I’m very, very late on posting this, I know. But, I have kept track of what I’ve done and I have still been studying my next language—Welsh. I even eventually got around to posting my Nahuatl video on Instagram (keep reading and you’ll see how unimpressive it is)!
Okay, first things first, I am going to be doing a bit of catching up over the next few days. Due to this whole… everything that’s been happening, I’ve come back home and set up working here, which has taken a little bit of adjustment. I’m also taking part in LangJam this weekend, so expect a post about that.
But, anyway! Back to Nahuatl.
I really enjoyed learning a little of this language. It’s unlike pretty much any other language I’ve learnt and I liked getting the hang of the whole prefix/suffix system. Finding the Transparent Language course ended up being very useful for that—I don’t think it’s particularly conversational but the sheer number of activities help drill patterns into your head without it feeling like a whole ton of work.
My video ended up being filmed a few days after I finished with the language though, and it’s amazing how quickly your (or my, at least) knowledge drops off! I managed to speak a bit about myself, but did remember the numbers 1-10!
(Looking a mess in my workout clothes lmao!)
https://www.instagram.com/p/B94lCRLnRLf/
What did I get done?
Not gonna lie, I can’t remember exactly! I got to the sixth lesson of the Nahuatlahtolli course and through the first unit of the Transparent Language lessons.
I also spent a fair amount of time on Memrise, as this was about the only app I could use.
I was surprised I didn’t really end up using any resources teaching Nahuatl from Spanish during the 18 days—but then, when I think about it now, I’m not. The resources I had were enough to cover the zero to beginner’s level I was at, so I didn’t need to go hunting for more. If anything, this year-long experiment is teaching me to start all my new languages with wayyyyyy fewer resources than I think I’ll need.
How do I feel about this language?
I really enjoyed it! It was nice to try a language from a new family—I don’t do that as much anymore—and have to learn new grammar rules early on. It’s unlikely to be one I end up picking up to do more in-depth in the future (though not impossible, you never know!) but I’m glad I’ve given it a try.
What about those stats?
I studied Nahuatl for 568 minutes (9.47 hours) over those 18 days, averaging out to approximately 32 minutes (0.53 hours) per day. Got to try and get those numbers up again with a language at some point, but hey, at least I’m hitting my minimum target!
According to Memrise, I learnt 169 words; though the actual number was likely a little higher, since neither of the Memrise courses I used corresponded to the study materials I had access to.
Looks like 150-200 words is about my 18-day limit!
There’s a breakdown of my study time. I did spend the most time on Memrise, but the combined time I had using the Nahuatlahtolli course and the Transparent Language lessons was higher—so, that’s good news! I studied! Yay!
What’s next?
Well, I’ve already started Welsh, so I’ll come back with the intro on that tomorrow and then the (only) progress report that’ll be coming the day after that. I finish with it on the 30th so I’ve cut it really close. 😬
So, see you all soon!