Growing up I absorbed information. I loved to learn, still do, but my capacity to retain my teachings is now lacking the vigour of my younger years. I can remember vividly some classes from my early teens yet can not recall what I wore last Tuesday. I guess that age and motherhood are the reasons why I am no longer the geek that I was but I am sure that being easily distracted doesn't help ha ha.
Anyway, language... I studied French for five years and German for three but can speak and read very little. But when I was eleven and due to move from Junior School to High School we got to spend two days at the high school to see what we thought. We got to take part in lessons and have lunch in the cafeteria... it was amazing. I felt so grown up and eager to get there.
Now one of the lessons was French with Mr Smith. He taught us a song in French. Head, shoulders, knees and toes... know it? I can remember every word...
Tête et épaules, genoux, et orteils, genoux et orteils.
Tête et épaules, genoux et orteils, genoux et orteils.
Yeux et oreilles et bouche et nez.
Tête et épaules, genoux et orteils, genoux et orteils.
Five years of french and I can ask for a chocolate ice cream and tell you that I have blue eyes.
But one day, when I was at my learning best, and I can remember a whole song. And twenty years down the line still sing it perfectly.
Okay... maybe not perfectly in tune... :) xx
I did the same thing with Spanish! We had to listen to popular songs in Spanish and one of Jon Secada's songs, "If you go", stuck in my head. I can remember the entire chorus and some of the lyrics of the second verse. My Spanish speaking husband was amazed when I culled that little gem from memory. :-)
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Awesome. I wish I'd taken five years of French! I learned what little I know in only two semesters. They were fun but I didn't retain much!
ReplyDeleteI still know part of a song from my sophomore year of high school in Spanish. De Colores. It about the colors in spring, I think.
ReplyDeleteI had to learn a foreign language in College, and took German because I thought I would be using it later on in my career as a Musicologist. Unfortunately, they taught conversational German, not reading German which is what I felt I should grasp. All the same, I am not a Musicologist so it really doesn't matter.
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