Due by 5pm on Sunday, March 30: Discussion Post #8 on the Ning
Have you started writing in the target language? Do you prefer to type or write free hand? Have you started to see patterns emerge in the structures between words, clauses, and sentences? What is the relationship between simple and complex sentences? How does your knowledge of parts of speech, government, and agreement affect your ability to communicate in written contexts? Provide a sample of several short meaningful writing exercises from your target language.
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I have started writing in my target language! Since Hindi is not the same script as English, it is much easier to write freehand because for now, I still think of myself as “drawing” the alphabet when I am writing. I also have never typed in Hindi before, because when I first learned it as my native language, I was younger than five years old and computers were not commonplace in classrooms yet. Therefore, I am much more comfortable writing freehand. I also think I learn better this way, because I have to remember the alphabet myself instead of choosing from some prewritten keys.
I have noticed that, even though Hindi has phonetic spelling, There are some words that are written slightly differently than they are pronounced, particularly with “n” and “r” (or “d” depending on pronunciation) sounds. Also, I believed I mentioned this in my language learning lesson during another week, but the “t” and “d” sounds are far more complicated in English, with one of each being more alveolar reflexive and the other being more dental. These are really difficult for my ear to detect so I often use the wrong letter or have to doublecheck with my instructor before I start writing. Here are the most recent sentences I was able to write in Hindi!
Yes, I’ve started writing in Korean, focusing on both short sentences and simple paragraphs. I prefer to write it out because I think that it helps me learn and remember it for longer. I am already familiar with the general sentence structure of Korean so it was easier to start but I think that writing helps me to see the patterns and rules which I had just naturally assumed. For instance, it seems that the subject-verb order is different from english. In korean, it usually follows a subject, then object, then verb order. In Korean, simple sentences usually consist of a subject, an object, and a verb, which are relatively straightforward. Complex sentences often involve more embedded clauses or conjunctions such as "그리고" (and), "하지만" (but), or "그래서" (so), which help to link ideas. I’ve learned that the complexity comes from how multiple ideas can be expressed in a single sentence, even though the sentence structure itself remains relatively simple. Knowing parts of speech and understanding grammatical structures such as agreement (e.g., subject-verb agreement, tense) helps me understand the nuances to help me write appropriately depending on the context (formal vs. informal). It’s also crucial to understand how particles and sentence endings change based on what you're trying to emphasize. Some examples of practices from my lesson include 나는 한국어를 배워요 which means I am learning Korean ot 저는 학생이에요 which meansI am a student.
I agree with your preference for handwriting! I think that forcing yourself to think through the different and complex grammar is a great way to challenge yourself and visualize the language you are speaking. I also value your observation on the importance of conjunctions and embedded clauses. I think Korean has a big emphasis on this aspect of language in order to go from one subject to another.
I have started writing in Korean and I much prefer to handwrite when it comes to learning. It's much more tedious, but I've actually found that it's almost just as tedious and timeconsuming to search and find the correct symbol on the keyboard. In terms of learning, I can feel myself starting to be able to visualize certain words as I speak them. It seems that this is the key to being able to speak and write fluently. Being able to instantly visualize the structure of a word as I speak them directly translates into my ability to read and write. Writing free hand also seems to improve my memorization of a word. Typing the same word does not have the same effect. I have not been able to see any patterns, but I think this is actually due to my already existing experience with Korean. I think that this "advantage" is actually hindering me from being able to see this "new" language with an open mind. I can only see, hear, read, and write Korean with the foreknowledge I have instead of feeling like I am actively learning. I tend to rely on what I already know rather than trying to learn to lean on my new learning.
Some of my learning includes these sentences that contain more advanced vocabulary pertaining to the fields of medicine and politics.
I have been writing in Korean ever since I learned it as a little kid. Writing it freehand is definitely the better alternative for learning and practicing spelling and grammar, but for convenience's sake, I prefer to type Korean. I also find that I my phone will oftentimes autocorrect my mistakes, and I tend to feel embarrassed about my errors when I'm handwriting.
