The last Spanish log (Language Learning Log) Language Learning Forum

The last Spanish log
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Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log

24 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3

kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 17 of 24 09 November 2010 at 1:20am \| IP Logged
	I know what you mean! I'm almost past the 1 month line, and I think I'm still improving pretty quickly, but I'm trying to find ways I can practice it more. any suggestions? 1 month, 5 days left 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 18 of 24 10 November 2010 at 6:37pm \| IP Logged
	Haven't been posting everyday, but maybe if I do it'll keep up my idea of learning a few new words everyday? Today's are (the theme is bedroom): ventilador = fan edredón = comforter almohada = pillow colchón = mattress manta = blanket Thanks! 1 month, 2 days left 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 19 of 24 16 November 2010 at 2:25am \| IP Logged
	I have to say, the best investment I've made in my understanding had been watching "Caso Cerrado" on Telemundo, It's a type of "People's court" thing in Spanish, and I remember when I first started watching it a few weeks ago, I could barely catch anything they said, but now because I've become so used to it and so much more relaxed that I understand almost everything. But that's the key word, almost. It's VERY irritating when the audience is expected to understand something (it's expected to be their native language, DUH) and I'm a few seconds behind, because a specific word or phrase has been used and I have to figure out from the context (which I usually manage, but still.) The problem here is that I can't seem to find enough specific vocabulary to "prepare" myself for it, so I have to go with the flow and eventually I'll accumulate everything I need. That being said, I'm definitely fluent by now, I was shakily fluent(ish) at the beginning of this three month objective, but now I'm definitely there, now's the time for the finishing touches to see if I can get to an "advanced" fluency in time for the deadline (I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I already have a deadline of sorts for French :P) My solution to the aforementioned problem is, though, annoyingly passive. PRACTISING a lot with natives and lots and lots of "Caso Cerrado" Thanks to everyone who's been reading if not replying :) 27 days left 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 20 of 24 27 November 2010 at 7:07pm \| IP Logged
	I've now thrown some of my other methods out the window and just looking for and looking up new words to increase my vocabulary, I find reading helps a lot with that. I bought byki French for my phone and I'm hoping that it won't distract me in the meantime... There's only about 16 days left AYY. P.S. It seems like there are lots of people that use skype with natives, which I'd do (I have a reference) but so far that hasn't worked out and I think it's a little strange to just find some random person on the internet and call them, I don't know what's going to happen with that, so I guess I'll just keep practicing with natives I know personally 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 21 of 24 07 December 2010 at 11:25pm \| IP Logged
	I'm excited that my deadline is next week, But I have no idea how to judge my level! 6 DAYS LEFT!! I haven't gotten many replies on this but I still like logging what I do. Lately I've just been listening a lot and going over grammar in my FSI book. 1 person has voted this message useful
kraemder Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4995 days ago 1497 posts - 1648 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish, Japanese	Message 22 of 24 08 December 2010 at 1:05am \| IP Logged
	Hey it sounds like you made awesome progress with your spanish! Im not sure what you meant by fluent but if is speaking fluent then thats very impressive. I haven't done the talk to a stranger thing yet either. Only with someone I knew and it is good. Ill let you know if I do. Good luck. 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 23 of 24 16 December 2010 at 4:55am \| IP Logged
	SO my deadline's been reached and this three month mission has been completed. Now I converse easily in Spanish and can understand most everything (I'm still a little frustrated when i find words I don't understand, but I make an effort to look them up everytime I come across one. Fluency is, I think, speaking with minimal or no pauses and understanding what people say following a conversation you're not participating in. I'm happy to say I can express most anything in Spanish but more importantly I can "operate" in it, the sounds don't seem strange and I don't feel like I'm "decoding" things when people speak anymore. But coming to a point of fluency, I've realised something else: I'm not done. I'll never be "done" with Spanish, it'll be apart of me that grows over time, there'll always be something I don't know, something I could do better but is that really the point? All languages are like that, like my English (my English teacher makes us do "daily vocabulary" that I've never heard of)or my Norwegian. It'll always be growing... and it'll do so naturally wihtout effort. and I think THAT'S the point/aim for learning a language, getting to a point where it imporves itself on its own, without you really noticing. This is just my opinion of course. Thanks for everyone who's been reading this, it really helped me. I hope you'll all follow me on my attempts at French :D. COMPLETE 1 person has voted this message useful
SomeGuy Groupie Germany Joined 4911 days ago 56 posts - 75 votes Speaks: German* Studies: Arabic (Written), Turkish, Mandarin	Message 24 of 24 16 December 2010 at 11:01pm \| IP Logged
	This was a pretty good log, now good luck with french ! Edited by SomeGuy on 16 December 2010 at 11:02pm 1 person has voted this message useful

