28 March 2007

Slightly Tough

The syllabus is becoming more and more heavy. German is getting more complicated as I learn more and more. The first two courses were really cake walk for me. Now with all the nominativ, akkusativ and dativ cases and their all combinations with der, die and das - that itself accounts for 9 different cases. The plural gives another 3 cases. Then each of these things with definite article, indefinite article and no-article gives altogether 36 cases. These 36 cases are without adding the 12 cases coming with genitiv.

And each and every adjective - what to add at the end of them. Knowing the meaning of each of them. At least 30 new words here.

New nouns - knowing their gender. Another crazy thing.

New verbs - all the 6 conjugations associated with each verb.

Altogether it's too complicated.

I always believed and still believe that I have pretty good a brain. All these 100+ cases coming together is slightly driving me crazy.

I still don't really have a clear idea about where to use dativ/akku/nominativ. That is the most difficult thing. All the above things I mentioned have very clear rules and has to get practiced. But this decision making depends on the way I think.

The way Germans think about a verb is not the same as a south Indian like me thinks. I am confident about the rules and 100+ cases I mentioned above. But this decision making about which case to use when... is going to be slightly difficult.

The major problem is that it's more based on rules than on logic/intuition.

No big deal, I'll do it well. Just a matter of time and practice.

This thing is anyway giving enough exercise to my brain muscles. :)

Tail Piece: If you ask some one why is something this way, most probably the explanation would be based on some rules. Here rules rule and intuition has a lesser role. What a pity!!

Signing off, Sands

PS: Finally, I've to agree that I started reading my German work books at home. :(

_

3 comments:

Sands | കരിങ്കല്ല് said...

I actually realize that I am having all this trouble because I am understanding quite a bit of it.

I have to just sit down for 1-2 hours and clear all things well.

sands.

Anonymous said...

it IS difficult and i am NOT discouraging u... but my mother was in germany for 25 years, in an environment where she was constantly talking/hearing german.. still her language is utter crap - mallu-accent and spagetti grammar.. (she won't admit it though ;)) i've even heard germans using wrong grammar, and sometimes it's just colloqiual.

and yes, it's all about feeling and intuition.. at some point u will just feel that snow is masculine, cup is feminine and house has a neutral gender.

don't rush; u will just screw it up and go mad. let it take it's own time to sink. and don't expect too much :D

-asha

Sands | കരിങ്കല്ല് said...

@asha

thanks da.. :)

i was trying to learn a "big" table of rules last night and got frustrated :) that's what came out as the post.

the second paragraph of your comment.. realizing that is the crux.

sands.