Пртвет мои друзья! Извини мое отсутствие... на прошлой неделе я была очень занят. Я рада написать снова! Сегодня я хочу написать о перевод.
Translation is a great exercise when learning a language. In the beginning, you translate your new vocabulary to the equivalent in your native language. Eventually, it is useful to your learning to begin translating texts, short stories, poems, songs lyrics... anything and everything you can find. It is a great way to learn new vocabulary and get exposure to and practice with grammar. It is helpful to do it both ways - translating from the language you're learning into your native language and translating from your native language into your new one.
I use this exericse several times a week while I'm studying Russian. Like I said, it is very helpful.
But I think sometimes it can be a little bit of a hinderance.
It is a great learning technique, but what about when you try to put what you've learned into practice?
When I try to speak Russian with my friends, it would take far too long to try and translate what i want to tell them from English to Russian. And it would be nearly impossible for me to translate their (sometimes) rapid speech into English. This method just won't work for conversation.
But, in my early attempts at conversation, I tried it. And I failed pretty quickly. At the time, I decided it was because I didn't have enough vocabulary to really have a conversation - but that's not true. You can have a conversation with very few words, it may be very simple and only last for a minute, but it is possible.
I failed because I put too much stress on myself- too much pressure to understand what was being said to me exactly the way it was being said. If I couldn't translate one word, the entire conversation was a mystery to me.
Now it isn't so much of a worry.
Sure, there are constantly words and phrases I don't know. But, sometimes, I can catch the words I do recognize and understand the meaning. My brain knows the idea without translating, it fills in the blanks. I surprise myself every time some Russian comes out of my mouth without any thought, no matter how small the phrase. It is a step in the right direction!
Translation is important. Without it, your brain won't make the connections between words and ideas- but it has no place in conversations. There, it only acts as a stumbling block and a cause for frustration. Leave the translation for your study time. When it come time to use what you've learned, relax and do your best!
I'll see you all next week!
