Nina Schmidt ~ Vancouver German and Spanish Lessons

Blog

Film Review – The Woman with the Five Elephants (in German)

Last night I had the pleasure of watching the German film The Woman with the Five Elephants. Filmed in 2010, this documentary showcases the life of the famous Russian to German translator Svetlana Geier. It is predominately in German with English subtitles with the small portion in Russian occurring when she finally returns to her place of birth some 60 years after she was forced to flee during the second world war.

The film begins slowly as it shows her careful translations into German of the enormous volumes of Dostoyevsky’s works. She works quietly and with careful precision both by hand and with a typewriter with the help of her retired professor friends. After introducing her day-to-day life to us, the narrator begins weaving into the film the story of her youth. By learning of the incredible things she witnessed early in her life the audience begins to learn how she made her way from Ukraine to Germany. It is revealed that her facility with the German language at a young age is what saved the lives of both herself and her mother after her father was killed by the Soviet regime.

This is an exceptional film and it will be a delight to anyone such as myself with a love of languages.

September 14, 2016
Biography – Fidel Castro (In Spanish)

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, nació el 3 de agosto 1926 en Birán, Cuba. De niño asistió a escuelas católicas en la Habana. Su familia era rica porque su padre era un agricultor exitoso. C
astro tenía dos hermanos y cuatro hermanas. De 1945 hasta 1950 él estudió derecho en una universidad en la Habana. En 1948 Castro se casó y tuvo un hijo. Su primera esposa y él se divorciaron seis años más tarde. Con su segunda esposa Castro tuvo cinco hijos más.

En julio de 1953 Castro trató de derrocar al Presidente Batista de Cuba pero él fracasó. Castro deseaba formar un gobierno izquierdista en Cuba. Vivió en el exilio en Méjico por tres años. En 1956 regresó a Cuba con una banda de guerrilleros incluyendo Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara. En enero de 1959 Castro por fin asumió poder y inmediatamente estableció un estado comunista. Nacionalizó todo, por ejemplo los hoteles, restaurantes y bancos. Muchas personas de los Estados Unidos que vivían entonces en Cuba, perdieron su propiedad y salieron del país.

Durante la Guerra Fría Castro luchó contra los Estados Unidos, lo que resultó en un embargo contra Cuba. En 2015 el presidente Obama anunció un cambio en las restricciones contra Cuba. Desde febrero 2008 el hermano menor de Fidel, Raúl, es el presidente de Cuba por la mala salud de Fidel.

August 8, 2016
Biography: Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali was born in 1904 in the Catalonia region of Spain. He was an excellent draftsman and his painting skills were influenced by Renaissance masters. He was a very imaginative man and had an eccentric manner. He was also famous for his unique mustache.

Dali exhibited his first paintings from his family home at the age of 15. His mother was very supportive of his talents but died when he was only 16 years old. He was friends with many other surrealist painters and artists including the famous poet Federico Garcia Lorca and the painter Joan Miró.

In his lifetime he met Pablo Picasso and experimented with Cubism and also Dadaism, artistic movements of his day. He did not limit himself to art. He was also interested in natural sciences and mathematics. He was particularly fascinated by optical effects and performed many experiments at home. He also had a lifelong fascination with film, fashion and photography.

Although Dali passed away in 1989, he continues to be a cultural icon. He has been portrayed in a number of films including the film Little Ashes (2008) featuring Robert Pattinson as Salvador Dali.

July 18, 2016
Travel Spots: Leavenworth, Wa

Leavenworth is a small town of approximately 2000 people a two-hour drive east of Seattle in Washington State. Although it has existed as a town for over 100 years it became famous in the 1970s, when facing a decrease in population, the town adopted a Bavarian theme to attract tourists. The bet paid off, and Leavenworth has become a great all year round destination for those looking for the flavor of Germany without traveling to Europe.

I visited recently and was very impressed by the authenticity of the building exteriors. The town also offers numerous sitdown restaurants and outdoor beer gardens to enjoy authentic German food. One can also browse an amazing nutcracker museum! On weekends, there is live German folk music performed in the main gazebo by locals. June also features an annual accordion festival. Other annual delights include a tree lighting ceremony and Christmas market in December as well as an extensive Oktoberfest.

I stayed across from the downtown core in a hotel called the Bavarian Lodge. It was extremely convenient as parking is an issue in the crowded downtown core which is comprised of only about six square blocks. The only challenge I faced was from the weather as central Washington State regularly has temperatures in the high 30s during the summer months. Leavenworth also offers impressive views of the nearby mountains which serve to bring people into the village during the winter months for skiing. Hiking, rafting, kayaking and swimming are also on offer.

