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Rdearman Super Challenge Log

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rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4995 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 113 of 158
19 February 2015 at 3:14pm | IP Logged 
--- Weekly Update ---
Steady increase in the average books per week for the last couple of weeks. I have finally completed "Le Flèau" (or The Stand) by Stephen King (I can hear the sighs of relief from here!), and turns out God wins. I was hoping to complete the Italian book as well, but sadly that wasn't to be this week. I have a couple of more Stephen King books in French, but I think I might go back and try to re-read the first book I did for the Super Challenge which was an HP Lovecraft horror book. I'm curious to see if I've actually made any progress.

Although I can read a bit faster, and it seems that I've made progress it is difficult to gage how much if any progress I've actually made. I've read between 600,000 & 650,000 words in French now given the statistics below. You'd have thought there would be a noticeable improvement. I was happy to hear there will be another season of Engrenage next year, because that will get clocked against next years challenge! And I can find out why Judge Roban is having nosebleeds.

I was thinking it would be a really cool challenge (possibly next year) to run parallel to have an Output super challenge was well as an "input" challenge. So I started a thread about that here if anyone wants to discuss. This is because, for me, output is really lacking in my target languages, and I think it would be helpful if I had something to challenge myself and had to account for.

I haven't watched any Italian TV for a long time now, and I need to watch something, but everything I have doesn't interest me much. I've either seen it 2 or 3 times, or it is just too cheesy to watch. RAI should hire the French showrunners for some of their police dramas! Get rid of the cheese! Seriously I can write better TV shows than that. (hummmm.... maybe I should apply to RAI for a job. :))


--- SC Statistics ---
French : 46.5 books : 111.7 films
Italian : 41.1 books : 77.6 films

Reading Averages Change
French: 1.061 books per week --> 1.107 books per week
Italian: 0.978 books per week --> 0.997 books per week

The number of French books at the end of challenge at current rate: 96.32
The number of Italian books at the end of challenge at current rate: 86.79


---
Good luck everyone with your language learning and your own challenges.

1 person has voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4995 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 114 of 158
05 March 2015 at 10:08am | IP Logged 
--- Weekly Update ---
I've decided to just include my output challenge stats and updates here in my Super Challenge log because it makes my life easier. Output challenge is below. I've not done as well on the Super Challenge as I wanted this week and my stats are lagging behind. Having said that, I've done some analysis and basically I've kept a fairly level playing field all the time. Perhaps it is just going to become one of those sprints to the end. I've been re-reading "La Petit Nicolas" in French and I've completed one of the "Ladies Detective Agency" books in Italian. I've started the last one I have, so in a week or so I'll have to cast about for another Italian book to read.

After some more weeks work, I've done another chart for French & Italian statistics.

My french films have dropped off, but I've already completed that part of the challenge, so that isn't a problem. The reading is constant, but I will need to plow through an extra 7 books, and keep up the same pace in order to win the challenge.


Italian is more or less the same story as French, I'm confident I'll complete the challenge in films, but reading I'll need to do an extra 14 books, and keep the same pace. You'll notice however the slope of the reading average has been increasing ever so slightly, so a steady increase over the next 10 months might get me there as well.


--- SC Statistics ---
French : 47.2 books : 112.3 films
Italian : 43.2 books : 78.9 films

Reading Averages Change
French: 1.107 books per week --> 1.048 books per week
Italian: 0.997 books per week --> 0.960 books per week

The number of French books at the end of challenge at current rate: 94.36
The number of Italian books at the end of challenge at current rate: 86.40

--- Output Challenge Update ---
The target for the Output Challenge is to write 50,000 words in Italian, and to record 100 hours of speaking in Italian. So far so good!

