sun, sand and sense of humour

It seems to me that language learning can be a bit like walking along a beach on a sunny day. Let me explain. When you start out, you look around and enjoy the fresh air, the sound of the waves, the feel of the sand under your feet. In language learning there is lots to discover and it's all new and interesting. As your beach walk continues, you begin to realise that walking in sand is hard work … and it would be so much easier to walk on solid ground. In language learning it seems such an effort to say anything in the new language that it becomes tempting just to use your own (or even your second, in my case!).

Another image I like is that of learning to drive a car. At the beginning you feel there is far too much to think about at once, and you despair of ever managing to put it all together and not find it a struggle. But eventually, after practice and perseverance, it comes naturally, and you don't have to think about all the little things separately any more.

One thing I have enjoyed discovering lately is the sense of humour and irony in Monkolé. We were talking with Abraham about the expression “abaa”, which means “bonne arrivée” (as they say in Beninese French) or “bienvenu” (or in English "welcome"). He said that it can also be used in a figurative sense. For example, if someone states confidently that it is going to rain, when there is no obvious reason to think so, you can say to them “abaa”, ie. “oh, you've been up to talk to God and He's told you that? Well, welcome back!” In the same way, if someone is talking like an expert about how things are in the United States, when they've never been there, you can also say, “Abaa” (“welcome back from your travels!”). If they have taken it in good humour, they will give the conventional reply, "O-oh".

Talking of travels, we did go up to the North of Benin last weekend. More about that soon...

(PS I have just been reflecting on the fact that using internet here is a lot like walking through sand … or swimming through treacle … or drowning in quick-set cement!)

tooth-ee two

Extra note: It turns out that my dentist really likes to take her time. She didn't do the final filling last week. Instead she removed the temporary filling and the other filling already in that tooth, and cleaned out the hole thoroughly. Then she put in another temporary filling, to check how the tooth would react, and only did the final filling today, five days later. But she still hasn't polished it up – I have to go back in a week's time when she will inspect the filling to see if any of it has been worn smooth, which would show that it was too high, in which case she would take a bit off. Only then will she finish it off … and only then will I actually pay anything!

language study

I have been meaning to write a post about language study for a while now … and here it is at last!

We have been studying Monkolé for six weeks. For those who are interested, it is a tonal language, with three distinct tones – rising, falling and flat. These correspond approximately to the tones used in English on the word 'right' in the following examples. Firstly, when someone wants to check they've understood and says, “You're coming with us, right?”, then when someone answers such a question with “Right,” and then when someone is giving instructions and says “Turn right at the next traffic lights.” If I have chosen my examples well, a native English speaker should recognise that in the first the voice rises, in the second it drops, and in the third it remains in “neutral”. But in an English sentence it is rare that the intonation of a single word will affect the meaning of that word, it is usually what is implied by the sentence which changes. In Monkolé the tone of a single word, or even a single syllable, is extremely important, as it can mark the difference between “house” and “robber”, “sun” and “smell”, “yesterday” and “parent-in-law”! The context will usually reveal which it should be – so if we as language learners can't hear the difference we will probably be able to guess it – but if we don't use the right tones when we speak we will be understood but probably laughed at!

Tenses don't really exist in Monkolé. Aspect is marked instead, which is whether an action is completed, continuous, habitual or potential. Words like “yesterday” or “now” are used to indicate when the action takes place.

When Monkolé is written it uses the international phonetic alphabet, but since I'm not sure I can use it on blogger, and you may not know how to read it, I am going to write approximate spellings using English sounds. I'm not marking the tones because there are so many of them and I'm not sure how to get all the accents I'd need!

Verbs aren't conjugated, instead small words are used before and after the verb to show what or who is the subject and/or object of that verb. There are several small suffixes such as -i or -u which do attach to the verb to indicate relationships like possession. So “ilaalu” is the king, “ile” is house, and “ilei ilaalu” is the king's house. But of course, if your voice goes down instead of up on the “e” of “ile” then you are actually saying “the king's robber”!

Some nouns are composite nouns. So “akoh” means car, but “akoh nla” (literally “big car”) means lorry, “akoh laylay” (“sky car”) is a plane and “akoh-i inyi” (“car of the water”) is a boat. A train however, is “pee-pah” … say it out loud if you can't work out why that should be!

