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Elsinore13 - German/Mandarin - TAC 2012: | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Elsinore13 Groupie United States Joined 4771 days ago 41 posts - 53 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: German, Mandarin | Message 9 of 12 14 April 2012 at 3:49pm | IP Logged |
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Another frustrating day in the Middle Kingdom. I knew I didn't know a lot of Chinese, but this day has made me so painfully aware of how much I have to go. First was a rip off issue with a cab driver. Both the driver and the hotel bellman didn't understand what I was complaining out. Thankfully, a young American girl was able to come to my rescue and set them straight.
Next was trying to explain to a shop owner what I wanted. I feel I'm relying so much on body language. I think of words, but I can't remember what order to put them in. Or I forget a word. I guess I think of all the studying I've done still hasn't gelled yet. It feels like so much work to no result. I do, however, hear familar words from Assimil - yet fail to remember the meanings. I get very frustrated that I can't express myself. That I can't communicate enough when I need to "defend" myself (ie the taxi scam - unfortunately, has happened more than once). While in the end,everything worked out. But I worry what happens when I don't have someone there to bail me out. I not trying to complain, but this is the only place I can explain my frustration with other language learners. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| WingSuet Triglot Senior Member Sweden Joined 5146 days ago 169 posts - 211 votes Speaks: Swedish*, English, German Studies: Cantonese | Message 10 of 12 15 April 2012 at 5:14am | IP Logged |
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It is very hard at the beginning, especially when you're in a situation where you can't
use English, and I can understand your frustration. Just try and remember that this can be ideal for learning a language and before you know it, you will have improved a lot. Meanwhile you could try and prepare for these difficult situations if they should happen again. About the taxi-drivers for example, you could find out how to express the things you couldn't express before so that you can use it the next time. Good luck to you! 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Elsinore13 Groupie United States Joined 4771 days ago 41 posts - 53 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Mandarin | Message 11 of 12 22 April 2012 at 9:49pm | IP Logged |
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Wingsuet - thank you very much for the kind words. You are absolutely right that I just have to muddle through it.
My log entry: I've decided to write to down all the words/phrases I wish I could have said and hope to remember them at a different time. I can't say that this trip has been a bust language learning. I have definitely listened and understood a bit what was going on. I have become more brave in trying to put together sentences. I figured if I keep trying eventually something will click. I've been working with the McGraw Hill pronounciation cd a lot this trip, so I want to keep that up. I did manage to get a graded reader in simplified and pinyin last week. Tonight I scored again with another reader, but this time with a CD to go with it.Score! I managed to play a little of the cd tonight and I really like the speaker. She has a nice clear voice and it's at a decent pace. So, I'll add that to my list. I have *got* to get through Assimil before my next trip over in June. I can't keep bring both books over with the intention of working with them (and barely do!). So, I need to knock it out once and for all. Haven't done too much German, but I did pick up a few magazines (Brigitte, etc)which are always good for culling new vocabulary and short articles. I'm going try to keep German on the back burner - going through magazines for reading, maybe a movie or two with subs. Chinese demands a huge amount of my attention, so I need to get a good bit under wraps first. I fly back home on Tuesday and it's going to be very wierd not hearing Chinese all day. I figured I will bring German back up after my Asia trip in August. The boyfriend want to vacation in Germany in the fall. Figured with all the frequent flyer miles, why not? While I doubt I'll do a lot of speaking there, it will be helpful from a reading/driving stand point. Well, that it so far. Hopefully, I will be farther along by next post. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Elsinore13 Groupie United States Joined 4771 days ago 41 posts - 53 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Mandarin | Message 12 of 12 22 May 2012 at 4:34am | IP Logged |
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I have been quite disappointed in my progress thus far. I realized that I have put too much pressure on trying to obtain "levels" as opposed to really learning the language. Been rehashing Assimil Chinese with Ease 1 over and over again to get things down pat.
I've already put together several key phrases/responses (ie directions for the taxi driver, etc) that I'm going to drill before my next Asia trip in a couple of weeks. Four native speakers came into my part time job this weekend and I felt the urge to give it a go at speaking. Well, unfortunately, the gentlemen were too busy running around to even answer my questions regarding the help they needed. Grrr.Oh well. At least I made the attempt which is more than I normally would do. One huge boost to increasing my learning time has been getting my new car with a radio that works and going to the coffee shop. I realized it's just impossible for me to study my Chinese (which requires all my attention) at home when the boyfriend is there. So, now I go to the coffee shop at least twice a week for about a hour and a half and study there. I usually get a back corner, pop the headphones in and dive in. For my commute, I'll listen to Pimsleur on the way to work. It's a good way to get a half hour of studying in and try to forget the ungodly traffic. I'm also ramping up on German starting in June. My family has decided we're going to all meet up in Germany for the winter holidays, so it's time to really add on. For this round I'm really going to concentrate on listening/speaking. My reading is my strongest area and I think I can (for now) just go over reading material somewhat passively for the moment. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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