PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5479 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1
| Message 201 of 439 27 April 2014 at 12:59am | IP Logged |
Hi Luke,
I'm wondering a couple of things. I got curious this morning... I don't feel like I'm acquainted that well with
many on 2ème despite many exchanged messages on our thread and logbooks. I guess connections with
others on a forum lacks a lot of personal contact which would enable me to better remember each individual
by way of their personality, appearance, manner of speech and so on. Anyway I thought I'd read some of your
Spanish language profile this morning out of interest. I'm sure there are answers if I search within your logs
but I thought it would be better to simply ask a couple of 'new' questions. What is your level of Spanish like
nowadays? Are you studying any Spanish lately or having exposure to that language regularly. And how's
your French going? How do you feel about the language at the moment and how much study (time) are you
doing a day on average?
PM
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luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7208 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French
| Message 202 of 439 27 April 2014 at 2:12am | IP Logged |
PeterMollenburg wrote:
What is your level of Spanish like nowadays? Are you studying any Spanish lately
or having exposure to that language regularly. And how's your French going? How do you feel about the
language at the moment and how much study (time) are you doing a day on average? |
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My Spanish is rusty, but reconstitutes quickly. Lately I've been doing a few minutes of Perfectionnement
Espagnol each day. (Using Spanish from a French base). When I don't have French available, I tune into a
Spanish radio station. I've been happy that although I did no Spanish for a few years, I remember a great
deal. I think that's because I was pretty good and overlearned a lot of material.
French is good. I'm doing Business French in the morning, one lesson per day, reviewing the previous
lesson, and one from 7 days earlier.
FSI is evolving as you can read in my threads above. It's basically my 2nd priority for the moment. Business
French is #1.
Le Petit Nicolas is also going well. I read another chapter this morning, then listen/read it in French/French. I
also hunted up a cartoon for one of the stories I'd read earlier and was happy my comprehension was much
better than it was just a month ago. I remember thinking about starting a thread something like, "Why is Le
Petit Nicolas harder than Madame Bovary?". That's a bit of a stretch, but I was surprised a month ago when I
started watching a video how much harder it was than say, "Le Sens du Bonheur" for me. The second is an
audiobook for adults, the first, a cartoon for kids. So, reading the book without audio, which slows me down a
bit and is good practice helps. Also, of course, I've been studying Le Petit Nicolas off and on for a couple
months, so I should be improving.
Right now, I'm half listening to Le Jeu de la Vie, an audiobook I found on youtube. When I focus on it, it's
pretty easy. Perhaps it's a translation or just a familiar genre. Nonetheless, that it is easy feels good. I wish
everything felt like that. It doesn't.
I've got a few other French irons in the fire. I listened to a famous, yet somewhat controversial book in the
car this week because I was too fatigued to do FSI. I got a good gist of it.
Although I often refer here to a lot of what I do as "study", my study time is perhaps much less than my
exposure time. My study time may be an hour or two most mornings when I have insomnia. Insomnia isn't
good for learning, because it has a negative impact on memory. Nonetheless, it's not time wasted. So,
probably 5-10 hours per week sitting at the computer focusing on a lesson as best I can. (Work has been
very stressful for a long time, so sometimes concentration is a challenge). FSI drills in the car is probably 2-3
hours in crazy traffic. Another 4 hours or so of other listening in the car. On the smartphone, probably 2
hours per week, most of it while working out, but some "between classes" (hidden moments).
So, 5-10 plus 2-3 plus 4 plus 2 = 13-19 hours per week. There's also listening in the background, etc. That
doesn't count much, but is probably an hour or two per day. The occasional diversion into youtube videos,
wiki, etc is another hour or three per week.
I think some time focusing on written French would help me a lot. I like to finish the things I start, so Business
French has another 30 days in the track, then a potential additional pass, depending on my interest level.
Sometimes it's best to put a course down for a while rather than burn it out. Petit Nicolas reading is probably
another 2 weeks of reading. I do one or less chapters per day. There are cartoons I want to start watching
too.
FSI is a long term project. I will probably go through more systematically with my Tape 2 Magic approach
once Business French winds down.
The supervisor who has been tormenting me for the last 5 years has moved to another department, so I'm
hoping to get more sleep. I don't think that will negatively impact my progress. Happy and rested is better
and more efficient for learning.
There's always the lure of more listen/reading. If my listening were at a C1/C2 level, I'd have achieved the
majority of my goal. I think the speaking, reading, and probably writing as well though will be an important
part of getting my listening skills where I want them to be. Being able to speak and read and write are also
skills that would be handy. For me, writing has been the most neglected, which is why I think a bit of it would
help the most.
