If anyone needs brain exercise…

[Snarky]

or….why are you spending less time in CoH…
 

As us vampires get older we tend to stagnate and inevitably fall to ennui.  This can be losing our edge and getting hunted or simply laying in our crypt and not caring to move.  
 

So, around Feb or Mar of this year I decided I needed “brain exercise”.  I decided to learn a language, and chose German.  In those giddy first hours I made my choice thinking German would be better than Spanish due to Spanish having gendered nouns, and English is a Germanic language.  Hmmm, it was a cheerful morning when I set sail. 
 

The storm came in while the shore was still visible. I have been studying on Babbel roughly an hour a day with a few other resources that I sporadically use.  The storm has not yet cleared. German has gendered nouns.  And the entire grammatical structure of the language is based on using the genders to differentiate parts of the sentence structure.  They do this by modifying the “the” words and “verbs”  before each noun. And the way they do it is only comfortable to a very strong German speaker.  
 

I saw my first bits of clear night sky recently. Not saying I am a strong German speaker lol, but I finally can start to understand the complex  lock and key system of German grammar. 
 

So, if you want a brain exercise…..

 

also, if any German speakers want to give me lessons on discord….  We can game while I butcher your Muttersprache!

[Techwright]

I've learned several basic German words for survival needs over the decades such as:  bratwurst, wiener schnitzel, spätzle.  Bitte und danke.

 

I've even greater linguistical survival skills in Spanish countries.

 

I'm hoping to figure out Canadian some day.

 

(Oh, my sis-in-law is going to kill me...)

[Oubliette_Red]

1 hour ago, Snarky said:

 In those giddy first hours I made my choice thinking German would be better than Spanish due to Spanish having gendered nouns, ...

 

 

It was it this point that I started laughing hysterically... in my head, for fear of terrifying the cats.

 

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, Oubliette_Red said:

 

It was it this point that I started laughing hysterically... in my head, for fear of terrifying the cats.

 

Yes… If there is a language that is more grammatically structured upon arbitrary noun genders that culture probably died due to inability to communicate.  
 

I am starting to enjoy how it works, although my “brain exercises” still seem to be in the 10pd dumbbells.  Fluent German is 200pd Bench and 300 pd squat sets for serious reps

[Oubliette_Red]

7 minutes ago, Snarky said:

Yes… If there is a language that is more grammatically structured upon arbitrary noun genders that culture probably died due to inability to communicate.  
 

I am starting to enjoy how it works, although my “brain exercises” still seem to be in the 10pd dumbbells.  Fluent German is 200pd Bench and 300 pd squat sets for serious reps

 

If I could afford Babbel, I would be joining you in learning another language.

 

[Snarky]

11 minutes ago, Oubliette_Red said:

 

If I could afford Babbel, I would be joining you in learning another language.

 

I bought the one year Babbel for 60.  Then there is about a monthly “ once in a lifetime” promotion for a lifetime membership at 50-60% off.  Which, be forewarned… it is only good for 99 years.  They are gonna be real surprised when I show up at corporate in 2123 asking why they cut my service…..

 

honestly Babbel is good, but it is really just exercises.  Studying videos (free) from youtube, online sources, and various free grammar exercise programs would be as effective, if less convenient.  I am adding in more and more youtube German teachers and Slow German videos (yes there is a channel for that)

[Go0gleplex]

I made the mistake of attempting to learn Latin since it was a root language of several...what could go wrong? One root word can be an entire sentence depending on the suffix used...and as a result, I also found I have absolutely no talent for languages outside of english as I cannot memorize the words involved  without years of daily use. 

 

I should have gone for German or French back then...at least those are in the ancestry.  

 

Hats off to ya Snarks for the progress. (the neck guard stays on though...sorry, but I've heard the stories ya know?!) :p 

[Yomo Kimyata]

4 hours ago, Snarky said:

 In those giddy first hours I made my choice thinking German would be better than Spanish due to Spanish having gendered nouns

 

I thought that German has masculine, feminine, and huge?

 

[Snarky]

4 minutes ago, Yomo Kimyata said:

 

I thought that German has masculine, feminine, and huge?

 

I will now start thinking of it this way.  Thanks.  And for grammar purposes German actually has 4 genders: Masc, Fem, Huge, and Plural.  Each altering their referencing words (the, verbs, etc) based on which part of the sentence they are….(subject, object, secondary object, or relational object).  So, only 16 possible variations for each definite article, preposition, verb, and random clutter in front of any noun….

[PeregrineFalcon]

1 hour ago, Snarky said:

Yes… If there is a language that is more grammatically structured upon arbitrary noun genders that culture probably died due to inability to communicate.  
 

I am starting to enjoy how it works, although my “brain exercises” still seem to be in the 10pd dumbbells.  Fluent German is 200pd Bench and 300 pd squat sets for serious reps

 

Mark Twain had something to say about German, and I believe that he's completely correct.

 

[Luminara]

I'm fluent in Google Translate.

[High_Beam]

I have very few regrets in my life.  I have always accepted and embraced my mistakes, flaws and things I did that were probably poor decisions because it was not just a job but an adventure.  But one thing I do regret was that I was stationed in Japan for two years and only learned the most basic of Japanese (being polite, being apologetic and being able to order food),

[TheOtherTed]

51 minutes ago, Go0gleplex said:

I should have gone for German or French back then...at least those are in the ancestry.

I took a year of German in high school and majored in French for two years.  I ended up deciding that, among other things, French is basically the German of Romance languages.

 

All due credit to anyone learning a language in their later years.  I loved high school Latin, but trying to re-learn any of it has been a struggle.  My brain just stops at "agricola agricolae" and tries to fit the words into my least loved song:

 

 

[Mr. Apocalypse]

35 minutes ago, Luminara said:

I'm fluent in Google Translate.

