I had this crazy idea that if I lived in France I would be able to speak French. Ummm.....the question is when? I know that I am making progress, but it is awfully slow! I keep on thinking of all of those maids from Mexico that we Southern Californians are privileged to have helping in our households. I think of my own Grandmother from Mexico and her adorable Spanish accented English that I always thought was simply "grandmother-speak". None of those people could speak English when they were plopped into America. They all learned - but that was English and my problem is French. Did I pick the wrong language?
I am now surrounded by French socializing. Everywhere I go with MFM, I am now the mute in the corner, smiling my American white teeth smile and trying lamely to catch on. I used to be the outgoing one - the extrovert - but it is pretty hard to throw out a witty comment when I speak French at the speed of a slowed down record player. I lose patience with myself. It really does go so much faster in my head. And all those helpful French friends end up finishing my sentences for me - they are probably bored out of their minds too but are too polite to say. Tu parle tres bon francias they constantly tell me----------right------I think that is code for "you speak very good french.....for a 3 year old." And that is probably being generous, I 've heard the 3 year olds in the park across the street.
I am beginning to change my tactics, at least with MFM. Instead of laughing when he laughs, etc, I stop him and want to know what he just said that was so funny. At least I can pick out most of the individual words that I don't recognize from the stream of gobbly-gook - that's progress!
You see, I normally get the gist of what everyone else is saying. If they change topics too fast though it takes me a while to catch up - and by the time I do they are off and running on a totally different subject. Social conversations go sideways. That is one of the things I used to LIKE about conversations. You start in one place and end up in some other part of the stratosphere when you pause for a breath and ask each other - now how did we end of talking about that??
But when this is happening in another language it really is no fun. It is like fast forwarding through a movie - a dizzy overview without any nuance. I am getting pretty tired of just getting the gist. I am a meat type.
Several people have said that the best place to learn French is in bed - with a Frenchman that is. Though that kind of language learning certainly has its merits, it's still not going fast enough for me.
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