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howsmyenglishDid I mention I love books? I've started reading one last night. It's a real challenge. Every time I hear people discussing reading in a foreign language, someone just has to mention this name. The argument goes: yes, sure, you can read in a foreign language, but have you ever tried to read HIM? And how much did you understand, I'd like to know?
I really wanted to read HIM. I thought, if I understood HIM, no mountain would be too high for me. But, of course, I had to train on smaller mountains first. So I read and read for years and years. But last night I couldn't wait any longer. I opened HIS book and started reading.
Who am I talking about?
I'm talking about James Joyce. But I must confess: it was not Ulysses that I decided to try. I'm planning to try and climb him later - that is, unless I fall off this one and die a terrible death.
Anyhow, Joyce it was. I opened the book and was glad to see that I understood words like "moocow" after some thinking. But then... then... there came words, who's meaning I could only guess (this happens to mother tongue speakers as well, so stop pointing at me and laughing!). And I got afraid. What if I only think I am able to write in English? What if my vocabulary is comprised of some 500 words that I keep putting together in different ways thus fooling myself and harboring false hopes? (there you go: I've no idea whether one can harbor a hope or only a grudge or bad feelings of some kind...)
I panicked. I've had a really bad night. And not a nice first half of the day. Right up until I realized that all I have to do is try. I don't mean writing my book. It has to wait for some time (who wants to know why?). But just writing. In English. Maybe even exchanging English-written thoughts with English-writing people. Who knows? Some of them might even like me...
So... how's my English?
I really wanted to read HIM. I thought, if I understood HIM, no mountain would be too high for me. But, of course, I had to train on smaller mountains first. So I read and read for years and years. But last night I couldn't wait any longer. I opened HIS book and started reading.
Who am I talking about?
I'm talking about James Joyce. But I must confess: it was not Ulysses that I decided to try. I'm planning to try and climb him later - that is, unless I fall off this one and die a terrible death.
Anyhow, Joyce it was. I opened the book and was glad to see that I understood words like "moocow" after some thinking. But then... then... there came words, who's meaning I could only guess (this happens to mother tongue speakers as well, so stop pointing at me and laughing!). And I got afraid. What if I only think I am able to write in English? What if my vocabulary is comprised of some 500 words that I keep putting together in different ways thus fooling myself and harboring false hopes? (there you go: I've no idea whether one can harbor a hope or only a grudge or bad feelings of some kind...)
I panicked. I've had a really bad night. And not a nice first half of the day. Right up until I realized that all I have to do is try. I don't mean writing my book. It has to wait for some time (who wants to know why?). But just writing. In English. Maybe even exchanging English-written thoughts with English-writing people. Who knows? Some of them might even like me...
So... how's my English?
no subject
Date: 2018-09-18 02:50 pm (UTC)From what you've written I'd say your English is good. And yes, I see no reason why in a written sense you couldn't harbour false hopes.
no subject
Date: 2018-09-18 02:58 pm (UTC)Do you mean you don't like Joyce? Why?
I've never talked about him to a native English speaker. Among people I know he is considered to be one of the greatest, but also "unreadable-est" writers ever. Still - people, whose opinion matters to me most, say he's a genius.
no subject
Date: 2018-09-18 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-09-18 07:43 pm (UTC)But I know what you mean, I remember the librarian at our university telling me about Helmut von Glasenapp (a German Indologist): he was such a great scholar, he even knew how to write in a manner that people would understand... I was in my first year then and didn't know yet how rare this ability is.