Mango Languages

Come Again? 4 Tips for Understanding Non-Standard Dialects and Accents.

9 years ago, as I embarked on my freshman year at college, I decided to start studying German.  I had a laundry list of good reasons to pursue language education, but the truth is that there was one stood out from the rest…his name was Michael.

Like so many others before me, I had fallen starry-eyed in love with a foreigner and wanted to learn the language so that I could communicate with his family and friends.  But I quickly learned that my lessons in hochdeutsch (“high German” or standard German) left me scratching my head when it came to understanding my boyfriend (now, husband) and those close to him.

Trying to understand a non-standard dialect can be a real headache.

That’s because Michael is from the southernmost parts of Bavaria, where a distinct dialect of German is spoken.  I compare it to the differences between British English and the Scottish or Australian accent.  The pronunciation is different enough that, as a non-native speaker, you really have to work to understand it.

It’s taken a lot of time and patience for me to get acclimated to the dialect, and I still struggle when engaging with those with a particularly strong accent.  But I’ve learned a few tips and tricks that may help those in a similar situation:

1)   Use your ears.

This is undoubtedly my #1 tip.  I can’t stress enough how important it is to just listen to those around you.  Even though we live in the U.S., I always listen attentively when Michael is on the phone to his parents.  Since he’s usually telling them about recent events in our life, it’s easy to pick up on what he’s talking about.  Then, I can use those contextual clues to understand what he’s saying.  For example, I recently listened to a conversation he had with a friend and heard him use the word “Buidl” over and over again.  Eventually, from context, it clicked that he was talking about pictures/photos that we had recently taken, and that “Buidl” was the Bavarian word for “Bild”.

2)   Look for signs (literally).

If you have a chance to visit the region or country where the dialect is spoken, you may see written clues in your surroundings that will help decipher dialect-specific vocabulary.  For example, I learned that Bavarians also use the word “Dirndl” (which is the word for the traditional women’s dress – see picture below) to mean “girl”, when I saw it written on a ladies’ room door.  Now, it’s important to note that not all dialects have their own vocabulary or spellings any different than the standard dialect – and even if they do, it may be considered “unofficial”, as most Bavarian words are.  (For example, while you may see Bavarian written on a restaurant menu or used between friends on Facebook, you’d never see it written on an official document or used in a business setting.)

A “dirndl” in a dirndl.

3)   Check out Forvo.

Words cannot express my love for this website.  Forvo provides a huge online database of recorded vocabulary that is crowdsourced by users.  All you have to do it search for a word and Forvo will provide you with a list of all the recorded versions that are available.  Each sound clip indicates which country the speaker is originally from, so you can note the pronunciation differences between each accent.  With almost 300 languages represented, Forvo is a great source for those seeking to improve their pronunciation or become acclimated for a particular accent.

4)   Just ask!

Sometimes, you just have to ask.  Particular words or phrases in my husband’s dialect are so different from standard German, that without asking for clarification, I’d have little hope.  I often find myself requesting “langsamer, bitte” (slower please) or “was bedeutet das?” (what does that mean?) in order to get by.  And don’t be ashamed!  Chances are, you’re not the only one struggling.  I’ve been told multiple times by northern German speakers that they also have difficultly understanding the southern Bavarian accent.  And I’m sure that American English speakers can empathize with the difficulty to understand strong Scottish or Irish accents.  It just takes time and patience, so don’t get yourself down!

Have you ever struggled to understand a non-standard dialect or accent?  What did you do to acclimate?

5 Ways to Overcome a Language-Learning “Rut”

It happens to the best of us.  Sometimes you just get stuck in a language-learning “rut”.  Overwhelmed by cases and conjugations, the learning experience doesn’t seem fun anymore.

For those of you who find yourself in this situation, we’ve got a few tips to help you “fire up” the engine and breathe new life into your studies.

