Learning the language

Oknala


Joined: 29/05/2007
Posts: 60

Message Posted:
13/06/2007 22:42

You seem to be able to buy a DVD or CD to try and learn any language, except for the one in the TRNC. I am absolutely useless with languages, mainly because a) am tone deaf and b) not the brightest bunny. I have learnt some phrases, but they are rather pathetic. I can't read a language from a book, I have to do it by remembering and then spelling it exactly the way it sounds.



I do really want to speak the language, and when friends there have told me phrases, I feel it would be rude to say, hang on a minute while I write that down the way it sounds.



Is it possible we could start a thread on here for people like me (please don't say I am the only one....).



I want to know what is the correct thing to say when you are introduced to somebody for the first time etc "Hiya" is not what I have in mind.



OK, Gullie gullie (bye-bye??) for now.

Izzet



Joined: 01/12/2006
Posts: 920

Message Posted:
13/06/2007 22:53

Hi = Selam or Merhaba



Nice to meet you - Tanistigimiza memnun oldum



I dont know how to write the way you speak them though...

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
13/06/2007 23:26

Hi Oklana



I bought a CD and book called 'teach yourself beginner's Turkish'. You can hear the words and write down the words how you hear them if you so wish

Notsoboredhw


Joined: 15/03/2007
Posts: 1254

Message Posted:
13/06/2007 23:45

I went to our local library and got two Berlitz Learn Turkish tapes and my young kids picked it up better than I did!!! There seems to be lots of words just to say one thing and I think that was why I kept getting confused! I am determined though to be able to say the basics though - I think its only polite when some of the locals can speak English!

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
14/06/2007 11:02

I bought a PDQ Turkish book and 4 cds from Amazon - about £20. Instead of focusing on grammar etc, it takes you through a conversation between the two main characters, in different circumstances, taxis, hotels, restaurants, etc. Good luck - it's really not as easy as everyone keeps telling me though!!!!

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
14/06/2007 11:18

Yeah the language is quite challenging, but I think it is so important to speak some Turkish. I know in certain parts of Spain there is growing resentment and tension because the Brits have not learnt the language, and have created their own autonomous communities.

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
14/06/2007 12:39

I agree, it's only good manners to be able to at least say hello, how are you (and 2 EFES please, thank you!!!)

ilovecyprus


Joined: 08/05/2007
Posts: 2880

Message Posted:
14/06/2007 14:42

'bir efes, lutfen' has to be the first thing one learns in Turkish In fact make it a 'buyuk' one

cypriot


Joined: 17/04/2007
Posts: 35

Message Posted:
14/06/2007 14:46

heheheheh

good one ilovecyp

Oknala


Joined: 29/05/2007
Posts: 60

Message Posted:
15/06/2007 22:56

Thanks, will try again to find a Cd and book.



Izzet, not sure in your language if every letter is pronounced? In my native language every letter is, not as in the English, ie lamb is pronounced lam, there are no 'silent' letters in my mother tounge, wondered if it was the same in the trnc.

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
16/06/2007 11:16

Hi Oknala, mostly what you see is what you say, mostly ..... but it's not that simple! Can't explain on an english pc, but they have an 's' like in 'as', but also an 's' with a line underneath, like in 'bash' so, good evening is iyi aksamlar (akshamlar)! Make sense!!!!!

Oknala


Joined: 29/05/2007
Posts: 60

Message Posted:
17/06/2007 01:29

Oh, livethedream, I am going to have nightmares about learning the language now... Seriously, though, I will now be able to say accsamlar - that's how I would spell it in my language - we don't have a 'k' .

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
18/06/2007 20:15

Where are you from Oknala? I thought it was hard enough from English!!! Keep at it!!

livethedream


Joined: 12/04/2007
Posts: 455

Message Posted:
18/06/2007 21:08

Where are you from Oknala? I thought it was hard enough from English!!! Keep at it!!

B&BLondon


Joined: 31/01/2007
Posts: 64

Message Posted:
11/07/2007 01:14

We did a term of adult education classes at a local school last September for 13 weeks (one evening a week) and was very pleased with that. We can do the initial pleasantries, order food and drinks and discuss the weather (easier in TRNC because it is usually 'hot' or 'very hot')



It was funny when we bumped into a couple of fellow 'students' in Girne!



People are delighted to help you learn, so ask them to say it to you, write it down as you would phonetically and then keep practising!

helot



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 102

Message Posted:
11/07/2007 12:10

Originaly I tried learning Spanish using Linkword and found it realy easy,Thats when I was planning to retire to Spain , Now my plans have changed and I am moving to NC I checked to see if they did the same for learning Turkish and they do,here is an example:

TURKISH

SECTION 1

REMEMBER TO PICTURE EACH IMAGE IN YOUR MIND’S EYE

FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS

Food words

The Turkish for MILK is SÜT (SEWT)

Imagine you spill milk on your suit.

The Turkish for SUGAR is SEKER (SHEKEHR)

Imagine you shake her pocket and sugar falls out.

The Turkish for MEAT is ET (ET)

Imagine you ate meat.

The Turkish for BUTTER is TEREYAG (TEREHYAH)

Imagine a terrier wolfing down butter.

The Turkish for SALT is TUZ (TOOZ)

Imagine getting salt on your tooth.

The Turkish for JAM is RECEL (RECHEL)

Imagine Rachael, Jacob’s wife in the Bible, making jam.

The Turkish for BREAD is EKMEK (EKMEK)

Imagine an Irishman saying “Heck, Mick, pass me some bread.

The Turkish for WINE is SARAP (SHARAP)

Imagine your wine tastes sharp.



So I have attached the link to the site and good luck,I haven't started yet but I hope I will get some free time soon.



http://www.linkwordlanguages.com/survival-courses/turkish-sc01.htm

namus


Joined: 23/06/2007
Posts: 74

Message Posted:
11/07/2007 13:20

Best Book & CD set I found was 'Teach Yourself Turkish' (from the Teach Yourself range) by David Pollard and Asuman Celen Pollard.

Available from Amazon.



Excellent book but I would suggest attending classes as well because Turkish is so different to English in that tenses, negatives, subjects are all suffices added to the stem verb.