#but everything from the pronunciation to the vocabulary is so interesting

[thenameswinterfics]

CAOINEADH

Fandom: The Last Kingdom Pairing: Sihtric Kjartansson x Banshee!Reader Settings: Season 2, brief mention of moments from S3 to SKMD Summary: While wandering outside Dunholm with his mother, Sihtric is visited by a creature whose presence brings terrible news to his family. Years later, the Banshee returns to the mortal lands and Sihtric, now grown up and in the service of Uhtred, faces the consequences of a bad omen. But the tragedy also brings them closer together. Word Count: 5,2 K Warnings: Angst, mention of blood, mention of death, mention of main character death(s), human/monster romance, hopeful ending? , me writing Finan's Irish accent. A/N: After a long time, I'm back to writing for my favourite Dane rat boy. I'd somehow forgotten how much I loved and enjoyed writing for him, especially after a period of putting him aside for a while. This feels like I'm republishing a fic of his for the very first time, so I'm terribly nervous. I hope you like and enjoy it. If you find the ending a bit rushed, I'm sorry. I finished it while it was late at night in my timezone, and everything will be fixed eventually when I'm awake and more aware of my actions. Many thanks to @foxyanon , @legitalicat and @zaldritzosrose for helping me with the Banshee lore, for writing Finan's accent, for the emotional support, for the beta reading and last minute corrections, and to @sylasthegrim for the early beta reading and emotional support as well.

This fic is my entry and first submission to the Fan-Frankentober event, organized by @fandomeventcenter. Here the masterlist to take a look at the other works.

ENGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LANGUAGE. I APOLOGISE IN ADVANCE FOR MY GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY MISTAKES.

Header by me (template by @zaldritzosrose) Dividers by me and @zaldritzosrose

READ IT ON AO3 (COMING SOON)

Caoineadh: Irish and Scottish Gaelic pronunciation of "keening" (to cry, to weep); traditional form of the vocal lament for the dead in the Gaelic tradition.

By the time Sihtric stopped running, he had no more memory of the place he was in.

His hands, clenched into small fists, rubbed his tired eyes as he tried to scan the surroundings, looking for any detail that might help him orientate himself in the unknown space. He could not recognize the long tree trunks rising from the ground, their dry branches seeming to touch the twilight sky as he watched the sun's rays filter through the few remaining canopies. 

The place was eerily quiet, the sound of the wind blowing and moving the branches and leaves on the ground the only sound to break the surreal yet disturbing atmosphere. He felt a shiver run down his spine and the little Dane suddenly hugged his shoulder, as if to hide his head between them like a turtle. 

It was one of the few times he and his mother had left the strong walls of Dunholm together, Sihtric enjoying the fresh air of the forest while Elflaed was busy gathering flowers and herbs that he had little interest in. Sometimes his curiosity would get the better of him, his big, mismatched eyes fixed on Elflaed's wooden basket and how many herbs she had managed to gather. When his mother felt his eyes on her, she would patiently stop picking and crouch down beside him, patiently explaining what she was doing as she wrapped his small body around her, only to see her son wriggle out of her embrace soon after and play with small sticks nearby. 

Sihtric was usually a quiet and obedient child: when his mother asked him to stay close to her, he obeyed without a fuss. That day, however, something caught his attention, a heartbreaking wail that filled his ears and shook his heart: it was a gentle but sad song that carried pain and sorrow, hiding a sense of concern and care towards to whom it was addressed. Armed only with a small stick and with curiosity teasing him, Sihtric dared to disobey his mother for the first time, and entered into the woods while leaving his mother behind.

And there he was, lost in an unfamiliar place, with nothing to defend himself but a small stick. He was too young to call himself a warrior, barely able to hold a knife, let alone wield a sword that was too heavy for his tiny hands and a shield properly. Hiding and fleeing was the only option he could take in case of real danger, for he had spent his whole life hiding from the wrath of his cruel father; but the surroundings would make the task impossible, as the tall and twisted trees casted long shadows, and the undergrowth cracked with every step he could take.

Suddenly, the silence of the forest was broken by the same sorrowful chant that dragged him in the deep of the woods. Holding his wooden stick in his hands, Sihtric moved carefully in the direction of the voice, trying not to make noise while the ground cracked beneath his feet. 

The walk was short, and he found himself in front of a small lake he had never seen before. Squatting on the bank was a young lady in a blue gown, her black hair cascading down her shoulders like pitch-black watercourses, giving the little boy her back as she continued to sing her lament. Sihtric could hardly understand what she was doing, her head almost hidden beneath her shoulders, her hands working frantically to move the water in small ripples.

Holding his breath and trying to be as quiet as a mouse, Sihtric crept up behind her, lifting his small head and trying to find the right angle where he could see what she was doing underwater. His heart pounded furiously in his chest, fear and anticipation creeping into his bones as he felt the keening close to him, the chanting drawing him in even if he couldn't understand it. But as he crept closer, something beneath his boots cracked softly, and the sound was enough to make the lady turn and show her face to the boy.

It was the first time he met you. 

Sihtric watched with frightened eyes as your icy blue gaze locked on his and a low hiss escaped your mouth, your pale complexion adorned by scarlet tears rolling down your eyes. Behind you, piles of clothes lay scattered on the grass, others dripping in the water that had lost its transparency and had become muddy with blood. 

The little Dane found the strength to stand up and try to run away, but he soon fell, tripping over a stone behind him. Your ghostly presence, now calmed down after the initial fright, lightly approached him and crouched down. One of your slender hands rested on his cheek, your touch as cold as the death itself. But the words that came out from your lips were way colder, breaking the silence with your voice as soft as the silk but sharp as a piece of glass. 

“She cannot escape to the Other World.”

“She?” “Escape from what?” “What is the Other World she is talking about?” These were the words that filled the boy's mind, filled with nothing but fear and the coldness of your touch. But soon Sihtric's tiny body was enveloped in a familiar warmth, and two arms lifted him from the floor. It was only when warm, trembling lips were pressed to his forehead that he recognised the touch of his mother, who had searched for him after losing sight of him.

“Sihtric!” Elflaed cried while holding her son close to her. “Why were you here all alone? I told you never to leave my side, never! Oh, my sweet boy!” 

The young Dane watched as he silently pointed to the spot where you appeared before him, but a cold realisation hit him as you were no longer there, gone like ashes in the wind.

Sihtric did not answer, too lost in his mother's warmth and love, and the bad omen you gave him still shook him to the core. He clung to her presence, and each time your words echoed in his mind, he sought comfort in his mother's presence, even when they left the forest and the warmth of her small hut welcomed them.

But a few days later, the opening of the Other World shook nature and its creatures. And his mother's soul was claimed after a long agony.

Standing outside Eoferwic, you looked up at the walls that surrounded the town, admiring the mix of Roman, Danish and Saxon architecture that was unfamiliar to you: you were there when the Romans laid the foundation stone on the ground, and the same souls were the first you guided to the Other World, announcing the sad event in the form of a manifestation to the families you watched over. 

And you were called to do your duty again: to find the same boy you met years ago, to tell him that more of his family's souls will be claimed in the days to come. They will not be gentle and innocent like those of his mother and grandparents you guided through the other world: they were violent, reckless, stained with blood’s innocents and sins far from forgotten. But it was up to the god or gods to decide where their souls would go in the afterlife. 

Your pale eyes scanned the area, and when you found a small stream where you could wash the dirty clothes you were carrying, you walked over and dipped your hands into the cold water. You watched as your fingers swirled around the cloth and the water lost its translucency, a faint reddish tinge staining it.

The night was still, and a gentle breeze rustled the trees, lightly caressing your raven locks. You continued to scrub the clothes in the water as your wailing began, your lament filling the air and mingling with the sound of the rushing water as your eyes watered and scarlet tears rolled down your white face. 

As on that night, something soft cracked on the ground and your wailing stopped. You lifted yourself from the ground and turned towards the sound, and soon found yourself crouched beside a young man, probably trying to sneak up on you without attracting attention. 

He was a handsome man, the most beautiful your eternal eyes could ever have seen; his features sharp, his fair skin adorned with a few scars on his forehead, eyebrow and cheekbone, a knotted tattoo crossing part of his head, his dark hair cut at the sides and combed into three plaits and knotted at the back. These were features that were strangely familiar to you, your mind trying to remember when was the last time you saw him. 

But it was his eyes that captured you the most. There was pain, melancholy and innocence in them - the same light you had found in the bicoloured eyes of the little Danish boy you had reached outside Dunholm. You felt a sudden flicker of recognition, your eyes widening slightly as you recognised that lost and frightened boy in the man he had become. The years had moulded him into a skilled warrior, but the softness of his eyes remained unchanged, you noted. 

You chose a cautious approach, slowly closing the distance between you. You noticed his body trembling and his jaw clenching, his muscles not moving from where he was: it was still unclear to you whether he wasn't moving out of fear or anticipation.

“It has been a long time, sweet boy,” you broke the silence, using the same nickname you had heard his mother call him. Sihtric stood frozen, partly enchanted by your ethereal appearance and your voice, as melodious as the birdsong at sunrise.  

His eyebrows furrowed and his expression changed from alienation to curiosity: your figure was too familiar to him, but he could not remember where he had first met you.

 “Do… Do I know you, lady?” the Dane asked, holding his breath as the silent nod of your head answered his question. 

You took a long pause before answering him, "You do, in a way," you said in a soft voice that carried the weight of your grief. You took a step closer, noticing that the Dane was shifting his incongruous gaze slightly away from you, "But I have known you since you were a little boy playing spy in the deep forest.”

One of your hands reached out and rested on his cheek, the cold touch awakening something in Sihtric that he thought he had buried deep in his heart. He remembered your figure knelt near the lake shore, your icy blue gaze that penetrated deep into his soul, the cryptic prophecy you had given him but he was too young to understand.And then he remembers the mother he lost, and how it was one of the last nights they wandered the Dunholm woods together, and how after her death the Dane desperately tried to find you to explain, but you never showed again.

Instinctively, one of his calloused hands reached for yours, shivering at the cold of your pale skin. But he never pulled you away: instead, he leaned against you, finding the softness of your touch endearing.

“I remember your touch,” he murmured shyly, lowering his gaze as it briefly met yours, fascinated by your pale eyes, “It was you, all this time,” he continued, earning your satisfied hum.

“It is your family that forged our bond,” you announced with a solemn tone, absently doing circles on his skin with your thumb, “It was your mother’s souls that bound you to me.”

The mention of his mother made Sihtric snap back to reality, and pain filled again his mismatched eyes, “My mother’s soul?” he repeated in a whisper, a slight trembling could be heard in his voice, “What did you do to her? Why didn’t you save her?” 

His voice broke down when he asked his final question, and the red tears rolled down your cheeks furiously “Why did you take her away from me?” 

“It is not me who willingly chose to wrestle your mother from your arms,” you murmured softly, your other hand resting on his other cheek, cupping his face completely. Your thumbs gently wiped away his tears, and you could hear him draw in a sharp breath. Under the moonlight, you could see a faint blush in his cheeks.

“It is fate that foretells a mortal's permanence in this world and how their entry into the Other World will come about,” you explained carefully, as if you were talking with a child. “It is my duty to show myself to you and to guide you through the painful parts of death. Your pain is my own burning.” 

An uncomfortable silence fell over you, the weight of your words making it almost impossible for you both to speak. Finally, you summoned the courage to speak again, and your next words sent shivers down his spine. 

“The Other World is shaking, more souls from your family should be claimed,” You solemnly stated, and your words brought a sense of uneasiness and confusion in Sihtric. 

