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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
 jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6910 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes  Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 9 of 24 29 August 2007 at 4:47pm | IP Logged | ||
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Slight resemblance with a post in my Russian log.
I've worked more than usual during the summer and haven't had the time to study as much as I wanted, but nevertheless I've read a little in German: "An der Decke leuchten die Sterne" (Johanna Thydell, I also read the Swedish original, "I taket lyser stjärnorna") and "Zwei Kriminalstories" (Friedhelm Werremeier, an Easy Reader). I've also had a go at the listening reading method, for which I chose Elfride Jelinek's "Die Klavierspielerin" (the only one available in Swedish, German and German audio). Not my type of story. It wasn't that easy to follow even in Swedish. I've read it twice, once whilst listening to the audio book (which was abridged). My next step is to listen to it again and read the book in German. After having read a lot about LingQ I decided to register a few weeks ago. Even if I feel that I have quite good passive knowledge, I set my level to Beginner 2 ("You can travel and shop, and talk about familiar subjects"), aiming for Intermediate 1 ("You can function at a basic level at work and in social situations"). So far I have read a lot more than necessary to move up one level, listened close to what's suggested, written a few emails to my German penpal, and my spoken German has consisted of shadowing - both texts at the web site and Assimil lessons. A few days ago I listened to three of the four CDs, mainly as a shadowing exercise. I also reviewed lessons 53-77 (and did the corresponding ones actively). 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| patuco Diglot Moderator Gibraltar Joined 7016 days ago 3795 posts - 4268 votes Speaks: Spanish, English* Personal Language Map | Message 10 of 24 29 August 2007 at 5:33pm | IP Logged | ||
Do you think this is because you didn't like the material? I ask because it's happened to me previously. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6910 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 11 of 24 29 August 2007 at 6:36pm | IP Logged | ||
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It could be, but I probably should have used "idiolect" instead of "story" (to use siomotteikiru's expression in the listening-reading thread). I think I would have had better "results" (if that's at all measureable) with a simpler/shorter story, maybe Little Prince or even something by Brothers Grimm. Anything that I could "get", really. Authors have a certain way of putting sentences together. Iversen said in the same thread that he would have problems with Anna Karenina if he "had to read the whole book first". While I could easily listen to the German audio and read the Swedish text (and know what meant what), it felt like I never would have been able to "understand" it after just one reading in Swedish.
Which book did you use, and for which language? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| patuco Diglot Moderator Gibraltar Joined 7016 days ago 3795 posts - 4268 votes Speaks: Spanish, English* Personal Language Map | Message 12 of 24 30 August 2007 at 5:37am | IP Logged | ||
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I tried a Paolo Coelho book in Portuguese with the accompanying audiobook, but I just don't like that genre. Since then, however, I've managed to get a few of the types I like. Just a question of getting round to it.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6910 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 13 of 24 05 October 2007 at 6:51pm | IP Logged | ||
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A few days ago I did the 100th (and last) lesson of Assimil German. I've done a couple of the remaining 49 active lessons. During the past few months LingQ has been my main tool to save words and add them to my known vocabulary. I can also see how I progress.
I've listened-read Elfride Jelinek's "Die Klavierspielerin" a few more times, but haven't tried shadowing it yet. I've read another Easy Reader, "Erzählungen" (Hans Fallada) and have two more at home. The titles escape me right now. As we now have a fully working multilingual lounge, I will consider taking the opportunity to write something in German. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6910 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 14 of 24 04 January 2008 at 5:55pm | IP Logged | ||
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Time for an update.
I've "finished" Assimil German, i.e. I've gone through the book twice. During the second round of the last ~50 lessons I merely listened and shadowed. I will use that audio for shadowing purposes, and maybe have a look at some audio book. In addition to Assimil I've used LingQ. Aiming for Intermediate 1, I think that I would pass with some more training. I understand most of the content I read and listen to, I never ever speak (not a lot of opportunities in my area), but I write emails every week. I have finished another Easy Reader - "Das Feuerschiff" (Siegfried Lenz). I've started to keep better track of what I do, and for how long. No major plans for this year, except for improving the skills. I might go to Germany in February. I should probably upgrade to next level, and spend some time on reaching Intermediate 2. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6910 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 15 of 24 14 March 2008 at 3:31pm | IP Logged | ||
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Two months since the latest update.
No major changes or breakthroughs. My two main tools now is LingQ and FSI, which I've decided to give a second chance now that I have finished Assimil (and should be familiar with most common sentence patterns). Right now, I have gone through the first FSI volume, and have done one or two units of FSI 2. Sometimes I just listen to the introducing dialogues, and sometimes I shadow. Depending on where I am during the drills I might answer aloud. I was in Germany a month ago - I feel like I now have a decent (passive) command of everyday speech. This time I could understand most of what people talked about, could converse so-so (to be honest, it felt like I could hardly utter a complete sentence, but people understood me, and I learned much from it - hanging out with a guy who barely spoke any English was helpful to my German). I have listened A LOT to German for the past seven-eight months: audiobooks, the Assimil audio, FSI (recently) and the occasional radio program, so whatever German I was able to understand/speak was a result of all these factors. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| jeff_lindqvist Diglot Moderator SwedenRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6910 days ago 4250 posts - 5711 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English Studies: German, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, Mandarin, Esperanto, Irish, French Personal Language Map | Message 16 of 24 17 January 2010 at 12:37am | IP Logged | ||
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Nearly two years since the latest update.
What did I do in 2008 after the trip to Germany? It seems as if I read just one book ("Alter John" by Peter Härtling, Easy Reader), but a lot of online content at LingQ, probably some 200 000 words. I finished FSI German. I spoke with tutors on Skype for the first time. I probably wrote a couple of emails to friends in Germany. Spreadsheet info: Listening: 326.5 hours (podcasts, interviews, news) Reading: 3.25 hours (probably the Easy Reader, although it seems quite much for such a short book...) Analysis: 42.25 hours (grammar, vocabulary cramming) Shadowing: 15.5 hours Total: 387.50 hours (64 minutes/day) Edited by jeff_lindqvist on 30 January 2010 at 1:44am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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