Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Fried Brains

I have fried brains.

I could blame it on the heat...

I am trying (unsuccessfully) to learn the Hebrew alphabet for my summer school class. Geesh. I really have a Western brain.

Right to left reading is just not working. Let alone keeping the jots and tittles correct. Memorizing the consonants? not happening... Learning final consonants? Vowels? Schewas? Transliterations? fuggedaboudit.

If you have any suggestions, good drills, tips and tricks, or just encouragement, please send them my way. I am really REALLY not getting this.

It's days like this that I wonder why I am in seminary anyway... I am feeling very stupid at the moment.
Deb

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've never done this so I have no suggestions! (But would it work to hold the page up to a mirror? probably not!)

My boys have friends around the corner who go to the local Hebrew Day School, where half the daily instruction is in Hebrew. Maybe you could find a kid to tutor you...

Terri said...

I can offer prayers of support, but no hints. I only had to take, what we called, "baby languages" in seminary. One quarter that spent half the time on Hebrew (so, about 6 weeks) and half the time on Greek (another 6 weeks). And that was 11 years ago. Needless to say I remember none of it, and always use a concordance.

So. prayers coming your way for the next few weeks of summer school.

(Although I always found flash cards helpful. Making them reinforced the learning process of repetitive writing, seeing, hearing...and then using the flash cards did too).

Deb said...

Yes, that's what I am taking too "baby Greek" and "baby Hebrew" - enough to learn how to use the lexicons. A small enough bit of knowledge to be dangerous. smile... I guess it is a right of passage, but with my handy-dandy Logos program, sometimes I don't see the point.

My kids' friends are taking "modern Hebrew" and they say that there are big differences and they don't want to confuse me. As if.

sigh.

grumble.
But thanks for listening.
d

Mandy said...

Well, I can't relate, but I know that you are a very smart and motivated person (just the fact that you're going back to school tells me that), and I know you can do this. I really, really do.

So don't prove me wrong, or I'll get snippy with you.

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

I cannot imagine having to do this. I could only suggest lots and lots of prayer...and M & M's.

MrReRe said...

Deb - I don't know anyone more talented than you, so hang in there. You'll probably have an "a-ha" moment at some point and then it will all be lollipops and mashed potatoes (or something like that). Maybe a good Loose Cannon will help?

PS: I never have been able to handle my tittles either.