Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby blaurebell » Wed Mar 29, 2017 7:18 am

reineke wrote:Believe it or not some people find language learning (and the related theories ) a rather boring and tedious affair.


Frankly, for me going through language courses and "studying" languages is definitely tedious and boring. We're just people who can visualise the outcome better and keep going even though we're bored. We also know that it takes a lot of work to get there. Most people just don't have the stamina and discipline to struggle through the boring initial bits.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby Atinkoriko » Wed Mar 29, 2017 12:34 pm

blaurebell wrote:
reineke wrote:Believe it or not some people find language learning (and the related theories ) a rather boring and tedious affair.



Frankly, for me going through language courses and "studying" languages is definitely tedious and boring. We're just people who can visualise the outcome better and keep going even though we're bored. We also know that it takes a lot of work to get there. Most people just don't have the stamina and discipline to struggle through the boring initial bits.



I dunno, I certainly like the studying aspect of it and the fact that it builds discipline. However, I think language learning is much more enjoyable when you've moved past the initial beginner question of 'Can I actually learn a language by myself to some degree of proficiency?' and you're now at the 'What should I do with my time now, start a new language or consolidate the already acquired languages?' stage.

It's somewhat funny how second language acquisition is spoken of so matter of factly on this forum, while there are still a lot of people who still believe that it's impossible to learn a new language when you're past the age of childhood and/or that you can only learn a language by going to the country where it is spoken.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby Cavesa » Wed Mar 29, 2017 3:39 pm

I like the beginnings too. It gets hard at the intermediate phase, when my passive skills rush forward and the active ones snail behind, waiting for me to properly learn tons of stuff.

I think we may have scared the person. Or he just wasn't as serious as he seemed to be.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby eido » Fri May 17, 2019 5:27 pm

I just want to say that this was an interesting read and I'm a gravedigger.

Any other thoughts on this topic? I'm intrigued by the OP's ambition.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby GnomeChomsky » Fri May 17, 2019 11:18 pm

Very interesting. Eido, thanks for digging up this one. I enjoyed reading it.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby Cavesa » Sun Oct 03, 2021 8:36 am

Thanks for the grave digging. I am seriously considering a similar project. German from A2 to B2 exam in three weeks. It's extremely crazy, I am considering whether or not to try it. But I think I may, as I have so much to gain with the certificate, and a lower one is absolutely worthless to me. But it won't be a pleasure to learn that intensely, I know that.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby Diomedes » Thu Oct 07, 2021 2:05 pm

This is a fascinating thread. Perhaps the OP was just throwing a bait here (or flying a kite if this is a better way to say it), but I bet he did learn a thing or two (as I did). The mystery will probably remain, anyway.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby Le Baron » Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:33 pm

It actually mirrors a lot of other threads on here. Most of them run out of steam or run aground and isn't it because (as alluded to by Cavesa above, though with the opposite intention) that the beginning always looks a lot less steep than the middle and end?

It's only my personal opinion, but people at A0/A1 hoping to make a huge leap to B1 in a short amount of time are, on the whole, setting themselves up for misery and disappointment. I can't imagine why anyone would waste money on an exam in order to set a target they likely won't achieve and won't enjoy striving for under those stresses.

As such threads like this just get on my nerves and advertise falsehoods to people.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby Cavesa » Thu Oct 07, 2021 3:56 pm

Le Baron wrote:It actually mirrors a lot of other threads on here. Most of them run out of steam or run aground and isn't it because (as alluded to by Cavesa above, though with the opposite intention) that the beginning always looks a lot less steep than the middle and end?

It's only my personal opinion, but people at A0/A1 hoping to make a huge leap to B1 in a short amount of time are, on the whole, setting themselves up for misery and disappointment. I can't imagine why anyone would waste money on an exam in order to set a target they likely won't achieve and won't enjoy striving for under those stresses.

As such threads like this just get on my nerves and advertise falsehoods to people.


I must disagree. I've proven several times, that it is possible to make a huge progress in a few weeks. Most recently, I've described such a thing done with my teen sister in my log. It was "just" from A0 to A2, but in four weeks, and the result was pretty spectacular. It is far from impossible, but it is also very far from enjoyable.

You cannot imagine "why", but only because of your situation. You probably never needed this, otherwise you'd understand. Some of us need this. In order to keep a place in a school, or prepare for a solid study/work opportunity, to integrate in a country asap and so on. Right now, I am trying this, even though I have a bad probability of success (I am not really in shape for this psychologically), because it might be the fastest way to a much more stable situation in my life

If I learn at a "reasonable" pace, I will never get the future I want. I cannot waste several years of my life on a stupid worthless job far away from my dreams (that I have sacrificed my youth for), while learning a language at a "reasonable" pace. I am obviously too worthless piece of trash to get a residency place in a good specialty in a francophone country. But the germanophone ones will give it to me, if only I learn German. And I need to learn it fast, because I simply need to start making some normal money asap.

Every month wasted on learning is lowering my chances of ever getting the only kind of life I am willing to settle for after all my suffering and sacrifices. That's the sort of motivation that makes people learn fast. Enjoyment is not important in this sort of situation.

It's not for everybody. People with low IQ will not succeed, people without strong motivation will not succeed, perhaps people with dyslexia might really have a lower chance, and so on. But it's extremely narrow minded and privileged, to generalise and consider the very intensive learners to be just fools.
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Re: Need to go from A0-->B1 Spanish in a few weeks

Postby AllSubNoDub » Thu Oct 07, 2021 4:46 pm

Cavesa wrote:
Le Baron wrote:It actually mirrors a lot of other threads on here. Most of them run out of steam or run aground and isn't it because (as alluded to by Cavesa above, though with the opposite intention) that the beginning always looks a lot less steep than the middle and end?

It's only my personal opinion, but people at A0/A1 hoping to make a huge leap to B1 in a short amount of time are, on the whole, setting themselves up for misery and disappointment. I can't imagine why anyone would waste money on an exam in order to set a target they likely won't achieve and won't enjoy striving for under those stresses.

As such threads like this just get on my nerves and advertise falsehoods to people.


I must disagree. I've proven several times, that it is possible to make a huge progress in a few weeks. Most recently, I've described such a thing done with my teen sister in my log. It was "just" from A0 to A2, but in four weeks, and the result was pretty spectacular. It is far from impossible, but it is also very far from enjoyable.


I'm not sure if it's been said, but there is an enormous gap in the cumulative amount of study between going from A0-->B1 and A2-->B2. The knowledge required for each progressive level is not linear but exponential in nature, each level requiring several more hours than all those before it.
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