Stumbling Along

We sat there laughing and I wondered what exactly was being understood. I find that I laugh a lot.

I try to speak derija and then I laugh. They look at me, quite confused, and then I laugh. I try to pronounce these crazy words with no vowels and six consonants all stuck together, and I laugh.

Mina (my host mom) and I sat in the living room this evening, and I definitely felt some bonding going on. Mina sat and watched TV, surfing various channels, and occasionally asking me simple questions. I sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, and did my Arabic homework.

After every page, I'd hand over my work thus far, and she'd check it and give suggestions. Once I finished, I decided I'd stay in the living room, listening to the TV as background noise. (The TV is always on, by the way). I've met so many people who say they learned English through movies and TV programs, so hey, maybe I can learn Arabic in the same way!! I thought it might be a good idea to review the new words we learned in class with Mina in the room; that way, if I didn't remember how to pronounce a word, she could remind me and correct my pronunciation.

This process proved to be quite humorous for both of us. As I came across a difficult word (usually involving a 'n' sound followed by a 't' and then possibly a 'g'), I'd try reading it aloud. A raised eyebrow. Take two. She'd lean forward. After three tries, I'd hand my notebook over and she'd read it and if I could understand derija, I'm sure she'd say something to the extent of, "OH!! Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?!"

Her sweet spirit and patience encouraged me to keep trying to string together words in derija and I kept finding my tongue twisted. We'd laugh a lot and then try again for a new word. And of course, she'd kindly compliment me on my language "skills" saying that it was "mzuin."

Right.
I know that my derija is not excellent.