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Mooby’s TAC2013 - Team Żubr - Polish

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Mooby
Senior Member
Scotland
Joined 6103 days ago

707 posts - 1220 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Polish

 
 Message 81 of 134
11 August 2013 at 8:42pm | IP Logged 
@FK - oh,I nearly missed you there! Yes, my grammar studies come in waves. Just hope I don't drown!

1 person has voted this message useful



Bakunin
Diglot
Senior Member
Switzerland
outerkhmer.blogspot.
Joined 5128 days ago

531 posts - 1126 votes 
Speaks: German*, Thai
Studies: Khmer

 
 Message 82 of 134
11 August 2013 at 9:15pm | IP Logged 
Mooby wrote:
Szklarski books are quite easy to read, although the stories are dated. To be honest, I'm not very interested in boy's adventure stories written in 1954!


Ha, ha, it's so 1954! Made me cringe a few times... but I still enjoyed it, probably mostly because it still amazed me that I could actually read books in Polish :)

Mooby wrote:
I listen to Radio Trójka a lot. There is much so material to choose from, that I sometimes listen to the first thing I see (often an interview with a politician!). However, I prefer to listen to The reports - REPORTAŻE. There are a hundreds of reports to choose from, ranging from subjects about health, history, science and so on. Last night I listened to one about sailing.


Thanks for the recommendation, looks really good! That's one of the gifts of language learning: being able to get access to a different culture, their history, challenges and perspectives.

You seem to be making a lot of progress, that's inspiring!
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Mooby
Senior Member
Scotland
Joined 6103 days ago

707 posts - 1220 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Polish

 
 Message 83 of 134
27 August 2013 at 1:45pm | IP Logged 
Anki = 4201
Hours Studied = 59 (Total: 827)

I'm finding Szkarlarski heavy going. I've been reading it quite intensively and only got to page 25. To speed things up, I'll read it more extensively and limit new vocabulary checks to a maximum of 2 per page. Sometimes it's simply odd syntax that slows me down.
I stumbled across this European Travelogue written by a Polish couple. There are over 40 pages of photos and short text, so it's an enjoyable read.
Apart from that, I'm listening to podcasts, watching TV and crawling through Colloquial Polish.
1 person has voted this message useful



Mooby
Senior Member
Scotland
Joined 6103 days ago

707 posts - 1220 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Polish

 
 Message 84 of 134
27 August 2013 at 2:32pm | IP Logged 
Words I Muddle Up

I am slowly recovering from APWSTS ("All Polish Words Sound The Same") syndrome.
Here are some are the worst culprits:



1.   drzewo v drewno ("tree" v "wood")
2.   pieśń v pleśń ("song" v "mildew / mould")
3.   czerń v cierń  ("blackness" v "thorn")
4.   wyciek v wycieczka ("leakage / outflow" v "trip / outing")
5.   zmierzyć v zamierzać  ("to measure" v "to intend")
6.   sadzić v sądzić ("to plant" v "to judge / think")
7.   założenie v zakłócenie    ("assumption"  v "disruption")
8.   zadanie v zdanie  ("a task" v "opinion / sentence")
9.   śliniak v ślimak  ("bib" v "snail")
10. książę v kziążka v ksiądz ("prince" v "book" v "priest")
11. zwiększenie   v   zawieszenie ("increase" v "suspension")
12. gaśnica v gąsienica  ("fire extinguisher" v "caterpillar")
13. puszcza v paszcza  ("wild forest" v "jaws")
14. pięść v pięć ("fist" v "five / 5")


There are lots more, and the confusion is compounded with declined forms and conjugates. However, my powers of distinction have improved, at least in reading. Fast speech is tricky, and context plays a big part in identifying the correct word.



Edited by Mooby on 27 August 2013 at 2:50pm

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Fuenf_Katzen
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
notjustajd.wordpress
Joined 4367 days ago

337 posts - 476 votes 
Speaks: English*, German
Studies: Polish, Ukrainian, Afrikaans

 
 Message 85 of 134
03 September 2013 at 5:48pm | IP Logged 
I got a good laugh out of this entry (because I suffer from the same syndrome!) Książę/kziążka/ksiądz is just painful for me--but I also have to add "księżyc" in there as well! I think I've always somewhat relied on context in figuring out the right word. Especially in fast speech, I have the worst time trying to distinguish the nasal vowels--probably because a lot of speakers seem to not pronounce them. With that issue, I'm doing an experiment where I'm pronouncing the nasal vowels even if it's in a position where usually it would not be done that way. Something tells me there is a difference in pronunciation and maybe by starting off being hyper-correct, eventually I'll be able to hear in my own speech where those differences lie. At least the cz/si/sz/si etc. differences aren't as much of a problem anymore!
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Mooby
Senior Member
Scotland
Joined 6103 days ago

