SalzSäule's Multilingual Mess

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SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
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Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Wed Jan 05, 2022 4:40 am

Huzzahh, I have actually surpassed all my previous Czech Duolingo attempts :lol: I managed to cope with the genitive, but memorising the case endings is still challenging.

Today I have read an absolute clusterf*** amount of German compared to normal, mostly in preparation for an essay: about 1/6th of Der Tod in Venedig by T. Mann, a certain amount of Also Sprach Zarathustra, and some more of Aphorismen zur Lebensweishet. I also read about 30 poems and skimmed through a book on bonmots. I read through some research paper too on existentialism but it was of little utility.

I did watch another video about Hegel (~1 hr) but I was only half-there and for Hegel you have to be 150% there. I also watched 45 minutes on a lecture about Foucault. Both of these in German.

I finally read some of that French bilingual book as well and read a bit of French news.

Oh and I'm adding more German flashcards, of course. Some of the words I encountered today:

- jdm. in die Krone steigen -- slang for 'to go to sb's head'
- Töle - cur (dog)
- heimatliche Scholle - old way of saying native soil
- Zweifelmut - despair, resignation, fear etc.
- Koryphäe which i feel like ive seen before, means luminary.
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Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.

Caromarlyse
Green Belt
Posts: 387
Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2019 2:31 pm
Languages: English (N), French (C1-ish), German (B2/C1-ish), Russian (B1-ish), Portuguese (B1-ish), Welsh (complete beginner), Spanish (in hibernation)
(All levels estimates and given as a guide only)
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Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby Caromarlyse » Wed Jan 05, 2022 8:58 am

I'm amused that my very low-brow reading has thrown up some of the words you've got from your much more learned reading: Koryphäe and Strohwitwe!
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vegantraveller
Yellow Belt
Posts: 88
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 8:39 am
Location: Turin, Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (C2), French (C2), German (B2-C1), Japanese (B2), Spanish (B2-B1), Swedish (B1). Just started: Icelandic, Romanian, Occitan/Provençal.
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=16482
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Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby vegantraveller » Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:56 am

SalzSäule wrote:
DaveAgain wrote:
SalzSäule wrote: I also saw a black swan which has nothing to do with learning the language, but was super cool.

I have, however, just found out that the German word for black swan can be either Schwarzschwan (like en.) or Trauerschwan (lit. Grief-Swan) which I find pretty cool.
I was dumbstruck the first time I saw one of those (in Hyde Park). I didn't realise there were different kinds of swan. :-)


I knew they existed in the world, but I thought only in Oceania. I never in my life reckoned I'd see one in Europe. I think on the German Wiki page it suggested that there 'seem to be' small self-sustaining groups of them in North-Rhine Westphalia, the Netherlands, and in the extreme South West of England.

I've never walked with such eagerness towards a swan before in my life lmao.


I also saw them in Valsanzibio, next to Padua, in Italy.
2 x
I'm a man from Italy, not an owl from Japan :mrgreen:

Please correct my errors!

SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
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Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:15 am

Caromarlyse wrote:I'm amused that my very low-brow reading has thrown up some of the words you've got from your much more learned reading: Koryphäe and Strohwitwe!


I honestly only stumbled upon Koryphäe in a Duden Quiz book (I cannot recall the name but it's very recent and is pretty good, but it is absolutely aimed at Native Speakers because of the word selection) and I am surprised at no point in the last X years did I need to find the DE equivalent of 'luminary' :lol:

I didn't even know Strohwitwe in EN let alone DE so chapeau to you!
1 x
Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.

SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
x 352

Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Thu Jan 06, 2022 1:34 am

Tired of reading German, but I am aware that it all helps. Today I've been reading a fair bit, mostly about decadence, and art, and how we are on the decline - uplifting content! I read 20 or so pages of Der Untergang des Abendlandes, pertinent to my essay, and the problem is.... the book is so awfully well-written that I want to read it all. Alas it is 650 pages and my life is short, so maybe in another lifetime! I have begun writing my essay. I stand by that Thomas Mann is the most difficult, well-known German fiction author to read and I am incredibly grateful for sites like these, where you can click on words for a translation: https://annotext.dartmouth.edu/texts?language_id=10000

I watched some more videos today to, the longest being an ARTE documentary about Der Untergang der westlichen Zivilisation (1 von 2) and then just 20 minutes of Wagner's Tristan and Isolde. I am now currently watching Lisa Eckhart's Die Vorteile des Lasters because she had quite insightful comments in the ARTE documentary and she's generally quite a good comedian.

