Effective methods of using ChatGPT for conversation

[tommus]

I have been trying various ways of using ChatGPT as preparation for sessions with my language partner. I like building "language islands" where you ask ChatGPT to tell you lots of things about a specific topic. But that tends to produce one-sided conversation where you spend too much time speaking and not enough time listening. So I have started a somewhat different technique which still has the "language islands" approach but it works better to stimulate two-way conversation. Ask ChatGPT to give you questions and corresponding answers to specific topics. You can ask it for additional Q&A on the same topic until its has essentially exhausted most of the conversational material on a specific topic. Here is an example in English.

Give me 10 questions with 10 answers how to use a hammer and a saw for woodworking.

Sure, here are 10 questions with their answers on how to use a hammer and a saw for woodworking:

Question: What is the most suitable hammer for woodworking?
Answer: A claw hammer is the most suitable hammer for woodworking, as it has a claw for removing nails from wood.

Question: What is the most suitable saw for cutting wood?
Answer: A hand saw with fine teeth is the most suitable saw for cutting wood, as it gives a fine and precise cut.

Question: How should I grip a hammer?
Answer: A hammer should be gripped firmly with the thumb and index finger at the bottom of the handle and the other fingers wrapped around it.

Question: How should I grip a saw?
Answer: A saw should be gripped firmly with one hand on the handle and the other hand on the saw blade to guide the saw.

Question: What is the best way to remove nails from wood?
Answer: Place the claw of the hammer under the head of the nail and use the hammer as a lever to pull the nail out.

Question: How can I replace a saw blade?
Answer: Unscrew the fixing screws and remove the old saw blade. Then, place the new saw blade and screw it tightly.

Question: How can I cut a straight piece of wood?
Answer: Mark the desired cut with a pencil and place a guide along the line to guide the saw straight.

Question: How can I prevent my wood from splitting while hammering?
Answer: Place a piece of scrap wood under the piece you're hammering to prevent the wood from splitting.

Question: How can I maintain my hammer and saw?
Answer: Clean the hammer and saw after use and store them in a dry place to prevent rust. Apply oil to the saw blade to prevent rusting.

Question: What is the safest way to use a hammer and saw?
Answer: Always wear safety glasses and gloves when using a hammer and saw. Keep your hands and fingers away from the saw blade and never strike something where your hand could get caught.
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What are some other effective techniques for using ChatGPT to help with conversation or other aspects of language learning?

[rdearman]

[Le Baron]

I think a mallet is the most useful hammer in woodworking overall. It's better to use pincers for removing nails, especially small nails, because they don't widen the hole.

I like the method though. Getting ways for speaking about everyday things. It reminds me of this:

The hardest thing to learn in any language...is saying everyday annoying things that happen like ‘Argh! my pen fell off the table and rolled under my chair and now I can’t reach it!’ Try saying such a sentence in a language you know already. It’s not easy.

[rdearman]

I think a mallet is the most useful hammer in woodworking overall. It's better to use pincers for removing nails, especially small nails, because they don't widen the hole.

I like the method though. Getting ways for speaking about everyday things. It reminds me of this:

The hardest thing to learn in any language...is saying everyday annoying things that happen like ‘Argh! my pen fell off the table and rolled under my chair and now I can’t reach it!’ Try saying such a sentence in a language you know already. It’s not easy.

Argh! my pen fell off the table and rolled under my chair and now I can’t reach it!

Or did you mean something other than my native language?

[tommus]

...
I like the method though. Getting ways for speaking about everyday things. It reminds me of this:

The hardest thing to learn in any language...is saying everyday annoying things that happen like ‘Argh! my pen fell off the table and rolled under my chair and now I can’t reach it!’ Try saying such a sentence in a language you know already. It’s not easy.

Well, let's try ChatGPT in Dutch for that challenge. The replies will obviously be in Dutch (not English for this part of the Forum), but every sentence means the same as the English original.

So I ask it to give me 10 Dutch sentences to say this English sentence.