1)   Sit back, relax, and immerse yourself

If you’re spending all your learning time engaged in lessons and review, you’re missing a big part of the language-learning experience.  Take some time to sit back and simply immerse yourself in a foreign environment.  Don’t worry about understanding every word – just allow the context of the situation to help you fill in the missing pieces and pick new vocabulary.  Don’t worry, you don’t need to travel to make this work.  Simply tune in to a foreign radio station online or pick up a foreign magazine or newspaper.  Try watching YouTube clips in the language or listening to a song.  In the age of the Internet, there’s a million great ways you can immerse yourself in language and culture – and they’re all at your fingertips!

2)   Review

If you’re frustrated or overwhelmed by your studies, it’s probably not a good time to start learning new material.  Why not take a break and review the things you’ve already learned?  Not only will it help you retain what you’ve learned so far, it will also remind you of how far you’ve come – and probably give you the boost you need to keep going!

3)   Make it fun

Language-learning doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be!) a boring experience.  Try thinking about the things you like doing in your native language (for example: reading blogs, interacting on social media, listening to certain genres of music, watching stand-up comedy, cooking, etc.)  Now simply look for ways to do those things in a foreign language environment.  For example: read a foreign blog, “like” a foreign Facebook page, watch stand-up comedy clips on YouTube, purchase a foreign-language cookbook.  Anything you can do to immerse a little bit more language into your everyday experience will help push you towards comprehension and fluency.

4)   Make friends/connections

Nowadays it’s easier than ever to connect with people from other countries and cultures.  A great way to start looking for conversation partners is to simply go to Facebook or Google and search for foreign language organizations in your area.  Or you could search Meetup to look for foreign language events.  Even just joining in on foreign language conversations on Facebook or Twitter can help you pick up the language and make connections with people from that country.  If you find a conversation partner who doesn’t live within driving distance, just use Skype to video chat for free.

5)   Set timelines and goals

Achieving fluency isn’t easy, no matter what language you’re studying.  It takes time, commitment and practice.  So when the journey seems overwhelming, it can help to break down your goals into smaller steps or milestones.  Pull out the calendar and set some deadlines for yourself.  For example: “by the end of the week, I need to achieve 3 hours of learning” or “by the end of the month, I need to complete chapter 1 of Mango.”  Goals can also be theme oriented, such as: “by April 1^st, I want to memorize a comprehensive list of food-related vocabulary.

So if you find yourself stuck in a rut, feeling a little bit uninspired, we hope these ideas will help spur your language-learning love back to life!

How do you stay motivated and interested in language-learning?

Happy International Mother Language Day!

“The language of our thoughts and our emotions is our most valuable asset. Multilingualism is our ally in ensuring quality education for all, in promoting inclusion and in combating discrimination. ”
- Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO

Today is  International Mother Language Day, which is meant to promote linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as multilingualism. It was originally announced in 1999 by UNESCO and has been in observance since February 2000.

Do you have any plans to celebrate your Mother language today? Here are different suggestions on how you can celebrate in your own way:

1) Read a poem, story or book in your mother language
2) Do you know someone who has a different mother language than you? Ask them to share a short song or poem in that language. Or maybe teach you a couple of words.
3) Watch a film in your mother language. Or celebrate someone else’s mother language and watch a film with them in their language with subtitles in your language.
4) Visit your local library to explore their foreign language book offerings and check out if they have Mango Languages.  ;)
5) Use Mango Languages to practice a language you’re learning or celebrate by trying to learn a new one.
6) Check out your local university communities to look for cultural events, discussions, celebrations, and festivals
7) Learn more about endangered languages and what individuals and organizations, including UNESCO, are doing to help prevent different languages becoming extinct.
8) Visit UNESCO.org to learn more about International Mother Language day and what different organizations around the world are doing.

Do you have any other suggestions on how to celebrate this multilingual day? 