I did a recording of myself speaking in Italian while driving to Cambridge for an interview. I recorded it with my Samsung Android using an app called Smart Voice Recorder which is free to use if you want to record yourself for the challenge. This is for voice dictation really, so no video. I managed to get rid of most of the road noise using Audacity and learned a lesson about using a better microphone, and a less noisy environment! I think it was a useful first exercise for me. I learned a lot and you can listen to it here. Although you'd have to be a glutton for punishment. I listened to this twice myself, mostly to identify all the words and phrases I didn't know and look them up. I did wonder if it would count toward an Italian film. :)

The recording allowed me to identify words I didn't know, and I've now captured those, looked them up and put them into an anki deck. So the usefulness of this exercise is evident to me. It has also shown me I use the phrase "molto interessanta" and "so" far, far, far to much and need to knock that on the head.

For the written part of the challenge I've decided to write a childrens story. My grammar and vocabulary are surpassed by most children, but it was more fun than writing a diary entry about my boring day. I've pasted in the first 265 words and a rough translation below. I had some corrections on Lang-8 for the story already and got some really good insights and corrections. I'm actually kicking myself for not doing this sort of thing sooner. I'm planning on passing the story over to my tutor for corrections and walk through it with her.

Like the Super Challenge I plan to track my statistics, and hopefully do some charts later.


--- Output Challenge Statistics ---
Italian : 265 words : 49 minutes


Quote:

In la giardino della Maria vivevano due estranei. Questi uomini non visibile a tutti, ma solamente per Maria. Uno degli esseri è un gigante ed ha tre nasi, si chiama Olivier, ed è francese. La altra uomo è piccolo e lui è inglese. La uomo inglese era così piccolo lui era a casa in la tasca della Olivier. La nome della piccolo uomo inglese è Ralph.

Quando Maria vide la due uomini per la prima volta, lei era a casa con l'influenza. La madre della Maria le disse <<Stai a casa, oggi amore mio. >>. Ma quando la madre della Maria lasciato la casa per andare a comprare del cibo per la cena, Maria si vestì, e uscì di casa e entrò nel giardino per parlare con i due estranei.

<<Buongiorno.>> disse Maria.
<< Buongiorno.>> disse Olivier.
<< Buongiorno.>> ripetè Ralph.
<<Cosa fate nel mio giardino?>> chiese Maria.
<<Noi abitiamo qui adesso>> disse Ralph.
<<È perché?>> chiese Maria. << Perché voi vivete nel mio giardino?>>
<<È perché da quando abbiamo trovato la persona magica, dobbiamo stare qui.>> disse Olivier. Olivier lo disse come se fosse ovvio ma Maria non capiva.
<<Ma qui non c'e magico qui. Questa è solamente casa mia. Abito in questa casa con mia madre, e mio padre.>> disse Maria. <<E quando mio papa vi vedrà nel nostro giardino si arrabbiatà molto.>>
<<Non è un problema, piccolina, perché solamente tu ci vedi.>> disse Ralph. <<Perché, anche tu sei magica.>>
<<io?>> chiese Maria.
<<Sì, se tu non fossi magica, non potresti vederci. Quindi, tu sei magica!>>

Dunque, fu così che Maria scoprì di essere magica.

Which translates roughly to.
Quote:

In the garden of Maria lived two strangers. These men are not visible at all, but only for Maria. One of the beings is a giant and has three noses, called Olivier, and is French. The other man is small and he is English. The Englishman was so small he was at home in the pocket of Olivier. The name of the little English man is Ralph.

When Mary saw the two men for the first time, she was home with the flu. The mother of Maria told her "You're home now, my love." But when the mother of Mary left the house to go and buy food for dinner, Mary got dressed, and left the house and went into the garden to talk to strangers.

"Good morning." Maria said.
"Good morning." Olivier said.
"Good morning."Repeated Ralph.
"What are you doing in my garden?" Asked Maria.
"We live here now" Ralph said.
"This is why?" Asked Maria. "Why do you live in my garden?"
"It is because when we found magical person, we have to stay here." Olivier said. Olivier said it as if it were obvious but Maria did not understand.
"But here there is no magic here. This is only my house. I live in this house with my mother and my father." Maria said. "And when my dad will see you in our garden is very angry."
"No problem, little, because only you will see." Ralph said. "Why, you are also magical."
"I?" Asked Maria.
"Yes, if you were not magic, you could not see us. So, you're magic!"

