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My Adventures in French (TAC15) | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5474 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 81 of 163 16 July 2014 at 7:31am | IP Logged | ||||||||
Actually I really appreciate you posting those transcripts Mohave. That is a decent find and it lead me to finding the reading booklets, which I was considering scanning. Now I don't have to, thankfully. Also I had photographed the Michel Thomas booklets with my phone and converted them to PDF. Although the results were useable the quality didn't look fantastic. To add to that I'd only done this for French and not for my other MT courses in other languages. So... if you're interested I found the website which has ALL of the Michel Thomas transcripts.. woohoo! All Michel Thomas transcripts Edit: Sorry in my excitement I forgot to respond to your query. So I haven't used Pimsleur IV yet, can't comment at all. I can't imagine it being not useful tho. I, like you found Pimsleur I and II a little too easy but again exactly like you very useful for working on pronunciation. I've finished Pimsleur III but I need to go over all the reading booklets and add any words i'm unfamiliar with to my flashcard deck. Having done Pimsleur Dutch some time ago and mocking the series for it's slow development eg Cat = c... c.... c... a... c... at.... etc I've found that going beyond level 1 in French and even beyond level 2 things start to move along nicely. Still there's little I didn't know in level 3 but it's very very useful as you say for pronunciation, reinforcement and developing automaticity, and not to mention just knowing how common phrases are put together. Great series, just wish it went even further beyond IV. Sorry mohave I can't comment yet on level IV Another Edit: Mohave, great work btw, you're doing fantastically! Tnx for sharing :) Sounds like you're making smart reading choices too. I'll have to find Renoir at some point too. FWT- how different is this course from the other Assimil courses? (ie New French With Ease, Using French, and Business French) Edited by PeterMollenburg on 16 July 2014 at 7:59am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| sctroyenne Diglot Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5389 days ago 739 posts - 1312 votes Speaks: English*, French Studies: Spanish, Irish | Message 82 of 163 16 July 2014 at 7:31am | IP Logged | ||||||||
L'Etranger is perfect for intermediate (and above learners). It's usually introduced to students in intermediate French college classes. The language is simple enough for students to grasp but it's not a simplistic story which can get you excited about using French to read real, thought-provoking literature. I think you'll find as you progress that a lot of classic French literature and philosophical writing is quite accessible (depends on the writer/philosopher) and that you can enjoy what many consider to be highbrow literature before you know it. Either you or someone else mentioned that Netflix added a ton of French movies to the streaming catalog - I just checked it out and I'm very pleased! It's not just big-name actors and niche horror/artsy erotic stuff anymore! lol 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 4005 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 83 of 163 12 August 2014 at 3:24am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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It's only a month until we arrive in Paris for five days and then on to Belgium for a month. I am really excited
to get to use and improve my French!! I have been out of my regular study routine for a month now due to an extended family vacation and continuing serious medical issues and caring for parents (including providing primary care during the vacation). Thankfully, we finally have good news on one parent (still a ways to go in treatment) and finally a diagnosis on the other (after five months of doctors and hospitals). As a result, I have been out of my study and SuperChallenge routine, and did not meet with my language exchange partners. In fact, there were days that I completely missed studying, and many days where I just completed due SRS flashcards as it was easy to fit in during free moments. Last week, I was able to meet with one of my Language Exchange Partners. Normally after not speaking for any length of time, I stumble. So after not speaking for a month, I expected a really rough time. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too bad (for me). Also, during a 10 hour drive from one parent's house to another, the rental car had satellite radio, and I was able to listen to Quebec Radio for several hours while driving. Super Challenge. I have watched several episodes of Engrenages and Un Village Francais this week, and am currently reading Les Récres du Petit Nicholas. Goals Prior to Arriving in Paris 1) Super Challenge - Meet Monthly Goal 2) Complete Language Exchange Sessions with regular partners 3) Complete Pimsleur III 4) Work on Informal French & French Idioms 5) Maintain SRS Flashcard Deluxe + start Cooking Terms Flashcard set 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 4005 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 84 of 163 04 September 2014 at 9:11am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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In six days, we arrive in Paris, and then onto Belgium for a month. I am so very excited to put my French to
use! I've gotten into a better routine with my French studies (although not quite to my previous study levels), and I know for now, I am doing the best that I can. Some highlights: Super Challenge Les Récres du Petit Nicholas I completes this book, and just adore this series. While I am in Europe, I am going to try to purchase the remaining books that I don't have in this series. Harry Potter à l'Ecole des Sorciers I am really pleased with my reading comprehension level! Generally, I am only looking up 1-2 words a page. Still 1-2 words a page on a 300+ page book is a lot of vocabulary. I am a little disappointed in my reading speed. Hopefully that will increase as I read more Blake et Mortimer Thanks to Luke for mentioning this series was available on YouTube. I needed something a little more light-hearted these days, and this fit the bill. This is the first series I have watched without subtitles, and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to (mostly) follow the series and enjoy it :) -- not perfectly of course, there are still some sentences I missed (talking fast, unknown vocabulary) , but it didn't overly detract, and I still knew what was going on! Language Exchanges I have completed 4 language exchanges since the last update. Very interesting for me is that I had more trouble understanding my longtime Quebecois partner after a break in language exchanges than I did my French partner. Usually this is opposite. Grammar/Verbs I worked through some grammar exercises/tests with y and en. I have no trouble reading and hearing it correctly, but I only use them comfortably in very basic formulations when speaking. I also worked through some verb exercises with the present subjunctive and simple past (literary). 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5474 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 85 of 163 06 September 2014 at 2:52am | IP Logged | ||||||||
