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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

My Kirundi-French-English Challenge: Kifrenglish


 
I decided to learn my native language again! It is Kirundi! My parents told me that I started talking really late and I used to stare at people straight in the eyes without talking. Growing up, languages were not the only barriers, but cultures and customs were  too.As a result, I always look into people eyes to make sure I understand the tone, context, intention, real meaning of the words.It is all about interpretations not translations.

I do not even know which one is native or first or second. I know which one I use, do not use, can read and write or not. Growing up, I had a home language, a school language, and outside language. Depending on situations, language was mostly a tool and a concept. It was often a token of my willingness to learn and exchange.  With time my first became my second. And another one became my first. They all shape my identity in many ways I cannot define but they did. Kirundi is a valley where I belong, French is  a plain where I grew up, English is a woodland where I am growing.

So here is my Kirundi-French-English challenge=Kifrenglish.
I will use learn Kirundi from Betty Cox, and update my progress every two weeks. It will be challenging because I never learn how to write and read in Kirundi. And my French writing is slipping away. And at the end of this challenge I will proudly say that my native is Kirundi, my second is French and third is English. And finally make space for Spanish. I hope to be more cohesive in my multilingualism.

























Burundi pictures from Brandon Thiessen. On flickr.BЯДЙDΦЙ.Brandon


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