Comments on: IK BEGRIJP JE NIET!

By: Breigh

Breigh — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:27:26 +0000

alala – I try to tell Xander that too, that he needs to correct me but not correct every single attempt I make. He means well but he’s one of those super intelligent geeky guys who just finds it really hard to ‘dumb it down’. :P

Bluefish – I do speak Dutch to Dutch people when I am out but I don’t speak to people simply for the purpose of practicing Dutch. I think it’s because those are the situations I am nervous in. When someone is actively listening to how I speak the language.

Monica – They give classes here at the volksuniversiteit for NT2 (Nederlands als een tweede taal). I’m seriously considering going there to get that certificate. There are 5 levels before you get the NT2 and I was on lvl 3 when I left that bogus course a few years ago.

Kim – That quote is totally true. The language limits my world in so many different ways. It’s sad really.

Zhu – I’m Canadian and you couldn’t PAY me to live in Quebec :P

Jill – The Dutch G’s will come. Once you get over the feeling of how utterly ridiculous you feel trying to make that sound hehe

By: Dutchiestyle

Dutchiestyle — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:37:46 +0000

I am trying so hard with the Dutch language but OMG, it's so frustrating. I understand quite a bit more than I can actually speak. I'm able to pick out enough words out of someone's sentence to get the general idea of what they're saying. If I could just manage those Dutch "G's", I'd be doing a whole lot better. It will happen in time though. Practice won't make me perfect, but it'll definitely get me to a point of being able to say a complete sentence without people looking at me like I just coughed up something furry! Dutchiestyles last blog post... Why yes, those are black circles under my eyes…

By: Zhu

Zhu — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:43:36 +0000

Oh, I feel for you… been there, done that (although not in Dutch, but plain boring English).

I kinda spoke English when I first came to Canada but my first language (after French) is Chinese, that I learned at school instead of English. So much for believing in Communism, I really wished at the time I had taken English like everybody else! :lol:

I went to a couple of “new landed immigrants” classes like you because I wasn’t doing much during my first year in Canada. But I discovered the catch 22: I was way too advanced for the class (mostly refugees and illiterate people who were given basic tools to get by) yet I wasn’t fluent enough to be comfortable being interviewed in English, to read English books etc.

That was in 2002 and I think I’m okay now. I didn’t do anything special, just tried to read a lot etc.

Living in French in Canada wasn’t an option for me because 1) I’m not in Quebec 2) I wanted to belong 3) Being a French-speaker and not being Quebecer is an awkward place to be.

So hang in there! I know Dutch is hard (well, I assume, sounds like alien-language to me!) but you will make it.

By: Kim H

Kim H — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:34:37 +0000

There's a quote I think is appropriate here: "The limits of my language is the limits of my world." Sorry but I can't remember who said it right now! Kim Hs last blog post... Catch Up

By: Monica Van Maanen

Monica Van Maanen — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:54:20 +0000

People here who want to learn English can go to a place like a community college and take courses designed to get students ready for university classes. You can take classes for whatever level of English you’re at. See if that’s available somewhere. My husband says probably not but hey, give it a try.

By: bluefish

bluefish — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:04:50 +0000

Hi, maybe you can find Dutch friends or find other foreigners to practice with. I wish you all the best and hope your Dutch will improve a lot soon. Take care.

By: alala

alala — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:47:58 +0000

Yeah, I get you. I do speak German, sort of, but I can't write it, and I can only read it until I come across a word I don't understand and then it's good-bye. I am already determined to do it RIGHT when I get to the Netherlands: classes, children's books, keeping a dictionary on hand, the whole shebang. Note from a certified ESL teacher (me) to Xander: ONE error per sentence is the rule. Pick one mistake, correct it quickly, and move on. Otherwise students get overwhelmed and shut you out. alalas last blog post... temporary fade