The Sticky Note Method

The accidental invention of the sticky note 40 years ago was a boost for language learners everywhere. Many who have ever learned a language are familiar with the sticky note method where your entire living space is covered with multi-colored sticky notes on which you've scribbled the words for every noun within eyesight. Some of you are rolling your eyes and others are chuckling because many of us have been there. The door frame has a blue note that says door, the toilet has a pink note that says toilet, a green note flutters in the wind on your window labeled, you guessed it, window. These nouns are the building blocks of language learning. They help you move away from general words like "thingy" to more specific words that help you sound (and feel) more intelligent in your new language learning effort.

Over the years we've used many language learning methods from sticky notes to LAMP (Language Acquisition Made Practical). You can get the job done with just about any method you choose as long as you put in your best effort. In the quest to be more efficient learners, we are going to start a more orally based method. The first part of this method seems simple enough. Your language professor (or helper) points to and says the name of all those objects where you would have attached sticky notes. The words are recorded so that you can repeat them over and over again while looking at the corresponding objects.

Today we started with a dozen or so objects from the kitchen: bowl, spoon, knife, water, oil, milk, etc. The recording has almost become like a Pulaar fairy tale chant of kitchen supplies dancing through my head. It's like one of those commercial jingles that you can't stop singing. I suppose that is a plus since I still remember the golden arches' tune from the 80's, and I definitely deserve "a break today".

Phase one continues next week, after all, there are a lot of sticky notes left.

The Art of Greeting

Comment cava?
Nanga def?
No mbad-daa?
How's it going?

Greetings are an important part of language learning. This is particularly true for African languages. It's a process that goes well beyond a simple, "Hi, how are you?" A greeting in Pulaar can include everything from asking about one's mother to their cat. They are not just a courtesy, they are an integral part of relationships in this African culture.

In a western context, a nod of the head or a simple hello is sufficient when walking into a shop or office before getting down to business. However, to skip the pleasantries of a prolonged greeting in this African culture sets a negative tone for the remainder of your exchange. Aside from learning how to introduce yourself, greetings are one of the first areas African language professors cover, because in order to speak the language you first have to build a rapport with the people.

As I venture out into my neighborhood armed with my meager Pulaar vocabulary, I try to use what I've learned with anyone I can find. The Pulaar man on my corner who sells candy, phone credit, cookies, and a small variety of other daily necessities was my first target. When I greeted him in Pulaar, he excitedly jumped from his stool and dove into a flood of Pulaar phrases. It was all I could do to answer him in my catch all phrase, "jam tan" (just peace). He was more than satisfied with my response and assured me that I would be speaking Pulaar in no time.

I'm off to start learning more vocabulary to use in my greetings......what's Pulaar for kitchen sink?

The Language Onion

Our Pulaar professor, Mussa Tall

Language learning is like an onion. You pull back comprehension of the first layer to find another layer underneath that is even more complicated, and so on. With each layer there is the hope that better understanding will follow, but there always seems to be yet another layer. I could make reference to onions, tears, and language learning as well, but I won't go that far.

My husband and I had our first Pulaar lesson this morning. Our professor has such a sweet and patient spirit about him that we were immediately put at ease. As the notes went flying past us on our little white board situated in our living room, my brain tried to process and store the information. Information is best stored and remembered when there is a previous "knowledge folder", so the information can be filed and attached to something we already know. To be fair, most of what we learned today was a review for me because I have studied Pulaar before. Even though those "knowledge folders" exist, it was just as bizarre the second time around.

African language learning is a challenge. I remember being so petrified the first time I was put on the spot in Wolof class, hoping I would understand the questions being thrown at me. Seventeen years later, our Pulaar class was a strange mix of the use of French, Wolof, and English languages blending together. Our professor compared the French alphabet sounds with Pulaar and gave Wolof and English definitions of Pulaar words in hopes of making the concepts clear. I couldn't help but think of how far we have come in language learning, and thanking God for His
grace in granting us the opportunity.

They say that learning language is good food for your brain. As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on that because my brain just feels like mush.

Till next time......