Hi Mohave, I hope you have an awesome trip to Paris/Belgium!! If you're only looking up 1-2 words a page in Harry Potter I'm pretty impressed. I'm not so sure I'd be the same (i'd hazard a guess I'd be looking up more than that), so great work! As for your reading speed you're not alone... I've always been a slow reader even in English, so I know how you feel, since i'm obviously even slower in French. You sent the benchmark for language exchanges. I'm once again not that keen on them after an announcement of aiming for one a week, i've dropped off again. You set the bar, I should be aiming for this again, so keep up your exchanges! I don't do nearly enough of them. I notice my speaking ability could be better at times and it's clear to me why- I don't practise enough- so keep them up, they're doing wonders I'm sure! Again Bon voyage Mohave ! PS Which part of Belgium are you visiting? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 4005 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 86 of 163 06 September 2014 at 11:11pm | IP Logged | ||||||||
Hey PeterMollenburg - Thanks as always for stopping by, and thanks for the kind words. I can't wait to get to Paris for a few days, but I am really excited to get to Bruxelles for a month! I'm hoping to get in some great practice, make some friends, improve my French, and get a whole library full of native materials to take home with me. I have studied French three different times in my life, but this is the first time I have gone to Paris! I expect that folks will probably change to English on me, but I hope it is minimal, and I hope that by the end of the month in Bruxelles, my words will come much easier after all the practice! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 4005 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 87 of 163 13 September 2014 at 12:57am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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I just completed my three days in Paris. I head to Amsterdam for three days before heading to Bruxelles for a
month. I thought now would be a good time to document where I believe my French skills are in terms of what I can and can't do (using an assessment tool provided by emk several months ago). I plan to update this assessment after a month in Bruxelles. Listening - I could understand all French-language announcements inside the train station in London. When on the train, I found it easier to comprehend announcements in French than the heavily-accented English. - I watched French TV (no subtitles of any type) when in the hotel room. I still find French TV, particularly native dramas and sit-coms, to be to difficult (too fast, too slangy, etc). With the pictures, I can follow a story and the main points. However, I had better understanding with a dubbed version of "Psych" and a French reality show. In both cases, my comprehension was higher, not perfect, but pleasantly surprising after three days. I can listen to documentaries, weather forecasts, and the news fairly easily. - I was able to "listen in" on many conversations while walking around, riding the metro, etc. I understood older people much easier. I rarely understood young people. I had a harder time following folks in noisy environments. - I had no problems requesting and receiving directions in French - On the tour buses, I was able to follow the tour using the French language selection. However, I get a big fail on understanding dates. Also, I found myself needing to concentrate harder listening to the French version than when I listened to the English version. However, after my experience, I would consider taking a tour completely in French while in Belgium. - My analysis: B1. I need to work on understanding slang, more vocabulary acquisition, fast speech etc. Speaking - I knew going in my speaking was not going to be where I wanted it to be as I had not been practicing with Pimsleur and language exchanges to the extent that I normally do because of on-going issues. - I was able to converse, including small talk with the French - I was able to conduct all transactions in stores without problems - I was able to conduct all travelling business conversations in French - I was changed on to English several times. I found that this happened more the first day when my confidence was lower, and/or my husband, who does not speak French, started asking questions in English. - I have lost some of the fluidity and automaticity I had built up, and noted some areas to improve my accent. I felt most comfortable speaking in simple sentences - I was able to argue in French on a transaction. My analysis: A2. Not surprising, my weakest skill. I need to complete Pimsleur III, schedule some language exchanges, and speak, speak, speak! Reading - I felt like I had very little problems reading French in and around Paris. I felt like all my Super Challenge reading really paid off in this area. A few vocabulary words here and there, but I felt highly comfortable being able to read anything I encountered. - I read a multi-language brochure. After reading the material, I decided I should go read it in French as well. I then realized I had just read it in French (and not English as I thought I had). First time this happened! :) - My analysis: B? Writing - I wrote one email in French. I really didn't get a chance to evaluate this skill sets during my three days. Synopsis: overall, I was happy with my initial thre-day test run in Paris. I am hopeful that with a month immersed in French in Belgium, and focused study, that I can move some of my skill sets up a level. Edited by Mohave on 13 September 2014 at 1:05am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||||||||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5474 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 88 of 163 13 September 2014 at 2:43am | IP Logged | ||||||||
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Hi Mohave,
Thanks for sharing. I found it particularly interesting. I read it to my wife as she's also begun to learn French now too. We both were aiming to perhaps return to the Netherlands at some point, but plans change so we are both focused on French. Although she is somewhat less passionate than myself, but still interested. So your experience feels relevant to us. We travelled quite a bit through France and Belgium in 2011 so can draw from our experiences too. Sounds like you're doing quite well, and exactly myself speaking is the main issue. I really liked the fact you didn't realise you'd already read the French version of a multi-lingual brochure when you went back to read it again. I love Amsterdam! Hope you enjoy that little Dutch cultural interlude during your French language voyage! And good luck in Brussels! Hope you're enjoying yourselves! PM 2 persons have voted this message useful |
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