“Lady,” The Dane lowered his gaze, his cheeks burning at the sight of you, his body trembling at the surreality of the information he was receiving that night, “I have no family left outside my mother and my grandparents,”

You chuckled softly and shook your head, amused at his naivety, "Even if they neglect you, there are still ties of blood that fate will sever."

Sihtric clenched his jaw, his gaze darkening at the memory of a father who neglected you and looked at you with disgust only because he was guilty of being born a bastard, and of his half-brother who always looked at him with the same disgust for their father. The news of their imminent deaths brought him an unexpected sense of peace, and the chains of his tortured past will be broken forever: but he would fear how their deaths would affect him, when the damage they had done was far from repaired, and the memories of his past would knock furiously at his door, reminding him that no matter how hard he worked to forge his own path, he would forever be marked as a slave.

The Dane was about to open his mouth to reply to your words when a loud, rough voice called him out from a distance. 

“Sihtric! Come back here, yer little runt!” Finan’s voice brought him back to reality, forcing the Dane to shift his gaze and look at him. 

“I am coming, Finan!” Sihtric replied to him as quickly as he could, so that he could face you and ask you about the fate of Kjartan and Sven in death.

But when he turned his eyes again, you were gone. And a sudden emptiness filled his heart and saddened his soul.

Later in the evening, the atmosphere within the walls of Eoferwich was playful and joyful. Warriors gathered around small tables outside, filling their stomachs with food and ale while telling stories of women, successful raids, or simply myths and legends from their homelands. 

Sihtric's mind was elsewhere that night. It was common for the warriors who shared a seat at his table to see the young Dane so shy and taciturn, a pattern they justified from his earlier days as a slave in Dunholm, his eyes darting around while his body tensed at the proximity of the too many people in front of him.

But this time it wasn't the echo of his past that tormented him: it was you, your stunning, ghostly presence and melodious voice had bewitched him and altered all his senses. It was as if he was seeing you for the first time, for he had seen you when he was a little boy, unaware that his world was about to collapse upon him and that he would have to rebuild it all by himself. Now that he was a young man and more aware of his own feelings and the world around him, it felt like a string pulling him towards you, longing for your touch and the way you spoke of destiny and its inexorable flow. And the mystery surrounding your figure made you even more desirable in his eyes, and he often wondered if he was facing a goddess herself.

Sihtric's thoughts about your figure were suddenly interrupted by Finan's speeches about his homeland, Ireland, its customs and its most famous legends. One in particular caught the Dane's attention, and he shifted his gaze from his reflection in the mug to the Irishman.

“I told yer tha these creatures ain’t nothin’ but an omen of death!” Finan spoke with such emphasis, looking at Clapa and the few men at the table listening to him. When he felt Sihtric's gaze resting on him, he continued his story. “Legends say they’ll appear in front of yer, sometimes washing bloodied clothes, and they’ll cryin’ and wailin’ somethin’ terrible tha will hit ya family.”

Sihtric listened intently to Finan's words and felt his hand tremble as he gripped his mug of ale. He felt all the dots connect at once, especially when he saw you washing dirty clothes and singing a mournful chant, your wailing so tearful that it filled the listener's heart with sadness. He also remembered facing you twice and seeing the tears of blood leave your eyes. 

There were no creatures like you in the Norse legends and beliefs, and Sihtric wondered how a creature from a different faith could become the spirit guardian of his family.

“I found a beautiful lady washing a pile of clothes not so far from here,” The Dane murmured against his will and soon the animated atmosphere died down and he shrugged as he felt all eyes on him. His mismatched eyes found the Irishman's brown ones and with a slight nod he silently ordered him to continue.

“She was singing something,” Sihtric continued, his voice faltering slightly as he could feel the intensities of their gaze on him, “It was a lament, something so heartbreaking that it chills the blood in your veins.”

His gaze rested on Finan while he spoke his last words, “She brushed my skin and was cold at the touch. And then she was looking at me with her pale eyes, crying blood-“

“Cryin’ blood, yer said?” the Irishman asked in an urgent tone, and Sihtric nodded his head. Then he reached for the Dane's shoulder and squeezed, but not too hard: Finan knew what the wrong touch could do to a former slave, especially one as young as Sihtric.

“That woman you claimed to have seen before… Did ya know what a Banshee is?” Finan asked Sihtric, and received a shake of head as an answer. The Irishman sighed quietly, and leaned his face close to the Dane. 

“Tha’s the spirit I was talkin’ about before. They’re bound at yer family and they’ll come wailin’ and cryin’ blood while announcin’ the death of yer loved ones. She can be either a gorgeous woman or a vindictive old witch. Tha’s someone ain’t to be trifled with, remember this.”

Sihtric gulped at Finan's description of the Banshee, which was nothing like what you really were. You were so gentle with him, taking care of his pain and not putting the burden of grief on his shoulders. How could such a sweet creature as you be the dangerous spirit that Finan described earlier?

“She treated me with nothing but kindness, Finan,” the Dane replied almost innocently, and the Irishman grinned at his words. 

“Then ya were a lucky bastard!” he retorted in an ironic tone, gently slapping Sihtric’s cheek and returning to his seat. 

The conversations continued with more stories of the Banshees and Irish legends until Uhtred broke the mood by calling for Sihtric, who obediently rose and reached for his Lord. And after preparing the final strategies of war, everyone fell asleep, thinking of the battle they would face at Dunholm and how you would draw the veil of death over their heads.

After a day of celebration, Sihtric found an opportunity to sneak out of Dunholm fortress through the small door in the east wall used by the servants. He followed the small watercourse that flowed into the forest entrance and, armed with his sword and dagger, he walked into the heart of the forest, his movements light as a feather to avoid any upcoming dangers.

Once again, the prophecy you told him about your family proved true, and on the day of the battle both Kjartan and Sven were killed, their souls taken by you and sent to the afterlife. While the event lifted a great weight from Sihtric's shoulders, free at last to forge his own destiny without the cruel shadow of his father tormenting him, he wondered if you knew the difference between your afterlife and his, and if his father's soul did not rest beside Elflaed's. The image of Kjartan distressing his mother even in the afterlife made his heart skip a few beats: he would rather accept slavery under the cruel Lord of Dunholm than see his mother tormented in heaven, having found the peace she never had in life.

Finding you would be the only way for him to be reassured and to have the answers he wanted. But finding you would also mean surrendering to your cold touch, losing himself in your lifeless eyes that stirred emotions he could not believe he was feeling. Finan had warned him to be wary of spirits like you, but you were nothing more than a comforting presence at his side, a guardian who would watch over him even if he could not feel you.

Fortunately, Sihtric found the little spot where he had found the two of you the first time, remembering the details of the foliage and surrounding vegetation. And there you were, sitting near the shore, gazing out at the shimmering water, your presence quiet and not filled with your lamentations. When you appeared, Sihtric noticed how your pale face was cleared by your scarlet tears and held his breath at how even more beautiful you were without crying, the pale rays of the moon caressing your skin.

"You came," you said with a gentle smile as you stood up and approached him.

"I thought I would find you here, lady," Sihtric replied sheepishly, his cheeks turning red as he saw you closing the distance between us. He swore he had never seen such a beautiful creature as you. 

"I realised I never asked what your name was," the Dane continued, but you cut him off with a shake of your head. 

“Names are not important for eternal creatures like us,” you explained while you cupped your cheek in your hand, brushing his skin with your slender fingers, “you do not need to know my name to feel close to me. I will always watch over you, Sihtric.”

“I refuse to believe a creature as beautiful as yours is deprived of a name that does her justice,” Sihtric replied, closing his eyes while abandoning himself to your touch, ignoring the lump that was forming in your throat. 

You could not remember what your real name was, for you had forgotten it when death took you in its arms. You did not remember your former life as a young woman full of hopes and dreams, and how a violent death, coming from those closest to you, extinguished your light forever.

Ignoring all your thoughts, you shook your head and looked at Sihtric, who covered your hand with his calloused one and pressed his lips to your palm, feeling the coldness of your skin against his. It was a small gesture of affection that set a heart beating that you had forgotten you had, for it beat only with sorrow and grief.

"You claimed the souls of my father and half-brother today," it was Sihtric's turn to break the silence, wrapping his strong arms around your slender waist and pulling you close. Even though you were a ghost, you looked so real in his eyes and he was content to touch you and cradle your form.

"The doors of the Other World have indeed been opened to them," you replied, almost lost in his touch, "but for them there is another path to take, one filled with eternal pain and damnation."

The sight of his body tensing at your words saddened you, so you spoke quickly to reassure him, "Your mother and father have taken different paths in the afterlife. They will never meet again.” 

Sihtric felt another burden lifted from his shoulders, and his body suddenly became light: he was glad to see that his dear mother's soul was enveloped in the eternal light of beatification, while his father was probably rotting in the depths of Niflheim, surrounded by cold and darkness, for he died without a weapon in his hands. But even if he had gripped his sword tightly with his last breath, Sihtric did not believe that Odin would open the gates of Valhalla for him.

“Thank you,” the Dane whispered softly, giving you the first sincere smile you’ve ever seen while watching him growing up. His bicolored eyes shone with a renewed life, tasting that freedom he thought he could never have in his life. 

But a new realisation hit him hard, and the light in his eyes was replaced by a look of suffering: your duties were done, and you would return to the veil that separates the living from the dead, and watch over him silently but without concealment. He was not ready to say goodbye to you, not after he had found a person who would treat you with kindness and make his heart beat faster, it mattered not if that person was a creature from the afterlife or not.

“Do not go, please,” Sihtric pleaded in a feeble voice, his jaw clenching as well as the grip he had on you, afraid that you might vanish at any moment. He moved your body close to his own, resting his warm forehead on your cold one.

“I have to, Sihtric,” you explained quietly, though you felt your eyes burning and your scarlet tears about to escape. “I am bound to the spirit world, preparing families for their upcoming deaths. You are a young warrior, with life burning inside you.”

You closed your eyes, overwhelmed by the warmth his living body is giving to you, a warmth you used to radiate as well. And when you felt a rivulet of blood escaping from your eyes, Sihtric’s arms were quickly cupping your cheeks, wiping them with his tattooed fingers. 

"One day, when the doors of the Other World open again and the veil between our worlds forms its rift, they will give me the call to take you, and only there will you be mine forever," you added, the words slipping easily from your tongue as you lifted your gaze and locked it in his eyes. You have never had anyone look at you with love in their eyes, not even in your previous mortal life. Sihtric was sent to you to show you that a damned spirit like you could be loved and deserve to be loved. But he was the right person at the wrong time. 

“Promise you will live and wait for me until your hour will come.”

Sihtric took his time to calm down, closing his eyes and breathing slowly to calm the tears that were about to fall and to suppress the pain inside him. He thought he had found the right person to spend the rest of his life with, to take you as his wife and build a family with you. But he had to face the cold truth that you were not a living being and that you would soon have to leave his side.

The Dane opened his watery eyes again and looked at you with burning desire as he gently lifted your head with his hands. "I promise I will wait for you, my love," he swore, clutching his Thor's hammer with one hand, "and when that day comes and death takes him, I will be ready to go. And there I will be yours forever."

You both raised your faces to each other like a magnet drawing you close, sealing your eternal promise with a kiss that poured out all the love you both had carved out of each other, but that your time had not yet allowed. And when you reluctantly broke the kiss, you slowly turned and walked towards the small lake, your body disappearing into a cloud of mist that slowly dissipated into the air, the sound of a bird flapping its wings in the distance. Sihtric watched your disappearance with pain in his heart and watched over the lake until morning, when he returned to Dunholm to be reunited with Uhtred and the others.

