Stelle's log (Spanish, Italian, Tagalog)

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Stelle
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Stelle's log (Spanish, Italian, Tagalog)

Postby Stelle » Fri Jan 01, 2016 9:10 pm

¡Hola! Hello! Bonjour! Kamusta! Saluton!

Please note: while Spanish is my forever language, I've dabbled on and off in Italian, Tagalog and Esperanto over the past few years. Rather than coming back and editing this first post every time my focus changes, I'm just going to leave it as it is. Updated info on what I'm studying can, of course, be found on the most recent posts in my log.

Welcome to my new log for 2016! (You can find my old log here.)

native languages: English and French

I grew up in English and in French, in a very bilingual small city in Ontario. We spoke mostly English at home, French with our extended family, French at school, and both English and French with friends - depending on the friend. Most of the movies, TV and books that I've consumed throughout my life have been in English. Most of my working life has been in French, teaching both children and adults. So while I'm probably more eloquent in English, I'm comfortable in both languages.

primary target language: Spanish

I started learning Spanish in May 2013, in preparation for a 6-week trek in Spain. My Dad and I walked the Camino Frances in March/April 2014, starting in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France and ending 780km later in Santiago de Compostela. I fell in love with Spain, with Spanish and with language learning in general.

I would currently rate my level somewhere around B2, tottering on the edge of C1 - although you'd never guess it from the way that I write! I write poorly in Spanish. I can comfortably read novels and watch movies in Spanish without much effort.

This year, I'm going to keep up with extensive reading and listening. I'd also like to focus on bumping my output to the next level, particularly in writing. I'm considering joining the Output Challenge to focus my efforts. We'll see!

I'm leading La Manada, the intermediate / advanced Spanish TAC team, for 2016.

casual target language: Tagalog

I have a love-hate relationship with Tagalog. I think its grammar is interesting, and I love the sound of it. But I've learned that I have zero interest in Tagalog-language media, and I feel stalled in my learning because the only resources that I use are aimed at learners. I'm a big proponent of adding native resources as soon as they're comprehensible, but there's not really much that catches my attention. If it weren't for the fact that my extended family speaks Tagalog, then I probably wouldn't bother continuing with my studies. That said, being able to understand and participate in group conversations - even in a very limited way - brings me enough joy that I'll continue learning.

My goal this year is to focus on what I really want to be able to do with Tagalog: engage in conversations. I may also try out the listening-reading method.

Edit: as of March 7th, I'm temporarily replacing Esperanto with Italian. It was an accident.

surprise target language: Esperanto

I had no intention of learning Esperanto. It's honestly never been on my radar at all. I started playing with it one day on Duolingo, and had so much fun that I just kept going. So far, I've completed about half of the Duolingo tree. I've also completed two beginner courses on Lernu (Ana Pana and Bildoj kaj demandoj) and watched Mazi en Gondolando.

This year, I plan on continuing with Esperanto in a very unpressured way, through Duolingo and maybe a few more Lernu courses.

I've joined the Esperanto team for 2016.

reading goal

This year, I'd like to read 12 novels in each of my strong languages (English, French and Spanish). For the past several years, the bulk of my reading time has been dedicated to Spanish, but this year I want to be more well-read in all of my languages.
Last edited by Stelle on Sat Oct 28, 2017 2:21 pm, edited 13 times in total.
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto)

Postby Stelle » Fri Jan 01, 2016 9:10 pm

Spanish

This post will be updated throughout the year to add resources.

I'm leading La Manada, the intermediate / advanced Spanish TAC team, for 2016.

General Plan for 2016:

- Lots and lots (and lots) of input
- Participate actively in the Spanish subforum's club de lectura
- Join the Super Challenge in May
- Work my way through Gramática de uso del español C1
- Aim for at least four hours of conversation practice per month using italki tutors
- Read 12 novels, most of them originally written in Spanish
- Write more. I'm considering joining the Output Challenge for writing only, but I haven't committed yet.

