Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

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Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Sat Apr 02, 2022 6:01 am

Lawyer&Mom wrote:I have a degree in German, but I never got past a B2 at best. So I’m not an expert on reaching the higher levels, but feel free to cite me anyway!

I think you need to hear exaggerated prosody in order to internalize it. People are just more expressive in dialogue, especially emotional dialogue. Feel free to exaggerate your own intonation when you practice. I remember talking once with a university friend in Germany and during that conversation I was trying my best to really sound German. She said I sounded like a drunk farmer. (But a German drunk farmer!) I totally took that as a win. Lean into it, overdo it a bit, and then dial back when you get the hang of it.


So...I can emulate Till Lindemann when I talk as much as I like, and that's totally legit? You are just so validating!
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Sat Apr 02, 2022 7:33 pm

Well. I just listened to an episode where Lydia interviewed a woman who went into extreme detail about what your poop says about your health. Thanks for THOSE new vocab words. AND the lady talks so damn fast--you're talking nonstop about poop, AND you make me struggle this hard to understand you? Urgh, I should get a merit badge for this one.
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:32 am

Making a vocab list while listening to a song called German War Machine (shocking choice for me, I know). The lyrics are in English, but this is one of the few times when that's a feature rather than a bug for me. I can't listen to German while hardcore studying German on the screen/page; it's got to be one or the other. So, a song that expresses some of the hammer-swinging spirit that makes me love German in the first place, but doesn't distract me from the task--yeah, that's about right for a vocab-list-making anthem.

I'm on the cusp of the climax of the novel I'm reading, and I solemnly pinky swear that I won't be bad and finish the book by simply reading it. No, I'll put the audiobook on my mp3 player and start over from the beginning by listening, because I know that for me, this is the best way to improve my vocab for spoken German as opposed to written. That's going to mean doing some annoying stuff that has no immediate relevance to learning German--buying a new mp3 player, getting Linux to work with Audible or finding some other way to get the book (it doesn't seem to be on YouTube), maybe some other stuff I can't predict. But if I'm being honest with myself, it's not exactly a bad thing that my sticking to the German-learning regimen I've created for myself is forcing me to do something other than learn German for a bit. This interest of mine is getting just a *tad* out of hand. It took actually going on a date the other night (which I did somewhat grudgingly because I didn't want to stop reading my stupid book!) to remember that being with a woman is also quite nice.

Okay, back to the list! Oh and hey, I put the German on ice for two whole hours yesterday to do my taxes. Be proud of me.
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Fri Apr 29, 2022 12:32 am

I finished the last novel a while ago but have been too busy to post an update. Reading Das Zeichen now. It's the perfect next step; the vocab is a big jump up from the last book, but the chapters are much shorter, so I'm investing the same amount of time as before, or maybe a little less, to maintain my chapter-a-day regimen. I read some of this book in English a while back but found the language a little too flowery, but that doesn't bother me when I read the German translation because hey, at least I'm building vocab like a boss.

My girlfriend, who has to put up with my putting time into German even if that means I have less for her, says she wants to learn a second language too, and I'm hoping I can convince her to make it German. I won't push it *too* hard, of course, but...

She's been learning sign language for a while and has taught me some. I'm hoping I can get her as fired up about that pursuit as I am about German. Maybe I'll start learning SL on my own so I can help her more.

Idea for a future YouTube video: recite something in German and sign language simultaneously. That'll definitely be an Alpha-GPC kind of day.
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

DaveAgain
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby DaveAgain » Fri Apr 29, 2022 5:42 am

Khayyam wrote:I finished the last novel a while ago but have been too busy to post an update. Reading Das Zeichen now. It's the perfect next step; the vocab is a big jump up from the last book, but the chapters are much shorter, so I'm investing the same amount of time as before, or maybe a little less, to maintain my chapter-a-day regimen. I read some of this book in English a while back but found the language a little too flowery, but that doesn't bother me when I read the German translation because hey, at least I'm building vocab like a boss.

My girlfriend, who has to put up with my putting time into German even if that means I have less for her, says she wants to learn a second language too, and I'm hoping I can convince her to make it German. I won't push it *too* hard, of course, but...

She's been learning sign language for a while and has taught me some. I'm hoping I can get her as fired up about that pursuit as I am about German. Maybe I'll start learning SL on my own so I can help her more.

Idea for a future YouTube video: recite something in German and sign language simultaneously. That'll definitely be an Alpha-GPC kind of day.
I did a web search for Das Zeichen, and a sign language magazine website came up first, a
Sign! :-)
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Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Mon May 09, 2022 6:03 pm

Trying a new approach with my reading: rather than look up every word I don't know on Google Translate once I'm done with each chapter, I read each chapter once in German, circling unknown words, read the English version. and then reread the German, freely glancing between versions. Earlier in my journey, this would've felt like cheating, but now that I can read almost anything in German and at least get the gist, I see the dual-language approach as a legitimate and vastly more efficient way to absorb new vocab. It's also really fun to see how the translator thinks, and where s/he thinks it best to render literal translations vs. change the meaning to do justice to the spirit/intention.