10 Tips for Traveling in Germany

So if you’ve been reading our blog this past month, you may have seen the last two posts I wrote in which I shared a few of the red-faced, cultural faux-pas moments I have experienced over the years.  In case you missed it, you can check out them out here and here.

To wrap up the series, I’m going to divert from the topic just a bit to share a few cultural lessons that I wish I had learned before traveling to Germany.  Luckily, my ignorance on these topics never led to an overtly embarrassing moment – but knowing about them definitely would have made my life easier!  So for any of you planning a trip to Deutschland in the future, consider these tips my little gift (“mein kleines Geschenk”):

1)   This is how the number ‘seven’ is generally written in Germany:

And this is what the ‘one’ usually looks like:

Mix them up (like I did, on at least one occasion) and you’ll end up calling a very confused German.

2)   If you order “Wasser” (water) at a restaurant, you will more than likely be served a glass of sparkling water.  If you feel the same way I do about sparkling water, then this is an outcome you’d probably like to avoid.  Just remember to clarify when you’re ordering by saying “stilles Wasser” (still water) or “Wasser ohne Kohlensäure” (water without carbonation).

3)   I know I mentioned this is my last post, but I think it’s important, so I’m going to say it again.  Whatever you do, be sure to look the other person in the eye when making a toast.  You’ll find that most Germans are very serious about this – it’s a sign of bad luck to divert your eyes!

4)   Don’t expect to find stores open on Sunday.  Restaurants and gas stations are generally the only places with Sunday hours, so be sure to get all your shopping done on Saturday.  You don’t want to run out of something vital (read: toilet paper) and have nowhere to go.

5)   Despite what you may have heard, speed limits (Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzungen – there’s a fun word for you!) do exist in Germany.  It’s true that many stretches of the Autobahn (freeway) are limitless, but over 50% have a posted speed limit, particularly within populated areas.

6)   Jaywalking is never a good idea, but especially not in Germany.  You’ll find that most Germans are pretty respectful of pedestrian laws, so have patience and wait for the Ampelmann (“traffic light man”, as you’d see at most cross walks).

7)   When visiting a German household, don’t be surprised if you see your host switch from outdoor shoes to indoor shoes (commonly known as “Hausschuhe” or “house shoes”) the minute they walk through the door.  In fact, they may even offer you your own pair of shoes to wear while visiting their home!  Most German houses have tiled or wooded floors, so the shoes are used to provide comfort and warmth while walking around at home.

8)   Should you be seek the comforts of home and stop at a German McDonalds, be warned: the condiments will cost you!  Ketchup, mustard, and mayo are sold in packets, so you’ve got to decide how much you think you’ll need and pay accordingly.

9)   Relax and enjoy breakfast.  When I first visited my husband’s family in Germany in 2004, I was blown away by the production that was “Frühstück”.  Baskets of bread rolls and pretzels, endless platters of meat and cheese, bowls of fruit and yogurt, even a serving of cake.  To put it in a word, I was amazed.  Not just by the food, but also by the feeling of community and togetherness that these breakfasts create.  There was no rush, we’d sit for a couple hours chatting and enjoying each other’s company.  To be sure, this kind of thing isn’t a daily event for most Germans.  Usually these longer breakfasts are enjoyed on the weekends with friends and family – but I can tell you it’s a great thing to look forward to!

10)  This is mostly important in Bavaria, but still worth sharing: Weißwurst is boiled, never grilled.  And always eaten before noon.  My Bavarian-born husband still cringes every time he sees a Weißwurst thrown on a grill here in the States.

I hope you enjoyed my little insight into the German culture!  For those of you who are culture fans, be sure to check out one of my favorite aspects of the Mango program: the Culture Notes.  Popping up several times a chapter, they guide you like a friend, providing gentle nudges on what-to-do and what-not-to-do.  They also provide a great little “brain break” from all the language-learning you’re doing and keep you interested in the lesson!

What’s your favorite part about the Mango program?  Is there a particularly good cultural lesson that you learned?