Books that I want to read in 2016:

- Como agua para chocolate (the January Spanish book club selection, hosted by Spoonary)
- the next book in the Apocalipsis Z trilogy (and possibly book three, if I enjoy book two)
- El Tiempo entre costuras (I *will* finish this book, if only so that I can watch the series!)
- La sombra del viento
- the next Harry Potter book (maybe even two or three of the final three books – we'll see!)
- Cien años de soledad

Things to listen to:

TV shows
- Finish watching El Internado on DailyMotion
- Watch some episodes of Aquí no hay quien viva on YouTube
- Watch El Tiempo entre costuras on DramaFever

Podcasts
- Fallo de sistema
- Nómadas
- Futuro abierto
- Radio ambulante
- Porqué Podcast
Last edited by Stelle on Sat Jan 23, 2016 10:08 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto)

Postby Stelle » Fri Jan 01, 2016 9:10 pm

Tagalog

This post will be updated throughout the year with resources.

Overall goal: reach a conversational level in Tagalog. Be able to actually engage when my husband or mother-in-law announce "...and she can speak to Tagalog!" when introducing me to Filipinos.

Plan:

* Find a tutor on italki that I can connect with, and focus on building fluency islands. Really, this is the most important thing that I can do if I want to become conversational. My husband and in-laws like to talk to me in Tagalog and they're happy to answer my questions, but not in the intensive way that I need. Besides, I'm much shier with them than I am with outsiders.

* Finally finish Elementary Tagalog and the accompanying workbook. I've been using this book on and off since May 2014, and I'm only at chapter 13 of 24. I find it a very useful resource, if a bit dry.

* Work on GLOSS lessons when I finish Elementary Tagalog.

* Commit to daily anki reviews. (about 5-10 minutes per day)

* Try out the listening-reading method with two copies of the book The Zombie Tunnels (one in English, one in Filipino)

* Watch short Bandila news clips on YouTube
Last edited by Stelle on Sat Jan 23, 2016 10:09 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto)

Postby Stelle » Fri Jan 01, 2016 9:10 pm

Esperanto

This post will be updated throughout the year with resources.

Overall goal: Esperanto is my "accidental" language, and as such I plan on learning it casually throughout the year.

I'm a member of Team Esperanto.

The Plan:

* Set aside 20 minutes five times a week for a "slow-but-steady" approach to learning Esperanto. That's about exactly how long it takes me to do my current routine of reviews + five new words on Memrise, three Duolingo lessons (either new lessons or reviews) and five minutes on Bliubliu.

* Finish the Duolingo tree.

* Keep working my way through all three Speak Esperanto Like a Native courses on Memrise.

* Casually build vocabulary using bliubliu or other reading apps.

* In addition to completing Esperanto tree on Duolingo, I plan on doing Ana renkontas, and then Gerda malaperis, both of them on Lernu.

* I may try some conversation classes on italki. While I think that language exchange partners might be a better way to learn Esperanto, my time is limited and I like the fact that I can choose a convenient time on italki without having to go back and forth with anyone.

* Listen to old episodes of Radio Verda.

* Read and listen to the stories on facila.org
Last edited by Stelle on Sat Jan 23, 2016 10:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto, TAC)

Postby Stelle » Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:29 am

I think that one of my big challenges this year will be finding balance, so that I can continue focusing on my One True Language Love (I'm looking at you, Spanish) without neglecting my other languages - including my native languages. I know that we're only three days into the new year, but things are going well so far.

I'm back to a technique that worked well for me in the fall, until everything fell apart. I made myself a weekly schedule, and every day I focus on two languages and briefly touch on the third. It looks something like this:

Friday: Esperanto and Tagalog (a few minutes of Spanish)
Saturday: Spanish and Esperanto (a few minutes of Tagalog)
Sunday: Tagalog and Spanish (a few minutes of Esperanto)

...and so on.

