Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.12.2006, Blaðsíða 8

14_RVK_GV_18_006_OPINION
Silence is golden; however, living in
a world with nothing but that can
be the antithesis of anything bright
and shiny. Inhabiting a nation
where the native language is miles
away from your mother tongue can
seem quite lonely at times. When
surrounded by native speakers you
usually find yourself faced with two
options: become invisible or find
something really pretty to stare
at until someone realises that you
have no idea what’s going on.
However, fear not my fellow
newcomers, there is a third option.
You can bite the bullet and actually
learn the language. As we all know,
mastering any new language can
be a daunting task. Moreover, the
idea of learning Icelandic can mir-
ror the concept of a person trying
to climb Mount Everest wearing a
wetsuit with a surfboard strapped
to their back. The motivation is
there, but everything you’ve come
with is all wrong. The entire pro-
cess can be even more discourag-
ing if you’re like me and your native
language is grammatically and ver-
bally on a different planet from this
seasoned vernacular.
As English is one of the most
widely used language in the world,
it hasn’t been too difficult to com-
municate and get around in Ice-
land. Nevertheless, it does not
negate the fact that Icelanders
always prefer to speak Icelandic
and that there are myriad setbacks
if you cannot converse in the lo-
cal language. For example, having
three separate degrees of higher
education does not qualify me
for a job above cleaning a school
kitchen. Initially I was offended,
but it quickly forced me to come
to terms with the reality of my lim-
ited language skills. An additional
hindrance is the wall that separates
you from getting to know Icelandic
people intimately. Individuals are
more likely to reveal who they are
when they can express themselves
in their own language. Despite the
notion that most Icelanders would
rather go streaking in the middle
of winter than openly express how
they feel, connections are more apt
to form with a mutual understand-
ing of one another.
Furthermore, when you dwell
in any place you want to have your
ear on the street and a sense of
what’s happening around you. Not
being able to read the newspapers
and understand the news leaves
you in an empty and isolated state.
You also aren’t as interested in in-
vestigating major domestic issues
when they aren’t as readily acces-
sible.
At present the Icelandic gov-
ernment has also felt a push in as-
sisting foreigners with becoming
acclimated language-wise. In 2007
the Icelandic Ministry of Educa-
tion will spearhead a project of-
fering free Icelandic lessons for up
to 2,000 foreigners over the next
three years. The 100 million krónur
provided for the program is said
to be utilised for the education of
teachers, developing materials and
curriculum. To be honest, I’m a lit-
tle sceptical about government-run
projects for foreigners that do not
incorporate the perspectives and
experiences of those they purport
to be helping. Many government
programs focused on immigration
are established with good inten-
tions but oftentimes fail to meet
the standards of a high-quality
program. I could be wrong and the
program could go off without a
hitch; however, based on my first
experience in taking an Icelandic
course in this country, the govern-
ment is going to need all the help it
can get.
Last month I endured a ten-
week course conveniently named
“Icelandic for Beginners.” Al-
though I did not assume I’d walk
out of the class with a level com-
parable to that of the Son of Ice-
land, Leifur Eiríksson, I did want to
at least be able to engage in simple
conversation. Unfortunately, I was
(sadly) too optimistic. Not only can
I not even ask my husband to turn
the soccer game off in his own lan-
guage (because clearly he conve-
niently refuses to understand Eng-
lish at these times), I walked out of
the class feeling as if I should have
been paid for those ten weeks.
Yes, it does take two to tango and
I could have put in many hours of
practise, however, one of the major
problems was the actual method in
which the language was taught.
As a former educator myself I
do know a few things about how
to convey material to a class of be-
ginners and it does not commence
with the telling the class, “You
just have to get a feeling for it.”
Are you kidding me? How do you
just acquire a feeling for sounds
and words that have never grazed
your tongue before? Based on the
complex grammar and the forever
changing pronunciation of each
word, learning Icelandic is not an
easy course to run, which means it
needs to be taught by skilled pro-
fessionals trained in the discipline
of linguistics. So my caveat to the
government is that they spend
their money wisely so that students
walk away feeling motivated and
satisfied with their decision to no
longer sit in silence.
Simply Speaking
Text by Gabriele R. Guðbjartsson
“Based on the complex grammar and
the forever changing pronunciation of
each word, learning Icelandic is not an
easy course to run.”
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Sunday December 3rd 5 PM and Monday December 4th, 8 PM
The Motet Choir Christmas Concert
The celebrated finnish mezzosoprano Monica Groop joins The Motet Choir of Hallgrímskirkja for its annual
and very popular christmas concertos performing advent music and christmas carols from around Europe
with oboist Daði Kolbeinsson and organist Björn Steinar Sólbergsson under the direction of Hörður Áskelsson.
Tickets, 2500 ISK
Thursday December 7th, 8 PM
Improvising on Christmas Carols
Sigurður Flosason, one of Iceland’s most prominent jazz musicians on the saxophone and Gunnar Gunnarsson,
organist and jazz musician performing a collection of well known christmas carols. Tickets, 1500 ISK
Sunday December 10th, 5 PM
Christmas with Bach
A collection of advent hymns and christmas carols with organ preludes by Johann Sebastian Bach performed by
professional singers, Schola cantorum, with organist Björn Steinar Sólbergsson and Hörður Áskelsson directing.
Tickets, 1500 ISK
Sunday December 31st, 5 PM - New Year’s Eve
Festive sounds for the new year
Festival of Christmas Music in Hallgrímskirkja concludes with the annual New Year’s Eve Concert combining
the sounds of the magnificent Klais organ played by Hörður Áskelsson, the trumpets of Icelandic Symphony
Orchestra players Ásgeir Steingrímsson and Eiríkur Örn Pálsson and the powerful bass voice of internationally
renowned Icelandic opera singer, Kristinn Sigmundsson, performing arias from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and
Handel’s Messiah along with celebrated works by Bach (Toccata and fugue in d-minor) and Albinoni (Adagio).
Tickets, 2000 ISK
Tickets are available at Hallgrímskirkja (+354 510 1000) daily 9AM-5PM.
Festival of Christmas Music
in Hallgrímskiarkja