Balancing Act (German, French, Italian)

[BalancingAct]

New log coming.

[BalancingAct]

This winter I let Italian into my life. It goes so well that I now feel the urgent need to balance things out a bit, although I don't know exactly how yet. Hopefully writing things out would ease my anxiety a little.

On the one hand, I am happy that Italian is such a pleasure-ride; on the other, I see the risk of losing focus - I began dreaming about Italy and stuff. And I should not lose focus, which is the improvement of German and French.

I am all about learning a language efficiently. So far I have done it rather efficiently with the two substantial languages German and French, without letting the intermediate stage be a long drawn out process. It is important that I stay the course and maintain a good pace, to overcome my weaknesses in these two languages as soon as possible.

[BalancingAct]

I am already feeling more comfortable with letting Italian in, stay and grow this year.

I think I should relax while also be vigilant.

Last Friday, for the first time in a couple of months, I did a lot of German news. I felt really good and thought that I should keep up the momentum. I noticed that I could now watch TV news and documentaries rather comfortably without relying on subtitles. So I decided that from now on I would watch programs both with and without subtitles. This should allow me to watch longer without straining my eyes. Previously I always preferred programs with subtitles. Since ZDF pushed a redesigned Mediathek, it is no longer easy to tell at one glace if a program has subtitle or not. But no matter.

With radio current events programs, which include detailed background info, interviews, and opinion pieces, I still work substantially with transcripts. This allows me to expand my vocabulary and get more used to German syntax. I am eager to get to that level where I can switch on a channel and understand about everything, as in French.

As for reading, I never completely stop for long, as I like magazine reading and magazines get published every week. I will do a lot more magazine reading this year, as I am reading faster and faster.

[Xenops]

Welcome! All of these languages are in my top-five list. I'm focusing on French this year, and maybe add another European language next year. Italian looks fun.

[BalancingAct]

Yesterday I wrote a post thanking Xenops who left a comment above and giving an update of my activities; but when I submitted it, I got logged out and lost the thing.

Anyway I do want Xenops to know that I greatly admire her comic design talent.

Since Sunday, I have been doing all three languages every day.

Italian: Mostly reading, very little listening.
I was checking out Méthode 90's audio file and found that I liked it, so I will continue to use it, along with In Italiano, Langenscheidt's Praktisches Lehrbuch Italienisch (new version called Langenscheidt mit System), Assimil, etc. Reading wise, I am finishing up Assimil's L'italien, with 7 lessons left. I've been doing four Assimil books at the same time, the other three being Italian with Ease (finished), Perfectionnement Italien, and Perfezionamento dell'Inglese. The last two are really well done, comparable to Perfectionnement Allemand, which I thought was outstanding.

French: mostly listening (radio and online TV). Am trying to decide weather to do the italki February chanllenge in French or not. Read the beginning of Les Particules Elementaires by Michel Houellebecq.

German: mostly magazines reading, radio listening, and TV news viewing. Discovered Zitty, a weekly magazine for Berlin and a lighter read than Der Spiegel, Focus, and the like. Going to read some military history next.

[BalancingAct]

Stayed up late last night to watch last week's episode of La grande librairie, because one of my favourite French writers was on it. Now it's already been replaced by a new episode, which is also interesting.

I said "watch", but mostly I was just listening. I was simultaneously processing a transcript of Deutschlandfunk.

Many interesting German magazine articles are waiting for me, as well as ever fresh radio and TV programs. When I am in contact with German material, I invariably sense great joy swelling up in me. Happy that I can enjoy the neat material in front of me, realizing that my approach in the early learning stages is paying dividends.

I am entertaining the idea of doing German instead of French for italki's February challenge. That would be interesting and exciting, although improving oral French should be my top priority.

Italian is going well and as planned; but if I am doing an oral challenge, I should immediately start doing more listening, some writing, and daily reading out loud practice.

[Soclydeza]

Welcome aboard! My first (real) language learning attempt was Italian (which I forgot most of by now) and I am currently working on my German and French, so your log naturally caught my eye. I'm signed up for the Italki Feb challenge as well. I'll be keeping an eye on your log, good luck!

[BalancingAct]

Thanks Soclydeza, I find your log interesting as well. I'll be reading more of it in the coming days.

[tastyonions]

Looks like we share some languages. Good luck with your studies this year!

[BalancingAct]

Thanks, tastyonions. I saw your new blog and I'll be following it.