This is one part of me that I do not understand. 

Of all the languages that I have attempted to grapple with - and believe me, there have been a few - why choose a primary language that is not connected with any of my family history? Or one that is connected to a culture that I find....weird at times?

Well, you know what they say, you never forget your first one. So I suppose it has to do with my schooling. 

Like many high school students, I had to take two semesters of a foreign language. And like many small high schools, the language choices were slim. In fact, there were only four - French, Spanish, German.....and I think Italian? 

Considering that high school me had little interest in the others (future me is ashamed of her), I picked French. I did enjoy my two semesters, even if the Powerglide software was the literal bane of my existence. Seriously, when they teach you one word in the lesson and throw in a completely another one in the exercises for the same thing, it's a recipe for disaster. 

But that course was memorable. For one thing, I learned how to pronounce Quebec correctly (my French teacher was a naturalized citizen from that particular province). And in that course, there was one thing that got hammered into me. And that is "thinking in the language". 

You see, langauge is not just vocabulary. Language is made up of concepts. Which is why language learning by immersion is generally more effective than the standard vocabulary approach. I mean, we learned English as babies by immersion first. We learn to "think" in English. Not only does this help us practice the language, but it helps with retention as well. 

Now, most people forget nearly all of their language once they leave school. Apparently mine was a weird case because some French stuck with me. I kept the French dictionary that I used for high school. And occasionally, I would dig up the immersion video series French in Action, which was an extra resource in high school that I enjoyed immensely. (in fact, I have just found it again, I link it HERE for my fellow French learners). 

Fast forward to 2019...and my brothers discovering Duolingo. Of course big sister had to get in on it. And guess which language I gravitated towards again? 

French. 

Except this time, I had a better reason for it. Not only for the previous French background, but I had an opportunity to use it...somewhat. 

You see, before the pandemic, our Bob Evan's restaurant would gets the occasional visitor (or tour bus) from Canada. Even though our menu is pretty simple to understand, there is the occasional clarification parley. Which is frustrating because I actually understand what they are saying a lot of the time but I am like a baby and can't speak back to them! 

Now granted, this link is even now tenuous. So why do I bother learning French? 

Maybe for when I actually make that pilgrimage to Chartres. Maybe for when I visit eastern Canada. Or maybe God intends me to have a French/Canadian husband. 

Or maybe I'm just going to keep it for the heck of it. It will be another one of my eccentrices. 

Well, this is a rambly post, I must say! What sort of eccentric thing have you picked up for the heck of it? If you are actively learning a language, what is it?  

Old-fashionably yours, 

Catherine