As an English-speaking foreigner in a touristy area of Turkey, I am all too familiar with the struggle of trying to learn Turkish while everyone around you is trying to learn English. I’ve been here three years now and can barely string a sentence together. Istanbul-based Carpetblogger writes an hilarious account of her own experiences, including an anecdote that made me laugh out loud:
The pilot of Turkish Airlines plane full of Azeris announces he is preparing to land the plane. The passengers panic. Why? Because the verb in Azeri for “to land” is the same as “to crash.”
According to the article, Carpetblogger was due to take a one-month intensive course in Turkish back in February— I wonder how that turned out… Link.
Incidentally, if anyone thinks they can teach me Turkish in a month, I invite you to come and try. Having said that, learning Turkish is not my problem; I can read like an olympic champ and my grammar skills are awesome. My problem is getting over my debilitating fear of speaking. Ironic, as I’m a professional singer.
I’m deeply into languages and linguistics in general as a hobby— I go through phases where I really push forward with my Turkish language studies, and for a few days now I’ve felt one of those phases coming on. Perhaps I should document my progress here? It would hold me accountable, and you guys would probably get a laugh out of my mistakes. Think of it as the other side of the Turklish coin. Turnabout is fair play and all that. Should I do it? Of course I’d do it right, with audio clips and everything… maybe even a podcast or two. What’s the point of having different languages if you can’t laugh at people who talk funny?
I love u baby, so so so so so so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :-*
I love u baby, so so so so so so muchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :-*
[…] A few days ago I started talking about a potential project to learn Turkish (or rather, stop working on my already good reading skills and move on to improving my speaking) in a concentrated way over a relatively short period of time, and in public for all to see and poke fun at. So far there has been an overwhelmingly positive response to this idea, and chances are I’m going to do it. This might require significant donations of vodka, though, to get me over the initial hurdle. […]
Ah, my dear, i know your situation well, as it is also where i am. 11 intensive months of Turkish study (4 in Istanbul’s Dilmer intensive classes), several private tutors and while I’m thrilled that I can read the paper, I can mostly understand Turkish TV, I get half of the BBC Newscast and I speak like a 2 year old on a good day. It’s insane.
I’m definitely interested in how it goes. I know I better after a glass of wine… or a bottle.
Best to you….
(another) Melissa
Ah, my dear, i know your situation well, as it is also where i am. 11 intensive months of Turkish study (4 in Istanbul’s Dilmer intensive classes), several private tutors and while I’m thrilled that I can read the paper, I can mostly understand Turkish TV, I get half of the BBC Newscast and I speak like a 2 year old on a good day. It’s insane.
I’m definitely interested in how it goes. I know I better after a glass of wine… or a bottle.
Best to you….
(another) Melissa
@misty Well hello there, I’m surprised to see someone reading my back entries! I’m still shit at Turkish, can read great but like you, can’t speak very well. Maybe one day we’ll pull ourselves together, eh? Ah, maybe not. 😀
I, too, am better after a glass or two of wine… which means our problem is confidence rather than knowledge.
@misty Well hello there, I’m surprised to see someone reading my back entries! I’m still shit at Turkish, can read great but like you, can’t speak very well. Maybe one day we’ll pull ourselves together, eh? Ah, maybe not. 😀
I, too, am better after a glass or two of wine… which means our problem is confidence rather than knowledge.
You know, i think you’re onto something! We know oh so very much and yet… the jam up. I say just go full speed ahead, proper endings be damned. They’ll fall into place sometime.. and you gotta stumble before you walk I suppose (and this has nothing to do with the wine 🙂
I am getting better, recently. I found the nicest kebapcis here in NYC and they don’t speak English that well. Having tea with them and conversing, mostly in Turkish with English breaks is doing wonders for my Turkish. OK, not wonders, but I am definitely improving..
Your blog is great – so of course I’m going to read back entries!
m-
You know, i think you’re onto something! We know oh so very much and yet… the jam up. I say just go full speed ahead, proper endings be damned. They’ll fall into place sometime.. and you gotta stumble before you walk I suppose (and this has nothing to do with the wine 🙂
I am getting better, recently. I found the nicest kebapcis here in NYC and they don’t speak English that well. Having tea with them and conversing, mostly in Turkish with English breaks is doing wonders for my Turkish. OK, not wonders, but I am definitely improving..
Your blog is great – so of course I’m going to read back entries!
m-