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Language lesson
Mar. 29th, 2009 10:40 amFor various disreputable reasons, I have a DS and a copy of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2. Early on, I discovered it had a French language option and decided to try playing in French. Things I didn't understand in English still made no sense in French (character classes, ability names, skills vs. talents, move vs. speed) and the instructions were harder to read, but I get to practice reading French. I think it *has* been good for my French language skills.
There have also been some unexpected benefits. I've subconsciously assumed "goon" as the root word for "Dragoon". The French "Dragon Souled" (I think) makes a lot more sense in context.
I have a new appreciation of illiteracy. When I look at elaborate French language instructions on completing a quest, I don't see "a bunch of letters that mean nothing to me". I see "blah blah blah yellow blah blah blah (might mean "decay"?) blah blah blah not blah blah blah friends" and think "maybe I'm trying to protect him from these yellow things until his friends join us; I wonder if they have a breath attack?" In other words, I can read enough to make a guess at the task in front of me. If my students have similar literacy issues this explains a lot about their failure to follow complicated written instructions.
There have also been some unexpected benefits. I've subconsciously assumed "goon" as the root word for "Dragoon". The French "Dragon Souled" (I think) makes a lot more sense in context.
I have a new appreciation of illiteracy. When I look at elaborate French language instructions on completing a quest, I don't see "a bunch of letters that mean nothing to me". I see "blah blah blah yellow blah blah blah (might mean "decay"?) blah blah blah not blah blah blah friends" and think "maybe I'm trying to protect him from these yellow things until his friends join us; I wonder if they have a breath attack?" In other words, I can read enough to make a guess at the task in front of me. If my students have similar literacy issues this explains a lot about their failure to follow complicated written instructions.
