These days I’m learning Italian.  Why would a septuagenarian take on learning of a new language?   Well, intrepid reader, learning a new language is a stalwart weapon in the fight to keep out the Alzheimer’s. Work the brain to keep it from getting flabby I’m told.  While this is enough of a good reason for my late in life desire to parla Italiano, I have a more personal one.  

At my last visit to my family’s ancestral home of Teramo, Italy, I told my cousins (cugini) there I would be speaking Italian on my next visit.  They encouraged me, and I want to reward them for their faith.

How hard can it be?

I had many false start with books and electronic language courses.  Oh sure, I got their greetings chapters down but no real knowledge of the language.

It was time to pick up the pace, I used inheritance money from my Mom to buy a Rosetta Stone course.  I thought she’d like this idea.

That was over a year ago.  I did lessons five nights a week.  At the halfway mark on the course, I realized I’ve knew words but not how to use them.  Learning refrigerator was frigorifero and vacuum cleaner was aspirapolvere would not help when I need directions to a ristorante?

Step two was Duolingo, a web based learning tool.   It addresses the use of words over just learning of them.  I doubled my efforts with both e-courses, but still sensed I needed more.

Next I enrolled in an Italian for travelers course at Widener’s Exton campus.  Early on, I knew what I needed to learn.  How to say baffling words like “gli” – “the” when used before masculine, plural nouns starting with vowels or “Z” or “S” followed by another consonant.  Got to love the complexity of Italian.

Where am I now?  My desire to speak Italian has gained momentum.  I spend large chunks of my time each day studying; getting frustrated and going back for more.

By reaching my tipping point, I believe my working knowledge will produce full Italian sentences.  I am excited about being where I am and where I’m going.

I sense my tipping point is just ahead of me, and I plan to knock it on its culo.