There is a lot of shopping to be had here as well. Specialty stores sell German style clothing, baked goods, sausages and cheeses. There is also a lovely tea shop and local wineries offer tastings on every corner. As Leavenworth is located in the US, there is also an abundance of tourist shops selling all variety of souvenirs. The only disadvantage of this charming village is the fact that no one speaks German!

June 21, 2016
Biography: Sigmund Freud (in German)

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) war ein bedeutender österreichischer Arzt und Psychologe. Er ist Begründer der Psychoanalyse. Obwohl er als Jude geboren war, war er nicht ein religiöser Mann.

Freud hat an der Universität in Wien studiert, wo er neue Theorien entwickelte über die Art des Denkens. Er hat viele Experimente über das Unterbewusstsein gemacht. Er hat Leute hypnotisiert, so dass er ihre unterdrückten Erinnerungen herausfinden könnte. Freud hat auch Träume interpretiert.

1906 traf Freud den Fachkollegen Carl Jung zum ersten Mal. Sie fingen zusammen zu arbeiten an, da sie ähnliche Ideen hatten. Obwohl Freud und Jung für viele Jahre zusammen arbeiteten, Jung dachte dass Freud zu negativ und zu abhängig von seinen Theorien über Sexualität war. Danach haben sie zusammen arbeiten aufgehört.

Die Ideen von Freud über Sexualität und seine Theorien und Methoden werden immer noch heute kontrovers diskutiert. Dennoch gilt Freud als einer der einflussreichsten Denker des 20. Jahrhunderts.

May 10, 2016
Further Learning ~ More about Language Learning

What is a language?

A language is a system of communication used by a specific community. Nearly everyone speaks (or signs) at least one language. Speaking only one language, or monolingualism, is common in many parts of the English-speaking world such as North America, the UK and Australia. However, a much larger number of the world’s population live in countries where multiple languages are spoken throughout the day. For example people may have a home, community, religious, colonial, academic and/or business language. A lot of the challenges faced by monolingual learners of secondary languages is a result of two factors: little exposure to second or third languages in childhood, and a poor education in grammar instruction.

Are all languages similar?

Languages are similar in that they enable humans to communicate with each other. All languages are spoken (or signed) but not all languages are written. Languages change over generations so that a modern version of a language may be very different than an older version although the degree to which languages change depends on many factors and some people can read texts that are hundreds of years old with little difficulty.

Is my target language related to English?

Languages are grouped first by family, then group and branch similarly to plants or animals. For example, English is a member of the Indo-European language family that includes most languages spoken throughout Europe, India and Iran. Furthermore, there are nine sub-groupings one of which is the Germanic family. English belongs to the West Germanic branch which includes closely related languages such as Dutch and German. Spanish on the other hand belongs to a different subgrouping called Italic, of which the majority of the languages such as Spanish, Italian, Portuguese are referred to as Romance languages.

What are the similarities between English and my target language?

German and English share some similar grammar structures and vocabulary that go back several hundred years. Spanish and English share a lot of similar vocabulary owing to the fact that English borrowed many Latin words during the Middle Ages. The grammar between English and Spanish can, at times, be quite different.

How do people learn a language?

The most common and natural way to learn language is as a young child exposed to the language being used in your household and community. To learn to read and write you generally receive formal instruction. The second way to learn a language is through formal instruction. This is the way most people learn a second language as adolescents and adults. Sometimes the two methods can be combined whereas for example someone goes and lives abroad for a number of years and learns to speak by communicating with native speakers while simultaneously taking formal lessons. If you are unable to live among people speaking your target language, re-creating an immersion environment as much as possible is suggested.

When is the best time of day to learn?

This varies a lot. Some people learn best first thing in the morning when their mind is fresh while others thrive at the end of the day. Furthermore, people have different learning styles. Some people enjoy having background music while others need total silence. Experiment and see when and in what type of environment you learn best.

What is involved?

When developing a new skill such as a language it is important to revisit concepts and vocabulary repeatedly throughout the day in small increments of 10-20 minutes. Just like exercising your body, do a 2-3 minute warm-up by reviewing some older material and then challenge yourself. By consistently exposing your brain pathways to new vocabulary, sentence structure and grammar the language will start to feel more natural and less foreign.

How can I be successful?

Like many things in life, confidence and consistent effort are the key to your success! Making mistakes is a natural and necessary part of learning any language including your first language. Self-defeating thoughts, or berating yourself if you don’t do your homework is not helpful. Set realistic goals and stick to them. Also, remember to celebrate the milestones along the way.

What should my expectations be?

It is important to set realistic goals while learning a new language. Track your short, medium and long-term goals. With regular study, you can expect to hold a basic conversation within a few weeks and a more complex conversation within 3 months. By 6-9 months you should be ready to face most daily situations and express yourself in the present, future and past tenses. This level is called “conversationally fluent”. For native fluency the learning never ends!

