Two years. I’ve been officially learning Marshallese for two years. Wow. Warrar! Ekōļōk! That’s a pretty long time, all things considered. I really can’t believe how fast those months flew by and how much and little I have learnt so far. … More MARSHALLESE 19.0: YEAR TWO SUMMARY
I don’t know about you, but I find place names immensely fascinating. I am always curious what the words we see on a map or signposts mean. And that curiosity has led me to some very interesting findings, which I am about to share with you today. Because I am learning Marshallese, I just have to start with the Marshall Islands. … More WHAT’S IN A NAME? THE MARSHALL ISLANDS EDITION
Learning a foreign language is fun. Especially if you’re learning it because you really want to (not because your parents told you to, or you think you have to because it may come in handy one day). When you have plenty of time and a burning interest, you can discover a whole new, fascinating world, you wouldn’t otherwise have a chance to know. … More MARSHALLESE 18.0: WARRAR, ŌRRŌR, ŪKŪK
I once read that learning about investing from books is like learning about sex from romance novels. I know nothing about investing, but I can paraphrase this quote and tell you that learning about body language from a textbook is like learning about sex from romance novels – you think you’re prepared, but really you’re not. … More MARSHALLESE 17.0: GESTURES … ON PAPER
When you’re learning a language, sometimes you are going to encounter difficulties. Ok, maybe not sometimes, but often. Or very often. Don’t even try to fight it, because that’s just the way it is. You have to accept it, work harder than you have, and hope that you will – sooner or later – get this damn thing into your head. … More MARSHALLESE 16.0: A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH A FEW WORDS
When you learn a new language, you need both vocabulary and grammar to convey a message. As they go hand in hand, you can’t concentrate your attention on one and neglect the other. I have already reviewed Stephen Trussel’s “Communication and Culture Handbook”, which focuses on words, phrases, and expressions. Now it’s time to review the second volume in the course, “Kiribati: Grammar Handbook”. … More “KIRIBATI: GRAMMAR HANDBOOK” BY STEPHEN TRUSSEL
There are virtually no textbooks available on the Kiribati (Gilbertese) language. I have managed to find only two books, both written by the same author. Stephen Trussel’s handbooks, which were created in 1979, are long out of print, so there is little chance you will be able to buy them. However, the author has converted them into webpages, so they are now accessible online. … More “KIRIBATI: COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE HANDBOOK” BY STEPHEN TRUSSEL
In a perfect world, the written language equals the spoken language. You see a word and you know, instantly and without thinking, how to pronounce it. You hear a sentence, and you know what it means. You have no doubts, you feel confident, everything is great. Only it isn’t. Because this is not a perfect world. This is real world, in which letters and sounds are two very different things. … More MARSHALLESE 15.0: BECAUSE OF THE OFFSHORE PODCAST
The choice of what language to use for what purposes and in which contexts is never easy to make, especially in a region with over 1000 native tongues and two major intrusive ones. On the one hand, there are English and French – the global languages of opportunities and the future; on the other, there are the local vernaculars – the languages of culture, heritage, and the past. Imagine that they all share the spotlight. Wouldn’t that be great? But how to achieve it? … More WAYS TO PROMOTE MULTILINGUALISM
Do you know what makes learning a foreign language easier? Its similarity to the language you already speak. And anticipating your question here – no, Marshallese is nothing like English (or any other tongue I happen to know). But they have something in common. … More MARSHALLESE 14.0: WEEK IS WIIK, PIG IS PIIK
