Ooh-ooh! Still practicing reading my poem en español because the presentations have been put off until next week, but guess what? After four semesters I think I may have started to learn to roll my r’s!
I had all but given up on this element of the language as my tongue, thick and ugly as an eel forcing its head against a cage of teeth refused to produce the lovely sounds of the Spanish rrrrrr.
Now my tongue does have its little tricks and has acquired mastery of many areas, however language is not its strong point. For eating, and, well, eating it has achieved near perfection. But for speaking, even in its native language, it has driven me rather to write anything of value or beauty. First “I love you’s” were always textual. “Goodbye” was much the same. It was not a case of failure to face up to emotional drama of a scenario, actress that I am deep inside, but knowledge of my own rather poor oratory articulation skills.
So this is wonderful—rolling my Spanish rrrrr’s represents an achievement, a knowledge of where to place my stubborn tongue to produce something auditorily pleasing. It does not always come out perfect, and more often than not words sound out like farting frogs, but I have another whole week to practice, y madre de Jésus, I will get it right!
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
I always thought that the ability to roll your “rrrs” was hereditary. I, for one, cannot do it to save my life. All I can produce is a rather phlegmatic back of the throat noise that doesn’t pass for anything.
Congratulations – I guess I’ll have to stay away from Spain and concentrate on Italy.