Unfamiliar voices, a new song
Ways to follow a programme when you do not yet understand every word.
In its account of a Raadio 2 programme update, ERR connects journalistic content with music programmes. It is a reason to listen to what happens between songs as well as to the songs themselves. Unfamiliar speech has a rhythm too: pauses, questions and changes of voice alter the feeling of a programme.
Choose a short segment and try to hear its structure without translating it word for word. Is one person speaking or several? Does the pace stay even or change noticeably? When music begins, compare its mood with the preceding conversation. You do not need to guess meaning from intonation: observing form is a way of exploring in its own right.
If a song catches your attention, look for its artist and title in the station’s official materials. Do not infer a musician’s language or origin from their voice alone. Note the title and return to the recording outside its radio setting: you may hear which part of the first impression came from the song and which from its surroundings.
Sources and further reading
Keep listening
Start with the kind of programme you want: conversation, new music or a concert. Listening links open the official ERR website in a new tab. Choose a station.