Learning Persian, Arabic, and Turkish: Personal Experience

Introduction

• Discussing experiences with Persian, Arabic, and Turkish.
• Importance of the Middle Eastern languages.
• Motivation stemming from personal encounters and historical interests.

Language Background

• Started learning Greek in 2017/2018; conversed in Crete.
• Struggled with Hebrew due to time constraints.
• Desire to learn Arabic after visiting Jordan.
• Decided to learn Persian due to the Iranian community in Vancouver.
• Interest in Turkish for a broader understanding of the Middle East.

Challenges with Language Learning

Writing Systems

• Right to Left vs. Left to Right:
  • Major difficulty in Arabic and Persian due to unfamiliar writing systems.
  • Greek is easier as it resembles the Latin alphabet.
• Variety in Letters:
  • Different forms of letters in Arabic and Persian.

Mistakes Made

1. Learning Multiple Languages at Once:
   • Trying to learn three languages (Turkish, Persian, Arabic) proved too challenging.
   • Focused on Persian and Arabic after dropping Turkish.
2. Over-Reliance on Audio:
   • Relied too much on listening without sufficient reading practice.
   • Jumped to conclusions about word meanings without understanding letter formation.
3. Delay in Writing Practice:
   • Should have prioritized writing from the beginning.
   • Currently using online tools to practice writing on the computer.

Learning Strategies

• Dictation and Writing Practice:
  • Working to improve reading and writing skills through sentence editing in language apps.
  • Acknowledgment that writing by hand could be beneficial.
• Enjoyment in Learning:
  • Despite challenges, enjoyment has increased with writing practice.
  • Understanding of language structure has enhanced appreciation for learning.

Historical and Cultural Context

• Learning languages to better understand Middle Eastern history.
• The region's significance as a historical juncture between Africa, Asia, and Europe.
• Contributions of ancient civilizations (Sumer, Akkad, Persian Empire) to modern culture.
• Importance of monotheistic religions originating from the area.

Realistic Expectations in Language Learning

• Recognizing limitations in speaking and fluency without practice opportunities.
• Passive vocabulary growth without active speaking practice.
• Importance of enjoying the learning process over focusing solely on progress.
• Realizing that language learning is a gradual, often unnoticeable process.

Conclusion

• Reflection on the journey of learning Persian, Arabic, and Turkish.
• Encouragement to focus on enjoyment and realistic expectations in language acquisition.
• Acknowledgment of the videos created sharing personal experiences and insights.