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I’m riding my bike around France in May | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Travis.H Triglot Groupie United States Joined 4459 days ago 59 posts - 91 votes  Speaks: English*, Japanese, Sign Language Studies: French | Message 1 of 32 21 December 2012 at 6:40am | IP Logged |
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My name is Travis. I'm apart of the Romulan romance team for TAC 2013 and I'm studying
French. I live in Japan. I study Japanese still even though I've been here three years. There is always something new to learn which is one of my favorite parts about learning a language. My time in Japan is coming to an end and so is my active study of the language. I'm comfortable enough to be able to maintain by watching movies, reading books, the news etc. I feel ready to add another language. I've been studying French for almost a month now. I've been taking it slow, but still do something every day in the language. I typically don’t typically do more than 30 minutes to an hour. I decided to start slow to see if I even liked the language. It turns out that I enjoy the language very much and am committed to learning. My primary method of study is the Assimil book I bought called New French with Ease. Sometimes it feels as though Mr. Bean himself has written the book due to the puns and subtle humor speckled throughout. I find the small jokes about rabbits eating diamonds amusing, and a refreshing break from predictable classroom-centered vocabulary textbooks. How I use the book is similar to Prof. Arguelles’ shadowing method. I don’t have a car in the small farming town where I live in Japan; I get places by taking the bus, the train or walking. Every morning on my way to work I charge down the street to the train station, walking swiftly and speaking French in a loud, clear voice. The people I pass every morning have given up staring, and new people I encounter avoid eye contact at all costs. At least once or twice during the day, I will take a quick break, walk outside and shadow two previous lessons and the lesson for the day a few times. Until last week, my co-workers thought I had picked up smoking. When I told them that I was stretching my legs while studying French, they told me how wonderful I am. This is the Japanese way of saying they think I’m strange. In addition to shadowing I’ve added SRS cards and scriptorium to my study methods. I add all the new sentences from the conversation going F – E; the exercises at the end of the lesson I do E – F. I feel that I’ve completed a lesson when I can accurately read the conversation out loud, understanding every piece. I find that spending a little extra time practicing difficult pronunciation helps reduce my review time in Anki later. My progress so far is strange because I feel like I’ve made progress in something, but I don’t know what exactly. I know that looking at French now doesn’t seem so strange and foreign anymore. I can also type French much faster than I could when I started. In terms of understanding French, I can follow the conversations I’ve completed in my book but not much more than that. I did watch some episodes of Seinfeld in French and was able to pick out some simple words and small phrases like, “Moi non plus" "Je n'ai pas assez d'argent". I’ve been really focusing on my pronunciation and making sure I’m aware of differences in intonation. I haven’t focused on active output at all which is why I most likely feel like I’m progressing in a very measurable way. Shadowing French and hearing French coming out of my mouth I think is the largest progress I’ve made so far. Looking back at what seemed fast and difficult before seems slow and clearly articulated now. I’m able to string things together much quicker than I could before. I even found a mistake in a lesson I was learning and fixed it before I learned it incorrectly. In lesson 23, they say the word for 32 in French, but the English side says 40. I awarded myself two cool points. So far I’ve been building a foundation. Listening to the language and not understanding it does a lot for creating a sense of the language. While I haven’t focused on gender or verb tenses yet, I’m acquiring a sense for how they should be. After I get back from Christmas vacation I plan on starting my grammar journey, where I create an outline in my own words for as much grammar as I can find. I