Hi everyone, I am a new member and just read couple of conversations regarding the Czech culture. It is very fascinating. I am from the Czech Republic. I came to the states almost 5 years ago and got married here. I miss my country soooo much, but I had to make a choice. I am looking for a help from any of you. My husband is an American and I want to teach him Czech. Howevern I find it very difficult. I don't know where to start! I know from my own experience that the best way is to simply start talking to him, but the problem is that he doesn't understand any Czech at all! I f you have any experience or suggestions with this matter, please let me know, I'd appreciate anything. Thanks
You can speak to him all you want to, he will never grasp anything from it. You need to teach him the gramatics, and if he is older than say 30, the odds of him remembering the gramatics to his own langauge are slim, so start there. Ask him to explain what an adverb is, can he identify the subject in a sentence, etc. Then get him a book from which you and he can follow along. Mostly, get him to travel here and make him fall in love with it. Incentive to want to be a part is the concept...if he thinks it is trash here, he probably wouldnt' be very interested in spending the time to learn a language that worldwide isn't very popular... use these sites to spur interest: http://cestinace.unas.cz/ http://www.skolahrou.cz/sh/online/ http://www.phrasebase.com http://diktaty.ewa.cz/diktold/
Thank you Filip, this helps. He does have some problems to remember (even just to pronounce) the words, but that is something we can't change. He loves my country so I don't see an issue there. Again, thanks for all the links. They look great (even for my own use )
Freda: I'm also Czech born -- in the US since 1959 -- and my experince with most Americans learning a forgein language, is that there is a popular subconcious stigma against "forgeiners" in general. Historically, the forgeiners/immigrants were looked upon as "inferiors", destined for the lower ranks of society and minial labor intensive tasks in the sweat shops, for they were willing to do any job and any pay to get ahead. In Chicago (Berwyn) Czechs were refered to as the "Bohanks" who live in basements -- many purchased 3 plexes and rented out the 3 upper desireble apartments and hence lived in their refurbished basements, next to the coal bins. But the morgtage was paid by the tennants, and within few years they were debt free. The last 20 some years, I've been living in the southwest, where at least 50% of the population is Hispanic --Spanish is spoken everywhere -- However, only about 10% of Americans have command of Spanish, despite the fact that all High Schools teach 4 years of Spanish to all students. Hence, the stigma of "speaking a forgein language" and being mistaken for a forgeiner and being ridiculed by their peers still prevails. The fear of being called un-American, by speaking a other language is very much the norm. All people have the ability to "learn " an other language, but the subject must be willing to "learn" and social/peer presure is a determining factor. I've freinds -- native born Americans-- that would not utter a word in Spanish on this side of the border, but when we cross the southern border into Mexico, the speak the clearest, fulent Spanish of a native. When first questioned; they just do not want to be ridiculed by their peers, and be called "wet bag lovers"! Work on your husband casually, by first answering him in Czech each time he adddresses you ( then answer the question in English), this exposure to the sound will start him on the way. That is how I taught Czech to my son -- my ex- wife objected, for she was afraid that I might contaminate him, and that the would pick up my "forgein" accent -- He still will not speak in Czech to me, but unrestands "everithing" -- even entire long conversation he overherd with my parents -- that is spoken, and then just answers in English. I'm certain that if he were stuck in a situatioin, were English was not a option, he would then take the risk and speak Czech, as long as his mother is not around. Speak to him (your husband) and he will first learn a few words, and then eventualy will strat composing short sentences to test his new knowedge just out of curiosity about his new ability. Good luck and hope you'll succeed, but it will take time and willingnes on his part... Help him overcome the fear of being ridiculed! Three or four words per day, and in 3 month he'l have a vocabulary to start making simple sentences. Do not bother him with the inticacies of grammar at first, for that for sure will turn him off on the spot. That is why language teachers "loose" so many students. A neophyte learns a language by ear -- sounds, body language a auditory rhythms -- and not until he/she is about 6 years old, do teaches start confusing the poor soul with grammatical rules and the exeption to the exception to the rules... Viktor
Thank you Viktor, what you wrote was really interesting. I had a lot of experiences in the states with the same issue. However, when I started to attend a college, I met a whole new group of people. People who were willing and dying to learn about other cultures and foreign languages. And that really made me happy that not everybody is ignorant. We had a lot of conversations with my husband and him not wanting to learn is not really the issue. That is one of many things why I love him: he doesn't care what other people think. He wants our kids to learn the Czech (and possibly other languages ), so I hope that our children will feel comfortable and free to speak. In my opinion, it is not an option. I want them to be able to talk to my parents (they don't speak English). I would never forget myself if I'd fail to do so. Regarding to the grammar. I think that that was my mistake. I always feel that I need to explain him everything at the very beggining, since I don't want him to learn words incorrectly and then trying to re-learn them again. I thought it will be double work for him and possibly confusing. But what you wrote makes sense. Thank you
Well, being a native from California I know that they do not teach all students 4 years of spanish. Maybe in your city, but not the whole south west as your post suggested.... Also, I love languages and have never ever feared being ridiculed for learning a foreign language! I personally think Americans are simply egotistic and lazy... They think everyone should just speak English...
Hi Ferda. Viktor is right about the stigma with immigrants. I am American, but from a Czech family. The older Czechs where my dad came from didn't assimilate. It wasn't until my dad went to war and left the farm that he had to become americanized. Although dad wanted to teach me Czech, my mother objected. She is not Czech and strangely seemed to have some issues with Czechs. That said, you can't let the hangups of others effect what you do yourself. There are people in the U.S. who aren't xenophobic. But I think it is true that they are lazy and arrogant and expect English to be the official language. As for teaching your husband Czech, you need a structure to work within. I've been married to a Filipina for 20 years and have never learned much about their grammar at all. I know the meanings of words, and can understand parts of conversations, but the grammar is very different, and my wife can not always explain it to me. You should buy him some books and a good dictionary and also speak it to him. I'm learning Czech on my own, and have no one to speak it to me. So your husband is at a distinct advantage :wink: Good luck, and I'm glad to know that you'll teach your children to speak Czech!
Whenever we make a sweeping overgeneralization about a whole population of people, we show a lack of education. That is a silly comment. As the previous post noted, "Once I entered college, I found a whole new type of people that embraced culture and languages. Hanging out in bars you will find lazy people that sleep the next day. When I go to Spain, they expect me to speak Spanish, when in Germany, German...it is normal. I don't like to travel to the Ukraine, for English has yet to take a foothold there, and I don't speak Ukrianian. I decide where I travel based upon their acceptance of what is the langauge of the internationl business community...Americans are no different.
