It is interesting...when you don't have to use it. This is why I vastly prefer reading, because someone else has to make the decision of what word to use. Imagine having to choose among iru/imasu/irareru/iraremasu/oru/orimasu/irassharu/irasshaimasu/orareru/oraremasu every single time you want to use the verb "to be" and you have to make this choice in a split second as you're talking--and if you pick the wrong one you're considered rude. Oh, and that's not the only verb that does this, it's just one of the more extreme.
I hate talking. Smiling and nodding, that's my thing.
For most purposes, general politeness will do. I can't even manage that half the time, though.
We've been playing a "game" in my classes. I've been reading to the students from a Reader's Digest in the target language for three minutes, as much at natural speed as possible. During this time the students play a word capture game trying to write everything they recognize as a word.
That sounds like a great idea! I'll have to try it.
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Re: Another favorite
Date: 2005-04-21 11:50 pm (UTC)It is interesting...when you don't have to use it. This is why I vastly prefer reading, because someone else has to make the decision of what word to use. Imagine having to choose among iru/imasu/irareru/iraremasu/oru/orimasu/irassharu/irasshaimasu/orareru/oraremasu every single time you want to use the verb "to be" and you have to make this choice in a split second as you're talking--and if you pick the wrong one you're considered rude. Oh, and that's not the only verb that does this, it's just one of the more extreme.
I hate talking. Smiling and nodding, that's my thing.
For most purposes, general politeness will do. I can't even manage that half the time, though.
We've been playing a "game" in my classes. I've been reading to the students from a Reader's Digest in the target language for three minutes, as much at natural speed as possible. During this time the students play a word capture game trying to write everything they recognize as a word.
That sounds like a great idea! I'll have to try it.