Over the years, Sihtric had kept his promise and lived a true warrior's life, the once shy boy growing into a skilled warrior and confident man. He became one of Uhtred's most trusted allies and closest friends, and together with Finan and Osferth they wandered the borders of Mercia and Wessex, the Danelaw and East Anglia, eventually reclaiming Bebbanburg for Uhtred, who reclaimed his birthright and became its lord.

Feeling that you were always watching over him, you only appeared sporadically to bring him and his band of friends bad news: it was your job to inform him of the impending deaths of Gisela and Thyra while he was at Coccham, to warn him of Father Beocca's death before their first attempt on Bebbanburg fortress, and to claim Osferth's soul at Rumcofa. Uhtred was next, succumbing after a long and arduous battle, followed soon after by Finan, too old to even stand properly on his feet.

You were at his side, emptying his heart of grief as his mouth claimed yours in fleeting kisses before you went back to hide in the veil. You watched Sihtric grow old over the years, loving every single wrinkle on his face and every white hair that appeared over the years, while to him you were always the same young woman he fell in love with when he was a young and inexperienced lad.

And when he grew old and grey, surrounded by nothing but the walls of Dunholm, of which he had become lord, he felt the doors of the Other World open and a bird flap its wings, followed by the sound of a gash. With dying eyes and a tired smile, he watched you keep your own promise and claim his soul as he breathed his last, and feeling his body rejuvenated by the effects of eternal life, he took you by the hand as you reached the gates of the Other World, and with a long, desperate kiss, you sealed your eternal life together, and your souls at last lived and rested in peace.

If you've come this far, thank you so much for reading my fic! Hope you enjoyed it! Please, leave a comment if you want to be added in the taglist or be removed.

Sihtric Kjartansson Taglist: @whitedarkmoonflower @sihtricfedaraaahvicius @foxyanon @legitalicat @zaldritzosrose

@alexagirlie @sylasthegrim @lord-aldhelm @sihtricsafin @arcielee

@volklana @gemini-mama @ladyinred2248

[beforeiread-studies]

studyblr masterpost jam Day 3: free resources

Korean is a pretty popular language so there are MANY free resources. You could in theory not spend a penny while learning.

The King Sejong Institute

It's an Institute sponsored by the Korean government that gives students free material and online lessons. I repeat, FREE. You can download textbook from the website or enroll in their FREE courses.

I'm currently taking one of their 1 live lesson a week (on Zoom) course (it's FREE!!!) but there are also pre-recorded video courses. I completed 2 of them and they are still really valid. And free!

If you would like I structured approach (for free), I recommend you check them out. You can start a pre-recorded course whenever you like and you can enroll in the Zoom ones about one month before the course is set to start. There are four enrollment periods a year and each course lasts 10 weeks.

Your local Korean Culture Institute

Korea also sponsors physical Culture Institutes around the world. They offer lessons at laughable prices (one semester for 30€ here in Italy) and sometimes also organize free workshops (I learned how to read Hangul at one of those). Sometimes they also offer online group lessons so check that out as well!

Grammar: websites

Whenever I have to look up a grammar rule really quickly, I end up either stumbling on previously answered Hello Talk questions or the website How To Study Korean. Both amazing resources.

Listening: podcasts

Here is a list of the podcasts I like for beginners:

akapinn

koreant

study korean with sol

korean tutor k

anything that says "comprehensible input" is gold

They are all easy enough not to get discouraged but tough enough to make you improve with every video. I recommend not looking at the English translation until you've listened to the podcast at least a couple of times.

And here are some podcasts I've heard are good for intermediate learners:

choi susu (a classic) (if you find the podcast too difficult start with the vlogs)

didi's korean podcast

Listening: kdramas & TV variaties

You won't understand them as a beginner. That's ok. Watch them anyway.

Being exposed to the language will eventually bring you to pick up vocabulary and get a sense of some grammar rules. I watched kdramas with eng sub for 7 years before I started learning actively and it has helped SO MUCH both with my listening skills and with going like "oh so that's why they keep repeating that expression in that particular way" while I'm studying grammar, which helps me remember everything better.

For kdramas: just go on Viki.com and look for a drama with an interesting plot. Beware! Do not fall into temptation and start watching Chinese dramas instead. Remember that you are there to practice Korean, not start a whole new hobby. For a beginner, I recommend picking kdramas set in modern times, because the vocabulary in historical dramas is more difficult.

Some tv varieties I like:

The return of Superman. About celebrity dads raising their children.

I live alone. About celebrities and their daily life in their apartments where they live by themselves

Inspector / 감별사. On YouTube. Hosted by Jeongyeon from TWICE, she visits other celebrities' houses to ask them to donate their precious possessions. The objects will get auctioned and the money donated to charity. Jy is really funny.

Listening, reading and pronunciation: song lyrics

I've heard that some people shadow every podcast episode they listen to in order to improve their pronunciation, which sounds incredibly boring. But you know what's not boring? Singing.

Once you get to a decent Hangul reading speed (and to get there the only way is to read a lot), pick a ballad you love and try to sing along to the lyrics.

This exercise will help you improve your reading and listening skills, practice your pronunciation and memorize new words and sentence patterns. Also singing is a joyful activity that will take the stress out of language learning. Kudos point if you decide to try and translate the song.

If you are a kpop fan, you know a ballad for sure. If you are a kdrama fan, every kdrama soundtrack features at least a ballad. There are no excuses. But if you need a suggestion, Spring Day by BTS or 두 사람 are my current faves.

Writing

Writing is actually not that hard, guys. You can practice writing online (on Tumblr, on Hellotalk, on writing streak Korean on Reddit, with penpals) or in secret (in your journal no one will ever read). It's not that hard, find a list of prompts and get going! I know Choi Susu has some videos about writing a diary in Korean but I haven't watched them yet.

Speaking

If you have no one to speak to in real life you can either 1. go back to the "writing" section and do that or 2. try to think in Korean.

It will be a real chore at first, but if you simply try chronicling your day, little by little you will look up new vocabulary and practice using new grammar rules.

Warning: this will only help you with formulating sentences. To speak properly you will have to practice your pronunciation and get your face muscles used to some weird movements. Singing along (see above) is a good way of accomplishing that.

[hetaliaimaginesin2022]

Germany italy and japan have a close friend and crush who's another country, this country likes their accent and language and go as far as to ask them to teach them the language. How do they deal with that?

I've crawled out from the crypt, I hope this is acceptable lol

Germany • Ludwig Beilschmidt

German is a very harsh and rough sounding language and accent, he's heard plenty of jokes from other countries about it, so he'd never expect that you'd find it endearing in any way

When you asked him to teach you the language, he was slightly flustered, giving you an affirming nod

Hopefully you didn't plan on using this as a chance to flirt with him, because he takes the teaching aspect very seriously, showing up with language textbooks, a notebook, and extra pencils

You really have to buckle down during each session, especially since he's a real stickler for pronunciation

He doesn't mean to be overbearing, but he believes that everyone should put their best effort into everything they do

Plus he likes the idea of you two conversing together in his mother tongue, maybe while grabbing a coffee

That being said, there are mandatory breaks in between lessons, it's important to refresh your brain to help productivity

Also, you may start to notice him dropping German in his sentences far more often than he used to, he claims it's to help, but it's really because he knows you like it

Japan • Kiku Honda

Kiku wasn't too surprised when you told him that you were interested in learning his language, his culture (or a severely watered-down version of it) has been very popular in the recent years through media, so another country wanting to learn the language wasn't all too notable

Considering it was you though, he was delighted

He loves spending time with you, so the idea of spending a few hours a week with you, teaching you about his language and script, sounds more than nice

He focuses on Kanji first, insisting that it will make speaking vocabulary a lot easier down the line

The sessions are calm and relaxing, and he's a very patient teacher, making sure to go to a pace you're comfortable with

He enjoys starting off sessions by trying to converse a bit in Japanese

He finds himself thinking that the words sound gorgeous coming from you

North Italy • Feliciano Vargas

As soon as he found out you were partial to his language, he began to slip more Italian in his sentences than he ever did previously, and his accent became ever so slightly more pronounced

He used the guise of "helping you learn", but he only changed his speech because you like it, and he's not subtle about it at all

While he's excited when you ask him to teach you Italian, the sessions are unstructured and often derail into other topics quickly

Because of this, he opts to drop the books and drag you to his country instead, getting you to order your own food in restaurants and converse with the locals in Italian, insisting that the best way to learn is through the people

In his country, he'll also drag you to mostly empty cinemas, where a movie will be playing in Italian and he'll translate any words or sentences in whispers

He's not too serious on pronunciation and honestly thinks it's endearing when your natural accent, regardless of what it is, shines through the words in Italian

He loves flirting with you in Italian now

[truthem]

How I immerse myself in Korean and Spanish

한국어 (Korean)

I think I’m doing so good in Korean because I’m constantly watching things in Korean and exposing myself to the language.

1. K-pop

I’m such a big K-pop fan and it really helps my learning process. If I didn’t enjoy K-pop I don’t think Id be able to comprehend half of what I can today.

I watch a lot of “vlogs” from my favorite idols. (My fav to watch are LE SSERAFIM’s vlogs, they’re just really easy for me to understand and entertaining at the same time).

ATEEZ is always doing something and they’re my ult group so I’m just constantly watching them. Recently though I haven’t been watching their stuff so I have a lot to catch up on 😅

The music makes no sense to me because obviously song lyrics aren’t written in conversational everyday Korean so I don’t even really count that as listening comprehension. Every now and then I’ll catch a word I know and get shocked though 🙏

I used to watch V-lives or whatever they’re called now a lot but I can’t focus for that long anymore. (박성화 has the best lego lives)

2. K-Dramas

I don’t watch as many dramas as some people but I feel like they’ve definitely helped me get used to listening to Korean.

I try not to take any phrases or vocab from dramas because it’s a drama… and they’re dramatic 😭

I started watching Business Proposal like a month ago but I got distracted with exams and I stopped watching it with 2 episodes left… (SPOILERS: istg if 하리 and 태무 don’t stay together I’m giving up on everything)

3. Korean Cartoons

I LOVE Learn Korean with Jadoo. I barely understand any of it but it’s helped me a lot with understanding how certain grammar points are used and how certain words are used.

I also like watching Peppa Pig in Korean because the episodes are short and sweet and they’re relatively easy to understand.

I used to watch We Bare Bears in Korean but I watched like every episode they had on YouTube so now I’m rewatching in Spanish. (I genuinely love We Bare Bears, it’s always been the best cartoon out there)

4. Korean News

I like to read a lot of Korean news to help with pronunciation and reading comprehension. It also allows me to find some more specific vocabulary that I would use in describing what I do, what I like, and what I want to do in my future because I can find real stories that are specific to my interests.

5. ASMR

Soy ASMR and Seonghwas ASMR videos have been single-handedly holding my life up. Judy ASMR is also a really good creator. I like to watch like roleplay ASMR like “friend does your makeup for a party” or whatever because it exposes me to more casual vocabulary.

Español (Spanish)

1. Classes

I do take Spanish classes at school so I get over and hour of Spanish immersion in while at school everyday. We mainly use Spanish in the classroom.

2. Spanish Documentaries

I’m a bit more advanced in Spanish than I am in Korean so I prefer to watch Documentaries as to cartoons.

Documentaries also interest me more than cartoons in some aspects like learning more about different latin cultures, hearing different accents and dialects, and learning about how other people live.

3. Cartoons

I only really watch We Bare Bears in Spanish because I just like the show, but sometimes Spanish feels like a chore to me or like I’m just learning it to pass a class at this point, so cartoons are a good way to just casually comprehend the language.

4. Spanish News

I found this really good Spanish news for kids website and it’s so incredibly helpful. I’m in the process of making a “Spanish Resources” blog post like I did with Korean so I’ll definitely link that there.

