I begin meeting with my language partners during week two. In order to gain a foothold in both languages, I set learning the writing systems as an immediate goal. Learning a writing system involves multiple parts including, but not limited to:
-Ability to recognize each letter in isolation
-Ability to recreate the sound signified by each letter, set in isolation
-Understanding of how letters are pronounced when strung together to form words
-Being aware of letters that can form multiple sounds
-Understanding when and where consonants are signified
The last point presents a challenge for learners of Farsi and Hebrew. With limited representation of vowel sounds, both alphabet systems require intuition and recognition of patterns to decipher when vowels are pronounced. Luckily, both alphabets have systems consisting of dots and lines to represent vowels to newcomers to the language. While these systems help, it is yet another item on a hefty list of things to learn.
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