I like the rhythm, and I feel that it's sustainable. In the fall I was aiming for 45 minutes each in my focus languages, but I honestly think that it was too much. Now, I'm aiming for a minimum of 20-30 minutes per focus language and 10 minutes in the leftover language, although of course I can do more if I like.

Spanish

I started reading Como agua para chocolate for the Spanish book club. I've read the first two chapters. So far, it's a beautiful book! It's sad and poetic, but also surprisingly funny at times. It revolves around food, and I was thinking about trying the recipes, but I've given up on that idea after a brief glance through the book.

Tagalog

I finished chapter 13 in Elementary Tagalog. At this rate I should be done the whole book in about three years. Ha! I need to make myself focus on Tagalog, otherwise it gets left behind (hence the schedule). But when I do force myself to study, I really enjoy the language.

Listening can be frustrating. I do some transcription exercises to tune my ear, but I have to listen to each sentence so many times before I can figure out what's being said. Then...it's like a veil has lifted. Suddenly the speaker doesn't seem to be speaking quite so quickly or running his/her words together. Interesting how that works!

I've recommitted to daily anki reviews in Tagalog. I have reviews capped at 100, so it doesn't take all that long. But, oh...the backlog. It's a beast!

Esperanto

I like my easy, stress-free routine of Memrise + Duolingo + bliubliu. I'm like one of those hopeful fools who fervently believes that all I need to learn a language is the right app. Ha! But I actually feel that I am learning the language, and these three tools complement each other quite nicely.

Reading

For the past 2+ years, most of my nightly reading has been in Spanish. This year, I'm aiming to rotate English, French and Spanish novels. When I'm reading a Spanish novel, that will be in addition to my study schedule - so I can't just read a book for 20 minutes before bed and tick off both language study *and* reading from my daily to-do list. I started reading two novels, one in Spanish during language time (Como agua para chocolate) and one in English during reading time (419).

I'm about 75 pages into 419. So far it's a beautifully-written (and terribly sad) book set in Calgary and Lagos, featuring the famous Nigerian scam - you know, the one that you find in your junk mail folder at least once a week, about the heiress / opposition leader / businessman / political prisoner / long-lost relative who desperately needs your help to move X million dollars out of the country. Fascinating book!

Well, that's it for now. Winter break is over, and it's back to work tomorrow. Happy language learning everyone!
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto, TAC)

Postby Stelle » Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:34 pm

Argh!

I did something really dumb and sent a package of books that I ordered to an old address/PO box - on the other side of the country. I spent the better part of an hour on the phone with various people, but there's nothing that can be done except hope that the current mailbox owner is honest and sends the package back to the sender. Here's hoping that a random person won't be interested in keeping a French and a Spanish novel!

In the meantime, though, I'll have to keep waiting before I can start the next Apocalipsis Z book. Bah.
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solocricket
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Languishing Languages: Dutch (~B1), Icelandic (delapidated passive intermediate skills), Yiddish (basic passive), Japanese (smattering of reading knowledge, lots of vocab, maybe I'll get back to it someday)
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto, TAC)

Postby solocricket » Wed Jan 06, 2016 6:57 pm

Good luck with everything! Spanish is probably my One True Language Love as well-- I'll check out some of the books you're reading since I'm always in need of new books :) I like how you're doing relaxed Esperanto-- I need to find a language I can "wind down" in with low-pressure lessons.
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto, TAC)

Postby Cavesa » Wed Jan 06, 2016 7:16 pm

Happy New Year and Happy Language Learning, Stelle! I'm looking forward to following your log again.
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Stelle
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto, TAC)

Postby Stelle » Sun Jan 10, 2016 7:28 pm

Thanks for the welcome, solocricket and Cavesa!

This has been a pretty calm week for language learning. Work was intense, so I used my languages to relax after coming home.

Spanish

I read a few chapters of El Tiempo entre costuras. I'm enjoying the book, and I think it's well-written, but I do have a bit less stamina than I did when reading Apocalipsis Z. It's kind of slow-moving, and I've found that my mind starts to wander after about 20 minutes. It's definitely not a page-turner! But I like it enough to keep reading it, even if my progress is slow and steady. I'll be focusing on this book in Spanish, with a few breaks to keep up with the Como agua para chocolate book club every week.