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kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 17 of 24 09 November 2010 at 1:20am \| IP Logged
	I know what you mean! I'm almost past the 1 month line, and I think I'm still improving pretty quickly, but I'm trying to find ways I can practice it more. any suggestions? 1 month, 5 days left 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 18 of 24 10 November 2010 at 6:37pm \| IP Logged
	Haven't been posting everyday, but maybe if I do it'll keep up my idea of learning a few new words everyday? Today's are (the theme is bedroom): ventilador = fan edredón = comforter almohada = pillow colchón = mattress manta = blanket Thanks! 1 month, 2 days left 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 19 of 24 16 November 2010 at 2:25am \| IP Logged
	I have to say, the best investment I've made in my understanding had been watching "Caso Cerrado" on Telemundo, It's a type of "People's court" thing in Spanish, and I remember when I first started watching it a few weeks ago, I could barely catch anything they said, but now because I've become so used to it and so much more relaxed that I understand almost everything. But that's the key word, almost. It's VERY irritating when the audience is expected to understand something (it's expected to be their native language, DUH) and I'm a few seconds behind, because a specific word or phrase has been used and I have to figure out from the context (which I usually manage, but still.) The problem here is that I can't seem to find enough specific vocabulary to "prepare" myself for it, so I have to go with the flow and eventually I'll accumulate everything I need. That being said, I'm definitely fluent by now, I was shakily fluent(ish) at the beginning of this three month objective, but now I'm definitely there, now's the time for the finishing touches to see if I can get to an "advanced" fluency in time for the deadline (I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but I already have a deadline of sorts for French :P) My solution to the aforementioned problem is, though, annoyingly passive. PRACTISING a lot with natives and lots and lots of "Caso Cerrado" Thanks to everyone who's been reading if not replying :) 27 days left 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 20 of 24 27 November 2010 at 7:07pm \| IP Logged
	I've now thrown some of my other methods out the window and just looking for and looking up new words to increase my vocabulary, I find reading helps a lot with that. I bought byki French for my phone and I'm hoping that it won't distract me in the meantime... There's only about 16 days left AYY. P.S. It seems like there are lots of people that use skype with natives, which I'd do (I have a reference) but so far that hasn't worked out and I think it's a little strange to just find some random person on the internet and call them, I don't know what's going to happen with that, so I guess I'll just keep practicing with natives I know personally 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 21 of 24 07 December 2010 at 11:25pm \| IP Logged
	I'm excited that my deadline is next week, But I have no idea how to judge my level! 6 DAYS LEFT!! I haven't gotten many replies on this but I still like logging what I do. Lately I've just been listening a lot and going over grammar in my FSI book. 1 person has voted this message useful
kraemder Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4995 days ago 1497 posts - 1648 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish, Japanese	Message 22 of 24 08 December 2010 at 1:05am \| IP Logged
	Hey it sounds like you made awesome progress with your spanish! Im not sure what you meant by fluent but if is speaking fluent then thats very impressive. I haven't done the talk to a stranger thing yet either. Only with someone I knew and it is good. Ill let you know if I do. Good luck. 1 person has voted this message useful
kthorg Bilingual Triglot Groupie United States Joined 5038 days ago 50 posts - 62 votes Speaks: English, Norwegian, Spanish Studies: French	Message 23 of 24 16 December 2010 at 4:55am \| IP Logged
	SO my deadline's been reached and this three month mission has been completed. Now I converse easily in Spanish and can understand most everything (I'm still a little frustrated when i find words I don't understand, but I make an effort to look them up everytime I come across one. Fluency is, I think, speaking with minimal or no pauses and understanding what people say following a conversation you're not participating in. I'm happy to say I can express most anything in Spanish but more importantly I can "operate" in it, the sounds don't seem strange and I don't feel like I'm "decoding" things when people speak anymore. But coming to a point of fluency, I've realised something else: I'm not done. I'll never be "done" with Spanish, it'll be apart of me that grows over time, there'll always be something I don't know, something I could do better but is that really the point? All languages are like that, like my English (my English teacher makes us do "daily vocabulary" that I've never heard of)or my Norwegian. It'll always be growing... and it'll do so naturally wihtout effort. and I think THAT'S the point/aim for learning a language, getting to a point where it imporves itself on its own, without you really noticing. This is just my opinion of course. Thanks for everyone who's been reading this, it really helped me. I hope you'll all follow me on my attempts at French :D. COMPLETE 1 person has voted this message useful
SomeGuy Groupie Germany Joined 4911 days ago 56 posts - 75 votes Speaks: German* Studies: Arabic (Written), Turkish, Mandarin	Message 24 of 24 16 December 2010 at 11:01pm \| IP Logged
	This was a pretty good log, now good luck with french ! Edited by SomeGuy on 16 December 2010 at 11:02pm 1 person has voted this message useful