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bod, share your impressions on the trip!
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| 10. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 03:47 pm |
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I remember walking in the street where my friend's house is situated, and a lady in a car stopped and asked me something in Turkish. I could understand something, she must have asked for directions, or about the street (since it is a dead-end street). It was so unexpected that all I could say was "bilmiyorum" and then I entered my friend's house. That woman must have thought I was a complete idiot, "living" in that street and not knowing anything about the neighbourhood  
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| 11. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 03:48 pm |
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Quoting sophie: Quoting Elisa: I always had like stage fright when saying something in Turkish to people I know :-S |
Exactly! But not only to people i know. To EVERYBODY! I was so embarassed to speak Turkish, although I understood (sometimes) what they were asking me. And then I was feeling so bad that even in their 'günaydın' I was replying with a 'good morning'.
I think that when I ll get over the fear of being humiliated cause of my stupid accent, only then I ll really learn how to speak this language. The same problems I used to have with English too :-S |
ME TOO  I wish I was not shy to speak the language... but when in Turkey, I have noticed that natives laugh when I try to speak it.... so now, I don't like to... I FEEL STUPID ... I just need to gain more confidence I think. Besides ... I have only just started learning.
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| 12. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 03:53 pm |
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Quoting IZMIR060406: I wish I was not shy to speak the language... but when in Turkey, I have noticed that natives laugh when I try to speak it.... so now, I don't like to... I FEEL STUPID ... I just need to gain more confidence I think. |
That I never noticed! In general people really appreciate it when you try to make an effort, that's my experience.
You shouldn't feel stupid at all! You are doing more than your best!
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| 13. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 03:55 pm |
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I didn't find anyone laughed at me when I spoke Türkçe - sometimes they would laugh at things I said or how I said them but they would mostly explain what was funny!
The most annoying were the people who I spoke to in Türkçe and who answered me in English.......they clearly understood my Türkçe as they could answer
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| 14. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 03:57 pm |
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Quote:
That I never noticed! In general people really appreciate it when you try to make an effort, that's my experience.
You shouldn't feel stupid at all! You are doing more than your best! |
Aww thank you... I am trying so hard... and it was actually people I knew who laughed... maybe they did not intend to offend me.. but it still has really has dashed my confidence.
x I SHALL SOLDIER ON... 
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| 15. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 03:58 pm |
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Quoting bod:
The most annoying were the people who I spoke to in Türkçe and who answered me in English.......they clearly understood my Türkçe as they could answer |
That's only because they want to practice their English and show their knowledge, just like we want to do with Turkish. But I know, it can be frustrating
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| 16. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 04:01 pm |
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Quoting Elisa: Quoting bod:
The most annoying were the people who I spoke to in Türkçe and who answered me in English.......they clearly understood my Türkçe as they could answer |
That's only because they want to practice their English and show their knowledge, just like we want to do with Turkish. But I know, it can be frustrating |
Maybe I should have shook my head and said:
özür dilerim bilmiyorum
ne konuşiyorsunuz?
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| 17. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 04:06 pm |
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Quoting IZMIR060406: I have noticed that natives laugh when I try to speak it.... so now, I don't like to... I FEEL STUPID. |
I can manage the basics and find the turks love you to talk to them in their own lanaguage. There is the odd time i have been laught at. In this situation all i do is laugh with them and ask then to pronounce the word correctly. I then ask them how they would feel if i were to laugh at them when they spoke english wrong! They don't laugh again
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| 18. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 04:09 pm |
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Understanding spoken and written Turkish are two totally different things. Speaking it is another story. It took me about a week in Turkey to start understanding what people were saying, but even after three weeks I could not possibly use Turkish. I had no problems at bus stations and shops, but whenever I was with friends, they'd criticise my attempts to speak. Even if I had the vocabulary and grammar right, they'd always come down on me for my intonation sounding...too rude :-S
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| 19. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 04:11 pm |
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One phrase I got plenty of opportunity to practice was dün akşam kafam güzeldi
Türkçe is easier when biraz kafam güzel
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| 20. |
29 Aug 2006 Tue 05:14 pm |
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Quoting bod: Quoting Elisa: Quoting bod:
The most annoying were the people who I spoke to in Türkçe and who answered me in English.......they clearly understood my Türkçe as they could answer |
That's only because they want to practice their English and show their knowledge, just like we want to do with Turkish. But I know, it can be frustrating |
Maybe I should have shook my head and said:
özür dilerim bilmiyorum
ne konuşiyorsunuz?
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correction:konuşuyorsunuz
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