I read the articles out loud to help get more comfortable with speaking, reading and my pronunciation.

They also have a podcast that’s just like a read aloud of the article so after I read the article, I go and listen to the podcast.

The topics are really interesting, too. Like one of them was about this lady bringing her pet pig to the airport to help calm people down??? I wanna go pet a pig wdym????

6. Spanish music

There are no words in the English language to express how much I love Spanish music.

It’s literally just so beautiful.

In class we have broken down various songs, so I can understand music very easily unlike in Korean even if I have to think about the lyrics for a bit.

7. Spanish YouTube videos/ASMR

I watch a lot of “un día en mi vida” type videos and I love ASMR so I watch a lot of those. 🙏

[genav0s]

❪ ⌕ . ❫ ' OO. ㅤ ﹕ PRESSURE⠀!⠀⠀⠀[  . . .  ]

i cannot make you understand. i cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside of me. i cannot even explain it to myself.⠀–—⠀from, "The Metamorphosis"

✶ . CHARACTERS: eun hwaseong & ian moon. ✶ . WORD COUNT: 2.2k ✶ . WARNINGS: swearing, jealousy, drug use, & fighting. ✶ . NOTES: seunghui & doyun are in my wip boy group. written in two hours instead of finishing the conclusion of my anthropology thesis, might be a little academic vocabulary-wise in the beginning. jarringly inconsistent usage of present & past tense.

There is something to be said about pressure. An all-consuming smothering that has the capacity to produce diamonds or dust. 

Hwaseong loved the feeling of that smothering pressure. 

He liked the duality of feeling trapped in his own head but protected by the knowledge that he’d come out on the other side. 

He was raised on the adrenaline of everything being on the line— his mother’s entire career was revived in an instant with a carefully executed smile on Hwaseong’s behalf. He was performing on stage, entertainment for politicians and important celebrities, before he could properly assemble reliable memories and expressions of the rush of emotions he felt every time he stepped up into the spotlight.

Training at Apricus was a breeze compared to the level of perfection his mother instilled in him as she oversaw his tutoring sessions. Accustomed to the expectation of excellence and motivated by the tense scrutiny the executives placed upon potential debuts, in Hwaseong’s mind the only reason he hadn’t debuted sooner was because of how young he was. 

Karin had a weird aversion to debuting anyone under the age of 16— the rule hadn’t been broken for a single artist under the label. He figured it had something to do with the contract she was under when she had first debuted, though he had never thought to ask. 

Ending up on the survival show was a sigh of relief for the Seoul native. The gesture— he believed, was supposed to be a true show of their faith in his talents and marketability. Seven years of dedication at the age of 17 was more than most of the others on the show could boast about. Sure, he figured it would be just as much a challenge as it was a reward for his hard work. But he figured being chosen for the show was much more a formality than a true test of his charisma and bare minimum ability to carry a tune. 

The offense he found in the selection of the other boys had been a selling point in his arc throughout the show. He was filmed scoffing at Sanghyuk’s long hours spent practicing over and over and over in the dance studio Hwaseong knew had the best acoustics. He rolled his eyes when Carter struggled to find the right words to thank the judging panel’s gracious oversight of his horrendous pronunciation. His teeth gritted in annoyance as he bit back insults directed at Jioh every time he hurled whatever it was he ate before his confessionals. 

But none of them got under his skin the way Ian Moon managed to. 

Their disdain for one another had been well documented throughout the show. In Hwaseong’s eyes, Ian was nothing more than a pretty boy who had only made it onto the show as someone else’s replacement. Hwaseong had never bothered to ask why Ian had similarly brushed Hwaseong off so early on, in truth he didn’t care much for the reason. 

The two’s highly publicized mutual distaste had managed to pique the interests of the producers who incorporated the tension between the two into nearly every episode. 

Genuine statements of “Thank you for the opportunity, I’ll try harder” from Ian were met with censored insults from Hwaseong. And as the distance between their rankings continued to grow throughout the first half of the series, Hwaseong only felt emboldened by his disdain for the Texan former athlete. 

“I don’t get it. Yeah, he was put on the show ‘cause he’s pretty, but so what?” Doyun laughs as he watches Hwaseong’s careful surveillance of Ian’s revisioning behind the glass separating the two of them. 

“Pretty sells,” Seunghui agrees, nodding at Doyun’s words, gently nudging Hwaseong’s shoulder. With a scowl, Hwaseong reverts his eyes from the sight in front of him. Turning to the other two instead.

“Dude’s a smug asshole. Trained for a few months— as a joke, by the way. And he ends up on the shortlist for a boy group because what— some middle school girl thought he was hot?” Doyun and Seunghui exchange a glance before dissolving into shared laughter, falling into each other as Hwaseong broods to himself. 

“Careful, middle school girls are about to fund your whole career.” Doyun hums, lips downturned into a pout as he taps at Hwaseong’s cheek sarcastically. 

“Isn’t your sister in middle school?” Seunghui chimes in curiously, finally catching Hwaseong’s attention. 

“What if Dasom's part of the middle school girls that petitioned for Ian to be on the show?” Doyun muses, bouncing off of Seunghui’s good-natured teasing of their older friend. With a piercing side eye, Hwaseong chooses to ignore the two’s musings. 

“He’s lucky Jaehee’s personally mentoring him,” He mentions off-handedly. 

Doyun and Seunghui’s confusion is enough for him to continue fueling his own jealous ruminations. 

“He’s in there with her right now, bastard—” 

With a rumble of chuckling from the other two, Hwaseong’s eyebrows furrow in confusion, briefly releasing him from his ranting. 

“Jaehee offered to give pointers to anyone who got to her during the break before filming resumed,” Seunghui explained with a shrug of his shoulders. 

The corners of Doyun’s mouth curled in amusement as they watched Hwaseong try to run through the endless instructions thrown at them over the hours they had already spent filming that day. 

“I—” He begins, only to be cut off by enthused Doyun. 

“He’s not the bastard between the two of you either. His dad’s just dead, yours is a whore.”

The act of filming the show was quite possibly the most dreaded part of Hwaseong’s routine for the latter half of 2013. He concealed yawns and distasteful jokes behind the heads of the other contestants, only stepping into view of the camera when it came time for him to prove his worth to the judges seated in front of the remaining trainees. 

Regardless of his intentional aversion to the camera, the producers always managed to find him when he and Ian were at their most heated. Volatile exchanges heightened into agitated bite-backs which bled into almost any mention of the one contestant that could unnerve Hwaseong at the mere sound of his name. He never thought it to be a coincidence that the two of them happened to find themselves within minimal feet of one another, entering confessionals as one exited, performing one before the other. 

But the producers had never made their thirst for conflict more obvious than one of the last days of filming. 

Against all— mostly Hwaseong’s— odds, Ian had managed to squeeze his way within reach of the final lineup. A final solo performance of each of the 10 trainees remaining would be the determination between debut and elimination. Doyun and Seunghui had been eliminated weeks ago. Hwaseong wasn’t surprised as much as he was peeved. For some reason, the show just couldn’t shake Ian. 

“Yo, what’s your fuckin’ problem with me, dude?” 

Hwaseong knew Ian had issues with his temper. It was a plot point emphasized over and over by the producers throughout the taping. He had a short fuse and a burning desire to get even. Hwaseong figured it to be leftover rage from the injury that removed the possibility of achieving the dream he’d had since he was a young boy. Sanghyuk had let it slip that Ian’s father was an abusive surgeon— an oxymoron that made Hwaseong’s head hurt so bad he brushed it off and never thought about it again. 

“Does it matter?” Hwaseong snarks in response, the corner of his lip curling in his quip. Three words are all it takes for Ian’s eyes to light up brighter than Hwaseong had ever seen before. A fire suddenly erupted from a spark he didn’t know was there.

“Yeah, it does Hwaseong.” Ian hissed, fists and jaw equally tense, clenched in restraint. He glances at the other trainees who slowly begin to pay attention to the tension breaking between the two boys.

“Whatever Ian. The show’s almost over, you’ll be able to go home and forget about me in about three days.” His words are delivered with a scoff, a roll of his eyes following shortly after. 

“Are you threatened by me or—” That was enough to set Hwaseong off. The fire spreading to his much darker eyes, launching him forward to stand eye-to-eye with the American. 

“Threatened?” He all but spat the word out, as if an insult to his existence. “You’re so full of shit. We both know the only reason you’re here is because Jaehee wants to keep the pretty boy with the funny accent around.”

There isn’t a moment of pause before Ian grabs at Hwaseong’s shirt, throwing him to the ground before Hwaseong or any of the other spectators could react. As Hwaseong scrambles to rise to his feet from the frigid floor beneath him Ian smirks at the clear panic in his eyes. 

“What’s it like to be so fucking pathetic that no one bothers defends you?” The amusement in his eyes sends a shiver down Hwaseong’s spine as he finds himself unable to tear his attention away from the vocalist towering over him. 

“What’s it like to be so fucking cowardly you have to beat the motivation out of your competition to win at anything?” Hwaseong’s words are coated in venom as he returns the insult. “You’re not making the group, Ian. No one wants you here.” 

With that, a blur of yelling and bodies shifting in Hwaseong’s vision clouds his perception. He barely registers the others struggling to restrain the older boy from grabbing at the younger. The ringing in his ears from the weight of the built-up resentment between the two of them culminates in a smirk that Hwaseong can tell infuriates Ian to his core. 

Through gritted teeth, held back by both Sanghyuk and Carter, Ian musters a strained, “Fuck you.” 

With a saunter to the door of the practice room, Hwaseong speaks up with one last taunt. “Take care of yourself, Ian. Send us a postcard from Texas.” 

If Hwaseong believed in a higher power, he was sure God was enjoying making Hwaseong eat his words. Over the next three days, Ian had not only turned half of the other contestants against the show’s youngest trainee but had managed to squeeze his way into the final lineup. 

As if by some sick twist of fate, Hwaseong watched the group’s final member claim the last spot in the quintet, that signature cocky smirk of his plastered across his praised features. When he catches Hwaseong’s eye from his spot at the other end of the line— Sanghyuk and Romeo providing a necessary buffer between the two with starry eyes and blinding smiles, Hwaseong can feel his stomach twist with a chill so nauseating his smile is wiped from his face. His knees buckle underneath him, catching Carter’s attention who finds the situation so gratifying he leans over to whisper a carefully enunciated, “How’s it feel, dumbass?” under his breath.

With disbelief etched into his expression, mistakenly read as gratitude, Hwaseong trends for the next week. 

“Do you remember that fight we got into?” Ian chuckles lowly, slowly taking a hit from the lit blunt in his hand. He shakes his head as he remembers the moment that irrevocably changed the course of his life. He exhales after a moment, watching the smoke fill the empty air in front of his nose before slowly dissipating into the Seoul night sky. Ian shifts to take a second drag before passing the blunt to Hwaseong, sighing slowly. 

“Yeah, made you eat shit in front of everyone,” Ian responds, a dimple coming to rest on his cheek, turning to watch Hwaseong as his lips closed around the blunt between his fingers. 

“Shut up. You did not make me ‘eat shit’”. Hwaseong answers, the smoke leaving his mouth in a sudden stream. 

“Yeah, I did. I beat your ass and made it into the final lineup.” 

The younger man’s eyebrows furrow in disagreement, “You did not beat my ass, Ian.” 

As he reaches for the blunt, Ian playfully hums, “Still made it into the lineup.” 

Hwaseong scoffs with an eye roll, “Last.” 

With an exhale Ian simply mutters, “How bad does your ass still sting?” 

The two share a lazy chuckle, eyes drooping as they recall the memory differently. Rising with a grunt, Hwaseong brushes off the comment casually, “Whatever, dickhead.” 

