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Assimil Experiment Group Log

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Marishka
Newbie
United States
Joined 5008 days ago

25 posts - 56 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish, French, Dutch

 
 Message 225 of 344
02 February 2013 at 9:15pm | IP Logged 
Dutch With Ease

Active Wave: Lessons 36-42

I had a pretty easy time translating the English text to Dutch in this set of lessons. It was almost as though I had been sprinkled with Assimil fairy dust. I was elated because I thought that some sort of shift had occurred and that I was now "assimilating" just as the course had promised. Then reality set in and I realized what was really happening.

When I began this Assimil experiment, I knew there was no way I could retain all of the vocabulary and idioms right off the bat, so I paid special attention to what I thought were the most useful Dutch words and phrases from a traveler's perspective. I focused on the words and phrases needed for understanding directions, buying things, making hotel reservations, getting around by various means of transportation, talking about the weather, and how to tell time the Dutch way.

Now it just so happened that the conversations in this past week's lessons included discussing the weather, traveling by train, bus and tram, asking for and receiving directions, and getting a room at a hotel. Because I had zeroed in on words and phrases related to those topics during the passive wave, I was able to translate those dialogues from English to Dutch quite easily.

After I had this realization, I reviewed the dialogues from the previous set of lessons, and sure enough, I made no errors when I translated the parts related to telling time and buying things. I've concluded that my ability to translate accurately is not really as hit-and-miss as I had thought.

In any case, it's so pleasant to have a week in which Assimil lessons are truly done "with ease!"

2 persons have voted this message useful



jeronz
Diglot
Newbie
New Zealand
Joined 4618 days ago

37 posts - 79 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: French, Yiddish, Latin, German, Italian

 
 Message 226 of 344
05 February 2013 at 9:58am | IP Logged 
El Nuevo Francés sin Esfuerzo
Passive Wave: Lessons 78-84
Active Wave: Lessons 29-35

I succumbed to completing the entire 8 CDs of michel thomas's french course. I was feeling really
lost, but now after having completed it things are making a lot more sense. It is amazing how much
only 8 hours of this type of learning can help.

One thing that I think I have learned from this experience about my own learning is that of the three
learning styles (analytical, intuitive and learning by doing i.e. drills) I am predominately an
intuitive learner A.K.A assimil style, but I need a bit of drilling for things to stick. This
experience has been very useful in allowing me to realise that. I will continue updating my progress
here but it is no longer a pure assimil log.

Doing FSI is definitely seeming like a very good option for me for once I finish with assimil.

EDIT: I have just made a video of myself talking in french for four minutes. I also have a video of my
one month and two month levels. I didn't make a three month video because I was feeling very
disillusioned at that point. But wow, there is a huge difference. I never really realized the
improvement until comparing them!

Edited by jeronz on 06 February 2013 at 10:55am

3 persons have voted this message useful



Noorina
Bilingual Tetraglot
Newbie
Saudi Arabia
Joined 4081 days ago

14 posts - 16 votes
Speaks: Arabic (Written)*, Arabic (Gulf)*, Japanese, English
Studies: French, Korean

 
 Message 227 of 344
05 February 2013 at 2:02pm | IP Logged 
New French With Ease

Passive wave : lesson 31

This is my first Assimil book and I really like it.
I feel like I'm "learning" something!
I can't speak yet but I understand better than before and I can make simple sentences.
I feel very happy because now I can understand some sentences when I read or watch animated series.

1 person has voted this message useful



Expugnator
Hexaglot
Senior Member
Brazil
Joined 4926 days ago

3335 posts - 4349 votes 
Speaks: Portuguese*, Norwegian, French, English, Italian, Papiamento
Studies: Mandarin, Georgian, Russian

 
 Message 228 of 344
05 February 2013 at 2:16pm | IP Logged 
Il nuovo russo senza sforzo

I'm about to finish the book, lesson 68 today. Like I said at the very beginning, I don't
do a passive wave. I always try to translate into source language, even if I have to look
everything up. This is because I really hate re-reading. I'm going to review the book by
studying from another book, Russian without toil. So, theoretically the experiment will
not be over for me by now.
1 person has voted this message useful



Arekkusu
Hexaglot
Senior Member
Canada
bit.ly/qc_10_lec
Joined 5141 days ago

3971 posts - 7747 votes 
Speaks: English, French*, GermanC1, Spanish, Japanese, Esperanto
Studies: Italian, Norwegian, Mandarin, Romanian, Estonian

 
 Message 229 of 344
05 February 2013 at 2:59pm | IP Logged 
Expugnator wrote:
Il nuovo russo senza sforzo

I'm about to finish the book, lesson 68 today. Like I said at the very beginning, I don't do a passive wave. I always try to translate into source language, even if I have to look everything up. This is because I really hate re-reading. I'm going to review the book by studying from another book, Russian without toil. So, theoretically the experiment will not be over for me by now.

I don't know if Assimil makes a B2 claim with Russian as it does for some other languages, but what level do you feel you are at now that you've finished the entire book?
1 person has voted this message useful



Expugnator
Hexaglot
Senior Member
Brazil
Joined 4926 days ago

3335 posts - 4349 votes 
Speaks: Portuguese*, Norwegian, French, English, Italian, Papiamento
Studies: Mandarin, Georgian, Russian

 
 Message 230 of 344
05 February 2013 at 3:19pm | IP Logged 
I feel like I'm moving into A2. :/ Just the same as for Chinese, Norwegian and German.
2 persons have voted this message useful



geoffw
Triglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 4448 days ago

1134 posts - 1865 votes 
Speaks: English*, German, Yiddish
Studies: Modern Hebrew, French, Dutch, Italian, Russian

 
 Message 231 of 344
05 February 2013 at 5:58pm | IP Logged 
Arekkusu wrote:

I don't know if Assimil makes a B2 claim with Russian as it does for some other languages, but what level do you
feel you are at now that you've finished the entire book?


I'd love to hear as well. FYI, I have the English base Russian course, and it says "B2" on the cover. Having gone
through the first 16 lessons, I find it hard to believe this course will get close to as far as their French or Italian
courses. Thus far the dialogues are all very short and very slowly spoken. I like the course so far, so I'm not
complaining, I'm just saying that's the way it goes.
1 person has voted this message useful



oruixo13
Triglot
Newbie
Australia
Joined 4179 days ago

33 posts - 35 votes
Speaks: FrenchB2, Spanish*, EnglishC1
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 232 of 344
05 February 2013 at 6:31pm | IP Logged 
I have a question. What level do you think Assimil brings you? If it depends on the
language, let's say Chinese, which is the one I am currently studying. Sorry if that
question has already been raised. I've been looking for it without luck.


1 person has voted this message useful



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