Language Learning V: Day-One

Let the learning begin! Our fist day of class was full of excitement and STRESS. I have learned to not underestimate the amount of stress that goes along with language learning. Each learner had a personal tutor and I am sure that the tutors were going through similar emotions. Our first few days were based around learning greetings using the simple question and response described earlier. Honestly, from a purely scientific perspective I do not believe that the greetings are the best place to begin learning a language. Often, greetings implement complex sentence forms. In learning greetings the learner runs the risk of getting way a head of himself. However, learning a language is much more than scientific, there I said it.

There is an equally important HUMAN factor. The our-number one goal in learning the Karamojong language is to communicate to the Karamojong people. For this reason, greetings are the best starting point. If I walked up to a young man as he is keeping his sheep and began to recite the basic phonology of his language it would be uninteresting and weird to say the least. However, if I were to walk up to this same Shepard and say, “hello, how are you” I would not only spark the young man’s interest but he might even respond!