Don’t forget to “Prost!”

Earlier this month, I posted a blog about the cultural faux pas I committed in Germany when using the wrong form of “you” (the informal “du”, instead of the formal “Sie”) in an exchange with a stranger.  In case you missed it, you can read the post here.

This week, I’m going to continue the series by telling you about another cultural faux pas I committed – but this time, it was actually on American soil!

Over the holidays, my German-born husband, Mike, and I met up with a couple of his German friends in a nearby city.  On the first night of our stay, we went out to dinner at a local pub.  The style of the restaurant was casual – you’d order your drinks and food at the counter, and then take a number back to your seat so that the server knew where to find you.

My husband and I ordered first, and then I scouted out a place to sit while Mike helped his friends finish their order.  While I settled into the booth, my drink order arrived ahead of the food.  Parched from an hour of walking, I started to sip my drink as I waited for the others.  Within a few minutes, the rest of the group arrived – as well as their drink order.  It was at that point that Mike’s friend, Florian, lifted his glass in a toast.  I looked around and realized that I was the only one who had touched my drink up until that point.

A few minutes later, my food and my husband’s food arrived.  As is customary, we waited to eat until his friends’ orders were also delivered.  Once everyone had their dishes, we started to dig in.  I could tell from the look on our guests’ faces that they seemed surprised that we had waited so long to start.  A few moments later, Mike leaned forward explained: “in the States, people generally don’t start eating until everyone’s food is on the table.  But you usually start your drink as soon as it arrives.”

“Ahhh!” responded both of his friends in unison.  I could tell from the look on their faces that they now understood why I had started my drink in advance of them.  But I did feel slightly embarrassed about my own cultural oblivion and the fact that I may have come off rude to our guests.

Throughout the course of their stay, I made sure to follow the European etiquette and held off starting my drink until customary toast had passed – at least at the beginning of dinner.  Breakfast and lunch were often less formal.

I also found that the toast itself generally plays out differently in the German culture than an American would expect.  Signaling the beginning of a meal, the toast is a sign of respect that can be preceded by “zum Wohl” (to your health), “Prost” (cheers) or a message to your guests.  Glasses are clinked one-by-one (rather than in a group cluster) and you must be sure to look the other person in the eye when you tap their glass.  If you think I am kidding about this, just try it in Germany.  Chances are, the other person won’t let you get away with averted eyes – lest you both suffer seven years bad luck, as says the widely-known old wives tale!

So you can be sure that next time I’m in Germany – or the next time I host German guests – I’ll leave my glass put until the meal officially begins.  And if a toast is involved, I’ll definitely be making eye contact!  Prost!

Have you ever experienced a cultural faux pas?  Share your story and we may feature it on our blog!

Congratulations, West Orange Public Library.

Mango would like to congratulate to the West Orange Public Library in New Jersey for being selected as the library with the “Most Outstanding Usage” for the month of December!  More than doubling their number of user sessions in December over the month of November, WOPL patrons have clearly been committed to language learning!  Congratulations, WOPL!

Why do you learn a language?

While the end result may be the same for many language-learners, the motivation can be unique for every learner.

Below are three quotes that relate to  three different situations I found myself in this past week.

1.
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.”
‒Flora Lewis

While catching up with an old friend from high school and mentioning where I worked, I was excited to hear that he had not only heard of Mango Languages, but he was also starting to use it, thanks to Mango Military through the US coastguard! He  shared his new goal to learn Spanish as a new dad and husband. It seemed random at first, as both him and his wife, and their families, all speak English. When I asked why, he told me that he wants to learn Spanish to be able to better communicate with the teachers at his son’s daycare.  It was great to see him making such an effort to ensure that communication was always clear for the well-being of his son, but it also was great to see that language-barriers don’t have to push people apart, in fact in this situation, it is only bringing people closer!

