zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

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zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Hebrew and German log

Postby zenmonkey » Tue Sep 20, 2016 10:33 pm

German

Most at work, I did have a short question and answer in German and a call in German. Second call, I asked to switch to English because I wasn't getting it with the noise level.
Also a bit of duolingo.

Hebrew

Duolingo, then lesson 12 absolute beginner (hpc101) and writing exercises.
Starting with the Little Prince and this might be a waste of time at this point. Basically translating every word.

אני מבקש מהילדים סליחה על שהקדשתי את הספר הזה למבגר.


Took ten minutes and pronunciation is guess work. I'm also using forvo and http://context.reverso.net which has a nice pronunciation guide for most words.

I think the thing to do here for the time being is to put The Little Prince back on the shelf and focus on duolingo and hpc101 and Assimil. Oh, and Living Language. Once I've built at least 30-40 lessons background I can re-start the idea of early reading.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

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zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Re: zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

Postby zenmonkey » Fri Sep 23, 2016 6:55 am

italki feedback seemed a little better than Lang-8 but I really am not a big fan of getting all those pm's and requests.

German
Während des Sommers, war ich in Dubrovnik. Es ist eine faszinierende und schöne Stadt. Während sie voll von Touristen ist, zu vielen Touristen, bleibt die Stadt einen Besuch wert.

Ich war dort mit meinem Vater und meinen vier Töchtern. Wir besuchten Inseln, sind Kajak fahren und Schwimmen gegangen und haben gut gegessen.

Ich habe auch ein Buch gekauft. “The Balkans” von Mark Mozower. Das Buch ist ein Geschichtsbuch. Es fängt nicht nur die Ereignisse auf, sondern auch Ideen, wie der Aufstieg des Nationalismus in der Region. Ich habe es noch nicht fertig, aber ich finde, dass der Inhalt mich über die regionale Identität nachdenken lässt, und den Einfluss von Land, Sprache und Religion.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Contact:

Weekend in France

Postby zenmonkey » Mon Sep 26, 2016 8:35 am

Spent the weekend in France with my youngest daughters, so mostly two days in French.

I did go to the local bookstore and pick up two ASSIMIL language travel guides - one in Icelandic and the other in "literary" Arabic. My youngest daughter was complaining that she did not have someone to speak Italian with and that her sisters could each speak privately with me (privately being a language that she doesn't speak well - which is Spanish). So she is really pushing me to pick up Italian again. It's a rusty one for me and I only work on it in spurts for short periods, but I can't really say no to her. So dragging and kicking I'm put that back on the plate.

Italian
Just duolingo for 30 min. My material is back here in Germany and I'll do a grammar refresher and then maybe spend an intensive week in October. Until then I'll do a duolingo lesson a day and see if it comes back a little.

Hebrew
Still chugging along, still slow, still between A0-A1 - duolingo, ASSIMIL and hebrewpodcast101 are my primary tools for now. I want to complete HPC Absolute Beginner lessons in the next 2 weeks and move on from there.

German
Trying to write 100 words every day - I'm 300 behind for the weekend. So I need to catch up on that. Will work on finishing the duolingo tree next month, my tandem and just using it more in the office. Did listen to German news a few times over the weekend.

Icelandic
Pure wanderlust here. Looking into it for travel and probably would not have touched it otherwise at this point, my plate is full. Created a set of travel cards with basic expression, will learn those this week and take a quick look at grammar basics and light vocabulary. Anki, ASSIMIL and a few on line sources I listed before for pronunciation are all I'll be looking at now.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Contact:

Re: zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

Postby zenmonkey » Wed Sep 28, 2016 8:10 am

Just a reminder to myself that like a great thick chocolate torte, Iversen's thread is worth revisiting, tasting, savoring and exploring.

Iversen's Guide

Last night, I talked about his word list method and re-reading the guide I have been thinking about writing my own "green sheets" (accept I will find a different color - I don't like green paper...) for grammar. I used to write my own little guides and have kept to a more informal ... "yeah, that will stick somehow", but I understand I do really need to actively study and memorize (and forget) grammar more systematically.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Contact:

Re: zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

Postby zenmonkey » Fri Sep 30, 2016 6:38 am

I've been able to commit some study time and activity in all my current target languages this week as planned. However, I recognise that I need to focus more on writing and grammar in German. Hebrew continues extremely slowly as the language is so distant from my L1s it is like studying 3 languages at once. My strategy here, as a highly visual learner is to continue slowly with hpc101 & assimil & duolingo at a slow rate for now, it does not matter if I do not seem to advance in any single set much I'm training my eyes to stop and read the letters/words rather than scan and skip them. I do hope to finish with absolute beginner module by mid month.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Contact:

language updates

Postby zenmonkey » Sun Oct 16, 2016 4:40 pm

Been traveling and have kept some sort of language study going every day for the last 30 days although some days I've mailed it in with duolingo only.

German
Had the goal of writing every day at least 100 words and honestly that fell apart very quickly. So, I'm going to try to do it at least 4-5 times a week. Been working on catch-up on duolingo and busuu. Some Anki and some reading.