Mirroring with a grunt of his own, Ian gently soothes the younger man’s temperament, “You love me.” 

Receiving a grumble in response, Ian watches Hwaseong turn to unlock the door of their dorm to reenter the shared space in the early hours of the morning. 

Stopping him with a sudden urgency he asks, “Wait, do we look high? I don’t need Sanghyuk on my ass tonight.” 

Hwaseong offers a snorted chuckle in response, receiving a furrowing of Ian’s eyebrows. “Doesn’t matter that you look high when you smell high.” After a brief moment of blank staring on Ian’s end, Hwaseong continues toward the door, fiddling with the door knob.

“I smell high?”

[lurkingteapot]

thai language study update

It's been two years today since I first started watching a Thai show, the first time I wittingly exposed myself to the language at length. Two years ago, I'm pretty sure I would not have been able to pick Thai out of a line-up with other Southeast Asian languages. A few day from now, it'll be two years since I thought "I'll note down words I catch, phonetically, best I can. Just for fun." About a month from now, it'll be two years that I started to learn the language in earnest.

Where am I at?

Listening comprehension: I can follow most shows that are set in the present day without subtitles, provided they a) deal with everyday topics rather than specialised ones (Chaan's legalese is lost on me; I still don't fully follow the legal and ethical debates between the friends in Not Me, never mind the medical jargon in shows like Triage) and b) use modern-day Central Thai (you may have seen my crying about คำเมือง /kʰam mɯːaŋ/ here). Of course I don't understand even close to everything -- maybe 70% on a good day? but I tend to get enough not end up completely confused.

Reading comprehension: Handwriting and less common fonts still challenge me a lot, regular print fonts tend to be fine. Song lyrics tend to be fine unless they're very poetic (hi กีดกัน/Skyline). Tweets tend to be okay, but it heavily depends on the subject matter (politics or economics? help.), how much context I know, and how much slang or cute/funny spelling variants people use. I can read short news articles, but depending on the topic it'll be either slow or agonisingly slow and require extensive dictionary help, and I might still get things wrong. Not something I do for fun yet. I've started on the novel The Eclipse was based on (too difficult still) and a few short stories (somewhat easier) and realised that the big downside of mainly learning through shows and audio (interviews …) is that it leaves me sorely deficient when it comes to vocabulary that describes people or actions. Hardly anyone says "Getting frustrated, he tossed a book onto his desk, where a couple of other textbooks and notepads already formed a messy pile" or, idk, describes clothing at length in a show.

Writing: so-so. It's legible, I have the writing system down sufficiently to take notes at speed most of the time, but I second-guess myself too much. Should I be doing more of this for practice? probably.

Speaking: eeeeh. I do NOT have the vocabulary or grammatical knowledge to sound smart or coherent yet, and my pronunciation is middling at best. Speaking is also the area where I struggle most to get practice. That said, I can hold a conversation as long as my interlocutor is willing to help out a little (by helping out with vocab and/or accepting that sometimes we'll have to guess at what the other is saying). I can make myself understood on a good number of topics of daily interest in my daily life—often by going the long way around and trying to describe things or actions I don't have the words for.

I'm still really enjoying myself. I got to go to Thailand for a little over two weeks earlier this year and that was a huge boost, both in terms of confidence and in actual speaking ability. Main goal for the next 12 months is to expand vocabulary (both active and passive), and if everything goes my way I'll be going to Thailand for another two weeks or so to actually use my Thai. We'll see.

[therealgchu]

OC character deep delve

@silurisanguine posted this up, and it looked fun! really long post incoming.

my disaster, hwa

long post is long, so the rest is under the cut

1. How does your character think of their father? What do they hate and love about him? What influence - literal or imagined - did the father have?

she doesn't. she doesn't know who her father was.

2. Their mother? How do they think of her? What do they hate? Love? What influence - literal or imagined - did the mother have?

her mother sold her and her brother to the syndicate when she was 7. she has very complicated feelings about her mother.

3. Brothers, sisters? Who do they like? Why? What do they despise about their siblings?

she had 1 brother, seong, who died in gang violence when he was 10 and she was 12.

4. What type of discipline was your character subjected to at home? Strict? Lenient?

well, her mother was negligent, and most of the time didn't pay attention to her children. much of the childcare was done by the other women that lived in that area of ebbside, the neighborhood aunties. once she got to the syndicate, it was very strict and abusive.

5. Were they overprotected as a child? Sheltered?

absolutely not.

6. Did they feel rejection or affection as a child?

literal rejection.

7. What was the economic status of their family?

dire poverty with her mother. at least with the syndicate, she was fed and had a proper bed.

8. How does your character feel about religion?

she doesn't. she's more or less an atheist. but, really, if god(s) existed, they're fucking rubbish to allow the shit they do.

9. What about political beliefs?

she's apolitical. she thinks all governments suck and are corrupt.

10. Is your character street-smart, book-smart, intelligent, intellectual, slow-witted?

she's very street smart as she was raised by a criminal syndicate. she's one of the best cyber-runners in the settled systems. but, she's self-educated since the syndicate wasn't exactly going to send her to university. what free time she has, she reads everything she can get her hands onto, from trashy pulp novels, to scientific papers.

11. How do they see themselves: as smart, as intelligent, uneducated?

she's got quite the ego, honestly, because she knows she's usually the smartest person in the room, which was true while she was at the syndicate. now at constellation being surrounded by scientists, she's become a bit more humble.

12. How does their education and intelligence – or lack thereof - reflect in their speech pattern, vocabulary, and pronunciations?

it doesn't? she's autistic, which affects her speech far more than her intelligence.

13. Did they like school? Teachers? Schoolmates?

she doesn't have any formal education. in the syndicate, the children are educated by the "Aunties", the older women in the syndicate tasked with taking care and raising the children. the children are educated insofar as being literate and to do simple math. since she was so far above her peers, the aunties generally left her alone and she was given free-reign to read as much as she wanted on any topic. a particular underboss took interest in her, and allowed her access to his personal library.

14. Were they involved at school? Sports? Clubs? Debate? Were they unconnected?

not applicable. though, she showed an aptitude for fighting at a young age, as she was unusually strong for her size. she was moved out of the usual orphanage area into special ops when she was 12 and was trained as a cyber-runner and sniper in the special ops division of the syndicate (wet works).

15. Did they graduate? High-School? College? Do they have a PHD?

no formal education.

16. What does your character do for a living? How do they see their profession? What do they like about it? Dislike? Currently?

she's currently a member of constellation. she'd never think of it as a profession, as she sorta fell into it. if anything, she'd prolly list either cyber-runner or assassin as her profession.

she absolutely loves it. she's free, she's with the love of her life, and she gets to see the universe.

17. Did they travel? Where? Why? When?

almost no travel. she was allowed off world only a handful of times before she fled the syndicate when she was 27.

18. What did they find abroad, and what did they remember?

that the stars actually sparkled like it said in books. she'd never seen the stars before.

19. What were your character’s deepest disillusions? In life? What are they now?

she never had any illusions. she lived through hell from her young childhood years.

20. What were the most deeply impressive political or social, national or international, events that they experienced?

nothing, at least to her personally. external events have no affect on her psyche. events will roil around her, and she has no emotional attachment to any of it. why should she when the universe has no attachment to her? the only thing that affects her are the interpersonal relationships.

21. What are your character’s manners like? What is their type of hero? Whom do they hate?

she's awkward; taciturn around strangers; a complete chatterbox when she gets comfortable with someone.

her heroes are ones from literature, from the scarlet pimpernel to the mantis.

she hates no one. unless it's her mother, but that's complicated. hating implies some sort of emotional connection with people, which she generally avoids.

22. Who are their friends? Lovers? ‘Type’ or 'ideal’ partner?

she is learning to have friends. she's gotten close to barrett and andreja lately. sarah, not so much. the two of them are just such radically different people from radically different backgrounds that there's almost no common ground. she'd like to get to know vlad better, and compare notes on how he got out of the crimson fleet, but hasn't had much of a chance.

but sam, oh sam. he is a revelation, something she never even knew existed. she'd only read about love before, but never experienced it. until she met him.

23. What do they want from a partner? What do they think and feel of sex?

she'd blink at you asking the question. a partner is someone that has your 6, of course. then it would dawn on her that you meant romantic partner. and she'd still blink in confusion. she has her sam. more than that, she hasn't ever even thought about.

she loves sex. she's always had a high sex drive. thankfully, she has a partner ("ooh, I see what you mean about 'partner.'").

24. What social groups and activities does your character attend? What role do they like to play? What role do they actually play, usually?

again she'd look at you quizzically, not really understanding the question. she doesn't do "social groups," and, indeed, avoids them like the plague.

she's involved in constellation, but that's a job, not a "social group." she just wants to be out in the starfield with sam and cora.

25. What are their hobbies and interests?

she's an avid reader. she loves old earth music and musicals. she loves to dance, but rarely gets a chance.

26. What does your character’s home look like? Personal taste? Clothing? Hair? Appearance?

they're currently building a home on ternion III, but haven't gotten very far. her general aesthetic is function over form. she has no interest in fancy furbelows, or accessories. but, there are a lot of bookcases and books.

as for her personal looks, her body is a meat sack that is a vehicle for her brain. she tries not to think about her appearance other than, "are my clothes clean? do i smell?"

27. How do they relate to their appearance? How do they wear their clothing? Style? Quality?

again, she'd blink at you in confusion. she doesn't relate to her appearance at all. her clothing and style are purely functional.

28. Who is your character’s mate? How do they relate to them? How did they make their choice? Partner?

sam coe. how does she relate to him? she'd answer, "very well, thankyouverymuch."

he was the first person that she felt comfortable with almost immediately, which was a completely new experience for her. he was funny, kind, and gentle, which no one else had ever been with her. especially gentle. not since her brother died had anyone ever cared about her and her well-being.

she didn't so much choose as fell very, very hard.

29. What is your character’s weaknesses? Hubris? Pride? Controlling?

she is severely, permanently broken. but, at least she knows she's broken.

she has the tendency to have pity-parties and feels sorry for herself. with good reason.

30. Are they holding on to something in the past? Can he or she forgive?

nothing, as they've never been attached to anything. except maybe pain. and, they're trying to get past that.

31. Does your character have children? How do they feel about their parental role? About the children? How do the children relate?

she has become a mother figure to sam's daughter, cora, whom she loves and adores. she's always loved children, and after she became an adult, helped out to raise the children at the syndicate. she relates to children much better than people her own age.

32. How does your character react to stress situations? Defensively? Aggressively? Evasively?

coldly and logically. she was trained to be a killer, and completely disconnects from any emotion.

it's only afterwards that things affect her.

33. Do they drink? Take drugs? What about their health?

she drinks, mainly vodka. as she's korean, she lacks the enzyme to effectively metabolize alcohol, so she doesn't drink much, or that frequently. she's never done any drugs. growing up in the syndicate, she saw first-hand what drugs can do. plus, she's a control freak, and doesn't like any drug that makes you lose control like that.

she's very healthy.

34. Does your character feel self-righteous? Revengeful? Contemptuous?

again, she'd just blink at this question. she doesn't feel anything like that, and wouldn't understand why.

35. Do they always rationalize errors? How do they accept disasters and failures?

they don't. they [SPOILERS]. but, since she does pride herself on being ultimately logical and practical, there's no point to rationalization. if they fucked up, they'll own it. it's illogical not to.

36. Do they like to suffer? Like to see other people suffering?

no.

it's one reason she left the syndicate: she didn't want to be a bad guy anymore. when she was young, she wanted to be a hero. she wants to help ppl since no one was there to help her. no one should have to go through what she did.

