Systematiker's attempt at a log

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
User avatar
Systematiker
Blue Belt
Posts: 823
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:09 pm
Languages: ENG (N); DEU (C2+) // SWG (~C1); BAR (~C1); SPA (4/3); FRA (~C1); SCO (~C1); NLD (~B2*); LAT (Latinum Bavaricum); GRC (Graecum Bavaricum); CAT (~B2*); POR (~B2*); SWE (~B2*); HBO (Hebraicum); DAN (~B1*); RUS (~A2); KOR (~A1); FAS (still a raw beginner)
*Averaged for high receptive skill
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7332
x 2070

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Systematiker » Sat Apr 01, 2017 3:01 am

I'm still around! I'm not even caught up with everything I've missed on the forum, though I see I'm not the only one who had a rough time in March with language goals. I'm also on my tablet so I don't have my neat little bars and outline and whatnot.

But I'm still here. I've been absolutely swamped, and that not likely to change in the next weeks, so I don't even know what I'll be able to do.

I can report getting to use both Spanish and Portuguese with some people, and making some but not as much progress as expected with the reading projects. That FSI project got abandoned completely.

I'm still using all my stronger languages, despite having recently had to cut my watching to 0, and pretty much all the weaker ones are just getting ignored.

I don't really expect things to be back to any sort of rhythm until June, or perhaps July, Immediately after which the latter half of this crazy year will kick in and any regularity will be nicely kicked to pieces. Ah well.

Progress happens, if slowly.
9 x

User avatar
Systematiker
Blue Belt
Posts: 823
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:09 pm
Languages: ENG (N); DEU (C2+) // SWG (~C1); BAR (~C1); SPA (4/3); FRA (~C1); SCO (~C1); NLD (~B2*); LAT (Latinum Bavaricum); GRC (Graecum Bavaricum); CAT (~B2*); POR (~B2*); SWE (~B2*); HBO (Hebraicum); DAN (~B1*); RUS (~A2); KOR (~A1); FAS (still a raw beginner)
*Averaged for high receptive skill
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7332
x 2070

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Systematiker » Sat Apr 01, 2017 6:12 pm

Still not the full update, but I've got a few minutes, so a sort-of-update and sort-of-musing.

I think I've probably hit, or come close to, an upper limit on languages that I can do something with. Continually doing enough in the languages I'm working on lately is often more time than I've even got, and I'm reaching the point that even with languages that I'm comfortable in native media, I have to implement some discipline to make sure they don't rust or get neglected. I'm not sure how much rust is permissible - my German is the only benchmark I've got, and I think it wouldn't have even rusted at all if it weren't for the strange circumstances.

I've also got to face the fact that with the way the coming 12 months looks, anything that can't face two six-week sessions of not being able to study with only about 8 weeks in between is going to be lost effort. That means the low-level stuff has got to either be built up where it can survive that without losing everything, or I might as well bail now and start again when I'm through it. This is really an issue for Gaelic, Welsh, Korean, Finnish, Russian, and Basque - everything else won't run the risk of being lost entirely. So the question is, do I try to push in the effort, and for which languages, and which do I go ahead and sacrifice to have the time now and come back to later?

I'm probably going to drop off Finnish and Basque completely, as there's also little chance of getting them to a point where I won't simply lose absolutely everything (considering also that the period in between will have to be used to undo damage in everything, not just the handful of lower-level languages). I won't be able to return to them for 12 months if I do, but that's probably OK. Gaelic and Welsh are worth playing with between now and then, and as they're less difficult (so far!), so I'll likely spring back faster. Russian and Korean would then need some attention so I don't have devastating attrition, and I've got six months or so to build up.

In general, I've got to scale back my intensity across the board. I've still got the same targets, but I'm going to have to deal with things like "1 episode per evening instead of 3 or 4" regardless of langauge, or making smaller gains in reading in exchange for spreading my reading across more languages (which I noticed big-time when I introduced a fourth Bible plan for Portuguese, I quickly became so overwhelmed that I got super behind on everything). This shifts some of my progress bar goals to 3- and 4-year targets, which is understandably frustrating.

