Ciao a tutti!
By Carol Brown
@blitzfrick (2890)
United States
March 2, 2016 3:14pm CST
March 2, 2016
In 1960, I was a junior in high school and enrolled in French class. Turns out it was the best foreign language class I was ever to have (so far). I went to college and took two years of Italian. It was taught in the usual manner, and I barely passed with a C.
Lately I've been brushing up on my Italian, using several different approaches. In this process I've discovered Giuseppe Patota who gives short lessons on all sorts of italian language aspects. Grammar, pronunciation, dialects, and more, through a site named De Agostini Scuola.
Patota's lessons are entirely in Italian. Believe it or not, I think I'm beginning to catch on. But still, I must study study study. It makes me wish I was back in high school, but in an immersion class of the Italian language.
French was the only foreign language offered other than Spanish and Latin. Ah well, the old brain is enjoying the, come si dice in italiano, exercise.
I kinda have a crush on this teacher.
Per vedere altre videolezioni sulla grammatica o sulla lingua italiana: http://webtv.loescher.it/ Per accedere a materiale didattico libero legato alla lingu...
7 people like this
6 responses
@LadyDuck (502657)
• Italy
3 Mar 16
Do not feel too stressed about punctuation and grammar, the important is to be able to speak and understand what people say. I studied French for 6 years, but I realized how little I knew when I moved to France. Living there, I finally can say that I can speak French.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502657)
• Italy
4 Mar 16
@blitzfrick I have listened to the video, Giuseppe Patota is surely from Naples, I can spot the accent. He is surely able to imitate southern Italian and Roman accent, I do not believe he can imitate our northern accent.
2 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
4 Mar 16
@LadyDuck I was wondering about his accent, not that I noticed one, but everyone seems to have an accent of some kind. When I was in Greece, many of the people who spoke English to me had a British accent. I'm sure by the time I start actually putting spoken sentences together my American (and Texan) accent will shine through, lol.
I like the sound of his voice, and the way he uses gestures and inflection to breathe life into such dry subjects as grammar, punctuation, etc.
By the way, tonight I've been listening to Lucio Dalla. Have you heard of him? I'd never heard him (or heard of him) before. My horizons are expanding. I like it.
2 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Mar 16
I'm not overly concerned about grammar and punctuation but I like to listen to this teacher because he covers a subject matter that is parallel to my English-language interests. This helps me follow the lecture and pick up italian words and phrases as I listen.
Also, I like his style and his pleasant voice. He actually has one short lecture on the differences of Roman and southern Italian dialects. He says not to be too concerned about it, but it is interesting to me anyway.
When I start stressing about my inabilities to get along in Italian (or French or Spanish) I think of my Latino neighbors who barely speak English. I don't judge them, I admire their efforts and see that they do manage to communicate, even haltingly. I would be the same (if I improve) in Italy (or France, etc.).
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
7 Mar 16
Thanks for this post. I was in Tuscany for about a week ten or so years ago and would love to see it and more of Italy again. I bought cassette tapes back then, but did not make much progress with the language. I will check out that website.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
7 Mar 16
@JamesHxstatic What a good report! Another friend of mine went to Terni for a week or two at La Romita School of Art and just raved about it.
Terni is in Umbria which borders Tuscany. Her group was led by Benno Philippson, who at the time was taking a group every other year. I'm not sure if he's still doing this.
I wanted to go, but ditched out before the deadline to enroll. I can't remember what my issue was, either funds or health.
Did you bring any photos or stories you could share with us here at MyLot?
Here's a link to La Romita:
For almost 50 years La Romita has been hosting art workshops in Italy for artists of all experience levels. Enroll in a workshop today for a singular experience!
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Mar 16
I don't want to give away the farm in the first sentence. Unless I'm reporting hard news. Then the 5Ws and the H are to be crammed into the first paragraph, if possible, or so I learned in college. But no hard news in this little story! I'm glad you read it all the way through. 
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Mar 16
@blitzfrick There would be no point in partially reading a discussion, although I expect that some people may do.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Mar 16
@Asylum That's a good point. I expect no less from you, in any event, lol.
1 person likes this
@Beatburn (4286)
• Philippines
7 Mar 16
@blitzfrick How many languages can you speak fluently?
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
7 Mar 16
@Beatburn Sadly, only one, my native language American English. After the French class in 1960, I could make my way in French, but not anymore. 
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
4 Mar 16
I just hope to get fluent enough to make my way. I think it would be wonderful to be really fluent in a language not my native tongue. I think it will open many new worlds of experience for me. We shall see.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
4 Mar 16
I failed terribly in school with languages, I never had the desire other than the credit on my degree. I managed to pass but not learn.
1 person likes this