Yes, I have started writing in my target language. I prefer to type. Yes, I have started to see patterns emerge in the structures between words, clauses, and sentences. Specifically my mentor and I spent our last lesson going over the roots of words and how certain words have core letters that remain in many types of words with similar meanings. In Hebrew, simple sentences provide a basis for communication by establishing basic subject-verb-object structures, while complex sentences allow for expression by incorporating clauses, conjunctions, and varied syntax. My knowledge of parts of speech, grammatical agreement, and government (how verbs and prepositions determine the form of their complements) is crucial for writing accurately in Hebrew. Gender and number agreement affect adjectives, verbs, and pronouns, and mastering these rules helps with clarity in formal and informal writing. For example, a simple sentence like אני לומד עברית כל יום (I study Hebrew every day) establishes a clear idea, while a more complex sentence such as אם תתאמן כל יום, תוכל לדבר עברית טוב יותר (If you practice every day, you will be able to speak Hebrew better) adds depth by introducing a condition. Similarly, expressing opinions requires an understanding of structure and agreement, as seen in אני חושב שהעברית היא שפה יפה בגלל ההיסטוריה שלה (I think Hebrew is a beautiful language because of its history). These exercises help reinforce my grammatical accuracy and ability to express ideas clearly in Hebrew.
I think it’s fascinating how complex Hebrew can get just by adding a condition. I wonder, did you find it any more frustrating to write seeing as it’s so much harder to express opinions? I also think it’s fascinating that you prefer to type in Hebrew rather than handwrite. As someone who is learning Korean, because I don’t have a keyboard with any Korean symbols, I find it frustrating to type and I could imagine it’s similar with Hebrew.
I have started some short writing in Korean. Personally, I prefer typing over writing by hand because it’s faster and easier to edit. I use a Korean keyboard to practice typing Hangul, which also helps me remember the layout of syllable blocks.
I’ve noticed some patterns in the sentence structure that is different from English. A sentence like “I eat noodles” follows a subject-verb-object structure in English, but in Korean the word order is subject-object-verb. So the same sentence in Korean becomes “I noodle eat”- “나는 국수를 먹는다.” Also, most words in a sentence have a particle attached to them, indicating the role of each word in a sentence. 은/는 is placed after a word to indicate that it is the subject of a sentence, and 을/를 placed after a word to indicate that it is the object of a sentence. These grammar rules affect how I form both simple and complex sentences, and those cannot be translated into English. Yet I haven’t started writing, but I can start to combine ideas using words like 그리고 (and) and 하지만 (but). These connect sentences and help form longer thoughts. Knowing the difference between verbs, nouns, and adjectives helps me figure out what order the words should follow. I also try to be aware of formality, which affects verb endings depending on the situation. Here are some short writing exercises I’ve practiced:
저는 떡볶이를 좋아해요. “I like tteokbokki.”
화장실이 어디에 있어요? “Where is the bathroom?”
제 이름은 Emily예요/입니다 “My name is Emily”
That's so interesting that you prfer typic! For me, I find it much harder to type because of how large the Hindi keyboard is (on the phone) and how it is new to me so I don't understand how the interface combines the symbols into a word yet. I'm also surprised my how long some of your sentences look, even though the number of words is the same as the English translation. I do not find this to be the case with Hindi, but I have a feeling it is because of hte spacing of the typed alphabet as well.
Yes, I have started writing in Korean. I prefer writing freehand over typing since I am not as accustomed to typing. I have had previous experience writing in Korean, but not as much experience typing. However, I do make an effort to practice typing occasionally to learn and improve. As I’ve progressed, I’ve begun to notice patterns in how Korean sentences are structured. For example, Korean follows a subject-object-verb word order, which is different from English. Simple sentences in Korean tend to end in a verb while complex sentences often involve conjunctions or verb endings. Understanding parts of speech, like subject and object markers, verb conjugations, and honorifics has been crucial as well. The concepts of government (how verbs dictate which particles follow the nouns) and agreement directly affects how I form correct sentences. Speaking accurately to native speakers while keeping these rules in mind has been challenging, but it’s helped me become more mindful and precise in my writing. For example (writing about my daily routine):
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