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Norwegian Cookies: a crumb by crumb quest | ||
Tags: Norwegian | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Tecktight Diglot Winner TAC 2012 Senior Member United States Joined 4968 days ago 227 posts - 327 votes  Speaks: English*, Serbian Studies: German, Russian, Estonian | Message 1 of 14 25 July 2012 at 7:38am | IP Logged | ||
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So, despite the other languages on my plate, I’ve decided to nonchalantly pursue Norwegian.
After a lot of psychoanalysis lately, I’ve discovered what best keeps me concentrated and in the right state of mind is a steady dose of self-inspiration. I need something fun and mostly unrelated to my other activities to kick-start a feeling of joyful fascination that carries energy over to my other aspirations. I think Norwegian will be just the thing to do that, and I’ll explain why. Firstly, though, a catch: I’ve decided to put Estonian on-ice for the moment. The reason being that I simply don’t have the self-discipline to deal with a language at that level of difficulty at the moment. That is, with so many cases to think about. Moreover, materials are significantly harder to come by in relation to other language, and speaking practice, considering the very small population of people that speak Estonian, is also difficult to get. I want to perfect my Russian and pass the TORFL before I attempt to master endings for more cases. I also would like to study a language I can see some less-than-snail’s-pace progress in. The short-list of reasons for choosing Norwegian: -With English and some knowledge of German, the grammar points and such shouldn’t be too hard to grasp. -I already have a handful of Norwegian friends in Berlin whom I’d like to speak with (added bonus: I can talk to my dad’s girlfriend, who’s from Oslo, without him understanding!—boy, he’ll be annoyed ;D) -I would like to make more Norwegian friends for the above reason, and also because Norwegians are really nice, from my experience. -Norwegian will, hopefully, eventually function as a window to other Scandinavian languages, namely Danish and Swedish. -I find ø a remarkably attractive letter. I’m not going to study Norwegian intensely, because I don’t want it to turn stressful for me. It’s going to be completely for fun, and only when I have time. The idea is that it will serve as something relaxing, and something to get my mind off the jumble of my other languages. Materials/resources -Norword -Norwegian on the Web (NoW) -Klar Tale (easyish newspaper articles online) For now, my plans are to go through Norword and NoW completely, just to get a basic overview of Bokmål and simple phrases. Once I get to Berlin, I’m going to buy some physical texts. I see no point in getting them now, only to have to drag them back home to the U.S. and then to Germany. I already am having a difficult time deciding what language books to bring with me to Germany at the end of August…I think I’ll have to stuff as many as I can in my carry-on bag, even if it breaks the overhead. Well, that’s that, for now. I started my time-log on Saturday, July 21, but I won’t post it until this Sunday. I’m aiming for 30 min-1 hour per day, for now. Goals -Read basic texts -Communicate with my friends (all from Oslo) at least in simple conversations. I'd at least like to be able to SMS them and such. -Acquire some passive listening skills, so I can listen to radio/watch films and such. I won't put a time-bomb on my goals, because, as I said, this is just a light quest. Another thing: I do already have my Team Sputnik log up here, but, since I'm considering this as separate, I thought it would help me keep organized to have a separate log. EDIT: For goals Edited by Tecktight on 25 July 2012 at 7:46am 3 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| fabriciocarraro Hexaglot Winner TAC 2012 Senior Member Brazil russoparabrasileirosRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4707 days ago 989 posts - 1454 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, EnglishB2, Italian, Spanish, Russian, French Studies: Dutch, German, Japanese | Message 2 of 14 25 July 2012 at 8:47pm | IP Logged | ||
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You're really starting to make me jealous, Tecktight! Ahahaha First, studying Norwegian "in-locus", and now starting off with Norwegian, which is in the top of my wishlist.
Unfortunately I can't start with it right now, because I still have to focus on Russian and Dutch (otherwise I'll forget them), and I still have French next on the list, but I'll certainly use your experience when I begin with it. Good luck, anyway! =) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| montmorency Diglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4820 days ago 2371 posts - 3676 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: Danish, Welsh | Message 3 of 14 25 July 2012 at 11:48pm | IP Logged | ||
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How long will you be in Berlin?
