(」゜ロ゜)」 ▪ H Y P A E T H R A L ▪ closed4eva

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

I thought it quite (in the American usage) evident that my English is fine.
My grandmother doesn't speak a lick of English, and my Vietnamese is far too weak for conversation. It's usually a bunch of yes grandma, no grandma, thank you grandma, not yet grandma, and I've already eaten and I'm full grandma.

etc.

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

Take it easy. You said language barrier, so I was trying to spark conversation. I wasn't insulting your English, I was going to compliment you on it if it wasn't your first language. Jesus.

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

I wasn't angry...?
Though I guess I spoke more Vietnamese as a child than I did English, but all-white surroundings can do that, I guess.

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

The way it was phrased sounded testy, like you were insulted that I was asking that.

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

I was confused, if anything... I mean, if English was my second language and praiseworthy, why would I have an issue with speaking to my grandmother? Second languages come after obtaining fluency from the first, so if I were fluent in the first language, I wouldn't have a problem talking to my grandmother.

So, I didn't quite understand. And I'm terrible at explaining my thoughts...

I guess in my sleeplessness, I wasn't really paying attention to the text and kind of just skimmed. I'm sorry.

Quote:

Language barrier? Is English not your first language, or are you in a different country? ;o

But referring back to that, my grandmother's visiting from good ol' Kansas City, MO. She's been travelling more frequently since the passing of her husband. She likes to check up on her kids and grandkids, who are pretty much all over the country (well, not really). As for her lack of English proficiency, she came to America with her children maybe in her 30s? Worked menial jobs to sustain 6-ish kids (the oldest 3 had their own jobs, one was still in Vietnam, I think), etc. I guess she never really had the opportunity to learn English fluently. All she knows is "oh-kay" and "yessu!" and "noh". And then there's the broken English and Vietglish.

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

Oh, with your grandmother! I thought you were saying that annotation homework would have been easier without the language barrier. Makes a lot more sense now.

That's crazy. I don't think I would be able to function without knowing a language. How would she be able to get a job and buy groceries and do anything, really, having no knowledge of English?

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

Ohh, that makes sense... Speaking of my annotations, I haven't gotten very far with it. e__e augh.

I'm not really sure! I think they had to have a sponsor to even get into the states, but I'm not very clear with the details. ._. Well, I know my grandfather came here with his sons before my grandmother did, so I'm guessing that helped a little bit. My grandfather could speak minimal English, so it was... easier? I know that when he was still alive, he took care of taxes and bills and such, and now that he's passed, my aunt, who lives with my grandmother, takes care of that now. She'd be unable to do it otherwise. ;_;

I'm sure it's difficult! D: Reminds me of this visual novel/book thing I bought a while back, called The Arrival.

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

Awww. :c Good luck with it!

Huh, wow. That's a pretty cool story. My family's been here a long time, so I don't have any interesting stories like that. The only thing I've got is that one of my great-great-great-grandfathers or uncles or something taught himself how to play the violin. No music, no teacher, strictly by ear, and he was amazing, as the story goes. 8D

Never read that. /shrug

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

Thanks!

Ooh, that's cool! Learning to play by ear is pretty hard. :c I want to learn the piano, myself. I already have a piano too, I just haven't practiced...

Well, it's not like it's a popular book. I was browsing Barnes & Nobles looking for birthday presents when I came cross it. It's wordless, but it's got quite a lot of sepia-toned illustrations (paintings, even? digital, maybe?) that outline some guy's life as he moves to some city without his family. He walks around the city, looking for a place to stay, looking for jobs, totally bewildered by how different everything is... But at the end, his wife and child reunite! That's a pretty shitty summary, but meh.

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

Yeah, it's near-on impossible. c:

Ooh, sounds like a cool concept!

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

:B But it's cool to come across people who have learned that way.

It's pretty neat, yeah!

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

Yeah, I've never actually come across anyone who learned that way. I feel like it would be really cool.

c:

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

It's awe-inspiring. :B!!

and takes quite a lot of dedication, I'd imagine.
I wish I had that sort of dedication.

or genius

[Phrensiedom]

Valdekyr

Aw man, yeah.

So, how's it going?

[Valdekyr]

Phrensiedom

Still sunk.

I've been doing annotations.