Is it worth the effort?

Definitely! There are numerous benefits associated with learning an additional language. The obvious one is that you are able to communicate with new people in your personal or professional life. Secondly, you are also able to appreciate a new culture on a deeper level. Language learning is also good for your brain development and maintenance. The best news is the more languages you learn the easier it gets!

April 2, 2016
Grammar Tips – What are Idioms?

It seems that nothing frustrates learners of a foreign language more than idioms. Idioms are those phrases that cannot be translated directly from one language to another. They often involve turns of phrase, animals, colors or emotions in strange combinations! Here are some amusing idioms from various languages that, when translated directly, would make any foreigner to the language scratch their head.

He has been blue. = He has been sad.

He was caught red-handed. = He was caught in the act.

Por si las moscas (in case of flies!) = Just in case.

Andar como perros y gatos (walk like dogs and cats) = to always be arguing.

Das Blaue von Himmel versprechen (to promise the blue from the sky) = to promise someone the moon.

Tomaten auf den Augen haben (to have tomatoes on your eyes) = to be oblivious to what’s going on.

March 14, 2016
Spanish Biography – Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo de Rivera was born in a town outside Mexico City in 1907. She was born in her parents’ home that is now called Casa Azul, or Blue house, owing to its color. She had three sisters and two half-sisters from her father’s first marriage. Her father was from Germany and her mother was Mexican, indigenous and Spanish in origin.

At the age of 18, Frida was a passenger on a bus involved in a serious accident. She suffered injuries to her back, her right leg and her uterus. For the rest of her life Frida was in pain and had many operations. Also, she could never have a baby. All this caused her to suffer serious episodes of depression.

Frida first began painting during her recovery from the accident. She painted many self-portraits in bed. Her paintings show the influence of the indigenous culture of Mexico. In 1929 Kahlo married Diego Rivera, another famous artist. Their marriage was tumultuous. For example, they divorced and married again the next year! They were active communists and knew many famous people of the time such as Leon Trotsky.

Kahlo produced at least 140 portraits before her death at the age of 47 in 1954. While not famous in her lifetime, Kahlo’s works have gained in popularity over the past three decades both in Mexico and abroad. A film of her life, Frida, was produced in 2002 with Salma Hayek in the main role.

March 1, 2016
Grammar Tips: Uses of Werden

Students new to German will repeatedly encounter the verb werden. As it has three distinct functions, it often proves confusing. Here we will outline the three main functions with example sentences.

A. Idiomatic Expressions

Werden generally translates into English as turning, becoming or getting.

Er wird Arzt.

Es wurde kalt.

B. Future Tense

The present tense form of the verb werden can also be coupled with an infinitive (placed at the end of the sentence or clause) to express the future tense. Here werden translates as will.

Sie wird bald eine Mutter sein.

Wirst du hier schlafen?

C. Passive Voice

The passive voice is used to emphasize the action over the agent. It is used a lot in the press and to describe historical events and natural disasters. Here, werden is accompanied by the past participle (placed at the end of the sentence or clause). To express by, von is generally used, but durch may be used to express unforeseen events or natural occurrences.

Das Haus wird von ihm gebaut.

Es wird durch den Wind zerstört.

February 2, 2016
Spanish Biography – Antoni Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí was a famous Spanish architect born in 1852. He was from the Catalonia region and the majority of his works are located in Barcelona. Gaudí was very proud of his Catalan heritage. He was an artist on a large scale who used his passions of nature and religion to create his works. The buildings he helped to create are extremely unique in their style and known throughout the world. Even his last name has become synonymous with an over-the-top decorative style.

As a child, Gaudí was often ill and spent a lot of time alone in nature. He became a vegetarian at a young age and was a devout Catholic. Gaudí began his work as an architect in the 1870s and soon established himself. By 1883 he was well-established enough to receive the important commission of building the Basilica that came to be known as The Sacred Family or La Sagrada Familia. This project became his life’s work although he continued to work on other projects including churches and other prominent buildings throughout Barcelona. Gaudí developed his own unique style within the modernism movement often incorporating postconsumer products into his designs.

After suffering from ill health and almost dying from tuberculosis in 1910, Gaudí renewed his efforts to finally finish his project on La Sagrada Familia. By then, the church had become known as being a safe haven for the poor. Unfortunately, Gaudí passed away before the church could be completed. Today La Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO heritage site and receives millions of visitors annually from throughout the world.

Gaudí never married, devoting his life completely to his career and his faith. He died in 1926 after being struck by a tram. After a large funeral, his body was laid to rest in his beloved church of the Sacred Family.

January 11, 2016