I've been working on organizing the house. We have some big changes coming up, with *another* move at the end of the school year. We're planning on selling our house, purging our stuff, storing what's really important, and then hitting the road in August. So I've been combining Spanish listening with home decluttering. I put on a podcast, start sorting stuff into piles, and the time just flies! I think if I set aside some time for organizing/purging/decluttering at least four times a week, both the house and the Spanish will come along nicely.

This week I listened to:
an episode of Futuro abierto about mindfulness (and my mind didn't even wander! Win!)
a funny story about Peruvian food on Radio Ambulante (Thanks to Haziz for the recommendation)
an episode of Fallo de sistema about Einstein, Quijote and Star Wars
an episode of Nómadas about Antarctica

Aside from that I also started watching Narcos on Netflix with my husband. The show is half-English and half-Spanish, and it tells the story of Pablo Escobar. As always, I had a *really* hard time ignoring the subtitles (both when they were speaking in Spanish and when they were speaking in English, since we use closed captioning a lot of the time). I really don't know how to get to the point that I can watch a show without reading the words along the bottom. That said, I think I would have been lost without the subtitles! I really need to expose myself to more accents and ways of speaking. I'm at the point where I can follow Spanish from Spain without any problems, but Spanish from other parts of the world is a very different story.

Tagalog

I've been working on lesson 14 of Elementary Tagalog. Not much to report...just keeping on keeping on! My reading ability is definitely improving, but the accent is hard. I never know which syllable needs to be stressed, so I have to be careful not to practise reading it wrong in my internal voice. I need to practice reading out loud more often, so that I can be corrected. Since I need to read the same passages multiple times, I'm thinking about recording myself reading aloud so that I can read along with myself afterwards.

I've had some nice conversations with my mother-in-law! Simple, of course, but nice. I can really only talk to Filipinos one-on-one, and only if they're very patient.

I'm catching more and more of what's being said when my in-laws talk as a group. The biggest change is in my ability to hear individual words. Whereas before I heard a long string of babble with a few English loan words thrown in, now I can differentiate the sounds and the words. It doesn't mean that I understand them, but it definitely feels like a step forward! I get stuck on a word, though (maglagay, maglagay, I know that word, ummm....), and by the time I decipher it (Maglagay... Oh, right! "Put"! I've got this!!!) the conversation is already light years away.

Esperanto

Esperanto is really my play time. I do my Memrise reviews followed by 5 new words (about 5-7 minutes), then three reviews and/or new Duolingo lessons (about 15 minutes), and then a quick round of bliubliu (5 minutes). It's fun, low-key and easy.

I've been struggling to figure out *why* I'm learning Esperanto. I don't know anyone who speaks Esperanto. While there are some meet-ups in my city, they're far from me and I feel no pull to go. My husband has no interest in learning Esperanto, and we travel together, so we won't be using pasporto servas. So what's the point? I'm honestly not sure. It's fun, and that's reason enough to keep going, but I've never been one to learn a language just for the sake of it. I always have a reason. This is a new thing for me! I guess as it stands, it's a game. Some people play Candy Crush for 20 minutes every day, I play Esperanto.
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evilado
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Re: Stelle's 2016 log (Spanish, Tagalog, Esperanto, TAC)

Postby evilado » Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:38 pm

I really need to expose myself to more accents and ways of speaking. I'm at the point where I can follow Spanish from Spain without any problems, but Spanish from other parts of the world is a very different story


I feel the same way, but in reverse. Peninsular Spanish gives me problems, but most varieties from the Americas, especially the southern cone sound natural and easy. Maybe our team could do a country-specific monthly challenge? Or gather country-specific podcasts, websites, and movies.

Good luck with the move! I agree, podcasts + housework = productive and fun time.
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