Dru**ben, Choking and Progress

Dru**ben. This one word, so far, was a little challenging, and yet now I've almost gotten a natural hold over. However, there are a few things about this word the puzzle me. The first, is how I feel like i'm about to choke every time I say the word. The location where this sound U** (** is my way of say that symbol over the “u”) it feels like my whole throat is closing in and I have to literally force the air out or I feel I will choke. And secondly, as a result of the first, there is this very subtle but strange “fear” that comes up. It's actually quite crazy to me how that even works. When I say dru**ben and feel like I'm about to choke, and then my brain kicks in with a fear I'm about to die….. Pardon my language (get it?….ok joke's over) but what in the hell is that all about?

Where is that coming up? Er ist dort dru**ben. = It's over there. Now thankfully…. The better I get at saying that word, the less I feel like I'm about to keel over. However, turn up the speed and I'm choking again. For example, when I need to answer the lady in the FSI course.

[video/audio example of my speaking. The first conversation is based on the FSI course. The second is me combining what I've learned. I apologise if my accent is still rough, but I'm making progress!]

Lady: Wo ist der Flughafen?

Me: Er ist dort dru**ben.

Lady: Wie bitte? Sprechen sie bitte langsam.

Me frustrated (just kidding :P) : Der Flughafen ist dort dru**ben.

Lady: Danke sehr.

Now if I take what I learned so far and I really want to choke while having fun:

Me: Guten Morgen Herr und Frau Kunze, Wie geht es ihnen?

Herr Kunze : Danke gut!

Frau Kunze : Danke gut, und ihnen?

Me: Auch gut, danke. Wo fahren sie hin?

Herr Kunze : Der Flughafen, und ihnen?

Me: Café.

Frau Kunze : Ralph, wo ist der Flughafen?

Me: Er ist dort dru**ben.

Herr and Frau Kunze look around : Wie Bitte? Wo ist?

Me ( I point behind the tree) : Der Flughafen ist dort dru**ben.

Herr and Frau Kunze : Ah (I don't know this expression yet), Danke sehr, Ralph. Auf Wiedersehen!

Me: Auf Wiedersehen!

And thus this is an appropriate view of all I've learned so far.

Frau did not take as long as dru**ben, but neither took more then may 20 or so minutes to absorb and then a few hours and days later to really get the hang of each. Frau does trip me up with th F(igr) very soft, but vibrated.

Soon I will be reviewing unit 3 and 4.1 – 4.2 and then venturing on to unit 5 and maybe six today or some other time. For now, I am through.

Auf Wiedersehen and Happy Learning!

- The FSI German Coursework I have been talking about : FSI German