日本語の クラス は いだいでした！Nihongo no kurasu wa idaideshita! Japanese class was great!

Last night, something clicked in Japanese class.  Suddenly adjetives, verbs, prepositions (postpositions in Japanese) and sentence structure all blended into common sense!  It's not automatic yet, and my vocabulary is still pitifully small, but I still plan to reach my goal of having a simple discussion with a sympathetic speaker by December.  Besides the classwork, I've started reading a simple Japanese children's story.  Slow going, but seeing words in context helps cement the vocabulary and word patterns in my mind. 

Comments, questions or critcisms?  Click on comments below.

Lutefisk og kjøttkaker, Lutefisk and meatballs

I går, på norskebordet snakket vi om den lutefisk og kjøttkaker kveldsmaten neste torsdag på First Luthern Church i Bemidji. 80 prosent av pengene skal gå til stipender. Torsdag 27. oktober mellom 5 og 7 PM, Kom og spis godt!

Yesterday, at the Norwegian table we talked about the lutefisk and meatball supper next Thursday at the First Luthern Church in Bemidji.  80 percent of the money will go for  scholarships.  On Thursday,  October 27, between 5 and 7 PM, Come and eat well!

ufda!



Mondag, 24 oktober.  Jeg har gjordet en feil! Den lutefisk og kjøttkaker kveldsmaten ble siste torsdag, 20 oktober, ikke kommende torsdagen. Jeg er sikker på at det var et utmerket måltid, men hvis du kommer kommende torsdag, 27 oktober, komm til Calvary Luthern Church, 2508  Wahington Av SE, Bemidji.  De har ikke lutefisk og kjøttkaker, men de har brosme. Brosme er også en veldig bra fisk, og 80 prosent av pengene går til barns stipender. Takk Bemidji Sønner av Norge for å gjøre dette kveldsmat. Kom dette neste torsdag 27 oktober mellom 17:00-19:00 for denne utmerkede måltid!

                                                   ufda!

Monday, October 24.  I made an error!  The lutefisk and meatball dinner was last Thursday, October 20, not this coming Thursday.  I'm sure it was an excellent meal, but if you come this coming Thursday, October 27, come to Calvary Luthern Church, 2508 Washington Av SE, Bemidji.  They don't have lutefisk and meatballs, but they have torsk.  Torsk is also a very fine fish, and 80 percent of the money goes for children's scholarships.  Thanks to Bemidji Sons of Norway for putting on this supper.  Come this next Thursday, October 27 between 5 PM and 7 PM for this excellent meal!

Wo sind die deutsche Sprecher? Where are the German speakers?

Bis auf Weiteres, wird der Deutschetisch treffen nicht. Niemand, außer mir, in den letzten zwei Wochen gekommen ist. Wenn jemand wieder anfangen möchte, schrieben Sie bitte unten einen Kommentar, oder schicken Sie mich an "bemidjidavid@gmail.com„  eine E-Mail.

English:   Until further notice, the German table will not be meeting.  In the last two weeks, no one except myself has come.  If anyone would like to start meeting again, please write in the comments below, or send me an e-mail at bemidjidavid@gmail.com.

Türkçe amaçlarım, My Turkish goals

Aralık sonında, yüz sözleri iyi bileceğim.  Birkaç yüz daha fazla hatırlayacağım.  Temel grameri daha otomatik olacak.  Güçlük ile, bir sempatık konuşan ile, Türkçe bileceğim.

English:  At the end of December, I will know well 100 words.  I will be acquainted with several hundred more.  Basic grammar will become more automatic.  With difficulty I will speak Turkish with a sympathetic speaker.

(As you can tell, my Turkish writing skills are not yet at a first grade level, but by the end of December I should be able to write error filled but understandable Turkish.)

Comments or suggestions? click on comments below.

中文的目标, Zhong1wen2 de mu4biao1, Goal for Chinese

     我能说一点汉语，可是我文盲。 在北京，跟难处，我说话跟中国人。可是不能看牌子，逛过，报纸。有一本必读书和一些孩子的小说。我也有目标。在中国的新年以前，2012年1月23号，我要能度牌子和要能读容易的小说。
     你有意见吗？建议吗？ 在下文中，按 "comments"。

Pinyin:  Wo3 neng2 shuo1 yi dian3 han4yu3, ke1shi4 wo3 wen2mang2.  Zai4 Bei3jing1, gen1 nan2chu4, wo3 shuo1hua4 gen1 Zhong1guo2ren2.  Ke1shi4 bu4 neng kan4 pai2zi, guang1gao4, bao4zhi1.  You3 yi1 ben3 bi4du4shu1, he4 yi1 xie1 hai2zi de xiao3shuo1.  Wo3 ye3 you3 mu4biao1.  Zai4 Zhong1guo2 de xin1nian2 yi4qian2, er4 ling1 yi1 er4 nian2 yi1 yue4 er4shi1er4  hao4, wo3 yao4 neng2 du4 pai2zi he4 yao4 neng2 du4 rong2yi4 de gu4shi4.
     Ni3 you3 yi4jian4 ma?  jian4yi4 ma?  Zai4 xia4wen2zhong1, an4 "comments".

English:  I can speak a little Mandarin Chinese, but I'm illiterate.  In Beijing, with some difficulty, I talked with Chinese people.  But I could not read signs, ads or newspapers.  I have a Chinese textbook and some Chinese children's stories.  I also have a goal.  Before Chinese New Years, January 23, 2012, I will be able to read signs and easy stories.
     Do you have comments? suggestions?  Click on "comments" below.