So, that was how Maria found out she was magical.


As always corrections are welcome and feel free to leave comments and feedback.

---
Good luck everyone with your language learning and your own challenges.


Edited by rdearman on 05 March 2015 at 10:38am

1 person has voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4995 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 115 of 158
12 March 2015 at 2:16pm | IP Logged 
--- Weekly Update ---
I had forgotten just how useful it is to commute to work. People don't really appreciate being locked in a train or car for 1 or 2 hours. It has been a real struggle for me to dedicate time to language learning when I'm not going back and forth to work. Time which was carved out of the day by force. 10 or 15 hours per week which you can dedicate solely to language learning or other self-improvement projects is actually a godsend. There are so many demands on your time when people (whom you know or are related to) believe you aren't busy and therefore they can interrupt you. On a train, everyone sits in their seat not talking to each other, and therefore giving you peace and time to progress your studies. Or in a car alone when you can simply listen to Pimsleur or FSI repeatedly and speak out loud and practice with nobody to judge you.

And not only do people not appreciate this god-given time sink, they squander it reading stupid crap on their phones, or talking to people at the office (who they will see, or have already seen all day anyway) and bothering others. I used to see people reading newspapers or magazines which would in no way give them any benefit (because it was in their native language) other than to know who married who, or what stupid policy the government opposition (or in-power government) is proposing. Or watching films, or listening to music. If you are over the age of 35 and you live in a 1st world country, on average, you've got LESS THAN 14,600 days to live. If you are over the age of 50 then you have less than 9,000 days left on this planet. I'm not saying everyone should stop commuting, but if you're sleeping or reading a newspaper you should remember the time is ticking away...

The reason for the rant is I'm still slipping behind on the Super Challenge, in fact if I'd have been doing this last year, I would have had to quit by now. I'd have never done 100 books of 100 pages. Although knowing what I know now, I'd not have signed up for more than one language. There be dragons.

What I really need is to download a book on time management in French! (or Italian).


--- SC Statistics ---
French : 48.6 books : 112.3 films
Italian : 43.7 books : 79.8 films

Reading Averages Change
French: 1.048 books per week --> 1.056 books per week
Italian: 0.960 books per week --> 0.950 books per week

The number of French books at the end of challenge at current rate: 92.95
The number of Italian books at the end of challenge at current rate: 83.60

--- Output Challenge Update ---
I did a couple of hundred words more on my childrens story, but I haven't actually recorded anything this week in Italian. The plan was to record to my phone as I walked by dog, but that didn't actually happen. I did walk the dog, but I didn't take the phone. I have discovered that my output is very poor. Ideally (if I had thought of it at the time) I would have been doing the Output Challenge & the Super Challenge together previously, because Output has lagged considerably.

I think it was a good desision to restrict the Output Challenge to one language, certainly for me it would be impossible to do in both French & Italian, although French would have been easier I think for me. It is Italian that needs the care and watering at the moment. Choosing a story seems to be a good way to get corrections on Lang-8, a lot of people seem to like to read a story rather than a diary, and if you got a story which includes a Frenchman with three noses.... well that has to be good right? I didn't bother to make the corrections to my text below yet, so you can see all the mistakes in all their glory!


--- Output Challenge Statistics ---
Italian : 558 words : 49 minutes


Quote:

Maria non sa come fare la magica. Dunque sua nuova amici detto che l'avrebbero mostrare. La grande amico, Olivier, che è francaise, e ha tre nasi, detto la magica è molto facile quando tu sa come. E la altro amico, chiama Ralph, che è inglese, detto la magica è molto difficile quanto qualcuno è basso come lui e lei.

