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2008 Language Log

 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log Post Reply
19 messages over 3 pages: 1 2
workerbee
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6843 days ago

173 posts - 178 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish
Studies: Russian, German

 
 Message 17 of 19
05 October 2008 at 1:52pm | IP Logged 
Since my I have been really focusing on my running, I have made some progress with my studies. I am really in the mood of completing a few things! I am up to 7.5 excruciating miles in training for a half marathon in November and have some time to do some brain work while training on my own.

I am now working on lesson 27 of Pimsleur German 2. I find when doing my long runs that after an hour and a half my brain turns to jelly. I was hoping to finish this lesson yesterday. Ah well. No progress with the FSI German phonology. Gosh is it boring...

With French I have been stuck on lesson 6 of Pimsleur French 2 for close to two weeks. Having problems pronouncing the United States in French and the words are not sticking in my head. I hope to complete the FSI French phonology course today. I want to be done with at least one course this year!

I have tried listening to Spanishpod but am so over the giggling and lack of serious material. I know that they are only producing their intermediate and advanced material for paid subscribers only--but it seems that the quality has decreased as they have expanded. I would not be interested in subscribing--I guess I am one of those people who just want the material, not the warm fuzzies...
1 person has voted this message useful



workerbee
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6843 days ago

173 posts - 178 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish
Studies: Russian, German

 
 Message 18 of 19
18 October 2008 at 2:23pm | IP Logged 
Yes--a progress report! It is funny how motivated I am to write updates in this learning journal, regardless if anyone reads it. Its the thought of being held semi accountable that helps keep me going...

I have finished Pimsleur German level 2. Thank God! The last bit was a lot of review so it came very easily. In starting level 3, I am getting new words and some variations in the tenses of the new words, so it will be tricky for me. I still do have problems with word order in German. I say the words correctly but in the wrong order. I hope if I actually get to speak to someone in German that they will forgive my mistakes and understand me a little. Nothing new with the FSI German phonology.

I am also starting lesson 10 of French 2. Still haven't finished the last FSI phonology lesson. I want to complete that course also. Perhaps today, though I have out of town guests--and it would be rude to mutter to myself in front of them.

I also completed about 10 miles today using the Galloway method. I was super slow and feel that if I can work the Pimsleur lessons while jogging then I must be at a conversational pace, though I am alone. Whatever language I am working with first is easier. The final 30% of the workout, my mind turns to mush and I am just trying to put one foot in front of the other. Only 2 weeks until my half marathon--maybe there will be some foreign nationals there that I can talk with! I have my fingers crossed.

Should I complete the FSI French this weekend, then I will post again.
1 person has voted this message useful



workerbee
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6843 days ago

173 posts - 178 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish
Studies: Russian, German

 
 Message 19 of 19
06 November 2008 at 5:40pm | IP Logged 
I believe that I may have an aversion to FSI book courses. Here I am 2 weeks later and half a lesson of FSI Programmatic French is still dangling over my head. I officially suck.

Last weekend, I completed my half marathon with relative ease. I finished almost an hour ahead of time. Still slow, so maybe I should try harder next time.... I was able to work on Pimsleur and hear my Garmin interval alerts at the same time, so no worries there for the future.

While running I completed Pimsleur French lesson 12 and through lesson 3 of German 3. Only a little progress, but better than lying around at home exercising only one part of my body at a time.

Though marathons have a reputation of being somewhat internationally flavored, I was very disappointed that I had little chance to practice my languages with live cognizant people. Everyone seemed really dead around mile 9 until the end--and at the half that I was in, people were already in small groups of familiar people--predominantly speaking English. The one Spanish speaker that I ran across didn't have enough breath to really talk and was on her cell phone for the most part.

I will have to try to go faster next time or maybe try a more urban marathon... Or maybe write in my various target languages on my shirt "talk to me in XXX language"...


1 person has voted this message useful



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