Hebrew
I sort of feel that I am spinning my wheels in duolingo while seeing small improvements with MHP101. But, again, I'm ok with keeping this going slowly as I work on the visual memory of reading it. I hope to finish the absolute beginner series this or next week.

French
Not particularly focused study other than reading extensively and using it as a news resource and almost daily interaction. If I am reading at least once a week intensively I will be satisfied here.

Italian
Surprisingly easy study, it is sort of a comfortable fall back language at this point. Just going to stick to duolingo and a grammar reader I have. Maybe a few short stories in a month or so.

Icelandic
Oh, oh, this has become a project. I've got the free mp3s that I'm going through, a good grammar and bilingual books now. Enough material for at least 2-3 months.

Other languages are mostly on hold right now. Ladino, Yiddish, Arabic and Portuguese are all gathering dust and I think that makes sense. I might even be stretching it too thin with the other 5.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
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Contact:

Re: zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

Postby zenmonkey » Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:51 pm

Well, I've never been a fan of certificates and test. But there you go, I've decided that I am going to get one or more certificates for I looked at a self test for German just now at Goethe and was getting all the right answers for the reading and writing for B1.

But I feel I would do poorly in the written section. So I think I will make that my focus for the next months - practice writing exercises - such as those I'll list at the bottom of this post. Spoken production I do ok, or so I think.

So time to work on my weak points. Argh.

Objective. Blow the B1 or B2 out of the water by the end of January. Still need to decide which one to take.

<hyperventilating>


Some example situations I'll use to practice. Promise
-----
You celebrated your birthday a week ago.
A friend / A friend of yours could not come to your party, because he / she was ill.

Describe: How was the party?
Justify: see What gift especially great and why?
Make a suggestion for a meeting.
Write an email (about 80 words).

Write something on all three points.


write your opinion on a show: I find it bad that personal meetings are becoming less frequent Friends often live very far apart. And since you are then glad about the Internet. But contacts on the Internet can not replace personal meetings.


Pay attention to the structure of the text (title, introduction, order of the content points, closing).

Your instructor, Mrs. Muller, has invited you to talk about your personal learning objectives.
At the appointment, you can not come but.

Write to Mrs Müller. Excuse yourself politely and tell why you can not come.

speak

A participant from the German course had an accident and is in hospital.
This week you want to visit him and bring a gift of the whole group.
Next week he can leave the hospital. He lives alone, he will need help.
Think about how you can support him.
Talk about the points below, make proposals and respond to the suggestions
of your conversation partner / your interlocutor.
Prepare and decide together what you want to do.

lan a visit to the hospital and help

When to visit? (Date and time?)
How to get there?
What to take?
How can you help?
(Pick up from the hospital, shopping, ...)
...
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
x 7030
Contact:

language updates

Postby zenmonkey » Thu Nov 03, 2016 11:26 pm

Time for an update, I have felt these last two weeks that I am mostly just putzing along so I rather than do my morning session, I took the morning session to rethink a bit about my learning strategy.

Today I had lunch with the International association so got in a bit of everything. That was nice.

German
I'm going to keep plugging along with duolingo as a background activity because I enjoy it but I am now spending more time watching German TV, actively seeking speaking situations... Also want to continue with writing exercises. Finish Advanced ASSIMIL and just interact around me. Start looking at the certification material for weaknesses.

Hebrew my 6WC challenge language.
For Hebrew, duolingo is sort of a waste of time, just can't get it in, using that. Instead, I'm mostly taken the hebrewpod101 material and I am dissecting it more like an ASSIMIL two phase method. Learning the passive and later a production wave. I'm writing down 5-10 sentences per lesson, writing down vocabulary and the grammar lesson and reviewing it. And using the integrated flashcards. So ANKI suffers and I want to also use the ASSIMIL material I have.
I finished the Absolute Beginner section but did not use it to actively write down each and every lesson. In the next review phase.

Icelandic
Icelandic is still just the oral material, I'll stick to that until I finish it and think about how I want to grab hold of it.

Italian
Plugging along with Duolingo. Maybe time to add grammar drills.

48 days of continuous study.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
x 7030
Contact:

Re: zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

Postby zenmonkey » Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:25 pm

So... lots of work on my alphabet apps getting them back on line and language learning has suffered.

But I've decided to sign-up for a German certificate - so tonight was spent finding a tutor and doing a few lessons.
And I have a Hebrew skype session planned for tomorrow - that's going to be painful.

Just that. A short entry to note that I'm not dead and back on the horse.
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I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

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Jar-Ptitsa
Brown Belt
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:13 pm
Location: London
Languages: Belgian French (N)

I can speak: Dutch, German, English, Spanish and understand Italian, Portuguese, Wallonian, Afrikaans, but not always correctly.
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Re: zenmonkey's multilingual adventures of a traveller

Postby Jar-Ptitsa » Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:58 pm

Hi zenmonkey.

Good that you're not dead. The zombies aren't good at langauges (apart from it's good that you're alive anyway of course).
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-w- I am Jar-ptitsa and my Hawaiian name is ʻā ʻaia. Please correct my mistakes in all the languages. Thank you very much.
: 1 / 50 Spanish grammar
: 5 / 50 Spanish vocabulary


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