Language Myths

The other day The Librarian ( my long-suffering wife) had to open up one of her places of work by herself due to staff shortages, so the dog and I went along as security. While I was noodling through the books I came upon a book called something like " Language Myths."

An excellent and thought-provoking read... covering lots of bases like ...are some languages intrinsically "harder" than others ?...... are some languages "primitive" in the pejorative sense ? ... do bilingual people benefit or lose by this ? etc.Are "loan-words" destroying languages ?

One section really struck me as especially interesting.

He is talking about language acquisition.
He points out that for more or less all languages, the young people have learned all the grammar of the spoken language by ,say, 5 or 6-ish.
Yes, that's ALL the grammar, whether we are talking about grammar-heavy languages like Polish, or so-called Grammar-lite languages like, say English or Swahili.

However.... they are very very far , at that age, from learning all the vocabulary. In fact, they go on learning new vocabulary throughout their lives.No native speaker of any language has ever learned the entire vocabulary..well, probably.

AND YET..... most language courses are heavily grammar-based.... this is his point.

It seems to me he means this as a criticism, but surely this is mimicking the child's development... grammar first with a smattering of vocabulary, then you can expand your vocabulary.

When you look at ,say, Spanish and French A-level text-books, there is very little new grammar in them... it's mostly about vocabulary acquisition ... by wide reading in lots of areas and in different registers.

There's loads of other interesting stuff in the book... well worth getting from your local library. I only had time to zap through a small slice of what is obviously a fascinating book.

You remember I was asking if there is any Spanish-language hip-hop or rap music which I might like, or more importantly which you might like. well, I've found " La Mala" [Mala Rodruigez] and this offering, Volvere... which seems "less bad" than most and might even be OK..



Lyric of Volveré of the song Mala Rodríguez ( from the lyrics site MusicstarX.net .. .thanks)

Artist: Mala Rodríguez
Album: Malamarismo (2007)
Títle: Volveré

Y en mis sueños juré…
Y en mis sueños juré…
Volveré a nacer…
Volveré a nacer…

No quiero soldados,
Quiero guerreros los he visto luchar.
Que me muera con un deo`
Hago lo que quiero.
Puedo: Desnúdate y vístete de cuero;
Hago que suene el sonajero.
Sin zapatos ni sombrero:
Os tengo muy vistos,
Yo voy y cojo lo quiero,
Derramando el tintero;
¡Volved a vuestros agujeros¡

El silencio os incomoda,
Ser gay está de moda,
Dime una postura nueva
Que ya me las conozco todas
La emperatriz te dá hora
Nunca es tarde pa` aprender:
Sí, cambiar es crecer
-Definitivamente-
El subconsciente sabe bien como cumplir
Déjamelo a mí
Que puedo con tó

No Soy Superman, soy la María,
Hago grandes días, sí
Ni por encima, ni por debajo
Trabajar cuesta mucho trabajo
En perfecta armonía
Dile a este bajo que le harías
Choca lo que crees que chocaría
No te preocupes, déjaselo a la sintonía
Hepatitis B en la casa
Definiendo el siglo pasa,
Estás en tu casa:
Se te va a pasar la vida limpiando el salón
Voy a pecar de saberlo tó`
Por mi sangre te juro que lo regalo
Alma de fado, yo no me enfado
Eleva tu espíritu creyendo en mí
Esto no se acaba aquí, yo:
Mójate en el aguacero, esto es pasajero
Como Como Empujamos
Como Como Selo
Agua espacándose metía entre los dedos
Tu no podrías hablar sin decir ni pero..

Consigue soñar sin ese gotero de suero
Yo soy el mundo entero
Las medicinas, el frutero
Mira que aquí ya no hay na mas que rascar
Mujeres y hombres sinceros
Empezó la batalla de los perros sin collar
Que no van detrás de ningún cebo. Volar por volar…

Yo soy el mundo entero (x4)