Geef me 10 manieren om dit in zeer spreektaal Nederlands te zeggen: "Argh! mijn pen is van de tafel gevallen en onder mijn stoel gerold en nu kan ik er niet meer bij!".

S**t, mijn pen is van de tafel gevallen en zit nu onder mijn stoel vast.
Verdomme, mijn pen is gevallen en zit nu onbereikbaar onder mijn stoel.
Nee hé, mijn pen is van de tafel gerold en nu ligt 'ie onder mijn stoel en kan ik er niet bij.
Grrr, mijn pen is van de tafel afgedonderd en nu is 'ie onder mijn stoel gerold, onbereikbaar.
Oh nee, mijn pen is van de tafel gevallen en nu is 'ie onder mijn stoel verdwenen, kan er niet bij.
Zucht, mijn pen is op de grond gevallen en nu ligt 'ie onder mijn stoel en ik kan er niet bij.
Verdraaid, mijn pen is van de tafel afgegleden en zit nu onder mijn stoel vast.
Potverdorie, mijn pen is op de grond beland en nu ligt 'ie onder mijn stoel, onbereikbaar.
Godverdomme, mijn pen is van de tafel afgerold en nu ligt 'ie onder mijn stoel en kan ik er niet bij.
Ah nee hé, mijn pen is gevallen en ligt nu onder mijn stoel, kan er niet bij.

[Le Baron]

Argh! my pen fell off the table and rolled under my chair and now I can’t reach it!

Or did you mean something other than my native language?

No, that's excellent. I'm noting it down on a flashcard right now for when my pen falls under the table.

Seriously though, I just asked 'er indoors to say this in English (I explained in Dutch so as not to provide easy suggestions) and although she's 'fluent' she stopped to think a bit longer than I ever would. This does point to the sort of reflex in a language deeply-embedded. Like when the Nazi's trick you and you respond in English rather than the military intelligence German which has made you 'indistinguishable from the natives'.

[Le Baron]

Well, let's try ChatGPT in Dutch for that challenge. The replies will obviously be in Dutch (not English for this part of the Forum), but every sentence means the same as the English original.

So I ask it to give me 10 Dutch sentences to say this English sentence.

Geef me 10 manieren om dit in zeer spreektaal Nederlands te zeggen: "Argh! mijn pen is van de tafel gevallen en onder mijn stoel gerold en nu kan ik er niet meer bij!".

1 and 9 are what I would expect. All the others are good (and some funny 'potverdorie'/potverdikkie ).

[Cainntear]

This does point to the sort of reflex in a language deeply-embedded. Like when the Nazi's trick you and you respond in English rather than the military intelligence German which has made you 'indistinguishable from the natives'.

Apparently several female spies were locked in prison until their baby was due. It turns out swearing during childbirth makes it hard to keep speaking in foreign.

[tommus]

For me, ChatGPT has replaced Reverso, Linguee and similar sites for finding example sentences and words in context. It is far faster and more effective to focus ChatGPT on that task although ChatGPT may not always put things in the context that a native speaker would. But you can't depend on that in Reverso and Linguee either. You don't know. And ChatGPT is tireless. I like to think back to my recent conversations with my language partner and ask myself what things I'd wished I could have said better. Then I ask ChatGPT and have lots of ideas for the next time. And ChatGPT is addictive. You could say I am spending too much time there, but it seems to be very productive time.

[tastyonions]

I like the method though. Getting ways for speaking about everyday things. It reminds me of this:

The hardest thing to learn in any language...is saying everyday annoying things that happen like ‘Argh! my pen fell off the table and rolled under my chair and now I can’t reach it!’ Try saying such a sentence in a language you know already. It’s not easy.

Yeah, this is the kind of practice you typically don't get when not using the language for daily physical situations. Language for tools is another good example. Because how fun is it really to drill a bunch of vocab like lug nut, flathead screwdriver, hacksaw, sander, on and on and on...unless you're really into home improvement or car repair I guess.