Language Learning - Again

Well the past 5 weeks has certainly been an adventure. Learning a language from scratch is really challenging. In Sedona in French club at least I had past knowledge to reference – words or distant college memories of learning. I still have the learning memories but I have no vocabulary reference. And some of my alphabet references are just plain wrong in Bulgarian. I have to be actively conscious when practicing Bulgarian (which I’m not 100% of the time) or else I make very common mistakes most English speakers make. For example ‘B’ is a frequently used letter, but it is pronounced ‘V.’ There is even a word that is just ‘B’ which means “to.” “I am going B Sofia…..I am going to Sophia. There are a couple of others too --- ‘H’ is pronounced N and ‘X’ is pronounced H. I find these the most challenging because I have 50+ years of practice saying them in English – it’s so automatic…..apparently this is a common mistake among English speakers.

People who love grammar would be having a great time here…learning Bulgarian is easier if someone is familiar and comfortable with English grammar. There are references and parallels to English grammar but then there are those patterns which are non-existent in English. Similar to French, Bulgarian has verb conjugations for 1st, 2^nd, & 3^rd person singular and plural. Unlike English, definite articles (i.e. the) are suffixes. So the word dog – koocha – becomes “the dog” by adding koochata. Of course there are definite endings depending on whether or not it’s masculine, feminine or neuter. I have some of it down, but I am very confused by a lot of the grammar. When I speak with my host family I am thrilled when I can remember the correct word for the noun or adjective (forget the right ending) and am completely overjoyed when I use the proper from of the verb!! So far we have communicated in the present tense only, but on Monday we were introduced to the future simple tense – you add ‘shtay’ in front of the verb and change the verb ending appropriately (don’t ask me what that is quite yet….)

I frequently pull up French words in my head especially when I can't think of the Bulgarian word. French was taught here in schools prior to Communism. Some of the old timers remember learning it in schools, but haven’t used it much since. After communism arrived they were taught Russian (of course). Now students and adults are actively learning English throughout the country. That will be one of my projects once I move to my 2-year site…..teaching English. I’m not sure yet whether my audience will be adults or kids or both.

Yes, study the Bulgarian language is challenging and frustrating, but I do know more than I knew 4 weeks ago and I know with time, study and practice.....I will be able to communicate. I will!