Thus far, I have enjoyed learning about the culture and language of Italy. I have been able to use a few techniques which have allowed me to get a better understanding of Italian. Firstly, I have talked with a few of my friends who have taken Italian at Richmond. They have been able to offer me some guidance about how they most effectively learned the language. Also, I have been able to turn to them when I have needed help learning the language or if I was just curious about a particular aspect of Italian. Secondly, I have been able to watch some Italian television. This technique has proven most effective for me because I have always considered myself an oral learner. By listening to the programming, I have been able to pick-up common words and phrases of the language. Another reason why watching Italian television has been effective is because of repetition. The more and more I hear a particular phrase of Italian, the more likely this phrase is to register in my brain.
One of the most interesting aspects of class has been looking at the culture of Italy. Through my research, I have found that Italians pride themselves on their families and their cuisine. During our first in-class presentation, I was amazed at how customary it is for Italians to have family-owned business. In America, corporations seem to only be considered with making a profit at all costs. While in Italy, even large corporations like Fiat are family-owned. This is attributed to the fact that Italians consider themselves extremely close with their families in all facets of life. The idea of "family time" and "family meals" is very common in their culture. Italians are also very well-known for their delicious foods. Through my own experience in Italy, I can understand why this is a main theme of Italian life. This research has allowed me to get a better grasp on the Italian language because it directs me to how I should tailor my studying. I want to focus on vocabulary of families and food because they are two central themes in Italian life.
Communicative competence is broken down into four parts: linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic. In order to improve my communicative competence, I need to focus particularly on the linguistic and strategic aspects. For linguistic competence, I am focusing on the syntax and vocabulary of Italian. I am going to improve this dimension by working with my friends who speak Italian and also by continuing to watch Italian television programming. For strategic competence, I am focusing on the context of Italian and the background of Italian. I can improve this aspect by researching Italian culture and learning certain Italian mannerisms.
Overall, I feel my language learning thus far has been going extremely well. While I can not effectively speak in Italian, I am beginning to pick up on some simple Italian phrases. Also, I have started to learn more about Italian culture. I have found this learning to be incredibly interesting because I rarely have had the ability to look at another culture during my studies here at Richmond.
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