5 January 2011 The menú del día (menu of the day)
One of the benefits of learning a new language day is that you can explore new cuisines. Spanish is particularly good for this and I often order things that I have never tried before either on the waiter’s recommendation or just bravado. A good way to get into this habit is to select the "menú del día". There is an unwritten rule that the lunchtime menú del día, for normal work days should be tasty, nutritious, filling and cost less than 10 euros. Usually it will be 3 courses and include some wine or beer and water. Fantastic value.
Today in Arrecife in Lanzarote I had "marmite", a soup with big lumps of potato and fish in a consommé base. Next was braised lamb, again with potatoes. I could have had dessert but I chose cortado (a small coffee) instead. The cost was 9 euros and that included a glass of house wine and bread. Typically Sunday menú del día is slightly more expensive – this week it was 14 euros and the quality was superb.
The biggest surprise is that a tip is not expected, most people leave 20 – 50 cents but if you leave nothing it’s no big deal. My Spanish friends tip normally around 5-10% in the evening but at lunchtime it is not done, or expected. An excellent reason to choose Spain for your holiday instead of USA.
Typical Sunday Menú del día first course – paella |
Typical Sunday Menú del día – main dish |
Typical Sunday menú del día – main dish |
Choose coffee or dessert with menú del día |
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Bill Ferguson |
Spanish Teaching Resources Getting good quality teaching and resources
The information I am going to share is an honest account of what I have tried over the past year and my opinions are just that, opinions. I will share my likes and dislikes, what works for me and what doesn't. This is a personal experience, I am not an expert but if you share my ambition of learning to communicate in a third, foreign language, then maybe we can help each other along the way.
According to Friedrich Nietzsche: "One who speaks a foreign language just a little takes more pleasure in it than one who speaks it well. Enjoyment belongs to those who know things halfway."
I think he is right. Its hard to define halfway but I think the fun starts when you know enough of a language to be able to make yourself understood, given sufficient time to think. At this stage you are not merely tolerated but treated as an honoured guest in a foreign country. People see you bravely struggling to speak and understand, and give you credit for trying. They are nearly always kind and supportive.
Go beyond this to fluency and its like a toddler growing up, you are no longer cute and vulnerable. You are competing for resources, in the adolescence of language acquisition unless you have a definite role you are treated with suspicion. Maybe that is the stage to consider moving on to another new language ...
Getting good quality teaching and resources is vital to success: encouraged by an influential book by Harry Ferber I now view language acquisition as a military campaign, I need to use my resources efficiently to overcome all resistance, I need to capture vocabulary and not let it escape. I need to wear down the opposition by attacking daily and not allowing it time to regroup. I need to learn the predictable tricks that the new language will play on me and be ready for them (this means learning grammar). Like any military campaign good quality intelligence is vital. Learning a Third Language My current ambition is to be able to communicate comfortably in English, French and Spanish. I began to study Spanish in 2008. I have been a student of French, on and off, for about 30 years and up to last year ....read more Strategic Planning When I started to think about taking on a third language I realised I had two main worries: firstly I didn't want to lose my second language ...read more Fear of Losing French As I see it there is a simple choice ....read more |
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