Ralph è solo quattro centimetri alto è lui vive in la tasca della Olivier. E entrambi gli uomini vive in sua giardino. All'inizio lei è molto paura sua padre avrebbe vedo loro in la giardino, ma realmente questo è non problema, perchè solamente possible per una persona che è magica da vedere Olivier e Ralph.

<<Ma come io fare la magica?>> chiese Maria. <<io non so.>>
<<La magica è diverse per tutti.>> disse Ralph. <<per esempio, per mi, devo sfregare il mio mano e ripeta la parola di magica, OHH, OHH, OHH>>

Maria guardò la mano. Lei sfrega il mano e ripete la parola di magica, OHH, OHH, OHH, ma non è successo niente. Maria è molto seccato.

<<Perchè non è successo niente>> chiese Maria.
<<Tutti è diverse!>> chiese Olivier. << per mi, devo battere le mani e girare due volte.>>

Maria battere le mani e girare due volte, ma non è successo niente. Maria era più seccato.
<<Perché funziona niente?>> chiese Maria.
<<È perché tutti è diverse!>> disse Olivier e Ralph contemporaneamente. <<Quando tu trovara la cosa per tu, tu come fare la magica.>>
Maria ha iniziato a piangere ma Olivier e Ralph scosse loro teste.
<<Non piangere, ti aiuteremo a trovare il modo di usare la magia.>> disse Olivier.
Ma poi la madre di Marie chiama per la cucina.
<<Domani mattina noi trovarlo.>> disse Raplh.
<<D'accordo!>> disse Maria <<buonanotte amici!>>

Which translates roughly to.
Quote:

Mary does not know how to do the magic. So his new friends said they would show. The great friend, Olivier, who is francaise, and has three noses, said the magic is very easy when you know how. And another friend, called Ralph, who is British, said the magic is very difficult because someone is low as he and she.

Ralph is only four inches tall is he lives in the pocket of Olivier. And both men lived in his garden. At first she is very afraid his father would see them in the garden, but this really is not the problem, because only possible for a person who is magical to see Olivier and Ralph.

<< But as I do the magic? >> Asked Maria. << I do not know. >>
<< The magic is different for everyone. >> Ralph said. << For example, for me, I have to rub my hand and repeat the word magic, OHH, OHH, OHH >>

Mary looked at her hand. She rubs his hand and repeats the word magic, OHH, OHH, OHH, but nothing happened. Maria is very annoyed.

<< Why nothing happened >> Maria asked.
<< Everyone is different! >> Asked Olivier. << To me, I have to clap your hands and turn twice. >>

Maria clap and turn twice, but nothing happened. Maria was more annoyed.
<< Why nothing works? >> Asked Maria.
<< It's because everyone is different! >> Said Olivier and Ralph simultaneously. << When you will find here the thing for you, as you do the magic. >>
Mary started to cry but Olivier and Ralph shook their heads.
<< Do not cry, we'll help you find a way to use magic. >> Olivier said.
But then the mother of Marie called for the kitchen.
<< Tomorrow morning we find it. >> Raplh said.
<< Okay >> Maria said << goodnight friends! >>



As always corrections are welcome and feel free to leave comments and feedback.

---
Good luck everyone with your language learning and your own challenges.

2 persons have voted this message useful



Radioclare
Triglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
timeofftakeoff.com
Joined 4342 days ago

689 posts - 1119 votes 
Speaks: English*, German, Esperanto
Studies: Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian

 
 Message 116 of 158
12 March 2015 at 3:35pm | IP Logged 
rdearman wrote:
I had forgotten just how useful it is to commute to work. People don't really appreciate being locked in a train or car for 1 or 2 hours. It has been a real struggle for me to dedicate time to language learning when I'm not going back and forth to work. Time which was carved out of the day by force. 10 or 15 hours per week which you can dedicate solely to language learning or other self-improvement projects is actually a godsend. There are so many demands on your time when people (whom you know or are related to) believe you aren't busy and therefore they can interrupt you. On a train, everyone sits in their seat not talking to each other, and therefore giving you peace and time to progress your studies. Or in a car alone when you can simply listen to Pimsleur or FSI repeatedly and speak out loud and practice with nobody to judge you.

