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TAC 2013 Asian Team 鶴 (crane) TEAM THREAD | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Bakunin Diglot Senior Member Switzerland outerkhmer.blogspot. Joined 5128 days ago 531 posts - 1126 votes  Speaks: German*, Thai Studies: Khmer | Message 353 of 457 03 May 2013 at 8:57am | IP Logged | ||
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I'm going to skip this month's challenge because it doesn't really fit the way I learn Thai. I don't study grammar at all; since I seem to acquire Thai grammar perfectly fine, I don't see any reason to change this. And I don't really 'learn new words' in a binary fashion since I don't use translation. When I encounter new words in books or audio, I may either ignore them completely or make a quick guess at their meaning and then get on with my reading or listening. (When they come up during intensive reading, e.g. working with schoolbooks, I look up their definition in a Thai-Thai online dictionary, read it, paste it into FLTR (a software similar to LWT) and move on). When they come again and again (and most do sooner or later), I start paying more and more attention, honing in on meaning and what context they're used in. After further exposure, I seem to understand them quite well, maybe restricted to a particular context. After even more exposure, I seem to know them in isolation as well or am able to describe various situations they are used in. After even more exposure, or after the word has come up in direct conversation (either written or spoken), the words seem to become active. I like this process. It sounds as if it's slow, but it's massively parallel and has worked very well in the past.
However, I'm certainly taking part in next month's challenge. I'll be in Thailand most of June and the only thing that I will really have time for (apart from speaking speaking speaking) is reading books! :) 4 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| billyshears66 Groupie United States Joined 4512 days ago 69 posts - 78 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Mandarin | Message 354 of 457 04 May 2013 at 9:07pm | IP Logged | ||
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Hello all. I'm still here... just been out of it for the last month or so. I keep
trying to jump back in, but having a hard time. I don't know what it is. I know I still want to learn, but just can't take that first step to get back on track. Which is weird, cause I was enjoying it so much. My biggest issue is finding someone to speak with, well not finding, but actually doing. I've met many nice people on italki, and got their Skype account info, but have yet to talk with them. There are a couple of Mandarin meetup groups around, about 40 minutes from me, I might try there. Once I get there, that will be a first step. Also, I was thinking about Skype while driving? One of my main issues is time. (excuse time). I have 3 kids and a wife, and I feel guilty when I take a way the little time I already have with them in order to do something for myself. The only time I'd be able to do it and not feel that way is late at night after kids are in bed, but by that time I'm so tired, it is the last thing on my mind. So, I thought about Skype on my drive to work. I'd set it up prior to leaving my driveway, and then it would be just audio (like a telephone call). Any thoughts? I'd still have to get past the whole "scared to talk to people" but at least I can hide without video... 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| druckfehler Triglot Senior Member Germany Joined 4866 days ago 1181 posts - 1912 votes Speaks: German*, EnglishC2, Korean Studies: Persian | Message 355 of 457 05 May 2013 at 12:01am | IP Logged | ||
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Hey billyshears, great to see you're still around!
Personally I think talking Chinese while driving might be a little dangerous. Especially until a high intermediate level, trying to understand and react to spontaneous conversation in a foreign language takes a lot of concentration, so I would be hesitant to try it in the car. I think a more passive activity like listening to podcasts might be a better activity while driving and the benefit from that should not be underestimated. Even though it's "only" listening it can help a lot with comprehension and getting a feel for the way natives express themselves. What is everyone else's opinion about this? Maybe I'm overly cautious? I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to find time to study with a full-time job and a family. Have you tried discussing the topic? Maybe there's an unproblematic way to get an hour or so per week for your speaking project. Regarding "talking to people", I still remember your great video introduction. You were braver than most of us, so I'm sure you can achieve whatever you set your mind to ;) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| vermillon Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4676 days ago 602 posts - 1042 votes Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, Mandarin Studies: Japanese, German | Message 356 of 457 05 May 2013 at 12:24am | IP Logged | ||
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Hey hey! I'll react to the last two posts. First, druckfehler, consider he's in the USA, not in Europe. Here our roads are curvy, narrow and dangerous, and certainly only a fool would try to have language lessons while driving... but in the USA, it seems to be a bit more common, since driving mostly means "moving your car on a straight and wide line"... I still wouldn't recommend trying to learn a language while driving, but I suppose the idea is not as dangerous as it would be in Europe.
As for not having time because of a family, how old are your kids? Could they possibly be interested in learning with you? You can't force that kind of passion on people, but some kids may be really receptive to the fun part of speaking a foreign language (I was!). Also, and perhaps more reasonably, could you perhaps consider waking up earlier? If you're too tired in the evening to do anything interesting, just go to bed. In the morning, you'll surely have more energy, and that's the moment of the day I (and many others) achieve the most. Good luck anyway. The first step is indeed the most difficult (and also, never report taking the first step... it'll immediately kill your motivation to do a second step). 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| billyshears66 Groupie United States Joined 4512 days ago 69 posts - 78 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Mandarin | Message 357 of 457 05 May 2013 at 1:14pm | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks druckfehler and vermillon for the advice.
druckfehler - Good advice on the podcasts. That and Pimsleur is what I was doing before I took this long "break". Also, the safety part with driving was one of my concerns. I was also worried that the person I was talking to wouldn't get enough out of the interaction due to me having to pay attention to the road. vermillon - My kids are 6, 4, and 8 months. My oldest show slight interest in characters for a bit, and that was cool, but that was also the end of the interest... until I came home with some potty talk knowledge. My two older boys were all over that. They can now say "who farted" and "very smelly" in Mandarin. I guess that's a start? I'm up at 4:45am on work days and I get to sleep in till 5:00-5:15am on off days. (boys are early risers). I'm sure I'll come up with an answer, I just have to keep it a priority and a solution will come. I'm thinking school time might work, but that is usually yard work, house repair, etc... time. Maybe I could clone myself? Oh, and wife and I are talking about starting on kid four... 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| druckfehler Triglot Senior Member Germany Joined 4866 days ago 1181 posts - 1912 votes Speaks: German*, EnglishC2, Korean Studies: Persian | Message 358 of 457 05 May 2013 at 2:10pm | IP Logged | ||
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Well, in that case... just raise kid 4 exclusively in Chinese ;) Maybe you could do some of the yard work/house repair together with your older boys? They might be interested in helping you or just hanging around and wreaking havoc while you're working...
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| billyshears66 Groupie United States Joined 4512 days ago 69 posts - 78 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Mandarin | Message 359 of 457 05 May 2013 at 2:21pm | IP Logged | ||
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The two older boys do help, and wreak havoc. This is the first year where I can have both
the older boys outside with me while I work, and not worry too much about them running into the road, hurting themselves, etc... So that is a plus. exclusively Chinese... hmmm, would be a hard sell on the wife I think ;) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Takato Tetraglot Senior Member HungaryRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5046 days ago 249 posts - 276 votes Speaks: Hungarian*, EnglishB2, GermanB2, Japanese | Message 360 of 457 24 May 2013 at 1:45am | IP Logged | ||
Yes. I can no longer participate due to the realization of the existence of my limits and what not. So you don't see me vanish without any comment. :P I'll possibly try to figure out my limits, though. Edited by Takato on 24 May 2013 at 1:52am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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