2.
“The limits of my language are the limits of my world.”
‒Ludwig Wittgenstein

A friend from Mexico who recently moved to the United States for work asked me if I knew any fun and easy ways to learn a new language (Mango Languages!) so that his girlfriend who is still in Mexico could start learning English.  After telling him all about Mango Languages I realized that he also had a unique motivation for learning a different language; his future! It was touching to see that he thought about his girlfriend’s comfort and success as they contemplate their future together beyond their comfort zone and in a foreign country.

3.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
-Nelson Mandela

Hitting a little closer to home, my Turkish boyfriend’s parents, after hearing all about my new job at Mango Languages, wanted to know how and how fast they could start learning English. With my efforts to learn Turkish and their effort to learn English, I was excited at the prospect of us being able to communicate without needing a constant translator (the boyfriend ). I was also touched that they were willing to take time and put an effort into learning a language in order to be able to talk to me and my family. It also made me realize how much it would mean to them and to my boyfriend for me to be able to speak to them in their native language. Without doubt, my Turkish-learning experience continues!

After talking to these friends and family, I realized how extremely happy and thankful I was for being able to be a part of their language-learning experience. In the end, everyone has a different motivation for learning a language. Maybe it is out of necessity, or out of thirst for knowledge, or maybe its for love.  Whatever it may be, I hope you continue to find motivation and encouragement!

Is there an international language? Part Two.

In the previous post we looked briefly at the main factors that can lead to the abandonment and loss of a language.  Let’s see now what happens nowadays to foresee if of the 83 major languages, one will surpass all others and be crowned THE language.

Part 2: What Is the Situation Today

Let’s say first that from a biological standpoint, the existence of only one language is not impossible. Our brains are hardwired to learn language, not a language. A child will learn the language(s) s/he is exposed to, regardless of their nationality. For example, a Chinese child will learn Chinese if s/he is exposed to Chinese, or Japanese if s/he is exposed to Japanese.

So, what is the situation today?

There is still immigration.

There are social forums, where people want to communicate and make friends with people sometimes in the other part of the planet, speaking a different language, so they need a lingua franca, a language commonly known.

There are new developments and so new vocabulary is used, and languages either create new words to cover that need or adopt the foreign word as is; there is osmosis, attrition, “languages” like Chinglish, or Spanglish.

There are movements of language revitalization: despite the efforts of the former Spanish dictator Franco to stamp out the regional languages of Spain, today Catalan is stronger than ever; similarly, efforts are made to restore Irish, Cornish and other languages whose speakers were forced to abandon them.

All these phenomena have been with languages since day 1. People have always come into contact and had lingua francas. Languages have always come into contact and borrowed or lent words; new words have always been created to cater for new needs. Creoles have been created.

But is there coercion? Is there loss of self-esteem? Is there conscious effort to keep up with the changes or are the changes too rapid for us to keep up pace with them?

Maybe the answer to the two first questions is no, or not to the same extend as in the past, but we must explore the third one more in depth. One word that characterizes “today” is “globalization.” People today come into contact more often than before, through forums, blogs etc. The reason why there were so many languages in the past was that people lived in small settlements of a few speakers, sometimes in complete isolation, and used a lingua franca whenever they had to communicate with other tribes; they met, solved their issues, and left to meet much time later, if ever. But today, people use the Internet on an everyday basis. Services are created that are addressed to the world as a whole. Translation of services is costly and sometimes it cannot be done automatically and hence on time.

Languages must keep up with the technological changes. If a page is not translated into someone’s native language but is translated into English and s/he speaks English, then s/he will read it in English. There is automatic translation but if only English is supported then the future of the other languages is bleak.

There is much need for an international lingua franca, and the English Language is the best candidate. The question now is, will it prevail? Are we – or rather our children’s children – going to experience an anti-Babel phenomenon?

Why give up a language when you can speak both your language and the lingua franca?

