One of the unforeseen consequences of taking Danish is that you start to speak English in short easy sentences. I go home. I eat lunch. I go to do shopping. I sound like an idiot.
Okay, that last one I actually can't say in Danish.
Anyway, I have to go up to the university in a few hours and say, among other things, the following sentence: Individuals, in their process of comparing themselves to members of their own group or members of other groups, rely heavily on symbols that communicate social and physical similarities and differences.
And: The envaluation of items with socially imbued meaning is a social strategy to further communicate social distinction.
It's all well and good, because at least all this is written down in a crazy long text for me to read. 15 pages = aprox. one hour speaking. With a power point presentation.
But what if they start asking questions? IN ENGLISH!!??
I have ideas. They are good ideas. Silver is very pretty. It is for rich men. There are many rich men. Sorry, I can not understand you. See you later! Goodbye!!
Maybe if I keep reading what I've written my English will come back! I hope so, otherwise I'm going to be left with very poor English AND Danish and no hope to ever communicate on an intelligent level ever again! ACK!!
Wait til you start using the present continuous to describe everything you do. It always reminds me of that Monty Python sketch where Ron Vibbentrop (as played by Graham Chapman) says, "I am in Dusseldorf being born."
ReplyDeleteGood luck today! :)
I know exactly what you mean! I think I just go to the states now and then so I can remember how to speak! And, every time I try to make my Danish writing 'sound' better to me, I simply get told that I can't do that, it's wrong and things are out of order. Bah.
ReplyDeletelol... I do the same thing and then I have to turn around and teach advanced English to all these business professionals! I have to actually stop and think about English...crazy!
ReplyDelete"Jeg lyder som en jysk bonderøv."
ReplyDelete