Yesterday you heard from Gill, today you can read Al’s post, Gill’s husband. Thank you, Al!
Part of my job is training tutors: I suggest they learn something new (as I do) regularly – to keep in touch with what it means to be a beginner.
Not having a natural bent for languages, Deutsch seemed a suitable challenge, inspired by a holiday in Austria with my wife Gill. It’s especially good learning together. Gill had a head start with her schoolgirl German; my only word before meeting Angelika was langsam…
Thinking I’d move on to something else after 18 months, five years later I’m still enjoying it!
What’s difficult is putting enough time in.
Another reason I’m keen: as a composer, much of what I wish to read is at least partially in German, especially with my near obsession with composer and teacher Arnold Schoenberg.
Whenever we go to Austria we try to speak nur auf Deutsch. The people there are very courteous and encouraging.
I sometimes work as a reviewer of music and music books. One unexpected use of my German came about when asked to review an Austrian book, which had two essential pages of instruction – in German. Angelika is inspirational in giving confidence to just have a go…so I set about translating, put my best efforts past her – and had done surprisingly well, enabling me to write an informative review.
My German studies do a lot for me: quality time with Gill; studying outside my work (sort of…); constantly learning something new; an added dimension to my work – and I really enjoy speaking when in Austria…Germany in 2013 too we hope.
Al
Thank you for your kind words, Al. I remember the book and your translation of it, that was good work. Now I’m looking forward to hear about your research next year about Arnold Schoenberg