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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes  Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 1 of 17 24 November 2010 at 11:41am | IP Logged |
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Hi all,
I’ve been studying Spanish for a few years now on my own. However, in the last months, after watching the last episode of “Embrujadas”, I did nothing else than reading magazines. I’m not pleased with my improvement, because all the articles are short and the new vocabulary isn’t repeated more than once. Therefore I decided to try and read a book. My choice was “La ciudad de las bestias” from Isabel Allende and right now I’m on page 50. I keep track of the unknown words and on average there are 10 new words each page. Sooner or later, I add them to my SRS program (I’m also doing this with the magazine vocabulary now) but I’m quite bored by SRS and tend to not open it for ages. Reading is by far my best skill. I really have been lazy about writing in Spanish (not to mention speaking). This is also true for English and the reason why I decided to start a language learning log. I’ve read countless books in English up to now and have spent 9 months in Finland speaking all day in English without any problems. I also have no difficulty to understand spoken English and watch English movies regularly. In contrast to the aforementioned I have a hard time writing something. My goal is therefore to improve my English writing skills. Especially the writing speed is awfully slow. I signed up for the CAE exam in March and even though I scored in placement tests (in university or for other language courses) C2 I’m not confident at all to pass the C1 writing paper. I suffer from language wanderlust and decided in April to study Japanese (I love anime and so Japanese is the most (new) useful language in daily life for me). Well, I know people say that one won’t learn Japanese only loving anime. I will learn it :) – after all, I enjoy it and like the writing system, too. (I started to study Spanish because I had no confidence in French – which I had to attend 6 years in school – and thought it is easier and now here I am reading Spanish books and liking the language I had no desire to learn except for the fact that it is “easier”). The Hiragana are no problem at all but there are some Katakana which won’t stick in my head. I’m currently using Assimil (the cd rom) and switch between the units 29 to 31. I don’t copy any sentences anymore. Instead I use an iPad App to learn writing the characters. I plan to write down all the dialogues in the active phase. What I’m going to do (goal): English (pass the CAE with a good grade and learn to write fast and without mistakes): - Write in English every day. I won’t decide on a number of words (yet). - Continue to read books and watch movies. - Look at (possibly study with) my advanced grammar book. (I haven’t open one in the last 7 years and hardly know anything). Spanish (read lots of books): - Try to at least review 30 words with my SRS every day. - Continue “La ciudad de las bestias”. After that ... well: This is a volume which combines three books. - Finally finish the Assimil course (Shadowing, currently unit 69). Japanese (nothing in particular right now): - Keep on learning with Assimil. - Watch a few short Japanese for beginner videos on youtube every week. Well, there it is, the first English text I’ve written since… spring 2007 I guess. Feel free to point out mistakes. I would appreciate it. Edited by Sh'Naya on 23 April 2012 at 11:55am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 2 of 17 27 November 2010 at 12:27am | IP Logged |
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In short:
Spanish I'm now on page 57 and therefore managed to read approximately two pages a day. I marked all the unknown words. However, I haven't looked up all words yet (page 50). I added roughly 130 new words to my SRS and the bigger part of them I already know pretty well. There are no reviews waiting for me right now. Japanese Today I started with unit 32. As usual, there are new kanji but especially the title scares me. One simple word but 4 complicated kanji. I didn't feel like learning this new kanji and instead started the game "slime forest". Someone here recommended it to someone else - thanks a lot! The Katakana are no problem anymore and I even learned a few simple kanji. I guess I know ~200 of them (stroke order included). Maybe I start a new attempt to learn them using Heisig's method. The last time I stopped because I got bored. After all, my main goal for now is to understand spoken japanese. Being a bookworm, this will change one day...I reviewed a few older lessons, too. English I did write something and that's it (aside from reading subtitles and information on the internet as well as listening to music like every day). 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 3 of 17 18 January 2011 at 6:52pm | IP Logged |
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Even though I haven't written anything in the last two months, I continued with my studies. However, instead of the CAE I took the TOEFL Test ten days ago. Suprisingly, the scores are already available. I was astonished about my ability to write. I really have a hard time posting here. Nevertheless, I scored 30 points in the writing section - full points. In total 116/120. I guess, I have to accept the fact that I'm not as bad as I think I am.
The TOEFL Test itself was horrible. For more than 3 hours you aren't allowed to drink and there's a lot of noise around you constantly. Really annoying. If I ever have to take a test to proof my English skills again, I definitely won't choose the TOEFL. Japanese and Spanish Slowly but steadily I'm improving. I've decided to take the JLPT N5 in July together with a friend of mine. I'd rather have the N5 than fail the N4. In my opinion, December is soon enough for N4. Edited by Sh'Naya on 18 January 2011 at 7:00pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 4 of 17 03 March 2012 at 2:05pm | IP Logged |
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After all, I didn't take the JLPT N5 in July 2011 but in December 2011. However, I haven't received the result yet. For me, the test was quite difficult. In the months before the test I studied with japanesepod101.com and therefore neglected the reading. Well, of course I had problems to read everything on time and the only easy section was the listening section. I've already registered for the JLPT N4 in July 2012 and this time I'm focusing on reading.
I started anew with Assimil Japanese and I'm now at lesson 44. Regarding Spanish - I finally finished my first book! (La ciudad de las bestias from Isabel Allende). It took me ages to do so, because my motivation for long months was absent and it wasn't the kind of story I normally read. Nevertheless, I'm continuing my reading project with "El reino del dragón de oro" from the same author as I already have the book. I still read a Spanish magazine for language learners every month. English: I have done absolutely nothing besides watching a movie every once in a while and translating a few pages from English to German. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 5 of 17 03 April 2012 at 11:58pm | IP Logged |
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Today I finished the fith chapter of my second Spanish book. That is one quarter.
My JLPT N5 results have arrived: I passed! 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| squonk Groupie United States Joined 4748 days ago 44 posts - 60 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Irish | Message 6 of 17 04 April 2012 at 1:27am | IP Logged |
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Congratulations!
1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 7 of 17 14 April 2012 at 7:22pm | IP Logged |
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Thank you!
I am still reading the book from Isabel Allende (chapter 9) but haven't found the time to continue with the vocabulary for JLPT N4. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6760 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 8 of 17 16 April 2012 at 8:36pm | IP Logged |
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I guess, I shouldn't have opened the super challenge thread but now it is to late. In addition to the three languages listed here I'm going to learn french - again. For six long years I had to attend french language classes at school. Unfortunately, it was a waste of time.
It's kind of depressing to think of all the wasted hours (and the wasted money for language courses and graded readers) and that is exactly the reason why I'm participating in the Super challenge. Since the challenge starts on May 1st I have about 2 weeks left to brush up my nonexistent french knowledge. Oh, I don't intend to do the full super challenge (that would be absolutely impossible for me). It's the 50 % mark I'm after: 50 movies and 50 books. Today: French: Preparing for the 50 % super challenge - Vocabulary review (A1) via a workbook (crossword puzzles and the like) Spanish: Books, books, books - finished chapter 11/19 English: I've got to learn how to write! - I'm practising at the moment... 1 person has voted this message useful |
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