Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Etwas Gedachtnis...

Sorry for the lack of updates, but due to the nature of the stuff I've been reading, I've been unable to post screenshots. Or I've just been too immersed into the world of German that I no longer get those epiphany like revelations from learning a new word. I do still learn new words, but because the majority of what I read is stuff I've already seen before, it's hard to keep doing it. The only thing left is to practice hearing and speaking it. And maybe writing it.

This has been a long journey into the world of the German language, and it will continue so long as I can get my hands on things written or spoken in German. Along the way, I have originally consulted materials in German that I am already familiar with in English, and when I found them too easy, I consulted new materials in German that I hadn't already seen in English (or only partially). And now I do songs and movies as well, but it seems ultimately that my ability to read is the strongest.
Here's a partially completed list of games I've completed for the sake of learning German:





Game

Completion

Languages
Harveys Neue AugenCompleteGerman
Edna Bricht AusCompleteGerman
A New BeginningCompleteGerman
TerranigmaCompleteEnglish, German

The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
CompleteEnglish, German

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
CompleteEnglish, German
The Legend of Zelda: The Oracle of Ages (and The Oracle of Seasons)CompleteEnglish, German
The Legend of Zelda: Minish CapCompleteEnglish, German

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
CompleteEnglish, German

Phoenix Wright: Justice for All
CompleteEnglish, German
Phoenix Wright: Trials and TribulationsCompleteEnglish, German
Crono Trigger (fan translation)CompleteEnglish (official translation), German (fan translation)
SaGa Frontier IIEnglish Complete, German Incomplete ~65%English, German
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's MaskCompleteGerman

Apollo Justice
CompleteGerman

The Legend of Dragoon
CompleteEnglish 5%, German

Okami
CompleteEnglish, German

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
CompleteEnglish 80%, German

The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker
CompleteGerman

Ghost Trick
CompleteGerman

Professor Layton and the Curious Village
CompleteEnglish, German

Professor Layton und die Schatulle der Pandora
CompleteGerman

Professor Layton und die Verlorene Zukunft
CompleteGerman

The Whispered World
CompleteGerman

Riven
CompleteEnglish, German

Myst IV: Revelation
CompleteEnglish, German

Discworld II
CompleteGerman

Discworld
CompleteVoices in English, subtitles in German

Hotel Dusk: Room 215
CompleteGerman

Last Window: Das Geheimnis von Cape West
CompleteGerman

Baphomets Fluch
CompleteEnglish, German

Baphomets Fluch II: Der Spiegel der Finsternis
CompleteGerman

Illusion of Time
CompleteEnglish, German

Lufia 2
English Complete, German Incomplete 50%English, German

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Incomplete 80%German

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Incomplete 70%German

Final Fantasy VII
CompleteEnglish, German

Final Fantasy VI
CompleteEnglish, German

Final Fantasy IV
CompleteEnglish, German

Final Fantasy IX
English Incomplete 70%, German Incomplete 75%English, German

So I think at this point, I can read typical things written in High German, and maybe a little Low German, but nothing particularly technical, legal or highly academic, and I can't yet skim texts particularly well, but the words come to me easily when I see them. I can also read Old German scripts, and have been able to read some archaic texts like BrĂ¼ders Grimm and a play about Ephigenie by Goethe. I can also hear some German, provided it's not too fast or too Low German. I can also write it, but I fear my grammar is worse, not because I don't understand it, but because I can't seem to remember the genders of the words, or I haven't discovered what they are, and sometimes, I am unaware of the idiomatic usage of some sentences. I do not know how well I speak it; I guess I can speak what I can write or read, and have been trying to get some practice by joining meet-ups. According to a few native speakers, they think I've been to Germany (I haven't), and that I speak it well enough (I beg to differ...), but sound somewhat regal/archaic. But they say it has some sort of charm, apparently.

There's only one other thing I could do to get better at those other three areas--go to Germany itself. I think I might be able to do that soon if I can secure a co-op position there.

And even if I've never been to Germany, this process of deducing and inducing words from a game, movie or book has been highly entertaining--and with each new word and new grammar construction, a new dimension is being formed. It's as if an entire new world has opened itself up to me for my enjoyment and adventure, and I can't let go of it.