[language] an observation on language acquisition

[kaberett]

I have found helpful for a long time now the observation that if, in English, you say "good morning", and your interlocutor replies "hello", this does not mean that "good morning" was somehow the Wrong Greeting to use; thus in other languages, if someone responds with a different greeting, you haven't done a thing wrong.

This week I have mostly been reflecting on the part where my aural comprehension of languages I'm learning is not... actually a good indicator of my understanding of the language as a whole, because hey, guess what, I have auditory processing disorder! Even English, in settings where I have context and am very familiar with the speaker, routinely doesn't resolve into comprehensible word-shapes for me if I can't lip-read!

So is it any wonder that I frequently struggle with Duolingo's divorced-from-all-meaning audio-only sentences? No it is not. So here I am, reminding myself of that, as I get started with FutureLearn Irish 102 and find myself struggling with audio -- that turns out to be completely new-to-me vocabulary. Yet another reminder to try for kindness to myself, eh.

Comments

[shanaqui]

*derails your post, please ignore if you do not have the cope/interest to talk me through a thing that involves my mother*

Even English, in settings where I have context and am very familiar with the speaker, routinely doesn't resolve into comprehensible word-shapes for me if I can't lip-read!

I, uh... I have been struggling to understand for so long why I cannot manage conversations if I can't lipread, and everyone has always assumed that hereditary deafness of some kind has something to do with it.

But. My hearing tested fine as a child and I already had trouble then, and I always wondered about it, but when I floated this past my mother a few years ago she was very dismissive and said I was too clever and functional to have an auditory processing disorder. This... was my mother lying to me again, wasn't it?

[kaberett]

... yes it hecking was, auditory processing disorders are a super common feature of autism and various other neurodiversities.

I see you. <3

[shanaqui]

And she (probably) knew it, this is (probably) why when I wondered about whether hearing aids would help, she dismissed the whole idea.

...gah.

*goes away to have a feeling in my own space*

(♥ thank you for posting about these things.)

[kaberett]

Oh love. <33

[alexseanchai]

💗

[melita66]

A question for you, if I may. Feel free to tell me to go away!

I've been watching a lot of British/Aussie/NZ tv and was struck on how mouth movements were different--more lower teeth showing versus Americans, etc.

Have you had any processing problems with different accents of a language that you are fluent in?

Thank you.

[kaberett]

I absolutely do, but it seems to be connecting-together-sounds rather than lip-reading that's the problem as such? In that if I have lips to look at comprehension gets much easier. (This is some of why I Hate phonecalls so much.)

[sfred]

<3

[silveradept]

Kindness to yourself, indeed. I continue to be appreciative of your willingness to examine things in a place where others can see it.

[kaberett]

<3

[jesse_the_k]

Being kind to yourself is always a good idea. Even in the event when I've done something wrong, I won't be able to properly analyze it if I'm drowning in self-loathing.

[kaberett]

I know! And yet I keep having to pay my therapist to remind me of it. ;)