And not only do people not appreciate this god-given time sink, they squander it reading stupid crap on their phones, or talking to people at the office (who they will see, or have already seen all day anyway) and bothering others. I used to see people reading newspapers or magazines which would in no way give them any benefit (because it was in their native language) other than to know who married who, or what stupid policy the government opposition (or in-power government) is proposing. Or watching films, or listening to music. If you are over the age of 35 and you live in a 1st world country, on average, you've got LESS THAN 14,600 days to live. If you are over the age of 50 then you have less than 9,000 days left on this planet. I'm not saying everyone should stop commuting, but if you're sleeping or reading a newspaper you should remember the time is ticking away...


I've just been smiling about your commuting rant as I have been thinking quite a bit over the past week about how much more spare time I would have if I didn't commute :) I definitely don't appreciate that time and probably fall into the class of person who listen to music and read stupid crap on their phones. Perhaps I need to come up with a plan of how to use the time more effectively!
2 persons have voted this message useful



kanewai
Triglot
Senior Member
United States
justpaste.it/kanewai
Joined 4648 days ago

1386 posts - 3054 votes 
Speaks: English*, French, Marshallese
Studies: Italian, Spanish

 
 Message 117 of 158
12 March 2015 at 8:56pm | IP Logged 
Learning to study while commuting has been one of the most liberating things for me with
language learning. I also have a hard time finding an hour a day to sit down and
actually study. Some months I can, others I'm just too busy or lazy.

But I have a half-hour bike commute to work each way, which is perfect for a Pimsleur or
FSI lesson, or a short podcast.


2 persons have voted this message useful



Cavesa
Triglot
Senior Member
Czech Republic
Joined 4768 days ago

3277 posts - 6779 votes 
Speaks: Czech*, FrenchC2, EnglishC1
Studies: Spanish, German, Italian

 
 Message 118 of 158
12 March 2015 at 9:20pm | IP Logged 
Well, I spend something between 1-4 hours per day in public transport and it is no place
to study usually. I can read or listen, not both, or I miss the right station. I often
cannot read because I don't always go by the underground and some of the trams and buses
make my stomach rebel. Sometimes, as a czech author Šimek wrote, you just stand on one
foot which is not even your own, and that's no way to study either. So, I am out of luck,
I can read a foreign book most times, and I do, but serious study requiring more
attention is an unachievable dream. So, I am in the get-rid-of-any-kind-of-commuting
camp.

Those day counts are pretty scary, true.

Will you share your childrens story, please? :-)
2 persons have voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4995 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 119 of 158
12 March 2015 at 9:39pm | IP Logged 
Cavesa wrote:

Those day counts are pretty scary, true.

Will you share your childrens story, please? :-)


Very scary counts! Well, I'm writing it 250 words at a time. :) I don't know where the story is going though... I just think it up each week.
1 person has voted this message useful



rdearman
Senior Member
United Kingdom
rdearman.orgRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 4995 days ago

881 posts - 1812 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Italian, French, Mandarin

 
 Message 120 of 158
19 March 2015 at 5:21pm | IP Logged 
--- Weekly Update ---
"The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley," - Robert Burns.

Well my best laid schemes seemed to have 'Gang aft agley' this week and I only managed to read 30+ pages of a French book and only 1 page of a book in Italian. This is mostly because of a man-flu affliction early in the week and a couple of job interviews which kept me busy and out of the house. I have decided I'm going to try some Timeboxing in order to get some thing completed. This is basically the Pomodoro technique, which I've used in the past when I was writing for NanoWriMo, or programming, for example. I have the desktop application, so I can use it for the Output Challenge, but I'm hoping it will help with reading. I'm just trying to organise some fixed time in my day for watching Italian Films or reading books. It seems if left to my own devices I will wander around aimlessly and accomplish nothing. :)

After I complete this message I'm off to Tesco to purchase a real timer, to put down on the desk and get something done!


