Learning Languages

While I was scrubbing my floor to death and dusting my books til the printed letters took cover, I kept my head busy by listening to an audio Spanish lesson (downloaded for me by kini). :D

?Que ora es?
?Que necessita usted?
Quiero unas baterias!
Necessito informacion, por favor!!
Ayudame!

I don't know what it is about Spanish that I like so much. Maybe it's the roll of the Rs or the lisping of the Cs and THs which fascinates me so. Maybe it's because I imagine that one day I will travel to Spain and trace my roots in Madrid. There's even a province called Burgos in Spain and I imagine myself strolling down green lanes and fantstic gardens pretending it's all mine.

Back in college, French and Japanese language courses were all the rage. Frankly, I don't get it. One makes you sound as if you're choking on snails and the other makes you sound high and extremely angry. But before you attack me with forks and knives, I reiterate that love of a language is highly personal.

I love speaking Filipino --- it has delicate nuances and, more or less, straightforward pronunciation. I would die to learn any one Pinoy dialect; my Dad spoke 5, just for kicks, and I appreciated it too late. But if I were to choose a foreign language, Spanish is it. It has romance, a little bit haughtiness, maddening pronunciation (but not as worse as French), and a lot of rolling letters. It evokes scenes of mariachis and banderitas, and long, layered skirts and flowery fans. It reminds me of Desperado which made quite an impression on me at age 11. I think, it's the passion in the language which satisfies me the most.

I wouldn't mind being a polyglot, though I'll still stay clear of French and Japanese. Instead, I'll study the dying languages. Let's see:

Gaelic - Anamchara (soulmate), Graim thu (I love you)! (it sounds less cheesy, dun't it?No?) Well, yes, it does sound complicated, but doesn't it sound like winds rushing through crags and valleys? I love it.

or

Latin - just so I can quit saying Carpe Diem and say something new.

or

Aramaic - I mean, c'mon, wouldn't it be cool to greet Jesus using his native tongue when you finally bump unto him in heaven (supposing you make it to heaven)? "Bro... Shlomo Elaykoun!"(Peace be with you)

Sheesh. Teka, nag-short circuit na ata utak ko. Maybe I should just sleep this off. You can only exhaust one's limb and Broca's area in one day. If you know where I could learn these languages though, give me a point in the right direction. :D

Magandang umaga!

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