Frustration and Fun in Online Learning
The dialogue below may sound very familiar.
[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/fun-fiasco.mp3″ /]
מוֹרֶה – את שומעת אותי?
תדליקי את הרמקול.
תלמידה – אני לא שומעת אותך!
מורה – תדליקי את הרמקול!
(הוא מצביע על הרמקול שלו)
תלמידה – אה, להדליק את הרמקול…
מורה – עכשיו את שומעת אותי?
תלמידה – כן! סוף סוף! אני ממש
לא מתחברת לטכנולוגיה הזאת…
מורה – טוב, לפחות המצלמה שלך עובדת.
הרבה פעמים יש לתלמידים שלי תקלות
גם עם המצלמה.
תלמידה – טוב, מתחילים?
מורה – כן… את… מצלמה…
תלמידה – אוי, אני שומעת אותך מקוטע…
Male teacher – Can you hear me?
Turn on the speaker.
Female student – I can’t hear you!
Teacher – Turn on the speaker!
(he points to his speaker)
Student – Oh, turn on the speaker…
Teacher – Now can you hear me?
Student – Yes! Finally! I really
don’t connect to this technology…
Teacher – Well, at least your camera works.
My students often have glitches
with their camera too.
Student – Okay, shall we start?
Teacher – Yes… you… camera…
Student – Oy, your breaking up…
רמקול[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – speaker
This is the term for speaker as in loudspeaker. It’s a sort of play on the expression קול רם[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – a loud voice.
להתחבר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – to connect
Just as in English, we can talk about connecting an appliance to a power outlet, or about people connecting to one another. We can also talk about “connecting to” (liking) other things, such as technology that can sometimes be frustrating.
מצלמה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – camera
This modern-Hebrew word draws on the ancient-Hebrew root צ.ל.מ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] meaning image. You may recall from Genesis:בְּצֶלֶם אֱ-לֹהִים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – in the image of G-d He created him.
תקלה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – glitch
Used today mainly to refer to a glitch or malfunction, תקלה appears in the High Holy Days prayers, where it refers to an impediment to leading a good life.
מקוטע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] – broken up (technically)
The word קטע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/fun-fiasco-#.m4a” /] means part or segment. Something מקוטע is segmented – such as a phone call with bad reception, or an online conversation where the camera keeps freezing.