Words of new today were few ! I haven't updated the flashcards yet, but most of them are words that I actually seem to have learnt since I added the flashcards anyway. The only one I recall learning today was entrichten - to pay a fee; or also jdm. seinen Tribut '' = pay one's tribute to sb.

Czech has had a lot of practice today because Duolingo gave me three days plus for three which has really helped me to practice lots of what I know over and over again to internalise it better, and it is working. I think less and less often about the endings now as they slow become more natural.

French has been a neglected beast and this I regret.
6 x
Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.

Caromarlyse
Green Belt
Posts: 387
Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2019 2:31 pm
Languages: English (N), French (C1-ish), German (B2/C1-ish), Russian (B1-ish), Portuguese (B1-ish), Welsh (complete beginner), Spanish (in hibernation)
(All levels estimates and given as a guide only)
x 1611

Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby Caromarlyse » Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:12 am

SalzSäule wrote:
Caromarlyse wrote:I'm amused that my very low-brow reading has thrown up some of the words you've got from your much more learned reading: Koryphäe and Strohwitwe!


I honestly only stumbled upon Koryphäe in a Duden Quiz book (I cannot recall the name but it's very recent and is pretty good, but it is absolutely aimed at Native Speakers because of the word selection) and I am surprised at no point in the last X years did I need to find the DE equivalent of 'luminary' :lol:

I didn't even know Strohwitwe in EN let alone DE so chapeau to you!


Koryphäe comes up all the time in Krimis - there is always some renowned expert who gives a view to move the case forward. I think I've also heard it in some news podcasts, maybe Der Tag. I didn't know Strohwitwe in English either; my impression is that it is much more common word in German, though I may be wrong.
1 x

SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
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Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Mon Jan 10, 2022 6:01 am

Been to slow to update because of the forum errors mostly (and slight laziness), will try and do an update later today :)
0 x
Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.

SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
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Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Wed Jan 12, 2022 4:18 am

How the days blend in to each other.

I have not been doing a lot for anything lately, really. Too busy with University revision and applying for scholarships etc.

For German I have been trying to digitalise the last bundle of paper flashcards I have (from when I genuinely deluded myself into thinking I could make that a habit), and I think we're on the last 25 flashcards, so around 100 words. Some of the more interesting terms I had forgotten:

* der Kehllappen - gill (of a turkey)
* ungebärdig - obstreperous
* die Mensur - in an acad. sense, student fencing dual
* die Brosame - bread crumb
* eine Schneise der Zerstörung - a swathe of destruction

Czech I have been, to say the least, struggling through Duolingo with it. I just now realised I forgot to collect a Czech book at the library so now I have to return tomorrow :roll: . The Duolingo course is prob. the best beginner's resource, but the emphasis the creators have placed on learning certain elements, and particularly the ordering. For example they expect you to learn the words for "that" and "these" and "such..." before numbers which is incredibly illogical. It's too many grammar points at once and not enough vocab IMO.

Oh god and the word order, dear God the word order. I've never been so stuck on word order on a language in my life and every explanation leaves me more and more confused.

I am looking in to just a short language school this Summer, in either FR or CZ. CZ will be the cheapest option, and providing I'm still interested in CZ at the end of May I might take the dive and just go for it.

French is mostly being maintained by music. My current favourite: Le temps est bon.

I have so many assignments coming up and I am procrastinating too muchh but here we are.
6 x
Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.

SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
x 352

Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Fri Jan 21, 2022 2:50 am

Hello hello. Exam season is nearly over, only another six days and I can relax :lol:

Clearing through so many bookmarked German words at the moment, I must have added about several hundred flashcards in the last week alone. I am a bit annoyed that there are words there which I once knew and have since forgotten. I just had to look up 'dandruff' because I forgot it, and as soon as I saw it I though :/ :evil: how could I forget.

