Eliciting information138 LCDD 14 Paya Kuna. LCDD 14 Paya Kuna

Appenxix N 315 bring a reply of, ―No, he‘s tommomanai ‗swimming‘.‖ You can use anything that doesn‘t make sense in the situation. 3 Observation You can expand your knowledge of the language by observing what is said in a given situation. However, this is fairly risky as your interpretation of the situation may be completely erroneous. However, it is very useful in checking information elicited previously, especially that gathered in formal, artificial situations. 4 Use of pictures By looking at pictures with a Kuna visitor, either photos or magazines, you can glean valuable insights into Kuna. One good method is to discuss what you are looking at in a magazine with your visitor as a planned activity during his visit. 5 Use of texts Increased fluency and naturalness can be acquired by memorizing short texts. A text may be a conversation dialogue between two people or a single person monologue telling of an event or expressing an opinion on a subject. The language learner will find it very helpful to use a short text that deals with his surroundings or situation and to visiting throughout the village using the memorized text with the people he meets. He should write out the text he plans to use. He may develop it from a short conversation that he has heardrecorded. He should read the text aloud to a close Kuna friend who is willing to check it for accuracy before it is memorized. The following guidelines in text making may prove helpful: 1. The text should be short Early texts for the purpose of memorization should be no more than three or four exchanges. After some degree of fluency is achieved, the texts may be lengthened. 2. The subject matter should be relevant to your situation. 3. The text should be as natural as possible. The ideal source is a type of spontaneous conversation between two people. 4. Intonation should always be learned first. Individual sounds, meanings of words or grammatical constructions are secondary. 5. After the text has been mastered and used several times in a natural situation, the language learner should start substituting other vocabulary items, a few at a time, making sure the intonation pattern and speed are maintained. 6. Once substitution has been mastered, try jotting down several pieces of information about a single subject. Organize the information into a single text. Be sure to check the text you develop with a Kuna friend who is willing to check your text for naturalness and accuracy. 7. Use one text type at a time see Section 20.4.12.

3. Speaking Kuna

Speak, speak, speak Use every opportunity you can. Work hard to control the conversation signals and sustainers in Section 11.2.

a. Correcting It is important that the people correct you all the time. Now this is hard to do.

1 From your viewpoint a Pride It is hard for anyone to be constantly corrected. It ‘s humiliating. But you have to put your pride in your pocket and take correction. 316 Language Learning b Discouragement Constant correction can be discouraging. However, if you realize and accept the fact that anyone and that includes you has to be corrected many times before he can reasonably expect to be able to control a grammatical construction, then there is no need for discouragement. If the rate of correction is dropping for the same construction, then progress is being made and that is nice to know. c Being corrected when you are right Sometimes you will be corrected when you are sure you are right. Don ‘t argue with the person correcting you. Make the correction. Most of the time, there is some factor you have either forgotten about or don ‘t yet know exists. For instance, if the word order suddenly changes, it is probably because of a change of focus or emphasis, or the need to keep track of the ―theme‖ or ―topic‖ of the paragraph. Remember, Kunas speak the language correctly, even though they may not be able to adequately explain it even as we cannot always adequately explain what is happening in English. 2 From their viewpoint 1. They don ‘t wish to embarrass or discourage you. 2. They get tired of correcting the same thing. 3. They forget that you really want them to correct you. So, you need to constantly remind your friends to help you by correcting you. b. Try to make full use of your knowledge 1. Consciously try to make use of your full repertoire of grammatical constructions. 2. Try to make full use of your vocabulary on a given topic. 3. As you progress in the language, try to be more expressive. Try to bring out the emphasis and focus you want to get across to your listener. Learn to be more graphic in your description of exciting events.

c. Keep going

If you start to speak on something and you run into trouble, e.g., you ‘ve forgotten a vocabulary item, you run into a situation where you don ‘t know what the grammatical structure is, don‘t give up without a fight. Try one or several of the following: 1. Try to receive prompting by using iwen ... iwen see Section 11.4.4.1. 2. Admit to a poor memory: ¡Aai An igija. ‗Oh dear I forget.‘ 3. Try the error technique see Appendix N. 4. Try a descriptive phrase or sentence instead of a word. 5. Try dramatization, if practical. Above all, be able to laugh at yourself and at your mistakes. It is much more fun that way, and besides, you will provide a lot of local entertainment.

d. Evaluate yourself

Think about your trouble spots. These may be areas where you get ―stuck‖ or even areas where you are constantly corrected. This is a good indication that here is an area that you need a lot, yet don ‘t control. It makes good sense to make such an area the next one that you find out about and learn.

4. Planning

If you are going to learn Kuna, it takes discipline and planning. This involves not only your study program, but also your living program. If you don ‘t keep mentally and physically fit, your learning ability will be impaired.

a. Living

Long extended periods of exposure to culture stress tend to be cumulative. Although you may ―stick it out,‖ productivity drops and it would be far more profitable to go ―out‖ a week or two and then be fresh again.