--- SC Statistics ---
French : 49.2 books : 112.3 films
Italian : 43.7 books : 79.8 films

Reading Averages Change
French: 1.056 books per week --> 1.046 books per week
Italian: 0.950 books per week --> 0.929 books per week

The number of French books at the end of challenge at current rate: 92.08
The number of Italian books at the end of challenge at current rate: 81.78

--- Output Challenge Update ---

I did a little more on my childrens story this morning. I seem to be leaving everything to the last minute like a child with their homework. I haven't recorded anything, well, I did record a few minutes while walking with my dog but after listening back to it, it seemed most of the conversation consisted of me shouting, "Freddie, bring me the frisbee!"

So recording and walking the dog is a bust I think. I'm going to have to get more organised.


--- Output Challenge Statistics ---
Italian : 757 words : 49 minutes


Output for this week below. I'm hoping to collate it all together (with lang-8 corrections) and post it on the OC thread.

Quote:

<< Come faccio so quando io incontro il magico?>> chiese Maria.
<< È molto facile!>> esclamò Olivier. << Perchè il magico ha odori porpora. >>
<< Come? non è possible sentire l'odore porpora! >> disse Maria, con voce perplessa. << Qualche volta io penso tu è pazza! >>
Olivier la francese grande con tre nasi cominciato a piangere. Maria sentita pessimo.
<< Mi dispiace molto, Olivier. Tu non è pazza, ma non è possible sentire l'odore della colore. >>
<< È possible per mi >> Olivier risposto. << Ho tre nasi e questo...>>
Olivier mettere il dito sul naso di sinistra.
<< Sento come tu con questo naso. E ...>>
Lui mettere il dito sul naso nel mezzo.
<< Sento tutti la colore della mondo. >>
Finalemente lui mettere il dito sul naso di destra.
<< Sento il magico. Il magico buona ha odori porpora. >>
Maria è molto interesanta e chiese lui.
<< Come sentire le odori di magico cattiva? >>
<< Il magico cattiva ha odori della gatto bagnato. >>
Maria pensato per un momento e però chiese un'altra domando.
<< Quando tu mi senta, come tu sentire? >>
<< Sento odori porpora e odori della pasta. >> Olivier risposto.
<< Perchè le odori della pasta? >>
<< Perchè, è necessario lavarsi i denti! >> Olivier disse con una sorrise. Poi Olivier e Maria risero.

Which translates roughly to.
Quote:

<< How do I know when I meet the magic? >> Asked Maria.
<< It's very easy! >> Said Olivier. << Why has the magical smells purple. >>
<< How? it is not possible to smell purple! >> Maria said, her voice puzzled. << Sometimes I think you are crazy! >>
Olivier the French with three big noses began to cry. Maria felt bad.
<< I am very sorry, Olivier. You are not crazy, but it is not possible to smell the color. >>
<< Is it possible for me >> Olivier replied. << I have three noses and this ... >>
Olivier put your finger on your nose to the left.
<< I feel like you with this nose. And ... >>
He put his finger on his nose in the middle.
<< I feel all the colors of the world. >>
Finalemente he put his finger on his nose right.
<< I feel the magic. The magic has good smells purple. >>
Maria is very interesanta and asked him.
<< How to hear the magical smells bad? >>
<< The magic has bad smells of wet cat. >>
Mary thought for a moment and asked, however, another wonder.
<< When you hear me, how you feel? >>
<< I feel smells purple and smells of pasta. >> Olivier replied.
<< Why the smell of pasta? >>
<< Why, you need to brush your teeth! >> Olivier said with a smile. Then Olivier and Maria laughed.


As always corrections are welcome and feel free to leave comments and feedback.

---
Good luck everyone with your language learning and your own challenges.



1 person has voted this message useful



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