Just 300 French words necessary? (Specific Languages) Language Learning Forum

Just 300 French words necessary?
Tags: Phrasebook \| Number of words \| History \| French
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Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages

14 messages over 2 pages: 1 2

pj1991
Newbie
United States
Joined 4747 days ago
29 posts - 49 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

Message 9 of 14

10 May 2011 at 3:03am | IP Logged

I agree, 300 words is far from adequate, but maybe not considering those circumstances. Somebody trying to master the French language who learns 300 words and calls it a day is going to be sorely disappointed, but for a German soldier doing what, a year's tour of duty in a country? 300 words could be pretty effective for basic communication. Most people without an interest in the language probably learn far less for a vacation to a French speaking area and manage.
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RedBeard
Senior Member
United States
atariage.com
Joined 5896 days ago
126 posts - 182 votes

Speaks: Ancient Greek*
Studies: French, German

Message 10 of 14

10 May 2011 at 6:09am | IP Logged

Well don't keep us in suspense. What are the magic 300 words?
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William Camden
Hexaglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 6066 days ago
1936 posts - 2333 votes

Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, French

Message 11 of 14

10 May 2011 at 4:18pm | IP Logged

pj1991 wrote:

I agree, 300 words is far from adequate, but maybe not considering those
circumstances. Somebody trying to master the French language who learns 300 words and
calls it a day is going to be sorely disappointed, but for a German soldier doing what, a
year's tour of duty in a country? 300 words could be pretty effective for basic
communication. Most people without an interest in the language probably learn far less
for a vacation to a French speaking area and manage.

In this case, it would have been French soldiers occupying certain southwestern parts of
Germany after World War II. The German-French section of the pamphlet would have been of
use to Germans who had dealings with the French.
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William Camden
Hexaglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 6066 days ago
1936 posts - 2333 votes

Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, French

Message 12 of 14

10 May 2011 at 4:23pm | IP Logged

RedBeard wrote:

Well don't keep us in suspense. What are the magic 300 words?

The second post in the thread gives the initial pages of the French-German and German-
French sections. To arrive at 300 words per section, you would only have an average of 11
or 12 words per letter of the alphabet, which is a pretty basic and low level.
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pj1991
Newbie
United States
Joined 4747 days ago
29 posts - 49 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

Message 13 of 14

11 May 2011 at 12:00am | IP Logged

William Camden wrote:

pj1991 wrote:

I agree, 300 words is far from adequate, but maybe not considering those
circumstances. Somebody trying to master the French language who learns 300 words and
calls it a day is going to be sorely disappointed, but for a German soldier doing what, a
year's tour of duty in a country? 300 words could be pretty effective for basic
communication. Most people without an interest in the language probably learn far less
for a vacation to a French speaking area and manage.

Ah, I misread the original post, sorry. But all the same, for really basic and necessary communication it was probably pretty useful.
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William Camden
Hexaglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 6066 days ago
1936 posts - 2333 votes

Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, French

Message 14 of 14

11 May 2011 at 5:31pm | IP Logged

http://sprachfuehrer.livejou
rnal.com/318678.html#cutid1

Rather flimsy-looking examples of small dictionaries the Germans did produce for their
invasion and occupation of France in 1940.

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