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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| BAnna Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 4614 days ago 409 posts - 616 votes  Speaks: English*, German, Spanish Studies: Russian, Turkish | Message 81 of 236 20 May 2013 at 6:33am | IP Logged | ||
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Josquin's action of taking a step back from language learning has given me much food for thought this week: too much obsession is not a good thing. I work full-time, but have been doing around 20 hours a week of German, which doesn't leave a lot of time for other hobbies, people, etc. Burnout would definitely be bad... So, for Summer (roughly June to Sep) my goal will to be actually cut back to about an hour a day on weekdays, and maybe a bit more on weekends, so roughly 10 hours per week. And I will stop obsessively tracking my study time.
Maybe a slow, steady stream of language will be better in the long run? Or am I just being a wimp? Time will tell. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Sunja Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 6077 days ago 2020 posts - 2295 votes 1 sounds Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Mandarin | Message 82 of 236 20 May 2013 at 9:43am | IP Logged | ||
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10 hours a week still sounds like quite a bit when coupled with a full-time job and 20hrs is amazing (!) But I agree, burnout would definitely be bad.
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| BAnna Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 4614 days ago 409 posts - 616 votes Speaks: English*, German, Spanish Studies: Russian, Turkish | Message 83 of 236 27 May 2013 at 8:44am | IP Logged | ||
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Reduced level of obsession is a very good thing.
I am definitely enjoying exchanging emails and letters in German with my penpals. I had forgotten how cool it is to actually receive a letter or postcard in old-fashioned snail mail with stamps from other countries. OMG, what a nerd :) Yes, I actually did collect stamps as a child... E-mails are great too, of course. Some of the people I am exchanging mail with do speak some (or a lot of) English, but some can't really speak any, maybe because they are middle-aged or older and grew up in the DDR for example. If I was not able to communicate with them in German, we would have no contact at all. I do not "need" to speak German for professional or family reasons, so while previously it had been more of an indulgent hobby, now I have an actual reason to improve. I've read a lot of the pros/cons of classes on this forum, and I'm extremely fortunate that I have small classes where the teaching is superb, people are at about the same level and all of them really want to be there. That seems to be a rare combination. When I started reading this forum, I hoped to find "the" method to learn a language, but have finally realized we each have to find our own way and have to keep on reinventing that way as our priorities and interests change. Other than that, I'm continuing reading for pleasure, listening to random podcasts or radio broadcasts that catch my fancy, dipping into grammar or the dictionary when the urge strikes, and enjoying my classes. Yes, at times I think I should be "doing more", but am trying to be satisfied with "doing enough". I want to discover new things via this language, not just repeat my same old, tired sentences translated into a different tongue. For example reading Harry Potter in German seems absolutely pointless to me. Yes, I do know that reading something familiar to you in a different language is a good learning tool, so HP fans, don't be too mad, it was just the first example that came to mind. There is also a certain "weirdness appeal" that makes things interesting as well, such as watching dubbed versions of the Simpsons or Mickey Mouse cartoons. What I'm really looking forward to, though, is reading unfamiliar authors, including authors from other countries whose works haven't yet been translated into English but have been translated into German. There's also poetry and humor, of course, which never translate well. All a way off yet for me, but possible, with time and patience. I watched the Champions League Finale and live-streamed commentary in German while watching the game on TV with play-by-play commentary in Spanish. I was thinking of Serpent and all the matches watched in multiple languages. My husband thought it was crazy, but fun: gotta keep things interesting...Viel Spaß beim Lernen. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Sunja Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 6077 days ago 2020 posts - 2295 votes 1 sounds Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Mandarin | Message 84 of 236 01 June 2013 at 9:34pm | IP Logged | ||
It's interesting there are some things that are "sacred" to me that I just won't tolerate in another language -- I think old Disney characters and Looney Tunes are in that category ^^ , probably because I grew up with them. I can watch things like Spongebob or Pixar in German because I'm used to taking my kids to the movies or watching programms on TV. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| BAnna Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 4614 days ago 409 posts - 616 votes Speaks: English*, German, Spanish Studies: Russian, Turkish | Message 85 of 236 14 June 2013 at 7:47am | IP Logged | ||
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@Sunja, you are so right. Although I must admit, one of my goals is to be able to understand Donald Duck speaking German. Silly, I know, but that's my personal definition of "fluent" or advanced or whatever you want to call it. I can barely understand him in English, so who knows if I'll ever get there. Maybe if I just watch cartoons from now on instead of learn unregelmäßig verbs, I'll make it? :o)
Things are bouncing along. I'm really enjoying my class and what I'm reading and/or listening to: novels by Monika Maron and MDR-Figaro Cafe, a wonderful podcast recommended by someone here on HTLAL. Sorry I can't give credit, I don't recall who it was. :( I shouldn't actually be posting here now, though. I have a bunch of emails and 2 letters in German to answer. Knowing that I am a lazy and slow writer, why, Why, WHY did I think getting penpals was a good idea???? It actually is a fantastic way to practice writing, but my laziness and slowness are really awful. Sehr peinlich. I was worried for a while, but most of my exchange partners have not had much flood damage, only one had a cellar full of water, but nothing too terrible. Gott sei dank. Is there a better expression to use for us non-religious types? The good thing about skype or email/mail partnerships is that since it is an exchange each of the participants do actually somewhat consistently respond since you feel obligated to the other person (mostly in a good way, if not you end up dropping the person as an exchange partner). Lang8 is really good too, but I'm just not disciplined enough to actually write mini-Essays every week. A letter or skype exchange keeps me much more accountable. Of course, I'm procrastinating at this very moment... Edit: Mahasiswa was the one who recommended MDR-Figaro Cafe. Edited by BAnna on 14 June 2013 at 7:58am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Sunja Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 6077 days ago 2020 posts - 2295 votes 1 sounds Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Mandarin | Message 86 of 236 14 June 2013 at 10:14am | IP Logged | ||
I just like to watch him swear and throw his little sailor hat. He doesn't swear like he used to in the old cartoons from the late 30's -- and he's gotten so much clearer (either that, or I'm going insane^^) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| WingSuet Triglot Senior Member Sweden Joined 5343 days ago 169 posts - 211 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English, German Studies: Cantonese | Message 87 of 236 17 June 2013 at 4:29pm | IP Logged | ||
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Laziness is the reason why I'm hesitating to get a penpal. I know from past experience
that I have a tendency to stop talking to people on the internet after a while, especially chat friends, since I just forget what I already asked them and found out about them. That's embarrassing :P But maybe e-mail or regular mail is better, then you can just read through the old mails if you forget. I'll definitely consider getting a penpal. But do you think it's best with just one? Do you think it's difficult to keep writing with so many? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Sunja Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 6077 days ago 2020 posts - 2295 votes 1 sounds Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Mandarin | Message 88 of 236 17 June 2013 at 5:17pm | IP Logged | ||
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I had six at one time and it was murder. I don't recommend it. I just couldn't say no and I thought it would be a good idea -- the more practice the better! But I was really overwhelmed answering in my foreign language and giving detailed corrections of their English. It was too much because the mails got longer and more in-depth as the year went by. I finally had to drop all communication. Pen-pal-burnout.
2 persons have voted this message useful |
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