707 posts - 1220 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Polish

 
 Message 86 of 134
19 September 2013 at 1:10pm | IP Logged 
Anki = 4277
Hours Studied = 78 (Total: 905)

I've given up with Szklarski. The two books were well-intentioned gifts, but they are simply not my cup of tea. I'll keep them for another day, when I can skim through them (at the the moment I can only plod slowly). I've switched to another book Spadkobierca by Jan Łysakowski. I came across a cheap edition on ebay, and because I liked the cover, I took a chance and bought it. I can't say what it's about exactly, but it seems to be a part political, part self-reflection kind of novel set in the early 1980's and is the last in a trilogy. The dialogue and style is a lot more comfortable to read, so I'll finish it.
My other reading includes the travelogue I mentioned in post no.83 above, plus online magazine articles on anything that takes my fancy.
Listening to radio podcasts still, though not everyday. And watching "Samo Życie" (now up to episode 306 - I can't believe it; I'd never watch even one episode if it was in English!).
I chew on a bit of grammar now and then, and am mid-way through lesson 14 of Colloquial Polish (1995 editon) which is introducing me to the tortures of the Polish numbering system. I've summarised the main grammar points and put them onto Anki using sentences to illustrate the grammar where possible.
My speaking practise has diminished over the summer as many of my usual partners have been on holiday or simply too busy. Agnieszka is starting a degree course in biochemistry and Grażyna is both working and studying, so I need to broaden my search or maybe try Skype. In the meantime my easiest outlet for language output would be writing - though it's hard work in comparison to reading and listening, but I must force myself to get producing.


Words of the Week
Obfitość - "abundance", "profusion"
Głaskać imper. - "to stroke". My guinea pig doesn't like it when I stroke her ('moja świnka nie lubi gdy ją głaszczę')
Czad - "carbon monoxide *", "stench from burning" + "Chad" the country in Africa. Pump up the volume !! ('więcej czadu !!') in reference to music, motorbikes etc. *NOTE: 'Tlenek węgła' appears to be the formal scientific name for carbon monoxide.
Szczep - "tribe", "strain" of bacteria etc.:


                           A bacteria    |    two bacteria    |    a strain ('tribe') of bacteria


Random Musical Offerings
Raz Dwa Trzy - Jutro możemy być szczęśliwi
Czerwony tulipan - Jedyne co mam
Maanam - Nie poganiaj mnie bo tracę oddech
Kayah - Za późno



Edited by Mooby on 19 September 2013 at 5:11pm

1 person has voted this message useful



Bakunin
Diglot
Senior Member
Switzerland
outerkhmer.blogspot.
Joined 5128 days ago

531 posts - 1126 votes 
Speaks: German*, Thai
Studies: Khmer

 
 Message 87 of 134
19 September 2013 at 6:19pm | IP Logged 
Mooby wrote:
Anki = 4277
Hours Studied = 78 (Total: 905)


You're getting close to 1000 as well, Mooby :) I've been going pretty slow these past two months (we had a fantastic summer in Central Europe), but rainy, dark autumn has arrived this week and I might be picking up speed again. It's a challenge to stay ahead of you :))

Have you tried the usual language exchange platforms (italki, LiveMocha, busuu etc.) for finding a partner to practice speaking with?
1 person has voted this message useful



Mooby
Senior Member
Scotland
Joined 6103 days ago

707 posts - 1220 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Polish

 
 Message 88 of 134
19 September 2013 at 7:40pm | IP Logged 
Well, 1000 hours for 2013 was my goal, and I should manage that easily.

I certainly need to sort out my speaking practise. I've just let unplanned opportunities happen, so it's time to be more pro-active. I need to get myself connected to Skype and take the plunge. The truth is, I'm a little shy and nervous!
I tried busuu and used the "live chat" feature which involved typing short messages. But it was slow and you can wait a long time for a reply.
All sorts of possibilities exist, I just need to get off my backside and start doing it.

Edited by Mooby on 20 September 2013 at 12:17am



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