No reason, probably, but let’s look at what happened in Italy: Before 1861, there were many states in Italy and as many languages: if someone from Milan met someone from Sicily, they wouldn’t be able to communicate. After 1861 when all these states were united, through education, but more importantly for our topic, through the mass media, the Italian language has been homogenized and is now what we call “Italian.”

Can there be a similar case today through the Internet? Can people unconsciously start using one language more and more until they forget their native tongues?

This is yet to be seen.

Guest Blog: Celebrating Veteran’s Day

Today’s guest blog post comes from Mango Government Ambassador and Client Care Specialist, Jane Potee.  Thank you for sharing your touching story with us, Jane!

This year’s Veteran’s Day has special significance to me.   My 83-year old father relocated in September from Indiana to an assisted living facility nearby my home in Michigan.  This year we will celebrate Veteran’s Day closer than we have for years.  I always knew my father was retired United States Air Force Korea, but I never knew much of his time spent in the military.  I am learning more now that we are closer in distance.

A few years back I was privileged to accompany a group of U.S. Marine Corps Veterans on a trip to visit the war memorials in Washington D.C.  During this trip our group visited the following memorials: Vietnam Wall, Iwo Jima, World War I, World II, Korean War monuments and Arlington Cemetery.  I picked up a Korean War Veteran’s hat at one of the local D.C. souvenir stands to bring back to my Dad.  My Dad was a business executive and for much of his career his attire was shined shoes, suit and tie.  I was not sure if Dad would welcome my gift of the Veterans’ hat, let alone wear it.

Imagine my surprise when he started wearing it.  In fact he began to share stories with me of strangers on the street who would come up and thank him for his service to his country.  I soon noticed a bit more “spring” in his step and a straighter posture when he was wearing his Veteran’s hat.  Merchants and business people also took to noticing him in his hat, and acknowledged him for his country’s service.  Sixty some years later, he was receiving validation for his time in military service, and it was gratifying.

In the few years that have passed since Dad first got his hat, his body – like his hat – has become more tired-looking and ragged with age.  The emblem on the hat, however, still shines bright, much like the light within the retired Air Force Korean veteran that wears it.

So how does this story connect to Mango Languages?  Mango Languages, a FEDLINK certified vendor, is proud to support thousands of active and retired Military and Government users all over the world.  Many of these Mango users connect to Mango online via their assignment to a military base or affiliation to one of our Armed Forces.  Mango created a customized program, Mango Military, which uses critical commands and phrases to better enable service personnel deployed overseas.  Our program is also used by service members for whom second language proficiency is critical to their rank or command.  For more information on Mango’s language learning solutions for the government, click here.

This year on November 10th, 2012 Veteran’s Day, take time to thank a Veteran.  Like the quote says, “…they rose to the occasion.  All of the values their mothers and fathers and grandparents taught them, they learned.  They stepped up to the plate.  They did not just follow their leaders, they ACCOMPANIED their leaders.  Sometimes, they LED the way!”… And sometimes they still wear the hat that proves it.

FEDLINK Veteran’s Day Promotion:

To celebrate Veteran’s Day, Mango is offering new FEDLINK clients their choice of 3 Mango Playaway devices to add to your library’s collection.  The set, valued at $120, will be provided completely free-of-charge to new FEDLINK clients that sign up for a Mango subscription by December 31^st, 2012.  For more information, please email usa.gov@mangolanguages.com or call 1-899-626-4611, Government Sales.

Congrats, Madison County Library.

Mango would like to wish hearty congratulations to Madison County Public Library in Kentucky for being selected as the library with the “Most Outstanding Usage” for the month of September.  The number of total user sessions at MCPL skyrocketed an awe-inspiring 347% between August and September.

Library Director, Ruthie Maslin, explained that they have worked hard to increase awareness of their digital resources by highlighting tie-ins with special collections and creating visual displays.  She said that Mango is also a great resource to promote at the Back-to-School Fair hosted by the library in the fall.

Congrats again, MCPL – and keep up the great work!