Learning language through the Good Book?
I saw mention in a language learning blog post about using a bilingual bible to help study English. To be honest, as a non-believer, this had never crossed my mind, but it makes a lot of sense. If you read content that is both important to you and familiar to you in your own language, mastering the translation should work pretty well. Provided the translation is done well, of course. I guess the main problem I can think of is that some of the vocabulary and phrasing might not exactly be what you will use in real life, but at the same time, meaningful content will stick better in your mind, and any language practice is a good thing!
On the flip side, if you are interested in other faiths, using a translation in your own language might be a good introduction to reading, say, the Koran (or Qur’an) in its original Arabic, or traditional texts in their original languages.
Have you tried reading the bible or other traditional material in a different language?
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Aaron G Myer said,
February 24, 2011 @ 10:39 am
I have read the Bible for most of my life. I now try to read one chapter of one of the four gospels every night in English and then wake up in the morning and read the same chapter in Turkish. The gospels seem to be the best to start with because they are narrative. Works great.
I also was a high school English teacher and taught such works as Of Mice and Men something like 9 semesters in a row. Reading it in Turkish was great because I know the story so well.
Wendy said,
February 25, 2011 @ 8:52 am
The reading one chapter the night before and then again in the morning is a great idea. It means you’re not directly translating but you clearly know what’s happening in the chapter.
I’d love to be able to read fiction in another language. I’ll just have to work harder!