find that powering through the grammar in 2-3 week helps as you move from focused structural study to massive input. It creates grammar hooks, if you will. I have this lofty idea of creating a large close-deletion gender focused anki deck sometime soon, too. Goals: To reach B1/B2 Measured by: Taking either B1 or B2 near the end of 2013. Achieved by : Digesting a large amount of audio and written work after 4-5 months of structured study (Super Challenge: TBD). I also plan on hiring a tutor around July to assess my level and help me gain focus and help in weak areas. I'm looking forward to participating with other dedicated learners. Banzai. Edited by Travis.H on 07 January 2014 at 5:05am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |
| Travis.H Triglot Groupie United States Joined 4459 days ago 59 posts - 91 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese, Sign Language Studies: French | Message 2 of 32 21 December 2012 at 6:42am | IP Logged |
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Song Lyrics:
RMI - Mc Solaar Que se passe-t-il ? What's up? Rien c'est personnel ! Nothing! It's personal! Une douleur éternelle que je ne partageais qu'avec le ciel (It's) eternal pain that I shared with the sky Le monstre aux yeux verts, synonyme de la jalousie The green eyed monster, a synonym of jealousy. Taxe l'eau du Sahel juste pour remplir son Jacuzzi takes taxes on Sahel's water just to fill his Jacuzzi Mais c'est comme ça que ça fonctionne... But that's (just) how things work (function) ...dans ce monde de taches ?? In this world of sports? Les gens les plus lâches jettent la pierre et ensuite ils se cachent The most cowardly people throw stones and then they hide C'est comme ordonné. Coordonné. Dieu ordonne de pardoner It is as ordered. Coordinated. God commands forgiveness. J'ai pardonné. Donné de l'amour que l'on ne m'a pas r'donné I have forgiven. I've given love that was never returned. (pun: pas r'donne sounds like pardonne, means you can hear two words at the same time "never returned" and "forgiven" ) Mais pourquoi ? But why? Pourquoi ? Parce que c'est la faute au biz ! Why? Because it's the businesses' fault! Aux biftons, fiston. Ton vice est devenu dicton For banknotes, son. (That's what) your flaws are saying. (biftons = banknotes, fiston = a nick name you'd use with a male younger than you) Ce millénaire est monétaire This millennium is (about) money Le peuple est impopulaire People are unpopular A croire que le Veau d'Or a une promo à l'échelle planétaire To believe that the Golden Calf was promoted on a global scale (The golden calf is a biblical reference to Moses and the creation of a golden calf used as an idol) Il justifie la traîtrise He justifies the betrayal La fourberie Deceit L'économie c'est toujours plus de loups dans la bergerie The economy is all wolves in sheep's clothing Est-ce les salauds qu'on adule ? Are (these) the bastards (we) adore? Des gosses des adultes The kids, the adults S'inculquent le nouveau culte et sur le globe le catapultent are teaching themselves a new cult, and spreading (it) around the globe [Refrain - Choeurs africains] [Couplet 2] Et même les leaders marginaux font vendre des casquettes And even marginal leaders are selling caps (casquettes are caps that cyclists use to wear – not as popular now that helmets are worn) Des baskets Sneakers Une religion de supermarket A supermarket religion Mes neurones se bousculent. Speedés tels des spermatos puis toncar My neurons are scrambled. Speed like sperm(?)then crash (toncar is verlan (slang), and therefore has to be read as carton, a carton is a hit, or a car accident ) Et dans la monospace c'était Ayrton Solaar and Arton Solaar was in the minivan (monospace, is the famous family van, Ayrton Sena is the famous Formula 1 driver ) Dans les bas-fonds on rêve des fonds du FMI (Fond monetaire international : International Monetary Fun ) In the slums people dream of IMF (International Monetary Funds) Mais au fond on sait qu'les familles sont souvent proches du RMI But deep down we know (those) families live (close to) on welfare (RMI, revenu minimum d'insertion, a form of social welfare) Les gosses pour des Pokémon taxent dans les portefeuilles The kids are taxing wallets for Pokemon L'époque est morne. Satan monte en bourse je vois pointer ses cornes Times are bleak. Satan is rising in the stocks, I can see his horns Mais vous parliez de millions... But you were