I like taking phrasebooks with me on holiday if I don't speak the language of my destination. Yet all things considered, they don't actually seem to be much help. Most people only learn a few key phrases; hello, goodbye, thankyou, please and help! are good starters. The rest of the vocabulary lies untouched, for a variety of reasons. It can seem like too much effort to learn a totally new language by yourself, especially for a place you may only visit once, or if the language is quite obscure. The rise of English as a global language has cut the motivation to learn anything different- we can rest safe in the knowledge that enough people will be able to understand us almost anywhere we choose to go.
Phrasebooks also tend to assume an all or nothing approach- they can teach you useful phrases that are practically useless if you remain unable to comprehend the response. Questions such as 'how deep is the water?' are valid enough, but further require a knowledge of the number system and measurements to ensure successful communication.
Additionally, the 'phonetic' pronunciation guide can be tricky. The same English letter combinations can produce a variety of sounds, meaning this form is not the most helpful for determining the correct pronunciation. Unless you know the I.P.A, nothing beats hearing a teacher, or native speaker pronouncing the words so that you can copy the sounds.
One thing that is positive about phrasebooks is the display of stress on certain syllables. That and their dinky size.
No comments:
Post a Comment