Turkish 100 or so basic words

after                   ——sonra                        again                 tekrar
all                       hepsi                               almost                hemen
also                    hem——de/da                 always               her zamen
and                     ve                                    because of         ——dolay ısıyla
before                 önce                                big                     büyük
but                      ama                               can (v)               (v) bilmek
come, come in     gelmek, girin                  do/make             etmek/yapmak
find                     bulmak                           first                    bir inci
friend                  arkadaş                           go                      gitmek
good                   iyi                                    good bye            güle güle (to one leaving)
goodbye            allahaısmarladık (to stg)   happy                mutlu
have [not]           (pos) + var [yok]            hello                  merhaba
here                   burada                            how                   nasıl
how much/many  nekadar/kaç                 if                       (v)+sa/se
in, at, on             -da/-de                           from                  -den/-dan
to                       -e/-a                               know                 bilmek(fact) tanımak(person)
last                     son                                 like                      hoşuma gidiyor(ler)
love                    sevmek                           look, look for      aramak, bakmak
many, too many   çok, çok fazla               more                 daha fazla
most                    ençok                              much                çok
new                    yeni                                  fresh                taze
old                      eski                                   only                 sadece
other                   başka                               or                    veya
one piece            bir parça                          people              insanlar
place                   yer                                   please              lütfen
same                   aynı                                  see                   görmek
some                   bazı                                 sometimes         bazan
still, yet                hala                                 tell                    söylemek
thank you            teşekkür ederim, sağol  then                 sonra
there is——         —— var                            thing                 bir şey
think(opnion)       düsünmek                    this                   bu
time                    zaman, vakıt                  under               altında
use (v)                kulanmak                       very                  çok
what?                  ne?                                  when?               ne zaman?
where?                nerede(n)                       which?              hangi?
who?                   kim?                               why?                niye?/niçin?
yes/no                 evet/hayır

     There are certainly errors on this list.  I'll try to correct them as I find them.  See posting "The 100 word list" for how I use this list.  As always if you have questions, comments, criticisms or corrections, click on "comments" below.

Japanese 100 or so basic words

after                      no ato de                          again                    mo ichido
also                       mo/mata                          always                   itsumo
and                       to                                      before______      _____no mae ni
big                        ookii                                  but                       demo de
can(v)                  dekimasu                          come(v)                kimasu (kuru)

do, make              shimasu (suru)                find                       mitsukemasu        
first                       dai ichi no                        friend                    yuujin
go                         ikimasu                             good bye               sayoonara
happy                   ureshii                               have                      motte arimasu
how                      doo shite                           how much             ikura desu ka
how many            ikutsu                               if                          moshi____naraba
in, at____            ____ni                           know (facts)         shimasu
like____               ____ ga suki desu        not like____         ____ ga kirai desu
look, watch          mimasu                            many                    ooku no
more                    yuri ooi                             new                      atarashii
old                    furui (things) toshi (people)   only                      dake
other                   hoka no                              or                         mata wa
people                 hito                                     please                   kudasai
same                   onaji                                   some, a little          ikuraka no
sometimes           toki doki                            still, yet                 mada
tell, speak            hanashimasu                     thank you              arigato
then                     sore kara                           there is (are)____  ____  arimasu
thing                    mono (obj) koto (matter)  think (opinion)       omoimasu
this                      kono___, kore                 that                        sono, ano__, sore, are
time                     toko                                   under                     shita
use(v)                  shiyoo shimasu                 very                       hijoo ni
what?                  nan                                    when                      itsu, toki ni
which                  dochira no                        who                        dare
why                     naze                                   yes, no                   hai, ie

     You'll probably notice that there are only about 60 words on this list.  I'll be adding some as I go and correcting errors as I find them.  The verbs are all in the formal present tense.  They are easily changed to past by replacing the -su to -shita.  I also am only using romaji, the latin alphabet.  I've just about got hiragana down, but romaji is quicker for me right now.  By the time hirigana is automatic for me, I'll know this  list.  I've only just met the katagana and kanji writing systems, so that will take a bit longer.
     Questions, comments, corrections or criticisms?  Click on "comments" below.

The 100 word list

     After learning basic pronunciation, some basic phrases and getting a very basic understanding of the grammar and structure of a new language, I concentrate on building an active vocabulary of about 100 words and phrases, with a passive vocabulary of a couple hundred more.  To this end, I've developed a list of words commonly used in conversation that I can carry with me to review, along with other words and phrases that I think might be useful, while looking for opportunities to use the language.

     The lists include: 1) connector words like; and, or. but, if  2) describer words like; big, little, good, bad.  3) question words like; who, what, which, when, where, why, how.  4) action words or verbs like; come, go, want, like, love, have, have to or must, can or be able to.  I've used the first person singular or "I" form of the verb, as we tend to talk about ourselves a lot.  You'll just have to learn the other forms of the verb as you go.

     Nouns, words designating people, places, and things are not included, as they vary so much depending on what you like to talk about.  Try to anticipate your subject matter, and check your dictionary ahead of time or use sign language.  Your conversation partner will probably help you.
   
     After I have these basic words in my active vocabulary, my conversations will still be stilted, full of errors and pauses, but will continue improving.

     I've completed 3 "100 word lists" which you can access by clicking on the links below.

Japanese         Turkish          Ojibwe

     If you have questions, comments or criticisms, please feel free to click on "comments" below.

Turkish table resumes Monday, October 3

Gelecek Pazartesi Türk masa tekrar buluşacak.  Arkadaşlarımız Türkeyen seyahattan memlekete geldiler.  Akadaşlar, memlekete hoş geldiniz!  Hepımız seyahat hakkında duymak istiyoruz.

English:  Next Monday the Turkish table will again be meeting.   Our friends have come home from their Turkish trip.  Welcome home friends!  We are all wanting to hear about the trip.