Studying languages is fun

[donnaimmaculata]

The fun thing about not being a native speaker of English is that I often learn perfectly ordinary vocabulary in the wrong context, namely through porn. Earning, as I do, my living through writing technical texts for English-language publications, I often have to use terminology such as "erections" (buildings), "lubrication" (machines) and "kinks" (mechanical parts). It's impossible not to connote them with filth. As I'm sure you all understand.

What's more, sometimes I'm not aware that a word I learn through porn (or porn-related discussions) has a perfectly ordinary meaning. Would you believe that I've only just recently learned what a "manhole" is? I've always thought it was a silly euphemism that is used for fun and giggles on account of being so silly.

And you've simply got to check out this finely pierced cock.

Comments

[maelwaedd.livejournal.com]

That's fabulous!

I've been wondering, though: how do you find, as a non-native speaker, reading porn? Do people ever throw in terms that you have absolutely no idea about, and that you can't exactly look up in a dictionary? I considered translating Russian fanfics (not to publish online or anything: just to help me along with the language while I was studying it) then realised that I couldn't exactly translate certain terms from the dictionary. In the end I gave up without trying--and, to be honest, my proficiency in the language wasn't anywhere near good enough to go about translating--but I am curious. :)

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Heh! Porn is easy! I suppose I used to come across terms that I didn't understand, but I don't anymore. Basically, the terminology in pornographic texts consists either of standard terms/phrases or euphemisms that are easy to guess. - I remember that I came across the sentence "do a little strumming, love" in some romantic novel many years ago and was convinced that "strumming" must be something really filthy. I carried that conviction for many years, and even today it still has a dirty sound to me. That's what I mean about learning vocabulary in the wrong context ;-)

Reading & understanding is easier than translating into a foreign language, anyway. I'm not suprised you gave up on the Russian translations. That must be dead difficult.

[maelwaedd.livejournal.com]

The grammar is fucking insane. The whole he/she/it business is far easier than when I was learning German, since their word endings are far more structured, but trying to account for fifty different word endings every time I opened my mouth was far too hard. Words that I know will suddenly make no sense when put into a slightly different context, and since the focus of my course was far more on grammar than on vocabulary reading anything was a nightmare.

Still, it's a brilliant language and maybe one day I'll actually learn it properly.