37. How is your character’s imagination? Daydreaming a lot? Worried most of the time? Living in memories?

highly imaginative, daydreams all the time. reading and daydreaming were her few escapes when she was in the syndicate.

38. Are they basically negative when facing new things? Suspicious? Hostile? Scared? Enthusiastic?

new things, she's generally pretty adventurous. new people, however, that's a totally different matter. she's painfully aware that she's maladjusted and doesn't know how to relate to normal people. she hates meeting new ppl. she knows that they'll think she's a freak.

39. What do they like to ridicule? What do they find stupid?

incompetency. everything she does she's frighteningly competent.

she also has a hard time with rich ppl and their ignorance and privilege. while she can respect sarah and walter, she will never be close to either of them.

40. How is their sense of humor? Do they have one?

she has a goofy sense of humor, bordering on childish. she loves bad puns and dad jokes (which sam excels at). she loves stupid, goofy things.

41. Is your character aware of who they are? Strengths? Weaknesses? Idiosyncrasies? Capable of self-irony?

painfully aware of all of her strengths and weaknesses. call it compartmentalization, dissociation, or just not emotive, she has the rare ability to look at herself objectively, without the emotional baggage.

42. What does your character want most? What do they need really badly, compulsively? What are they willing to do, to sacrifice, to obtain?

she doesn't know. she doesn't know what she wants or where she's going. she's never had freedom before. as it stands, she just wants to explore with sam and cora. anything else is negotiable.

43. Does your character have any secrets? If so, are they holding them back?

so many secrets. some important, some important only to her. trust is not something she knows how to do, so much so that it's not even an issue. it's not something she's ever had in her life, or ever done with anyone.

44. How badly do they want to obtain their life objectives? How do they pursue them?

if she lost sam and cora...

she was trained since she was 12 to be a killer, and she was very good at her job, indeed, one of the best.

45. Is your character pragmatic? Think first? Responsible? All action? A visionary? Passionate? Quixotic?

completely pragmatic, until she's not. if it involves anyone she cares about, all hell will break lose.

46. Is your character tall? Short? What about size? Weight? Posture? How do they feel about their physical body?

4'10", korean with curly hair. she stands ramrod straight. she's freakishly strong, even compared to other ppl that grew up on neon, so weighs 110 lbs (50 kilos) because of her dense bones and musculature.

she tries not to think about her body as much as possible.

47. Do they want to project an image of a younger, older, more important person? Do they want to be visible or invisible?

again, she'd just blink at you, not comprehending the question at all. she is what she is. how ppl perceive her isn't her problem.

48. How are your character’s gestures? Vigorous? Weak? Controlled? Compulsive? Energetic? Sluggish?

again, she'd just blink. her gestures are exactly what are needed at the time, for the situation.

49. What about voice? Pitch? Strength? Tempo and rhythm of speech? Pronunciation? Accent?

she has a low-pitched voice. she tends to speak in a measured, controlled way. unless she gets excited, then will be kinda squeaky.

50. What are the prevailing facial expressions? Sour? Cheerful? Dominating?

analytical as she usually doesn't understand most social situations. over time, she's learned to be happy, so smiles and laughs more.

[salvadorbonaparte]

do you have any advice for people learning a language that reads right to left? i cannot get my brain around it at all but i want to learn hebrew or yiddish. also which of the two would you say is easier to learn?

I struggled with this in the beginning but it's something that definitely comes with practice. I believe the writing system itself is pretty easy to learn so you can concentrate on getting the order right. Bilingual note taking is really annoying though.

Easy and difficult languages are all relative and subjective but Yiddish is likely to be easier unless you know another semitic language like Arabic.

Hebrew grammar is fairly different from English. Yiddish is a Germanic language and closely related to German, so some concepts will be more familiar to you. (obligatory mention that people are different and some people thrive when exposed to different grammar concepts). This affects the vocabulary as well. Yiddish vocabulary is derived from a lot of German words and a fair amount of Hebrew and Slavic words.

If you struggle with the writing system, Yiddish is going to be easier as well. This is really overly simplified but Yiddish uses vowels and Hebrew doesn't. Hebrew mostly writes down consonants and only writes down some vowels (although there's material for children or learners with vowels added). Yiddish uses the same letters but said screw it, let's use vowels for everything but words derived from Hebrew. For those words you simply have to learn the pronunciation but you get used to it.

I wouldn't base your decision on difficulty alone though. No matter which one you learn first, you'll have an easier time with the other one later. Which language are you more interested in? Why do you want to learn them? Which would you be able to use more? Those are all also things you might want to think about.

[leidensygdom]

1 for Yxala for the asks?

And maybe 25, 41 and 53 for the twins?

OHHHH these are gonna be fun, thank you! I get to develop Sieg and Vyx a bit 💖

1. What’s the lie your character says most often?

Yxala often lies about her status. She'll pretend she's fine, everything is fine, and she's very much not. She's only more open about things with her partners, which isn't the healthiest thing to do when they both were assumed dead.

She will also deny she's compensating at all times (she IS compensating)

25. What subject / topic do they know a lot about that’s completely useless to the direct plot?

Siegmund has a lot of special interests that are rarely of use in the grand scheme of things. Maybe his knowledge on familiars is of use at some point, but his stuff for modelism and gunplas is probably fairly useless. He loves learning and gets obsessed with very specific topics. I'm sure he's the kinda person who got really into something like.... Idk. Jellyfishes. Actually I think he keeps shrimps. Make that Canon now.

Vyxander has a worse attention span, but he's got a lot of love for indie music bands and can probably name hundreds of them by memory. After all, he's a guitar player himself.

41. What phrases, pronunciations, or mannerisms did they pick up from someone / somewhere else?

Siegmund picked much of his vocabulary from his uncle, Mythannae, and later Relent, one of his parents. He's formal and polite. I think he connected more strongly with them both because, well, they share neurodivergencies. Mythannae is mute and communicates with sing language, so Siegmund often does the same when he goes nonverbal or is overwhelmed.

Vyxander picked things from his grandma, Olath'Sol, and when Yxala came back, his admiration for badass mom made him copy her mannerisms HEAVILY. He now curses like a sailor and has so many of her habits.

53. Who would / do they believe without question?

Siegmund will believe their family pretty much without question. This will come in handy for him to accept what happened with Urion being the Onirist (which Uri will explain truthfully). Vyxander refuses to believe that.

However, Vyxander doesn't take that from his family, but is instead very prone to believing friends-' specially if their opinions align with his own. He's prone to seeking echo Chambers.

Both of them will be making friends in college who they'll grow to believe without question, which is gonna be a point of conflict since these people are very opposed to each other!

[lacunose]

Hi! I'm a non classics student who's really passionate about ancient history, and I'm interested in learning attic greek so I can read literature like the Oresteia. But I've read a lot of discussion about how it is a good idea to start with Latin first because it's much easier, and then transition to Greek later. Do you have any thoughts? I don't actually know much about Latin literature, but I know it has a lot better learning resources compared to ancient greek, do you know any suggestions good learning resources for Greek in your experience?

hello and yay!! in my experience, Latin did feel somewhat easier and more straightforward than Greek, but I also started with Greek first when I was 18 with no proper language learning experience prior -- and knowing one of the language certainly helps immensely with learning the other! but you can always start with Greek, and almost everyone in my class did, and though the learning curve can be steep it's completely doable, and very fun.

if your goal is to read ancient Greek texts in the original, and the Latin texts are less important to you (and it seems like Greek is your main focus), just start with Greek! Latin will also be a steep climb, so if you're mainly learning it to get into Greek, cut out the middle man.

I learned Greek out of Luschnig's "An Introduction to Ancient Greek: A Literary Approach", which I enjoyed because it starts introducing passages from ancient Greek works very early on, so you can start to get a feel for how the language works as you go. I'm not well-versed in other Greek textbooks, but I've heard good things about the Cambridge and Oxford courses. all of these textbooks can be found for free online on library genesis i believe <3

as for learning resources, I didn't use much else besides my textbook when I was learning Greek, but I do use Quizlet now to revise core vocab. the Oxford Grammar of Classical Greek by James Morwood is also a handy reference to have, as is a good dictionary. Found in Antiquity: Ancient Greek is a youtube channel run by a Latin teacher who makes videos for learners of Greek (and Latin, on her Latin channel) with some videos introducing letters, accents, and pronunciation, and others telling familiar stories in basic Greek to help with understanding and fluency, so that might be useful too!

the Perseus Digital Library project is also an excellent resource not for learning Greek, but for help translating/reading texts when you get there (and you can also just use it to access texts in translation, but the translations are often out of date). Geoffrey Steadman's commentaries are also great for beginning to translate, and are designed for students -- each page has some Greek text, with most of the vocabulary and a number of grammatical points given on the same page for easy access.

this is everything I can think of for the moment, feel free to message me if you have other questions thoughts etc.! if anyone has other resources or advice for this anon let me know and I will add them here...I hope this all makes sense!

[englishlanguagelab]

English Language Lab: A Powerful Language Learning Tool!

Recently, We had a call from a student, Asked! “What is Language Lab?” We explained everything to him, After that, they asked “Could you please share a sample of the Language Lab software demo?” (English Language Lab). We’ve been doing it for 10 years. Let me explain! “How does the English Language Lab software work?” So, here’s the information!

A Student Asked! What is Language Lab?

The truth is that English has a poor standing in many schools! They’re treating it like any other content subject, such as geography or history. Instead of treating English like a textbook, let us explore the best method of learning the English language!

Features Of English Language Labs For Students?

Students can benefit from English language labs in numerous ways, including:

Language Lab Students have an interest in learning and practising many different areas of English by using interactive tasks and activities.

Learners get instant feedback on their performance, allowing them to track how they’re doing and learn opportunities for improvement.

Students can analyze their private progress, which develops interest to continue studying and obtaining what they want. (Increased dedication: Interactive lessons and tasks make English learning more enjoyable and engaging.)

Grammar and fluency improve: Language Labs allow students to practice speaking English in an enjoyable and supportive environment.

The Students/ English learners can improve their listening skills by listening to native speakers and doing audio activities.

enhanced vocabulary and grammatical usage Labs include tasks that build vocabulary and written knowledge and skills.

confidence: Students’ belief in their English skills can be improved by receiving positive comments and watching their development.

However, English language laboratories are an important tool for students to study and enhance their skills in the English language. These applications are an outstanding tool for unique and interesting language learning because of differences in interactive activities, quick feedback, and progress-tracking features.

How English Lab Software Benefits Language Learners:

The English language laboratory it’s like simply an amazing fantastic computer software that makes studying English much easier! That means Students can ask doubts and improve practical skills which makes learning more interesting than in regular classrooms.

Here Are Some of the Key Features of the Language Lab Software:

5,000+ words (8 levels) with images: Learners can use images to learn new words and understand their meanings.

Audio/visual: Learners can utilize these tools to improve their speech skills and practice perfect pronunciation.

With a mic, They can record and listen to their voices.

Develop grammar understanding: Users may use this course to learn the basics of grammar and improve their grammatical skills.

Fluency / Proper syllabic division and stress patterns improve consonant and vowel sound speech.

Trainers can use this tool to develop their skills in properly speaking consonants and vowel sounds.

There are almost 3,000+ syllabic phrases used, including monosyllabic to hexasyllabic.

These words can help students improve their syllabic division skills.

English Language Lab Software Syllabus:

Learn, Speak, Read, Write (LSRW) with A1 to C1 Levels

Digital teacher Language lab software syllabus covers The basic concepts of grammar, listening, speaking, reading, writing, and phonetics are covered in these courses, with levels covering beginning (A1) to advanced (C2). It also offers tasks for developing vocabulary as well as soft skills and life skills. Let me explain in detail!

