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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| embici Triglot Senior Member CanadaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 4400 days ago 263 posts - 370 votes  Speaks: English*, Spanish, French Studies: Greek | Message 25 of 51 19 January 2013 at 1:30pm | IP Logged | ||
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What's your strategy for using Assimil, renaissancemedi? I'm using Assimil for the first
time so I'm interested in learning how people interpret passive wave and active wave, how many lessons they do a day, etc. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| renaissancemedi Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Greece Joined 4148 days ago 941 posts - 1309 votes Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, EnglishC2 Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew | Message 26 of 51 19 January 2013 at 3:08pm | IP Logged | ||
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I am just begining myself, so I can't give advice. But my plan is to follow the instructions on the booklet. However, the idea of passive learning is not something I really like, because my plan is to start writing right away, even if it is only one sentence. So, I guess I will follow assimil without fail, making it my main learning method, but at the same time add as much material as possible, in a rather random way. I really want to learn russian! I even listen to russian news without understanding a word. Yet!
I am starting a private journal, where I will write russian, German and french. Will that help? We'll see... 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| renaissancemedi Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Greece Joined 4148 days ago 941 posts - 1309 votes Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, EnglishC2 Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew | Message 27 of 51 21 January 2013 at 9:03am | IP Logged | ||
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I took a self assessment test on french and the result was: At the end of Upper Intermediate (B2). But it's not accurate. Yes, I managed to find the correct answers in multiple choice, but would I have been able to do it completely on my own?
I don't think multiple choice questions give a good idea on the actual level. Here is the site. http://www.languagecoursesuk.co.uk/test/french_test.php 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| renaissancemedi Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Greece Joined 4148 days ago 941 posts - 1309 votes Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, EnglishC2 Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew | Message 28 of 51 26 January 2013 at 9:45am | IP Logged | ||
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A small update on french. I have found quite a few old books on the french language, and by old I mean belle epoque old. They have lists, and phrases for polite conversation (LOL too polite), and they spell out the subjunctive for you etc. Somehow, for my level, whatever it is, they seem to work. There are also many texts, bilingual as well. In short, in those old manuals I found many methods of learning that are being constantly discussed in this forum as well. For example one of them stresses the fact that the student must pronounce out loud whatever he or she is writing down. The lists of words, the most common phrases, the encouragement not to translate but to speak directly in french etc.
There are also some things that are not really taught today, like penmanship (nice word). I saw somewhere advice on how to hold the pen and how to sit properly. There is another manual that starts with a dialogue between "a lady of society" who wishes to buy a french method, and the sales woman. The latter slanders at least two rival methods of learning french, mentioning the authors by name! That was so funny, and at the same time it shows some things about how times have changed. I suppose that some of the words or phrases would not be in use today. But so far most of them, especially the vocabulary, does not seem to have changed. The words don't have different ending or anything, and I bet even the extreme but wonderful politeness could still work today in formal settings. I am just guessing of course. Anyway, I'll ask if I see a suspicious word or phrase! Like this one Vous n'y mettez pas assez d'empois. Yes, not enough starch can be unpleasant on your linen! Edited by renaissancemedi on 26 January 2013 at 9:46am 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Kronos Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 5051 days ago 186 posts - 452 votes Speaks: German*, English | Message 29 of 51 26 January 2013 at 6:41pm | IP Logged | ||
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I am using several of the old Assimil courses for my languages study, they were originally written in the 1930s and this really shows in the lessons.
If one is not studying for immediate practical use this might even be better, since a lot of great literature, movies etc. is from the first half of the 20th century anyway, and in this way you have already built a bridge to 19th century usage too. Personally my self-chosen 'lower' time limit for learning materials is about the 1910s/20s, i.e. the decade when automobiles became a standard commodity. Before that, things moved slower in life, and when I read texts of the late 1800s and still the beginning 1900s they often tend to be written in a long-winded, laboured style, too many clauses and filler words, not like people would speak or write today. The ideal reflected in some of the textbooks of that period was to eventually speak like someone from the upper classes, in a certain distinctive style, and I believe this approach was abandoned only a generation later. It also depends on the language. Some languages have hardly changed at all in the course of a century. With others there were also a number of incisive orthography reforms (German 1901, Russian 1918, ...). 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| renaissancemedi Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Greece Joined 4148 days ago 941 posts - 1309 votes Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, EnglishC2 Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew | Message 30 of 51 26 January 2013 at 7:16pm | IP Logged | ||
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Include the greek language among the "reformed" ones. Our latest reform happened in the 1980s.
Actually we have the same 'lower' time limit on french, and I agree with your thoughts. I have the same assimil courses (apparently), and there is a difference in the way they speak, among the other differences. Not the pronounciation exactly, but something... I admit I like it. And yes, I am interested in litterature a lot, so you have a point there. It's nice to know I'm not the only one interested in older courses. The early 20th century books I found online include some dialogues that really show how times have changed! Edited by renaissancemedi on 26 January 2013 at 7:17pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Kronos Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 5051 days ago 186 posts - 452 votes Speaks: German*, English | Message 31 of 51 26 January 2013 at 9:14pm | IP Logged | ||
Assimil has reacted to this quickly. My 1980s copy of Assimil's older Modern Greek course (written in the 1960s) has a note saying that the spelling in the book has been revised according to a reform in effect since 1982. As it looks, the reform must have been mostly about simplifying the accents. In languages which I practically don't know at all, like Russian or Greek, I would probably start with materials from the 1950s or 60s onwards, and with non-European languages preferably even newer ones. In those cases I just can't judge if a word or a construction is outdated or not. It's different with languages that I know at least a bit and have had lots of exposure, therefore older courses will also do. If there is one language where as a newbie I can't make out any differences at all even after eight decades it is Italian. I may be wrong, but I guess one could study it straight from 19th century sources without sounding too weird afterwards. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| renaissancemedi Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Greece Joined 4148 days ago 941 posts - 1309 votes Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, EnglishC2 Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew | Message 32 of 51 26 January 2013 at 9:34pm | IP Logged | ||
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Perhaps greek material from the 1960s is not the best. In fact, the material after the 1980s reform is fine. I am afraid the accents weren't the only thing that was changed. I noticed that in the FSI greek course. Sure, it is proper greek, but much of it is totally outdated. Everybody will understand, but people will ask you where you learned greek :).
I'll go to your blog to see if you have listed your courses, and maybe give you an opinion, if you like. Edited by renaissancemedi on 26 January 2013 at 9:34pm 1 person has voted this message useful |
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