Our textbook is a series of lessons produced by the missionary who originally analysed and wrote down the language, and who later translated the New Testament with a team of Monkolé speakers. The lessons are based around dialogues, which we read, repeat, try to understand, pick out grammar points, practise and replace words … and often we go off on sidetracks which mean that we discover even more vocabulary and helpful expressions. We study 3 hours every weekday morning, which would be a lot if it were just intensive language study, but we also take the opportunity to ask Abraham questions about life in the village (more posts to come about things we've found out!).

After six weeks of lessons we can construct simple sentences about everyday life, and understand them … if Abraham repeats them several times and slowly! We have the complaint of every language learner – people speak so fast in real life!! But we do have a feeling of satisfaction when Abraham arrives in the morning and we can greet him in Monkolé and pass on snippets of our news from the day before.

We are aware that we are extremely blessed to have Abraham as a language helper. He is intelligent, patient and very honest. He has a good sense of humour too, which is appreciated on days when we are feeling tired and befuddled!

We continue to be very grateful for Rachel, who looks after the boys while we are in lessons. She too is very patient, and Simon thinks she is wonderful! Benjy always looks very happy to see her too.

tooth-ee or not tooth-ee

“Severe toothache and dental abscesses are surprisingly common in those living overseas. […] Severe or recurrent toothache is a common reason for having to cut short a visit or assignment.”

So states the new edition of the “Traveller's Good Health Guide” by Ted Lankester (published by Interhealth). I can well believe it, and we deliberately had dental check-ups shortly before we left the UK. On Monday, however, after a week of constant toothache I finally got up enough courage to ring a dentist. The guide also advises asking around to find a trusted dentist and this one came highly recommended by other missionaries here. Her house (where she also has her surgery) isn't your typical Beninese dwelling – the waiting room is in a tower and the ceiling you stare at as she examines your mouth is ornately carved wood! She is very small, very sure of herself and put me at ease at once. Unfortunately, she also told me I have a huge hole in one of my teeth and need a filling urgently. So she's temporarily filled the hole – I am already in a lot less pain! - and I'm going back this afternoon to have the proper filling done.

Although it isn't much fun having a filling, at least afterwards we will be less worried about needing dental work done out here. It is always reassuring to know where you can go and who will be looking after you!

a new typical day

Our life has changed quite a lot since I last wrote about a typical day for us, so I thought I would describe the day we had today.

7am Quite untypically, Benjy has slept through the night, so at 7 he is very hungry and glad of a feed. Then while I'm showering Marc prepares breakfast and the boys play.
7.45am Breakfast. Rachel, who looks after the boys during our language lessons, arrives at 8 as her dad drops her off on his way to work. When we've finished eating Marc has his shower, I do the washing up and Rachel takes the boys. Simon falls over on the verandah and splits his lip, so I go and comfort him.
9am Benjy is already having his first nap of the day, and Simon is outside with Rachel. Our language helper, Abraham, arrives and greets me in Monkolé: “Irei ì sũ?” I reply, “Alàáfìai. Irei ì sũ yá?” We spend the morning revising yesterday's lesson, asking questions which came up while we were working on our language notes yesterday evening, and learning vocabulary to do with various daily activities. Simon, and Benjy when he wakes up, play outside with Rachel and our neighbour's home help's three children. At one point we can hear them singing together.
12pm Abraham leaves and Rachel's dad comes to pick her up. He is a tailor (and a taxi-moto driver) and has just finished a pair of trousers for Marc. I get on with cooking.
12.45pm Lunchtime. We eat a kind of Spanish omelette I've invented, and fresh banana-and-pineapple purée for pudding. While we're eating, our home help Esther, arrives. She eats then gets on with the washing.
2pm Afternoon nap. Neither of the boys get off to sleep very fast. Simon sings in his bed for quite some time.
3pm I leave Marc in charge of the sleeping boys and cross the compound to our neighbours' house where the missionary prayer meeting is being held this afternoon. I'm the one leading it (for the first time!). There are 10 of us there, and I share a kind of “Thought for the Day” before we pray for international events, for local events and for each other.
4.30pm I return home and Marc has a quick trip into town for light bulbs and envelopes. I make some bread.
6.30pm We have a light meal (toast, salad, cheese and fruit) and then it's bath- and bedtime for the boys.
8pm I make homemade granola and unfortunately burn the second batch as I get engrossed in writing emails.
9pm I write a blog post (this one!) and wonder whether once I've finished and attempted to post it I will have the time and energy to do some Monkolé revision … and I know I ought to!!

PS Yes, I have had confirmation that I passed the driving test … as did everyone else who turned up for it! Thank you to all who encouraged me!