Time becomes a factor as well - in many languages, I read faster than an audiobook, but only a couple Gospels into L-R in Portuguese and I see a significant difference (even though I could, indeed, read faster than the accompanying audio) in my corresponding active ability. But then it takes longer, of course, and time is something I'm going to have way less of coming up.

Do I wish I had taken the opportunity where I had so much time available to focus on fewer langauges, and make more progress? Nah, I wouldn't have concentrated, and just would have found something else to spend the extra time on.

Ahh, I'm not sure where all this is headed, I'm just rambling.
6 x

User avatar
Ani
Brown Belt
Posts: 1433
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2016 8:58 am
Location: Alaska
Languages: English (N), speaks French, Russian & Icelandic (beginner)
x 3840
Contact:

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Ani » Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:00 pm

Glad to see you posting again.

Iirc, Korean has been on your list for so long. I think that is the one you focus on building up to avoid losing it during the gaps. If you still enjoy it and it hasn't turned into something negative for you.

I hope your Lent has gone well. I can't believe there is only a week and a half left. :)
0 x
But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

User avatar
Brun Ugle
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2273
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 12:48 pm
Location: Steinkjer, Norway
Languages: English (N), Norwegian (~C1/C2), Spanish (B1/B2), German (A2/B1?), Japanese (very rusty)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=11484
x 5821
Contact:

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Brun Ugle » Sun Apr 02, 2017 6:34 am

I agree with you. When life gets too busy, sometimes it's best to sacrifice a few of the very low- level languages in order to take care of the rest. You might get a bit of a surprise when you come back to them and find that even though you've forgotten a lot, when you try to relearn it, it seems very natural and easier than expected.

I put you on the list for the GdUdE challenge, by the way, but I can take you off if you want. But if you're going to be working on the book anyway, you might as well stay in. This is going to be a very slow race if Cavesa's and my past efforts are anything to judge by.
1 x

User avatar
Systematiker
Blue Belt
Posts: 823
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:09 pm
Languages: ENG (N); DEU (C2+) // SWG (~C1); BAR (~C1); SPA (4/3); FRA (~C1); SCO (~C1); NLD (~B2*); LAT (Latinum Bavaricum); GRC (Graecum Bavaricum); CAT (~B2*); POR (~B2*); SWE (~B2*); HBO (Hebraicum); DAN (~B1*); RUS (~A2); KOR (~A1); FAS (still a raw beginner)
*Averaged for high receptive skill
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7332
x 2070

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Systematiker » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:01 pm

I'm still up for doing GdUdE, but I'll be super slow in even getting started.

I'm pretty much taking Ani's advice: the only learner-languages I'm going to keep are Korean and Russian (because, well, I've been off and on with Russian for almost as long), at least until further notice. I'll put Gaelic and Welsh pretty much on hold, and to be honest, I never got off the ground properly with Basque or Finnish as I never gave them enough concentrated time (given their distance from anything I know already).

I've actually surprised myself with how much listening I've been doing lately - I've done at least an hour in each language I have podcasts for in the last four days or so (the corresponding balance coming from not having done as much in the heavy langauges, like Spanish or French, but hey). I've also been able to read a bit in the evenings.

