Jeg snakker norsk!

Jeg heter Miresa og jeg kom til Bodø for snart fem måneder siden (i alt har jeg vært snart sju måneder i Norge). Her skal jeg skrive om hvordan prøver jeg å lære norsk. Det har aldri vært lett å lære et nytt eller fremmed språk spesielt når det skjer senere i mannens liv. Det gjelder mange flyktninger som bor i andre land slik som meg. Mange undersøkelser viser at annerledes faktorer spiller en rolle i fremmedspråk-læring (både arv (nature) slik som ’intelligence’, og miljø slik som tidligere erfaring).

Uansett har jeg overbevist meg selv at jeg må lære å snakke norsk så snart som mulig.

The Way I Am Learning Norwegian Language: Obsession or Determination?

Learning new language has never been an easy job. The difficulty even increases much when the language learning happens later in ones age. Research shows that different factors or variables come in to play during second or foreign language learning, both natural and environmental (nature and nurture theories). Here I want to share my experience of how I am trying to learn to speak ‘norsk’ as fast as possible.

­­­The first point I want to mention is about time management. I can boldly say that I am investing almost all my time and energy into learning ‘norsk’. Though I go to school two days a week which is four hours a week, I convinced myself that only following school is not sufficient. I have to read more than is expected of me by my school teacher. I decided to read others books from the library and also invest some money on newspapers. The first time I bought ‘Dagbladet’, I remember, I was a bit shocked because I must have referred my dictionary (I LOVE MY DICTIONARY) for every single sentence. It took me around half a day to finish a single story of two standard newspaper pages. I continued like this for the first month, but with an improvement every other day. My anxiety to those seemingly ‘terrible words and sentences’ was reduced every time I bought a new newspaper. When I am reading newspapers, for those who are watching me, it looks that I am submitting an assignment to a professor. I have to write almost all new words and the context in which they are used. Sometimes, I have to write down the whole paragraph. It looks tiresome, boring and sometimes hurting to do so. But, I convinced myself that the return would be promising. Now, I believe reading newspapers has affected my ‘norsk’ significantly and positively. I can read newspapers more freely now.

I love my dictionary (hey, I borrowed it from the library). I regard the dictionary as a great ‘teacher’. Sometimes, I wish to go downtown with my dictionary so that I can stop in the middle of a road and look for the meaning of words/phrases in advertisement, and others. Of course, I use a different technique: write down the words/phrases on my cell phone and study the meaning when I manage to home. Hmmm, sometimes, the words I see somewhere in the city or in the library ring in my mind while I am with my friends or in social gathering such as church. I remember asking what the meaning of a word was while friends were busy discussing some spiritual subject in the church. (I understand some have been laughing at me, or making fun of me because it looks weird to do so). Anyways, I don’t feel ashamed because of that. It is okay. I am simply an obsessed learner! Am I not?!

The other very important thing I do is attending to TV programs in Norwegian or with Norwegian subtitles. I have almost abandoned movies which are in English. What TV programs and contensts I watch? I do not care about the content of the program! The only criterion is that it is in ‘norsk’. I believe this also has impacted my ‘norsk’ very much. The first time I decided to follow TV program in ‘norsk’, I barely hear a word but as time goes on, it is going well. I can follow TV programs more freely now. I am happy!

Tips:

These ‘tips’ are just some important study techniques I use to capitalize on my ‘norsk’ course.

1. Root Word: Sometimes you only know one word and you manage to study lots of them. For example:

ARBEIDE- verb- work, labour, toil, function, operate

Once you manage to learn what the meaning of ARBEIDE is, it should be easier to study and remember the following words too:

Verbs

BEARBEIDE –verb- adapt, edit; cultivate; prepare; arrange

OMARBEIDE – verb- revise, re-write, re-edit, rearrange; adapt, alter

OPPARBEIDE –verb- work-up,build up, develop; acquire, obtain

MOTARBEIDe- verb- counteract, work against, oppose, fight

GJENNOMARBEIDE –verb- go through, work over, prepare through

FORARBEIDE – verb- process, prepare, work-up, manufacture

INNARBEIDE – verb- work-in, work-up, incorporate, establish

SAMARBEIDE – verb- work together, cooperate, collaborate

UTARBEIDE – verb- work out, prepare, compile

Nouns

GJESTEARBEIDER- en- guest worker, migrant worker

MEDARBEIDER- en- co-worker, fellow worker, associate, colleague

MARKARBEID – et- field work

HJELPEARBEID- et- refief work

GRUNNARBEID – et- ground work, foundation, basis

LAGARBEID – et- teamwork

HJEMMEARBEID- et- home work

Adjective

OVERARBEIDET- adjective- overworked

Another example may be:

FORGJENGELIG – adjective- Perishable

OMGJENGELIG – adjective- sociable

TILGJENGELIG – adjective- accessible

1. Long words: When you come across some seemingly ‘looooong’ words, do not get scared. Just try to look for the words which make up that ‘looooong’ word.

Examples:

BRANNSLUKKINGSAPPARAT (BRANN – SLUKKINGS – APPARAT) – fire extinguisher

HJELPEMIDDELSENTRAL (HJELPE – MIDDEL – SENTRAL) – technical aid center

1. 1. Knowledge and skill of english is really an advantage but not always. Look for example:

English Norsk

dog (likevel)however, though, yet,still

men but, however

due dove, pigeon

hell luck, fortune, success

bad bathroom, bath

love promise, vow, praise

not net (fishing net)

late pretend, seem, appear, express

god good

Miresa

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