If I could spend an extended time in Berlin, I would immerse myself (or maybe drown myself) in German, and be happy to do so. But each person has his or her own goals. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Cavesa Triglot Senior Member Czech Republic Joined 5001 days ago 3277 posts - 6779 votes Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1 Studies: Spanish, German, Italian | Message 4 of 14 25 July 2012 at 11:54pm | IP Logged | ||
Good luck with your studies, enjoy it. Today, I bought a norwegian textbook (couldn't resist, it was for half the price and I had been considering it for some time), went through the first lesson (but will do it again, with a lot more focus on pronunciation and CD) and had a look at what else is there to discover later. So, it is exciting to read your log and not to feel so weird anymore :-) -the grammar really looks quite easy. but there will surely be some catch. and the listening and pronunciation will be more tricky I guess -I love the second quoted reason. made me laugh! -the third. it is funny how many of us find it very important what other languages will be easier with the current one. on the other hand, it is stupid. we may never get to the other, and then easier, language, so it doesn't matter. but we still love the possibilities :-D -ø. It Really Is Beautiful! 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Cavesa Triglot Senior Member Czech Republic Joined 5001 days ago 3277 posts - 6779 votes Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1 Studies: Spanish, German, Italian | Message 5 of 14 26 July 2012 at 12:07am | IP Logged | ||
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I nearly forgot. Thanks for the links.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Tecktight Diglot Winner TAC 2012 Senior Member United States Joined 4968 days ago 227 posts - 327 votes Speaks: English*, Serbian Studies: German, Russian, Estonian | Message 6 of 14 26 July 2012 at 3:22am | IP Logged | ||
I'll be there for a year, and all my university courses will be in German, so I think immersion will be inevitable. Of course, in Berlin, German will still be my main focus above all, but if I don't do anything else at all, I think my head might explode. I'm currently in Moscow, where I have drastically improved my Russian and drastically forgotten my German. The second I get home to Los Angeles, I'll put my nose to the grindstone at least 3 hours a day for German, until I leave approx. two weeks after that. I'm hoping it'll be enough to gain the basics back. (I'm also counting on the fact that the other foreign students in my program didn't practice German at all over the summer and will therefore be sputtering as much or more as I will be)... 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Tecktight Diglot Winner TAC 2012 Senior Member United States Joined 4968 days ago 227 posts - 327 votes Speaks: English*, Serbian Studies: German, Russian, Estonian | Message 7 of 14 26 July 2012 at 4:13am | IP Logged | ||
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@Cavesa: Well, of course, we language nerds can't help but always think about the next possibility. :D
Which textbook did you buy, by the way? Indeed, pronunciation is going to be a challenge. I listened to a dialogue yesterday of some basic phrases I had learned, and already my tongue got all twisted up trying to imitate the sound. As of now, my pronunciation is hilariously atrocious. I'll have to start watching way more films w/ subtitles... @fabricio: I'm sure by the time you get to Norwegian, even if it's years, my Norwegian will still be so bad, that we'd still be at the same level. :D 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Solfrid Cristin Heptaglot Winner TAC 2011 & 2012 Senior Member Norway Joined 5326 days ago 4143 posts - 8864 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, Spanish, Swedish, French, English, German, Italian Studies: Russian | Message 8 of 14 26 July 2012 at 8:29am | IP Logged | ||
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AWESOME!!! It goes without saying that I'm here for Skype sessions, free Norwegian practise, sending you
any material you might need and as hostess when you realise just how cheap flights between Berlin and Oslo are. Did I mention that I used to be an Oslo guide so that I know all the best places to see? Just let me know what you need. Oh, and as part of my teacher career I taught Norwegian to foreigners for a while, so no matter how bad your pronunciation might be as a beginner, you cannot shock me :-) 6 persons have voted this message useful |
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