Basics of Grammar: We covered the basics of grammar in two parts: (Parts 1 & 2) for all levels (A1-C2). It also includes sections on!

Listening: Basic and advanced skills for A1-C2 levels.

Speaking: Basic and advanced skills for A1-C2 levels.

Reading: Basic and advanced skills for A1-C2 levels.

Writing: Basic and advanced skills for A1-C2 levels.

Phonetics: Basic and advanced skills for A1-C2 levels.

Vocabulary Builder: Dedicated section for vocabulary building.

Soft Skills & Life Skills: Additional training in essential non-technical skills.

For 100% effectiveness, Our Language Lab course was developed with the help of Language expert guidance. The course requires completing 440 sessions. Each session lasts between 30-45 minutes, but it may depend on the topic or activity that students/learners choose.

During our course of study or training session, it tells students to follow the sequence described in the guide. It also says that students can allow a range of time to finish a particular lesson.

Also, watch our “Digital Teacher – English Language Lab Software” YouTube video in the below!

How to use English Language Lab?

It is very easy to use our English Language Lab Software; students/learners only require a computer and headphones with a microphone. The software is easy to install in various ways, such as on individual devices, on clients connected to a server, on a single PC, or through a USB connection. also Without any extra transportation. Here are some examples of English Language Lab Installations.

Set up of English Lab Software in Schools and Colleges

Computer hardware required: Any Windows-based OS + earphones with Mike

Single PC/ One Computer Installation: If you just have one computer, we can install the course immediately on it. (Technical support through a help desk application.)

Multiple Computers/Laptops: By connecting multiple computers in a classroom or lab system to a server with clients through the software installed so that all have simple access. Also, if you like, you may install the program on a single PC and take turns using it.

Through USB drive Installation: We Install this course(English Language Lab) on a USB stick and Learners can run it on any computer/Laptop with a USB port for maximum flexibility.

Installing English Lab Software in a USB/Pen Drive:

Place the English Lab USB/Pen Drive into your computer/laptop.

Click “Autorun_tc.exe” to load the required supporting files.

Now, double-click “English Language Lab.exe” to start the English Lab course. (as shown in the below image.)

I hope this above article covers some key points! Anyhow our English Language Lab is always available to help you improve your English, no issue how you would like to use it. Simply put on your headphones and begin your English language learning! For a FREE LAB DEMO Visit: www.englishlab.co.in or feel free to contact us at 90000 90702

English Language Lab: A Powerful Language Learning Tool! - English Lab

[shoppurpleturtle]

Five Activities for kids to Play and Learn

cdn.shopify.com

To help your kids getting engaged in blissful work or to make them busy while you are preferring to work from home can be a full-time job in itself—this is the reason working parents find various ways to make their kids engaged and kids must learn must learn to find their own things to do. Kids would love daily to do something new and exciting, it just takes a little encouragement, training and proper guidance. When children constantly involve in these activities, they expand their interest and spend more time begin learning how to keep themselves busy also get involved.

Art & Craft Activities: - Make your child get involved in Art & craft activities, that will make them occupied for hours and also happy too. However, if it is to be done individually by children, make sure they should be able to do most of the setup and clean up by their own. So keep it simple and easy. For young toddlers do creativity that don't require cutting so to avoid any harm you can do the cutting in advance. For the youngest kids, it is best to allow them explore with coloring.

Reading Books/ Smart Books: - Reading is an independent activity, also it will help your child in getting a certain level of proficiency. However, there are many smart books that will engage kids of all ages and reading levels to guide them in learning new things, also in correct pronunciation and other related skills. Educational books for toddlers can be great way to promote brain development, social skills, pronunciation, vocabulary & in enhancing academic performance.

Educational & Knowledgeable Fun Games: - Nowadays everyone sector is going online, so education too is, so if you have a laptop or tablet available to your kids allow them during your work hours to play educational games, impart a little learning and fun at the same time. These games keep kids thinking and that keeps boredom at bay, so they will learn and have fun at the same time, also get knowledge with these fun activities rather watching TV or simply playing. To set a certain time limit in advance on electronic games, even educational ones because kids can find it hard to disengage from their screens. Kids need a wide variety of activities time to time to truly learn to play independently so too much time in front of a laptop or tab can run counter to what you are trying to accomplish and is harmful for them too.

Outdoor Games: - Take your child outside to have fun, play some creative games and activities along with your children make them feel comfortable and happy playing outside, don't make things complicated. Play some classic and fun games that don't require a lot of components and give proper time to your kid to listen and get involved in their activities.

Allot Household Chores: - Allot few household chores to make your child learn management and in enhancing their knowledge, (for ex. Allow your child to watering plants and teach them about plants, leaves, importance etc.) it is important for kids just to make them organized and to divert their mind. It is easy in a learning phase to teach kids & they will feel responsible in scheduling tasks by themselves. However allot proper time for everything so that they enjoy things and learn easily.

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[2topnews]

How to develop communication skills in English

Practice with the “intensive reading” technique

“Intensive reading is reading with concentration to understand exactly what you are reading.

This is the opposite of skimming, which means reading to understand the content in general, this reading helps the reader feel confident and interested in the reading process because it is possible to visualize what is being read. No need to focus too much on details. While skimming can be helpful in many ways, thorough reading is more helpful in helping you quickly improve your English skills.

The careful reading technique includes the following steps:

Identify important words

Cover some words and guess their meanings

Write a summary after reading

Read with an English tutor (or a friend) or discuss the content of the text you have read.

Make sure you choose short reading passages when practicing your intensive reading technique, or you will get overwhelmed and quickly give up on the practice.

This “intensive reading” technique not only helps you understand the meaning of the text deeply, but it also helps you accumulate ideas from the text so that when communicating, your brain will also quickly turn what you read into the content. Use the conversation naturally.

Practice speaking in front of the mirror

Practicing speaking in front of a mirror can help you feel less shy when speaking in English. Sometimes, communicating in English while your current level is still low can make you feel awkward and awkward. This is partly because you don’t know what your mouth looks like when speaking sounds that are not in your mother tongue, even if you are pronouncing them correctly.

So watch how your mouth moves when you speak English in front of the mirror. Better yet, compare your pronunciation with native English speakers. For example, you might repeat some dialogue from a TV show and try to imitate the actor’s mouth movements. This will not only help you build confidence but also help you improve your English pronunciation.

Learning with a “distributed practice method”

The “distributed practice” method ensures that you will always improve your English and achieve lasting achievement. In this method, you will have many very short study sessions.

This is different from many other training methods such as cramming, studying too much, or just starting to study right before a test. Aside from actually making you feel uncomfortable, cramming doesn’t help you remember information for a long time. Most people forget everything they have learned as soon as they finish their test.

To start using distributed practice, create a study schedule. Try to study at least a few times a week and plan out what you want to learn each day/week/month/etc. Set multiple goals for the English skills you want to improve to better track your progress.

Mark strange words while reading

When reading an English book, mark the words you don’t know and don’t look up the dictionary until the end of the chapter. Then, turn these unfamiliar words into a list of words to learn for the day.

This is a good test to improve learners’ English vocabulary and reading comprehension. You just pick out a book that looks interesting and sit down with a pen and notebook. By the end of that chapter, you should have at least a few words to look up.

Repeat English puns (“tongue twisters”)

“Tongue twisters” are short English sentences that are repeated over and over with a lot of similar sounds, making them very difficult to say even for native English speakers. In Vietnam, there are also many such sentence patterns, such as “a copper pot cooks snails, an earthen pot cooks frogs”, “eat sour grapefruit for lunch”, etc.

These sentences are very effective in creating fun and helping to improve actual English pronunciation. They will help you master difficult English sounds and use them more naturally. Start slow to make sure you pronounce each word correctly, then try to speak faster and faster!

Record your English pronunciation every day

This may sound tedious (because it’s boring and repetitive) but then you’ll be so happy you decided to do this. Use the voice recorder app to make a recording of your English speech every day. You can simply talk about a day that has passed for a few minutes, read a passage from an English book or newspaper, say some new English words that you have learned, or anything that suits you. friend!

But don’t stop there. After the recordings, you need to listen to them again and try to catch your mistakes, whether it’s pronunciation mistakes, grammar mistakes or misused words, etc. This is one of the most practical and immediate ways to improve your English, especially if you are learning a foreign language on your own. If you don’t correct your mistakes, you will continue to make mistakes and your English will improve more slowly.

An added bonus is that these recordings can be a great motivator in your later learning. Because it is certain that there will be times when you will have difficulty, you are not as fast as you used to be, and complex English grammar concepts seem too difficult. You may even want to give up. At this point, the recordings will remind you of how far you have come during your studies, which can lift you up when you feel demoralized!

Memorize common homonyms

Homonyms are words that have the same pronunciation but different (and possibly different spelling) meanings. Some examples of English homonyms include:

Blew – blue (blow – blue)

Know – no (know – no)

Here – hear

Studying homonyms will help improve your English conversation skills and avoid confusion between words. You will hear English more easily if you are familiar with the same common words. To memorize common homonyms, you can use flashcards for word pairs with actual meanings.

[maigamal]

Guide to Learning Arabic on Your Own

Learning Arabic on your own is both rewarding and challenging, and with the right approach, it’s absolutely achievable. Whether you’re drawn to Arabic for cultural, personal, or religious reasons, a solo journey to mastering this language can be deeply fulfilling. Arabic is a language rich in history and diversity, with a unique structure and sounds. Here’s a guide to help you navigate this journey on your own, with practical tips and resources to make the process more manageable.

1. Set Clear Goals for Learning Arabic

Before diving into the language, take a moment to think about your personal goals. Knowing exactly why you want to learn Arabic can help guide your approach. Are you interested in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for reading newspapers and watching news? Or do you want to connect with native speakers by learning a specific dialect, such as Egyptian or Levantine? Additionally, if your aim is to deepen your understanding of Islamic teachings, studying Classical Arabic or Quranic Arabic might be your priority.

With these goals in mind, it’s easier to structure your learning journey and find the resources that align with your objectives.

2. Start with the Arabic Alphabet and Pronunciation

The Arabic script may look complex, but learning the alphabet is an essential first step. Arabic consists of 28 letters, and mastering each letter and its pronunciation is key. You’ll also need to understand how letters connect and how sounds change based on their position in a word.

A good place to start is by familiarizing yourself with the shapes of the letters and practicing writing them. There are several free resources online to guide you through the alphabet, and apps like Duolingo and Memrise offer basic Arabic lessons that focus on letter recognition and pronunciation.

A great resource for pronunciation practice is Shaykhi.com, especially if you’re interested in learning Quranic Arabic. The platform provides structured lessons for beginners and connects you with knowledgeable instructors to guide you through pronunciation and reading.

3. Focus on Basic Vocabulary and Simple Phrases

Once you’re comfortable with the alphabet, begin learning common words and simple phrases. Start with essentials like greetings, numbers, colors, and everyday phrases. This foundational vocabulary will give you the confidence to form basic sentences and start understanding simple Arabic conversations.

Using flashcards, either physical or digital, can be helpful in memorizing vocabulary. Apps like Anki and Quizlet are popular choices for Arabic learners because they use spaced repetition to help you remember new words effectively. Practice using these words in short sentences to start building your conversational skills early on.

4. Study Arabic Grammar Gradually

Arabic grammar can be complex, but there’s no need to feel overwhelmed. Rather than diving into everything at once, take a gradual approach. Start with basic grammar concepts like sentence structure, pronouns, and verb conjugation in the present tense. Modern Standard Arabic follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, which might be different from what you’re used to in English.

As you progress, you can introduce more advanced grammar concepts, like past tense, negation, and different types of nouns and adjectives. Arabic verbs are built on root letters, so understanding root patterns can be incredibly helpful. Books like “Arabic Grammar in Context” or “Al-Kitaab” series are well-known resources to guide you.