I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but I bought a German eagle pendant a while ago that I wear pretty much everywhere. I bought it simply to reward myself for reading all the Harry Potter novels in German (seemed like such a monumental achievement at the time!), but it's turned out to have a very useful effect: people who recognize it often turn out to know some German, or even to be native speakers, and if they're feeling indulgent, I get to practice speaking with them. (Of course, it's also resulted in a few idiots suspecting me of being some kind of Nazi, but well, I'm far too obstinate to refrain from sporting a perfectly benign and respectable eagle on account of idiots. If they're willing to listen for 10 seconds, at least I get to school them on the subject.)

Still mulling over whether to quit the gym to focus harder on German. They've got a machine called a Woodway treadmill that I recently started using, and it goes so well with listening to audiobooks, podcasts, etc. that I would consider buying one for myself if it didn't cost TEN GRAND. Seriously, ten grand for what essentially amounts to a hamster wheel for humans. No electricity--you walk or run at whatever pace you like, and the belt responds accordingly. The reason I think it's perfect for listening exercises is that it occupies my mind to exactly the right extent to prevent me from getting distracted from the German, but not so much that it becomes a distraction itself.

My ability to understand fluent speakers jabbering at high speed has improved. The key is the same as it's always been: finding material that interests me enough that I'm motivated to persist.
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Thu May 12, 2022 11:03 pm

While I was meditating just now, I noticed that some of the seemingly random thoughts that appeared in my mind were in German. There were a few words that I didn't even realize I knew. It makes me wonder if I'm capable of speaking more fluently than I think. Maybe once you've paid your dues with mass input, which i think I have (or at any rate, I've paid a good chunk of them), all it boils down to is relaxation, confidence, shamelessness in making mistakes. "Just go to Germany and get really drunk" was the advice I got from one person. Many paths, one goal, yeah?

The latest episode of Deutsches Geplapper was validating to the point of being exhilarating. The host was talking about how to set up a routine for reading and listening, and it turns out I've already been doing most of what he recommends, with a few minor twists here and there to suit my personality. Depending on how fast I can get some mundane crap done this weekend, I may translate the entire episode as I re-listen to it (make that re-re--re-listen--I LOVE DEUTSCHES GEPLAPPER!) and post the text here.
2 x
Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Thu May 12, 2022 11:37 pm

Oh, and before I get to today's mundane crap, here's a quick and sloppy translation of "Fehler Machen Leute" by Eisbrecher just 'cause I wanna. Couldn't ask for a better song for getting into the spirit of making mistakes in order to grow.

"Mistakes Make People"

I've never asked myself
What the truth told me
I've never yet trusted myself
I've often blamed myself
And pulled the wool over my own eyes
I've never seen through myself until today
How many times already
Was yearning as far as I got? (original: "War Sehnsucht Endstation". Very hard to do justice to this in English)
Everyone makes their own mistakes

If you think I'm perfect,
Totally pure and unscathed (I love that the literal translation is "unlicked")
Then I tell you now:
Mistakes make people
I've failed a thousand times
Because I shied away from the truth for so long
Mistakes make people

I've never complained
About the things that went awry
I can't guarantee what's still real about me
Not everything was bad
He who takes no risks can only lose

How many times already
Was yearning as far as I got?
Everyone makes his mistakes alone
If you think I'm perfect,
Totally pure and unscathed,
Then I tell you now:
Mistakes make people
Come on, keep telling everyone:
I've failed a thousand times
Because I shied away from the truth for too long
Mistakes make people
Many mistakes make people
Don't sweat it, because we make most of them

And if I'm a bit further along today,
That doesn't make me much smarter
Because I shied away from the truth for so long:
Mistakes make people
3 x
Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:01 am
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Fri May 13, 2022 12:06 pm

Watching Andreas Bull-Hansen's videos has made me think I'd like to start going into the wilderness to make my own YT videos. I strongly dislike the possibility of anyone overhearing me while I'm recording, but It would be unfeasible to go so deep into the wild that I had no fear whatsoever of being overheard. Possible solution (well, not possible now, but down the line): speak German instead of English. The chances of anyone coming along in a semi-remote area who understands German would be miiiighty slim. (I'm not particularly self-conscious about being overheard when I practice speaking German; I just take the position that the thoughts I give voice to in the forest are no one's business but mine until I decide to share them.)

Aiming for a German-speaking audience would also go some way toward partitioning my vlogging life from the rest of my life. I could rant about a dumbass coworker in German and if they or anyone in our circle happened to see it, they'd likely say, "Oh, it's just that German-obsessed weirdo making another video--whatevz," and click away. Yeah, they could turn on subtitles, but even a flimsy barrier to entry keeps out a lot of people.
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot

Khayyam
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Re: Dan Lernt Deutsch, Take Three! (YouTube Video Practice)

Postby Khayyam » Sun May 15, 2022 8:01 am

Listening to an audiobook in German at 1.25x normal speed just to see if I can. It's going quite well. (It's Stephen King, so the vocab is no sweat. No insult to him, of course.) As long as I can understand the words, increasing the speed increases my comprehension, just as with reading.

I think this will be good practice for listening to people talking fast in real-life dialogues. Maybe I'll try reading a book first and then, when I listen to the audio version, increasing the speed as much as I can stand.
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Das Leben ist ein langer, roter Fluss
Die Klinge ist mein Segelboot


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