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PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5479 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1
| Message 203 of 439 28 April 2014 at 1:55am | IP Logged |
Hey Luke,
Thanks so much for sharing. It sounds like your Spanish is hovering healthily in the
background at the moment. As for your French you're doing plenty of work there despite
the challenges you have been facing with sleep (lack of at times) and your former
supervisor. It's interesting that you say happy and rested is better for studying as I
have often contemplated foregoing a certain amount of sleep each morning to get more
done. Fortuantely I decided against that crazy idea and am simply content remaining
consistent day in day out. Keep up your studies and good luck with your goals. Thanks
again Luke
PM
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Jeffers Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4912 days ago 2151 posts - 3960 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Hindi, Ancient Greek, French, Sanskrit, German
| Message 204 of 439 28 April 2014 at 12:46pm | IP Logged |
I agree, two things which are necessary for learning are sleep and exercise.
Unfortunately, I never seem to get enough of either!
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luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7208 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French
| Message 205 of 439 30 April 2014 at 9:40pm | IP Logged |
Current major tracks...
Assimil Business French - Completed lesson 13 of 40 today. (Daily track)
This wave's approach:
New lesson: (25-30 minutes)
Listen/Read French/English
Listen/Read French/French
Let the recording play. Read notes, documents in English and French, enjoy cartoon.
Listen/Read French/French - comprehension is pretty good at this point.
Review lesson Current - 1 and Current - 7. (25 minutes)
Listen/Read French/French
Let the recording play. Read Document in French and cartoon.
In car or on the go. Listen to lesson from some days earlier.
While doing things in the kitchen, may listen to RFI Radio Facile some days.
Le Petit Nicholas - Read chapter 9 of 19 today. (Extra credit)
This wave's approach:
Read chapter without audio. Underline any unknown words. (2-3 per chapter).
Look up words. Update Bilingual Le Petit Nicholas google translate spreadsheet.
May listen/read in French/French. Skip if busy.
Later listen in car or while working out. (try to do this a few days later, rather than the same day).
Still later. Look for episode on youtube. Watch. I've done this with 4 videos. Comprehension is better than it once was, but not yet satisfying.
FSI Basic French (Long Term Project)
Wave 0.5 = listening to the dialogues now and then. Focus more on those in Part 1.
Wave 1 = tape 7.7.
Wave 2 = tape 4.6.
Tape 2 Magic = 11.2.
So, Assimil Business French is priority #1. Le Petit Nicolas is a shorter term project, which helps. FSI is in the background, making slow progress.
Thinking about FSI and the cycling of tracks. With FSI in lower priority mode, it's helpful to make the foray into Tape 2 Magic and bring up Wave 2 reviews. When FSI percolates to the top of the priority list, perhaps that Wave 1 can make some more headway.
Edited by luke on 30 April 2014 at 9:47pm
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luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7208 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French
| Message 206 of 439 02 May 2014 at 10:48pm | IP Logged |
I'd asked in another thread some time back if anyone had the answers to the FSI Basic French written exercises. That thread has eluded my searches. This is what I was going to add:
Google translate is pretty decent for giving answers to the simple written exercises. here are a couple from lesson 1.
This is what you translate:
You are in a hurry.
He is happy.
The Durands are on vacation.
We are late.
He is going to Paris.
You don't know where she is.
The class begins at one o'clock.
The books are here.
We are going to have lunch at one o'clock.
They are French.
You understand.
You don't hear me.
Here's another set of translation exercises:
Where is the restaurant?
What time is it?
Is he late?
Is he close to here?
Is she on vacation?
When is he going to Paris?
Are we going to the restaurant?
When does the class begin?
How does one say this word in French?
Where am I going?
Paste them into http://translate.google.com/and the answers have mostly matched my expectations.
I've started doing the FSI written exercises. That should help cover that gross gap in my studies lately.
Edited by luke on 02 May 2014 at 11:39pm
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PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5479 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1
| Message 207 of 439 03 May 2014 at 12:03am | IP Logged |
luke wrote:
I'd asked in another thread some time back if anyone had the answers to the
FSI Basic French written exercises. That thread has eluded my searches. This is what I
was going to add:
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I've answers in my books for units 1-12. How I could get them to you is a bit beyond me
tho. Do you have a teleportation device? If yes, have you installed a device in my house
also? How desperate are you for are 'hard copy' of these answers? I could photograph or
scan them at some point (when I work out how to use my scanner) and email to you?
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luke Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7208 days ago 3133 posts - 4351 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Esperanto, French
| Message 208 of 439 04 May 2014 at 2:16am | IP Logged |
That's a really generous offer.
Here's what I have for the first set of exercises in lesson 2.
Will you show me the room please?
I'm going to fill out the forms later.
Wake me up at 6:30 a.m. please.
My family is arriving tomorrow.
I would like to change rooms today.
I see your luggage.
Tell me why he is here.
I would like change for one hundred francs.
When are you going to the restaurant?
Is it one o'clock now?
Voulez-vous me montrer la chambre s'il vous plaît?
Je vais remplir les fiches plus tard.
Réveillez-moi à six heures et demi, s'il vous plaît.
Ma famille arrive demain.
Je voudrais changer de chambre aujourd'hui.
Je vois vos bagages.
Dites-moi pourquoi il est ici.
Je voudrais la monnaie de cent francs.
Quand allez-vous au restaurant?
Est-ce qu'il est une heure maintenant?
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