talking about millions… De Saint-Emilion From St. Emilion (saint emilion, famous French champagne ) Mais comme on est des milliers combien seront humiliés But as we are, millions are going to be humiliated L'histoire de l'art a comme la couleur du dollar The history of art is tainted by the color of dollars Et comme dit Rico "Y a pas que des gens bons à la tête de l'Art." And like Rico said, “It’s not only good people at the head of Art”. (tete de l'art is a pun, with tete de lard : pigs head) Sinon quoi d'neuf ? So, what's new? Rien d'neuf. Rien qu'du bluff. J'suis veuf Nothing's new. Nothing (but) hot air. I'm widowed. Avec les meufs peut-être qu'il faut se la jouer rough and tough With these chicks, we might need to play rough and tough Donner des kiss et rester peace tel Jésus le Christ Give the kiss of peace and be like Jesus Christ (I think he's referring to Judas kissing Jesus in the garden, betraying him before his death.) Ou dégainer le kriss et l'6.6.6. nous glisse aux abysses Or draw the kriss and 666 while we slide (into) the abyss. Et la musique ? And the music? Moi j'l'aime ! Ils veulent l'emprisonner ! I like it! They want to imprison it! Imagine Cupidon lançant des flèches qui sont empoisonnées Imagine Cupid shooting poison arrows C'est un espace de liberté... It is a space of freedom… ...qu'on place dans un coin ! …relocated to a corner! Des clous. Des clones de Claude, des clowns, des clans de nains de jardin The nails. The clones of Claude, the clowns, the clans of garden gnomes (Claude François. Pas nécessairement une référence de la qualité musicale française. Pourtant la variété française d'aujourd'hui ne semble être faite que d'imitateurs de cette crécelle humaine. Claude M'Barali (MC Solaar),auquel cas Solaar décrie, comme on le fait souvent dans le rap, le fait que d'autres atteignent le succès en pompant le style de soi-même.) Voilà pourquoi je me place toujours face à Ponce Pilate That’s why I always put myself in front of Pontius Pilate Ricoche sur le beat comme sur de l'eau peut le faire la pierre plate Riccoche off the beat like a flat stone on the water Lance sourates et psaumes. Sur l'étendard du gnome Start (a) sura and (a) psalm on a gnome flag Sans chrome. Avec au cœur du baume Without chrome. With heart balm Boom dans leur home Boom in their homes Dans les bas-fonds on rêve des fonds du FMI In the slums people dream of IMF (International Monetary Funds) Mais au fond on sait qu'les familles sont souvent proches du RMI But deep down we know (those) families live (close to) on welfare Dans les bas-fonds on rêve des fonds du FMI Mais au fond on sait qu'les familles sont souvent proches du RMI [Refrain - Choeurs africains] [Outro - Murmure] Dans les bas-fonds on rêve des fonds du FMI Mais au fond on sait qu'les familles sont souvent proches du RMI Dans les bas-fonds on rêve des fonds du FMI Mais au fond on sait qu'les familles sont souvent proches du RMI Edited by Travis.H on 05 March 2013 at 8:01am 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Brun Ugle Diglot Senior Member Norway brunugle.wordpress.c Joined 6623 days ago 1292 posts - 1766 votes Speaks: English*, NorwegianC1 Studies: Japanese, Esperanto, Spanish, Finnish | Message 3 of 32 21 December 2012 at 10:44am | IP Logged |
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I'm learning Japanese and Spanish, so it will be interesting following your log, and you will probably get a laugh out of my Japanese.
1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Tsopivo Diglot Senior Member Canada Joined 4474 days ago 258 posts - 411 votes Speaks: French*, English Studies: Esperanto | Message 4 of 32 02 January 2013 at 8:46pm | IP Logged |
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I laughed very hard reading the part where you speak loudly to yourself in the street and scare people away. Good luck with your study and do not hesitate to ask me if you have any question or need help with your French.
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| Spanky Senior Member Canada Joined 5959 days ago 1021 posts - 1714 votes Studies: French | Message 5 of 32 03 January 2013 at 5:57am | IP Logged |
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Awesome start Travis, this should be a fun log to read. Sounds like you have a real facility or kinship for the language and you have short-changed yourself in only taking two cool points for correcting the French text so early.
