The second language learner's challenge
How easy is it to 'pick up' a second language from scratch? Based on an example from Klein (1986: 59-60), Reflective task 1 and our subsequent discussion invites you to reflect on what such a process might involve. If you know some German already, Reflective task 1 may require a bit of imagination!
Reflective task 1
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You are on a visit to Germany. You do not know a single word of German. You are having breakfast in your hotel. The couple at the next table are speaking German. One of them turns to you and says something which sounds like this:
Click to hear the phrase What could this possibly mean? (If your knowledge of German is minimal, note down your guesses. If your knowledge of German is good, think about how a non-German speaker could possibly make sense of it.) What do you think you could learn by being exposed to everyday language use in this way? |
Now click on 'Commentary'.