If you’re focusing on Quranic Arabic, Shaykhi.com offers tailored lessons that integrate grammar with Quranic vocabulary, helping you understand the context and meaning of Quranic verses more clearly.

5. Practice Listening and Speaking with Native Content

Learning to understand spoken Arabic is just as important as reading or writing it, and immersion is key. Listen to Arabic audio regularly, whether through podcasts, YouTube channels, or TV shows. Start with simpler, slower content that matches your level, such as beginner-friendly Arabic channels or children’s shows.

For speaking practice, try to mimic native speakers by repeating phrases out loud. Language exchange apps like HelloTalk or Tandem can help you connect with native speakers who are learning your language in exchange. Alternatively, Shaykhi.com offers live tutoring, where you can practice speaking in a supportive environment, guided by an experienced teacher.

6. Practice Reading and Writing Regularly

When you’re ready, start reading simple Arabic texts. Children’s books, short stories, and beginner-level articles are all good starting points. As you progress, try to read Arabic news articles or excerpts from Arabic literature to build your vocabulary and comprehension.

If you’re learning Arabic with a focus on religious understanding, reading the Quran with a teacher is invaluable. The Quranic style has a different linguistic structure, and Shaykhi.com offers Quran-centered learning to support you in understanding the verses deeply. Their experienced teachers guide students through each verse, focusing on vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

7. Use Apps and Online Resources to Stay Engaged

Learning Arabic on your own is easier than ever, thanks to a wide range of apps and websites. Some popular ones for language practice include:

Duolingo and Memrise: Great for beginners to learn the alphabet and basic vocabulary.

Anki and Quizlet: Perfect for making and reviewing vocabulary flashcards.

HelloTalk and Tandem: Excellent for connecting with Arabic speakers for conversational practice.

For Quranic Arabic, Shaykhi.com stands out as a dedicated resource. The platform offers personalized lessons, ideal for beginners as well as those advancing in their Quranic studies. With knowledgeable tutors who tailor lessons to your level, Shaykhi.com is a valuable resource to deepen both your language skills and understanding of Quranic text.

8. Set Consistent, Manageable Goals

Learning any language requires consistency, so try to make Arabic part of your daily routine. Start with short, focused sessions each day, such as 15 to 30 minutes of vocabulary review, grammar study, or listening practice. Setting small goals, like learning ten new words a day or reading one short article a week, can help you stay motivated.

Also, don’t be discouraged if you don’t progress as quickly as expected. Arabic is a challenging language, and everyone learns at their own pace. Celebrate the milestones you achieve, whether it’s understanding a basic conversation or reading your first paragraph in Arabic.

9. Embrace Mistakes and Keep Practicing

Learning a language is a journey, and making mistakes is part of the process. Don’t hesitate to practice speaking, even if you make errors along the way. Language learning takes patience, and over time, those mistakes will turn into improvements.

If you’re serious about learning Arabic, especially Quranic Arabic, enrolling in a structured course like those available on Shaykhi.com can provide direction and support. Their experienced tutors offer feedback and help you progress smoothly through the language’s different stages.

Final Thoughts

Learning Arabic on your own can be incredibly rewarding, and it’s a goal that’s fully within reach. By setting clear goals, practicing consistently, and using quality resources, you can make steady progress and enjoy every step of the journey. With dedicated Quranic learning options from platforms like Shaykhi.com, you can enhance your understanding of both the language and its cultural significance. Dive in with patience and curiosity, and soon you’ll find yourself reaching new levels of proficiency in Arabic.

[maiega]

Your Guide to Learning Arabic: Simple Steps to Get Started

Learning Arabic can seem like a big challenge, but with the right steps, you can make real progress. Whether you want to connect with Arabic speakers, understand cultural expressions, or explore the rich literary traditions, this guide will walk you through the essential steps to learn Arabic. We’ll also introduce you to a helpful resource that can make the journey easier: Kalimah Center.

Step 1: Understand Your Goals

Before diving into learning Arabic, it’s important to think about why you want to learn it. Are you interested in speaking with native Arabic speakers, reading classical texts, or maybe traveling to Arabic-speaking countries? Knowing your goals will help you focus on the aspects of the language that matter most to you, whether it’s conversational fluency, understanding grammar, or mastering reading and writing.

Step 2: Learn the Arabic Alphabet

Arabic uses a script that is different from the Latin alphabet, so one of the first steps to learn Arabic is to familiarize yourself with its letters. The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters, and they change their shape depending on their position in a word. This might seem tricky at first, but dedicating time to writing and pronouncing each letter will help you build a strong foundation.

Step 3: Start with Basic Vocabulary and Phrases

Once you’ve gotten comfortable with the alphabet, it's time to learn basic words and phrases. Focus on common greetings, simple questions, and phrases you can use in daily life. Starting small can build your confidence and make learning feel more manageable. You can even create flashcards or use language learning apps for a few minutes each day to reinforce these words.

Step 4: Study Grammar Gradually

Arabic grammar is known for its complexity, but you don’t have to learn everything all at once. Start with the basics, like verb conjugation and simple sentence structures. Understanding the different forms of verbs and how nouns and adjectives agree in gender and number can help you make sense of simple sentences. Don’t worry about mastering the intricacies immediately; focus on learning one new grammar point at a time.

Step 5: Practice Listening and Speaking

Language learning isn't just about reading and memorizing; listening and speaking are equally important. Find Arabic podcasts, watch TV shows, or listen to Arabic music to get used to how the language sounds. Even if you don’t understand everything at first, it will help train your ear. Try speaking with native speakers if you have the chance, or join online communities where you can practice with others.

A great place to find structured practice is the Kalimah Center, which offers courses tailored for all levels. They provide interactive lessons with qualified instructors who can help you improve your pronunciation and speaking skills in a supportive environment.

Step 6: Immerse Yourself in the Culture

To truly understand Arabic, it’s helpful to learn about the cultures where it’s spoken. This could mean reading books, watching films, or learning about the customs and traditions of different Arabic-speaking countries. It can make the language feel more alive and give you a better appreciation for how it’s used in real-life contexts.

Step 7: Be Patient and Consistent

Learning a new language takes time, and Arabic is no exception. It’s normal to feel frustrated at times, but consistency is key. Even spending 15 to 30 minutes a day studying can make a big difference over time. Track your progress, celebrate small wins, and remember that every step, no matter how small, brings you closer to your goal.

Learn Arabic with Kalimah Center

If you’re looking for a structured way to follow these steps to learn Arabic, the Kalimah Center offers a variety of online courses that are great for beginners and advanced learners alike. They focus on making Arabic accessible, with lessons designed to fit into your schedule. Plus, you can study from anywhere, making it a convenient option for anyone looking to learn at their own pace.

Final Thoughts

Learning Arabic is a rewarding journey, and with a clear plan, it’s completely achievable. By following these steps to learn Arabic—setting clear goals, mastering the basics, and practicing consistently—you’ll be well on your way. And remember, resources like the Kalimah Center can provide the support and guidance you need throughout your learning experience.

[rigelmejo]

10/22/2024: a little progress!

Using glossika and studying vocabulary through audio, is making some difference! I read the first few pages of the japanese version of Cherry Magic manga (I bought it on Amazon a while back), and the combination of me knowing some words through sound, knowing hanzi, and seeing the furigana (yay furigana!), means I'm figuring out words fairly easily. Only 1 word on the first few pages I did not know (it was all hiragana). I think a year or so ago, maybe even 2 years ago, I tried reading manga and knowing hanzi definitely helped me with guessing word meanings but I needed to see furigana or I wouldn't learn the correct pronunciation. So I think having this listening-basis for words now, I can guess a word now and then check furigana for confirmation and reinforcement. I feel like there's a little less Chinese-pronunciation interference. I did not need to look any words up for understanding, which is a big deal to me, because if I get to a point where I can read manga extensively, that would be an enjoyable way to learn.

Studying through audio like I have been, I tried reading a book again. The ebook was for kids, about a bizarre inventor and it's a silly simple story. I read the first few pages... I needed the TTS, as when I'd hear the words their boundaries made more sense to me, but I knew a decent portion of the words when I did that (most words were hiragana so incomprehensible back when I was using hanzi-knowledge to guess). It was very hard, I'm not ready to read stuff for native speakers lol (except manga for teens with the pictures to help me and dialogue only to slog through lol). But since that task was doable, I am probably ready to use Satori Reader's graded readers whenever.

I found a SaYe audiobook on bilibili! I'll share if anyone's interested. I'm thrilled, as it's read nice. I listened to only 10 minutes of it because I was focusing hard on trying to catch everything, as I KNOW most words in SaYe when reading. It's harder to listen to than to read. I also listened to 30 minutes of a Poyun audiobook. Both of these were somehow easier to follow dialogues (I understood like 95%) and plot (I got the main idea and locations, and in SaYe 70% of details), than when I tried listening to the Intermediate Chinese audiobook ChinesePod101 has in elibraries... I listened to a simple dialogue about missing a train, needing to prepare better, it's appropriate blah blah in that educational material, and had to listen to it 3 times to catch everything even though I already knew all the words in it. Which I guess is a lesson for me that... I need to listen, and re-listen, a LOT more in general to get better instant-recognition of words I know already. Not even for learning new words, but before that to just get BETTER recognition of words I know already from reading. I need to listen so much more... like hours and hours and hourssssss.

I read 1 chapter of some bl romance with an actor main character, I wasn't super into it, extensively read while listening so some listening practice. Learned the word for contract and brand.

I need to play some video games ONLY in japanese again, when I play with japanese audio and english subtitles (or shows with chinese subtitles), I just pay attention to the subtitles too much to practice japanese much. I hear a bit more than usual, picking out words I've studied recently, but I think it'd work out better with no english or chinese as a crutch. For similar reasons, I need more chinese listening with no subs, so either shows with no subs, or audiobooks - the chinese subtitles as a crutch mean I don't practice listening as much.

I will fucking finish Glossika japanese A2 this week. If I can have my way, I'll finish all of Glossika japanese's new sentences this week. Then do that month of review (and then longer, if I wish to practice speaking or reading sentences more). I am finally running into a new word maybe every 3-4 sentences... Hopefully, by the end of this, I will have picked up enough new words to put my vocabulary around 5,000 words.

Note about the way I study audio: it's working very well. Future me, it's worth doing this with Chinese too. I play the audio in the background while working/cleaning/walking/driving/gaming, and if I don't hear every sentence it's fine. I do reviews less often, only if I've gotten through my goal of NEW sentences for the day. Then I do a lot of reviews at the end, once I've gotten through ALL new material. Then keep doing reviews, while also engaging in content in the language (which will also provide some review while practicing recognizing the words and grammar I studied). I do not necessarily think this would work for everyone. And when I initially hear the 5 new sentences per glossika lesson, I prefer to read the screen to see the sentence's written form and mentally pick out all the new words (since I can tell which word is which meaning thanks to hanzi-kanji similarity, and english translation) so I know what meaning I'm thinking with each new part I hear. But even if I don't do that study-slowing initial look through of the sentences, just listening has been going well. I tend to focus on audio when I'm doing other things. I don't know if that's just the way I happen to focus in particular. But even when it plays in the background, I notice a lot of it, and then later in reviews those sentences feel familiar and easier to recall meaning of.

Similarly, when listening to chinese audiobooks, even if I don't pay full attention and play them while painting or drawing, as I listen for more hours I notice I can understand more full sentences of what I'm hearing, rather than just phrase chunks and individual words. So even if I'm not paying attention to the plot fully, it does seem to be helping to LISTEN MORE. There's an improvement over time, even if I'm not paying full attention.