If your materials were written by Mr. Bean, you will want to take any suggestion about putting la dinde over your tête with some caution. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Travis.H Triglot Groupie United States Joined 4459 days ago 59 posts - 91 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese, Sign Language Studies: French | Message 6 of 32 05 January 2013 at 2:59am | IP Logged |
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@ Brune: I was pretty excited to see that you were leading this team, knowing that you
were also on the Japanese team. I also have great interest in Norwegian and really had to reign myself in and focus on one language. At least for now. I look forward to seeing future posts on Spanish and Japanese. @ Tsopivo: I'm glad you enjoyed reading my first log. I really love the way French rolls out of my mouth. I know this might not last for very long, but I'm loving it now. I will most definitely take you up on your offer in the near future. I'm not at the active phase yet, and I haven't hit any really difficult grammar yet. I know it's coming though and when it does, I'll shoot a question your way. Thanks for the offer :) @Spanky: If I gave out cool-points all willy-nilly, it would defeat the purpose, neigh, the identity of cool-points themselves! I'm glad you're reading my log, and while I want you to succeed with French, miming is also a lucrative career choice. I'll be sure to pass any resources I find your way. _________ I'm finally home from Christmas vacation in Alaska. It was so much fun, and I still can't believe how quickly it went. My study of French over the break was mostly maintenance (i.e., making sure I don't forget what I've learned). I didn't really make any more progress in Assimil, but I did get lessons 1-25 down very well, almost to the point of memorization. Difficult sentences within these lessons have become my favorite things to say. Coasting through a phrase like, "Non, malheureusement, ça coûte trop cher" is both enjoyable to say and pleasing to the ear. I discovered an artist called Carli Bruni who has changed my life. After a quick google search, I discovered that she is married to Nicolas Sarkozy, sadly. I have plans to sweep her off her feet as soon as that marriage falls apart though. Even though dear Carli is 19 years older than I am, I'm confident we can make it work. Françoise Hardy is another artist I found that I like. I'm looking for some more modern artists, but I haven't found anyone good yet. Anyone know some good modern French artists? I like alternative music, but am open to just about anything. I ordered a book called French or Foe that should have come a week ago. Growing up in America I've been told all my life that the French are generally considered to be rude. However, the few French people I've met overseas have been very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can about the culture, communication and of course the language itself. I suppose one of my soft goals is to be able to flirt in French. From what I've read, it seems like there is a whole flirting culture in France. I'm thinking about buying Le Bon Usage, a French grammar book. Anyone know if this is good or not? 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Luso Hexaglot Senior Member Portugal Joined 6064 days ago 819 posts - 1812 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, French, EnglishC2, GermanB1, Italian, Spanish Studies: Sanskrit, Arabic (classical) | Message 7 of 32 05 January 2013 at 6:41am | IP Logged |
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Hello, Travis.
Concerning Le Bon Usage, I would advise against buying it in your case. At least for now. Don't get me wrong: this Belgian colossus is the undisputed benchmark for the French language. I own one for some 15 years now, but only use it rarely. It is the kind of grammar that is good to consult if you're already fluent, but I guess it's quite difficult if you're a beginner. This is the book francophones use to settle disputes. Maybe you could start by using a grammar more suited to your language learning and refrain from making this heavy investment at this point in time. This is my opinion. Having learned the language a few decades ago, I don't have a good alternative to suggest, I'm afraid. But I guess this won't be much of a problem to you, should you decide to find one. Good luck with your learning. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Travis.H Triglot Groupie United States Joined 4459 days ago 59 posts - 91 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese, Sign Language Studies: French | Message 8 of 32 16 January 2013 at 1:05am | IP Logged |
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Thanks for the advice. I'll wait before I get Le Bon Usage. I found a few books on
Amazon that I'm going to do a little more research on. ___________________________________ Things have been going steadily. While my aim has been to input a new lesson of Assimil into Anki every day, I knew that lessons would get harder and that this might be difficult to keep up. The most important thing for me at this point though is that I'm listening to comprehensible and nearly incomprehensible input every day. I can tell that my listening skills are getting better and that I'm able to gather the basic meaning of many more things I hear in music, on the news or on TV shows (Seinfeld in French). From my experience though, this is how oral understanding develops: 1.) Not understanding anything except for single words and hearing word breaks. 2.) Not understanding anything except for single words and phrases. 3.) Understanding most everything except for quickly spoken phrases and other unknown sentences. 4.) Understanding everything except for a few words and phrases. I'm plugging away at Assimil, really making sure I get it down as I move forward. I don't get hung up on difficult details because I know they have a way of working themselves out. I hit lesson 31 today and I've noticed a jump again in the recorded speaking speed. I'm still really enjoying French. I'm getting very excited to start speaking with people. ______ I found out the other day that I will be moving back to the states in a few months. This was very good news. I've been enjoying my life in Japan, but I've been feeling ready to leave for a little while now. I contacted the school for the deaf near where I'll be moving to and was pleased to hear that I'll be able to either volunteer or work part time there for a little. This will definitely be excellent practice for my sign language. I haven't signed for awhile and feel quite rusty, I'm planning on watching some vblogs to get my comprehension back up. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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