So am I, What a coincidence!

[Snarky]

1 hour ago, High_Beam said:

I have very few regrets in my life.  I have always accepted and embraced my mistakes, flaws and things I did that were probably poor decisions because it was not just a job but an adventure.  But one thing I do regret was that I was stationed in Japan for two years and only learned the most basic of Japanese (being polite, being apologetic and being able to order food),

I hear that Japanese is especially tough for foreigners.  From what I understood all Japanese conversations are related to social status and hierarchy.  And an outsider has a harder time choosing how to properly say something in the correct social context 

[Mr. Apocalypse]

57 minutes ago, Snarky said:

I hear that Japanese is especially tough for foreigners.  From what I understood all Japanese conversations are related to social status and hierarchy.  And an outsider has a harder time choosing how to properly say something in the correct social context 

I worked for a Japanese company for about 10 years. I am fluent in broken English now. I know 3 or 4 words and phrases in Japanese, but I am able to eavesdrop on their conversations and figure out basics by their tone and gestures.  You are correct the same phrase can be said multiple ways and only one be correct for the situation and not offend!

Edited November 23, 2023 by Mr. Apocalypse

[Go0gleplex]

3 hours ago, Snarky said:

I hear that Japanese is especially tough for foreigners.  From what I understood all Japanese conversations are related to social status and hierarchy.  And an outsider has a harder time choosing how to properly say something in the correct social context 

Gender also gets involved with some expressions and word use. Boku vs Ore (sp) are mentioned often in translated light novels and manga for instance. Then you have the written forms; kanji, hiragana, and katakana; the latter two being syllables vs the ideogram of the former. My 2nd grade teacher was a survivor of Hiroshima and liked to introduce bits of her home culture to us with activity and art projects. :) Great teacher too. 

[Snarky]

7 hours ago, Oubliette_Red said:

 

If I could afford Babbel, I would be joining you in learning another language.

 

I just (today) signed onto (free!!) Germanwithlaura.com.  I do not know if there are charges later.  But she has a TON of free stuff there and on youtube.  She is also the clearest instructor I found on YouTube which is why i am expanding my studies to include her materials 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Snarky

[JasperStone]

 

German is a good first language to learn.

I took it in high school, and I think it makes sense.

 

Once you learn one, picking up another is easier.

Took a crash course in Italian (was going on tour there) and got semi-proficient

It is just getting to the conversational level that is hard.

 

My dad is an immigrant from Ukraine, and my mom is Polish. Grew up speaking both.

Stupid relatives forced my parents to stop... "They will grow up confused"

No ... coulda have been Trilingual.

Working on getting both back.

[Lines]

I've been living in China for two years and now I have chadbrain.

[blackhand]

15 hours ago, High_Beam said:

I have very few regrets in my life.  I have always accepted and embraced my mistakes, flaws and things I did that were probably poor decisions because it was not just a job but an adventure.  But one thing I do regret was that I was stationed in Japan for two years and only learned the most basic of Japanese (being polite, being apologetic and being able to order food),

One of my few regrets is that I never stuck with any one other language to get fluent. I grew up with bilingual parents (English/German) and basically used the German for easy As through high school but never tried to get better. Took Latin and Chinese for fun. Got near conversational at French and Spanish due to living with girlfriends with those as first languages. And now, my wife and I speak some Hindi around the house, but that too has a bit of a fractured set up…her parents speak different first languages, Urdu and Gujarati, and mostly speak together in Hindi, but kinda have their own mishmash with Urdu and Gujarati. 
 

Always found it easy to pick up when immersed and then it largely goes out of my brain for speaking. 

Edited November 23, 2023 by blackhand

[Snarky]

5 hours ago, blackhand said:

One of my few regrets is that I never stuck with any one other language to get fluent.

Here is the joy that comes with being me.  I am a very stubborn old vampire.  My goal is not to become fluent.  That would be nice, and is a possible outcome.

 

My goal is to study German 1 hour + each day, with supplementals based on the area I am struggling the most.  Currently the Case system and Declensions.  After that I will either hit Noun genders or verb madness.  (German does some wild shit with verbs)  I have rarely missed a day since I picked it up in Feb or March.  More often now I am spending more time with it, the more I learn the more interesting my old brain finds the puzzles.

Edited November 23, 2023 by Snarky

[PeregrineFalcon]

If you think cases are bad, you're gonna love Trennbare Verben.  😁

[Luminara]

25 minutes ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

you're gonna love Trennbare Verben.

 

I think I dated her.

[Techwright]

7 hours ago, blackhand said:

One of my few regrets is that I never stuck with any one other language to get fluent. I grew up with bilingual parents (English/German) and basically used the German for easy As through high school but never tried to get better. Took Latin and Chinese for fun. Got near conversational at French and Spanish due to living with girlfriends with those as first languages. And now, my wife and I speak some Hindi around the house, but that too has a bit of a fractured set up…her parents speak different first languages, Urdu and Gujarati, and mostly speak together in Hindi, but kinda have their own mishmash with Urdu and Gujarati. 
 

Always found it easy to pick up when immersed and then it largely goes out of my brain for speaking. 

 

Your story is more common than you think.  People often mash bits and pieces of languages together for communication, especially in melting pot pocket cultures.  A dear, 81-year-old friend of mine grew up in a West Virginia coal-mining valley, and the immigrant, semi-isolated culture there communicated in a mishmash of Baltic languages and English.  The result was almost it's own language. American English speakers had trouble understanding him.  He came to my state for college, and had 4 full years of remedial English.  Ironically, he went into a profession that required constant public speaking, and became well known in his circles for short, pithy, clearly-pronounced (almost clipped) speeches, which insiders know come from intense practice to keep his Baltics-English fusion from resurfacing.