating the phrase “I hardly got any sleep”, you can use the word desvelado, which covers the entire concept of being unable to sleep. Anoche, estuve desvelado ya que estaba ansioso. In French, you’d say J’ai eu une nuit blanche hier car j’étais anxieux. 

“Although we are poor, we can manage with what we have”. In French, you’d never directly translate the word manage, but instead, you’d say Bien qu'on soit pauvre, on peut se débrouiller avec ce qu’on a. The verb se débrouiller expresses the entire concept of being able to get by and survive day by day with next to nothing.

3. The stylistic element. These are just manners of speaking that native speakers use, which includes sentences structures and word order, or even just expressions of choice that would be clunky in English.

In French, let’s say someone asks you, “Est-ce que tu ne voudrais pas une verre de l'eau avec ça?”. This means “Don’t you want a glass of water with that?”. The food is hot and spicy, so of course you’re thirsty. The first thing that comes to mind is to say, “Mais, oui!”. However, that’s not what is said. It’s not that the grammar or word choice is wrong, but generally, after agreeing with a negative sentence, si is used. You would respond, “Mais, si! J'ai soif!”.

In French, they throw in “ça” everywhere, just for emphasis. “Ça, c'est horrible!”, “Ce robe, ça, c'est très belle!”.

Word choice. Instead of saying “Going to this meeting is important”, one would say something akin to “The attendance of this meeting is vital”. “L'assiduité de la réunion, c'est d'une importance capital”. This is kinda why people like to say French is haughty and pretensive (je t'aime, ma petite langue). Nonetheless, this is more common in formal speech.

In Spanish, what comes to mind at first is the order of subjects and verbs. It’s rather common to hear the subject come after the verb(s), all the way at the end of the sentence. A mí madre matarón los narcotraficantes. El tango baila María todos los fines de la semana.

The word “lo” can precede an arbitrary noun. The normal thing to do is lo normal. The good thing is lo bueno. The physical thing is lo físico, and the sexy thing is lo sensual. You will rarely hear someone say “la buena cosa”.

So, how do you improve your grasp of a language? Well, listening to natives speak is definitely one way. You don’t need to visit the country or anything, but maybe get a pen pal, Tumblr friend and ofc, watch and read the news in your target language. Also, immerse yourself in books, movies, TV shows and music. Finally, practice writing and get a teacher or a native to check your work.

Ominous positivity

4 exercises to improve speaking skills in your target language:

Tell a story. It’s a great exercise to improve not only your speaking, but also your grammar and vocabulary. Think about what happened to you or anyone else, that you would talk about to your friends or family. Then tell a story out loud using only your target language. Telling stories is a huge part of our everyday talks, so it’s really important to practice that.

Talk about a book, a movie or whatever you want. Imagine you’re convincing someone to check out (or not to check out) a book you have already read. Review every movie or TV series you want, and don’t worry about spoiling anything or offending someone. If it’s a piece of shit, learn how to say that when talking to Queen Elizabeth II, and how to say that when chatting with someone you’d meet at the bar.

Discuss an important topic that is interesting to you. You can choose from anything: society issues, politics, economics, science, environment, culture… First try to explain it and then tell your own opinion on the subject. It’s different than the second exercise since it develops the specific vocabulary.

Read an article and summarise it. Find an article in your target language that interests you and talk about it. You can do it like you would when asked about it in school, or you can do it in more of a “sharing knowledge with my friends” manner.

Et c’est tout! You can call it “act like a youtuber” exercises. If you want, record yourself while speaking. Remember that work is the key to success.

“what does it feel like to be a multifandom?”

i wanted to share some thoughts on ‘온유하게 해요 (shine on you)’. everybody is already aware of the title pun by now, but there’s another meaning on it that rly impacts me & i want to say.

so as many know, onew (온유) is an actual word in korean. i wouldnt give 온유 an exact translation but it’s along the meaning of softness, tenderness, or mildness. i’ll use ‘tender’ here.

so, onew’s name is in both titles. ‘온유하게 해요’ means ‘to make (smth) tender/onew’ & in ‘shine on you’, ‘on you’ sounds like ‘onew’ too. that’s cute, but what i want to focus on is the verse where this sentence appears:

‘싱그러운 미소가 불안했던 마음을 온유하게 해요’.

my personal trans goes: ‘your refreshing smile makes my (previously) troubled heart tender’. note that ‘-했던’ implies past onto ‘troubled’.