Trying to think of some recent additions:

* Verfügen Sie sich auf Ihr Zimmer — old way of saying go to your room
* ein krankes Bein nachziehen — to drag a bad leg behind you
* Stühlerücken - shake up; reshuffle
* der blanke Hohn auf etw. sein — to be a poor imitation/mockery of sth
* bei etw. zugegen sein — elevated for 'to be present/attend somewhere'.

I also went through a section in A practical dictionary of German usage and learned about the different ways to say 'join' in German and their contextual usages (verbinden/[sich] anschließen/zusammenfügen/zusammenschließen/[sich] zu jdm. setzen/sich einlassen etc.).

I did get out the Czech books I needed (one is Czech: An Essential Grammar and the other Basic Czech I) and for fun :ugeek: I have been flicking through a collocation dictionary for German. Struggling to remember what I saw off the top of my head: Fassade bestecht; Fahne + drapieren; and ? + straff. I also saw 'Landsleute dolmetschen' but I didn't understand that at all (nor did a native), unless dolmetschen has some special meaning.

I must now return to finishing my Luxembourgish assignmend :-9
8 x
Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.

SalzSäule
Orange Belt
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:17 pm
Languages: English (N), German (C2), French (?), Czech (Beginner)
x 352

Re: SalzSäule's German Log

Postby SalzSäule » Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:27 pm

Hello o/ I am back from my existential crisis ! :D

A cursory look at what's happened:

* Luxembourgish is going well.
* French is still hanging on :lol:
* German is fine-improving.
* Czech fell away.

I have kept up learning words, but as of recent I have (somehow) cottoned on to the fact that it's not really bringing me anywhere. I will, of course, persist with the acquisition of new lexemes, but accompanied with increased practice of active skills. German has also been taking up an ever-increasing part of my life in general, and French is going the same way.

Book wise, I've been reading Don Quijote in German (again). I have also read Das Dreißigste Jahr and Undine geht by Bachmann, most of Die Physiker by Dürrenmatt, and I tried to read Im Krebsgang by Günther Grass but it has thus far proved unpalatable.

Most exciting is perhaps a book I sourced at a charity shop a mere few days ago. It's titled "Penguin German Reader" by J. F. Page and was originally published in 1970. The book contains short extracts from various contemporary works across many genres and themes — from dialling instructions in a Telefonzelle, to a Briefsteller on how a lady shall respond to an invitation from a gentlemen :lol: . For me the book is something of a gem, for i. it cost merely 50p and ii. all of the extracts are from the 1940s-1970s so the language is old enough for me to not know several words, but not too antiquated for it to be completely irrelevant.

Kuriositäten aus dem besagten Buch und auch aus Don Quijote:

* bei Schroffen und Schrauten = in guten und in schlechten Zeiten
* vorbeipesen = blitzschnell vorbeifahren
* halb für sich = halb vor sich hin
* Fährtenhund = 'tracker-dog'
* Roßkur = Allheilmittel
* Schwindsucht = 'consumption' disease
* Scheffel = finally I learnt how to say Bushel in German, meine Arbeit hier ist erledigt.

If you can get your hands on it somehow, I would highly recommend a peruse. I'd put it as most suitable for the C1.2-C2 level, considering the word choice.

For French I am clearing the backlog on Lingvist still :-( I have also began to read the graded reader again, and I'm trying to incorporate more French audio/shows for my listening skills need severe practice. I also practice free speech to myself in French frequently.

For Luxembourgish, I study it as part of a course so it has cemented itself easier. I attend in-person classes, do flashcards, do the exercises in the textbook, remain part of a Discord server centred around the language, and do writing assignments. Should I push myself, I could probably attain a near B1 level for the exam in May.

Extra-curricular wise, I have contemplated a trip to France, but I am not yet set on that decision.
3 x
Da seufzt der Tropf im Purpur unter der unabwälzbaren Last seiner armseligen Individualität; während der Hochbegabte die ödeste Umgebung mit seinen Gedanken bevölkert und belebt.


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