Translation 翻譯

Today, I had a chance to translate from Chinese into English for American visitors who came to hear a guest speaker at church. They handed me a microphone to speak into a wireless device. It was fun to do. I had no problem understanding what was said, but it is always listening with one side of my brain while speaking out the English simultaneously from the other side. Usually, it takes me a couple minutes to get up to speed.

So, that inspired me to think about language learning. My favorite way of learning a language is repetition using sentence patterns. Take a sentence pattern and repeat it over and over again using different new vocabulary words. Now you may be saying to your self, “that sounds awfully boring. This person sounds awfully boring, I’m out of here!” But before you click away to another blog, let me tell you why this can be fun.

Language learners, especially new language learners, love new and exotic vocabulary. “How do I say ‘athletes foot’ in Chinese? Or how do I say snake blood? I want to order it to impress my friends.” Well, we can best do this by connecting those new vocabulary words to sentences. Ideas are best remembered in context when they are connected to related concepts. Sentence patterns help us to do this and they can be dangerously effective at times.

I remember I was sitting on a bus while practicing, I have not _____ for _______ (time). I remember saying, “I have not eaten for 3 hours. I have not slept for 3 hours. 三天沒有睡覺 I have not slept for 3 days. I have not taken a bath for 3 days. I have not taken a bath for 3 days. I have not taken a bath for 3 days. 三天沒有洗澡. 三天沒有洗澡. 三天沒有洗澡.” The person next to me understood what I was saying clearly and changed seats…so it worked!!