Hi Arnhild and all,
I don't think languaging is really a word but that's what I call it when
we use words in new and funny ways.
I used to spell very well because I read so much. But then I stared
learning French. I had been writing an important e-mail in French just
before I wrote the note about catnip yesterday and couldn't even
remember how to write coyote. The word doesn't sound like that at all.
Not that that helps any more because my French accent is terrible, too.
I have just lost all certainty about knowing how things are spelled and
it is always worse after I've been studying French.
I also have to force myself to overcome my embarrassment at not being
able to do something well in order to try to communicate in French. I
want it to be perfect and it may never be. I'm sure many of my notes
are awful. But then I get a note from a friend in France, written in
English, where the spelling and grammer is awful and I just admire them
for their effort.
I am working on a project, trying to convince one of their prestigious
institutions to work with me on short gardening classes for English
speaking people. I would like to tell you all that there will be a one
week class on espaliering apples this fall but it's going much slower
than that. Maybe in 2003. Arnhild, does your apple harvest finish
before France?
Oh yes, to languaging. My French friend keeps writing "curses" for the
word "courses" and I haven't corrected him. There are many school
children who feel they are synonymous, anyway.
Esther
