Language
Language is probably the greatest hurdle I have yet to cross. My dad intercedes for my sisters, mother, and I, but he is usually not at home between 9:00 A.M. and 5:30 P.M. save for lunch. Comprehending written Spanish is by far the easiest because of its similarities to English words. Understanding Spanish when spoken is harder because the natives often speak so rapidly that it’s hard to distinguish between words. By time you’ve figured out what they were saying a minute ago, they’re off on another subject with you in distant pursuit.
Though I hope to be somewhat fluent in Spanish when I leave, I highly doubt that I will be able to speak even basic Moskito. A few simple words and pleasantries will probably be all that I master. Unlike Spanish, however, Moskito letters are pronounced the same way as in English. For example:
Apostel Storka 3:16 (John 3:16)
Naha sim Jisuska ninara kasak luki ba mita sika naha waikna wapaia karnika brin naiwa man nani sut bui kaikisma na. Jisus ninara kasak lukan laka ba mita sika naha waikna aiska pali rawan na, bara man nani on namkra ni kaika bangwisma.
As you read that passage to yourself a second ago, you were probably pronouncing the words the exact same way a native Moskito would. Whereas in Spanish, i is ee and e is a and ll is ya and so on.
I practice my Spanish with Yeymi (8) and Tania (11), the two girls from the carpenter’s shop right outside Digna’s complex, when they come to play volleyball. They won’t correct me though, unless I ask them to. At 5:00 P.M., Jolani (14) comes and teaches me Spanish. She writes down about 15 verbs and nouns and uses them in sentences with vocabulary that I am familiar with. I then write a sentence. If I use it incorrectly, she rewrites the sentence showing me the correct usage. We then try to make conversation (with the dictionary handy). Slowly but surely, I think all of our Spanish is improving. May it do so until our departure in June!
Sincerely,
Bethany
Though I hope to be somewhat fluent in Spanish when I leave, I highly doubt that I will be able to speak even basic Moskito. A few simple words and pleasantries will probably be all that I master. Unlike Spanish, however, Moskito letters are pronounced the same way as in English. For example:
Apostel Storka 3:16 (John 3:16)
Naha sim Jisuska ninara kasak luki ba mita sika naha waikna wapaia karnika brin naiwa man nani sut bui kaikisma na. Jisus ninara kasak lukan laka ba mita sika naha waikna aiska pali rawan na, bara man nani on namkra ni kaika bangwisma.
As you read that passage to yourself a second ago, you were probably pronouncing the words the exact same way a native Moskito would. Whereas in Spanish, i is ee and e is a and ll is ya and so on.
I practice my Spanish with Yeymi (8) and Tania (11), the two girls from the carpenter’s shop right outside Digna’s complex, when they come to play volleyball. They won’t correct me though, unless I ask them to. At 5:00 P.M., Jolani (14) comes and teaches me Spanish. She writes down about 15 verbs and nouns and uses them in sentences with vocabulary that I am familiar with. I then write a sentence. If I use it incorrectly, she rewrites the sentence showing me the correct usage. We then try to make conversation (with the dictionary handy). Slowly but surely, I think all of our Spanish is improving. May it do so until our departure in June!
Sincerely,
Bethany
posted by Eric Stephens at 21:55
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