now, what makes this verse so lovely to me is exactly bc 온유 is his name. he is 온유. then saying ‘your smile makes me tender’ ends up meaning ‘your smile makes me who i am’. and more than that: ‘your smile makes my troubled heart tender’ seems to paint that ‘seeing your smile makes me remember who i really am’.

isn’t that such a beautiful love to have? to remember yourself in someone’s smile, to find strength in them to never stop being own tender self through all the troubles that come. it’s incredibly romantic.

and if you think about it, this verse is so precious bc it comes such a long way: if jinki wasn’t named onew all the way back 10 yrs ago, this sentence wouldn’t mean much today. it’s a verse with a simple sound, but its meaning came together in a careful & rare balance.

it’s this sort of thing that adds all the magic in art.

If this inspires you pass it on!🤔♻️📲

How to Make a Language Notebook

I’ve been using a language notebook for about a month now, and I finally figured out a format that works for me, so I figured I’d share it with you guys! Keep in mind these are only recommendations, feel free to do your own thing if you think it’ll be more convenient for you!

Okay, so to start, here’s what you’ll need:

1) Pens

I recommend three pens of different colours. I used blue, orange and black. The blue is for words/ sentences in my target language. I chose a dark colour so they would stand out more. The orange, a light colour, is for words/ sentences in my native language (or English, in my case). It’s a lighter colour because it makes the blue stand out more, so I focus more on the words in my target language instead of the English ones. The black is for titles, drawings, and words in another language that isn’t my target or my native. For example, I compare German with Spanish in this entry: 

As you can see, the German phrases are in blue because it’s my target language. The explanations in English are in orange, and the title and Spanish words are in black.

2) A notebook

Some people recommend separating grammar and vocabulary. This is an excellent idea if you have many notebooks or notebooks with different sections. If you don’t, it’s not a problem. I only use one notebook, which works for me, because I don’t use it too much (it’s mostly a space to write down stuff I like, not stuff I will necessarily use). If you plan on using your notebook in a more serious manner, but cannot afford to get several notebooks, I recommend you write everything concerning vocabulary (or grammar) in the front of the notebook, and the rest (grammar or vocabulary, it depends) at the back. Make sure to not use a very thin notebook though!

If you don’t feel the need to separate grammar and vocabulary, there are ways of dividing the topics:

3) Sticky Tabs

I have four different topics in my language notebook: vocabulary, grammar, verbs, and miscellaneous. To divide them, I add sticky tabs of different colours next to each entry. For example, vocabulary is pink, grammar is blue, verbs are orange, and miscellaneous is green.

This allows me to see what the topic is immediately, and it makes my notebook very colourful!

4) 4cm margin

It doesn’t exactly have to be 4 centimeters, but it shouldn’t be more than a third of the page. This margin (I place mine on the right of the page) is for any notes you might want to add about the entry. For example, definitions, formal/ informal forms, etc. It doesn’t necessarily have to be used for every entry, but it’s easier to trace it for all, instead of just adding it when you need it. It’s also a good place to put the sticky tabs (refer to the previous image). I trace the line with a pencil so that it’s lighter and more discreet than the rest of the writing, but that’s up to you.

5) Index/ Key

One last thing you’ll (maybe) need: an index/ key! I don’t personally have an index, because I have too many entries per page, but a key is definitely useful if you use the sticky tab method. I still haven’t gotten around to making one, but that’s because I’m lazy Just write it (or stick it) on the back of the cover so you don’t waste a page on it.

Next you’ll need to decide what to write in the notebook. If you already know what to write, great! If not, here are some suggestions:

- Class notes

- Grammar rules/ verb conjugations/ etc. that you struggle with

- Funny sayings or random slang you learn

- Tumblr posts (these are great because they are generally explained simply, but make sure to check the info, because there might be some small mistakes)

- Journal entries (these are a great way to practice what you’ve written in previous entries!)

It doesn’t all have to be useful, necessarily. I have jokes, and puns that I might never use, but that are funny anyways. I find it’s a great way to stay motivated!

If you want more photos from my notebook, you can find ‘em here :) 

So yeah, that’s all! :D I hope you guys like it, and feel free to ask me questions about my language notebook!

“i didn’t sign up for a goddamn history/literature/art course” as a complaint about languages courses absolutely baffle me because history, culture, everything is important when learning a language, not just the grammar, karen

how did they learn to translate languages into other languages how did they know which words meant what HOW DID TH