I don't feel like splitting things up, so here's a bunch of progress bars together:
ES Reading: 3019 / 10000 ES Film: 101 / 200
CAT Reading: 3 / 10000 CAT Film: 5 / 200
FR Reading: 1718 / 10000 FR Film: 66 / 200
PT Reading: 0 / 10000 PT Film: 10 / 200
SV Reading: 455 / 10000 SV Film: 29 / 200
DK Reading: 30 / 10000 DK Film: 5 / 200


Plus Greek and Hebrew work for Sunday's sermon. And I need to knock off stuff from my Goodreads "currently reading" list, so I've got some of those Dutch novels I started in my sights.
3 x

User avatar
Elenia
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:22 am
Location: London
Languages: English (N), Swedish (C1), French (Massively Atrophied) German (lowly beginner, somehow learnt to read)


Finnish?!
Language Log: viewtopic.php?t=708
x 3280
Contact:

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Elenia » Thu Apr 06, 2017 10:38 pm

Good to see you around! I have been fairly absent myself, but I've missed you. I figured this is a particularly busy time of year for you in general, and I do recall you mentioning exciting job changes which would impact negatively on your free time. I hope you've been having a good time of it, even if you are super busy!

Best wishes to you and your family!
2 x

User avatar
Xenops
Brown Belt
Posts: 1444
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: Boston
Languages: English (N), Danish (A2), Japanese (rusty), Nansha (constructing)
On break: Japanese (approx. N4), Norwegian (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=16797
x 3559
Contact:

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Xenops » Thu Apr 06, 2017 11:59 pm

I confess that I am looking at your acronyms, and I'm comparing them to This Link, and I'm not sure what's what.
0 x
Check out my comic at: https://atannan.com/

User avatar
Systematiker
Blue Belt
Posts: 823
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:09 pm
Languages: ENG (N); DEU (C2+) // SWG (~C1); BAR (~C1); SPA (4/3); FRA (~C1); SCO (~C1); NLD (~B2*); LAT (Latinum Bavaricum); GRC (Graecum Bavaricum); CAT (~B2*); POR (~B2*); SWE (~B2*); HBO (Hebraicum); DAN (~B1*); RUS (~A2); KOR (~A1); FAS (still a raw beginner)
*Averaged for high receptive skill
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7332
x 2070

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Systematiker » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:11 am

Xenops wrote:I confess that I am looking at your acronyms, and I'm comparing them to This Link, and I'm not sure what's what.


That's because I'm using ISO 639-3, which has codes for more languages. Your link is 639-2

Elenia wrote:Good to see you around! I have been fairly absent myself, but I've missed you. I figured this is a particularly busy time of year for you in general, and I do recall you mentioning exciting job changes which would impact negatively on your free time. I hope you've been having a good time of it, even if you are super busy!

Best wishes to you and your family!


Thank you! It's good, and busy, and about to get more crazy. House-hunting and Easter and move and...sigh I'm tired already. But good.
3 x

User avatar
Systematiker
Blue Belt
Posts: 823
Joined: Tue May 10, 2016 6:09 pm
Languages: ENG (N); DEU (C2+) // SWG (~C1); BAR (~C1); SPA (4/3); FRA (~C1); SCO (~C1); NLD (~B2*); LAT (Latinum Bavaricum); GRC (Graecum Bavaricum); CAT (~B2*); POR (~B2*); SWE (~B2*); HBO (Hebraicum); DAN (~B1*); RUS (~A2); KOR (~A1); FAS (still a raw beginner)
*Averaged for high receptive skill
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7332
x 2070

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Systematiker » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:14 pm

So everything went crazy while I was gone! Missed the hack and migration downtime entirely, though I did see the information on Facebook.

I have a ridiculous number of notifications, as I haven't even logged on to read posts, much less been around to be involved in any conversations. But that should chill out now, things are less busy - right up to the move in a few weeks, haha!

Actual update coming, complete with a surprising amount of language stuff done, given how busy I've been.
3 x

User avatar
Elenia
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:22 am
Location: London
Languages: English (N), Swedish (C1), French (Massively Atrophied) German (lowly beginner, somehow learnt to read)


Finnish?!
Language Log: viewtopic.php?t=708
x 3280
Contact:

Re: Systematiker's attempt at a log

Postby Elenia » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:42 am

Systematiker wrote:Actual update coming, complete with a surprising amount of language stuff done, given how busy I've been.


I look forward to it!
0 x


Return to “Language logs”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests