New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

General discussion about learning languages
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Vordhosbn
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby Vordhosbn » Mon Dec 13, 2021 3:33 am

"Merlin and I attempt a dramatic reading of Book 1, Chapter 1 to encourage others to enter the Harry Potter stage of Latin learning."

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einzelne
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby einzelne » Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:43 pm

Nothing against Harry Potter per se but, dear Santa, can I have some other audio books in Neolatin besides Harry Potter???
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby David1917 » Wed Dec 15, 2021 2:40 am

I get why he posted the HP video, definitely kind of a clunker though. I think it's quixotic to try and push for Latin as a "modern living" language if nothing worthwhile is written or done in it. The point of Latin to me is to read actual Latin, not forced/adapted Latin. A lifetime of Virgil, Cicero, et al is more than enough to make the endeavor worthwhile. I feel that the kind of person who doesn't see value in the philosophies and storytelling of antiquity isn't going to learn Latin (or Greek or Sanskrit) just for funsies to maybe read Harry Potter or something.



This video on the other hand is quite compelling. An interview with someone on how to learn a language with zero resources, and how to create a phonological inventory, orthography, and grammar. I've watched the first several minutes and it seems interesting - this guy has spent 40 years working on one language from Indonesia.
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby jeff_lindqvist » Sat Dec 18, 2021 5:00 pm

The Harry Potter Stage of Language Learning:
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Vordhosbn
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby Vordhosbn » Sun Dec 19, 2021 12:07 am

That was a good follow-up to his recent Latin video, which was an example of using modern works with which most of us are already familiar to help create a continuous and connected reading practice (see fifth post down). I think he consolidated that idea quite nicely in this lecture.
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby RyanSmallwood » Sun Dec 19, 2021 1:54 am

Vordhosbn wrote:That was a good follow-up to his recent Latin video, which was an example of using modern works with which most of us are already familiar to help create a continuous and connected reading practice (see fifth post down). I think he consolidated that idea quite nicely in this lecture.


It’s kind of interesting reading this right after his recent talks. On some areas like re-constructed pronunciation he goes into more detail than in the most recent talks. For instance specifying starting with the modern language and then applying sound changes to the historical version, whereas in the talks it felt like he was dismissive about spending much time on reconstructions at all. Also on Ancient Greek pitch accent he writes enthusiastically about the Assimil audio trying for a more subtle pitch accent, whereas in the talks it seems like he didn’t find them helpful and didn’t think attempts at re-creating the pitch accent were worthwhile.

I wonder if in writing he took more time to highlight the different aspects of the discussion or if maybe over the years he just eventually felt reconstructed pronunciations were slowing him down and he decided to just jump into the literature.
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby luke » Mon Dec 20, 2021 11:37 am

Professor Arguelles gave some specific factors on why Harry Potter is a good choice.

Taking Harry Potter out of his lecture on The Harry Potter Stage may be blasphemous, but I hear these ideas for combatting the intermediate plateau:

1) Use a single prolific author (JK Rowling) who has audiobooks and books. Start with the shorter stories (book 1) as there is less time to get lost (drawing from his examples on 90 minute movies or newspaper articles). (One could argue to start with the longer books instead - that seems valid too).

2) If you have polyitis, you can leverage that author's translations as an antidote to your latest symptom.

A single author (idiolect) is a prophylactic (protection) for the variety of vocabulary that one would continue to get challenged by if they were flitting about more widely, thereby making the intermediate plateau seem like a chronic (long term) condition. Use the immunity and antibodies (knowledge of your prolific author's works) to build your strength when new variants (languages) of polyitis appear.
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby bolaobo » Mon Dec 20, 2021 4:27 pm

In several videos, the professor has suggested using multiple beginner resources simultaneously, sometimes up to 5!

How many of you have really found this necessary? After an Assimil course, provided I did at least some outside work on the language, I don't find I need to go through a whole new textbook before moving on to more advanced material. Using a whole pile of beginner textbooks just seems excessive to me.

I suppose it depends on how often you thoroughly you review the material. I have a tendency to "overstudy" the Assimil books and I also do outside work or immersion via media.
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby Beli Tsar » Mon Dec 20, 2021 4:32 pm

bolaobo wrote:In several videos, the professor has suggested using multiple beginner resources simultaneously, sometimes up to 5!

How many of you have really found this necessary? After an Assimil course, provided I did at least some outside work on the language, I don't find I need to go through a whole new textbook before moving on to more advanced material. Using a whole pile of beginner textbooks just seems excessive to me.


Just a reflection rather than an answer, but is this partly because he tends to study in order to read serious literature, often in classical languages, in which there is very little available at the Harry Potter level or lower (despite recent videos!)? If the jump to unadapted texts is harder, it might make more sense to do multiple courses?
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Re: New Prof Argüelles Youtube Series

Postby einzelne » Mon Dec 20, 2021 4:34 pm

I sincerely hope that I will never reach the Harry Potter stage in any of my languages...
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