Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

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Lawyer&Mom
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby Lawyer&Mom » Fri Jul 08, 2022 1:12 am

How long do you expect it to take to get your results? (I’m sure you did great!)
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby Amandine » Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:01 am

Good luck, Maggie! Having just done the French DELF B1 exam I know what you went/are going through :lol: I'm sure you did great.
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MaggieMae
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby MaggieMae » Sun Nov 13, 2022 5:57 pm

I'm sorry I've been gone so long! Thank you all for the well wishes!

I started teaching in German in August (except for 2-3 hours a week when I teach English), so my time has been very literally taken up with teaching and planning and meetings and all that great stuff that comes hand in hand with being a primary/elementary school teacher. And let me tell you, working all day (10+ hours/day) in your TL is EXHAUSTING. (Granted, there are others here who already know this... but it just has to be mentioned...)

It took 10 long, agonizing weeks before my results came in. I passed! With 81% (6o% is required for passing), so that's actually really good! What's funny is that I'd signed up to take the Goethe Institute C2 Reading and Listening tests, and had already gotten my bill before I had my results for my C1. :lol:

Goethe Institute results come within a couple weeks, so I already have those results, too. I passed the reading with a 74%, and failed the Listening by ANOTHER WHOPPING TWO POINTS! :x :x :x I blame the interview about nanoparticles and the poor recording job and audio playback. (Really, it was probably just bad luck and nerves.) I retake the Listening on the 24th, and I added Speaking onto that as well. I'm eternally grateful that I can take these one module at a time instead of all 4 on one day. It lowers the stress levels significantly.

On top of all of that, I joined a "Turnverein", which is a very Swiss thing and extremely hard to describe. It's like a team that does a whole bunch of different organized sports together for competitions and such. They have Track and Field, Fachtisch (tennis on crack), Basketball, Football (not American), Floorball, Gymnastics (lots of different categories of Gymnastics), and a bunch of others that I'm probably forgetting. I'm really glad, though, that my speaking test is coming up soon, because if I can pass that I no longer have to worry about the Swiss German spoken at team practices invading my High German anymore and can shift my focus to learning the local "Dialects". (Dialects is in quotes because Swiss people will tell you that their German is just a dialect of German, but I really think it's its own language in and of itself. Many Germans have agreed with me, too.)

My Mandarin studies are mostly nonexistent. Every once in a while I'll run across a word, or get excited to tell someone that I know these ten words in Mandarin, but I really just need to finish with my German exams first before I delve deeper into that.

Another cool language thing that I've been doing lately, though, has to do with the fact that I have a Ukrainian refugee student in my class. Now, my first instinct was to start learning Ukrainian. I downloaded a couple apps, got a picture book from the library, and realized very, very quickly that I did not have the required time or energy to put into learning it enough to be helpful. However, I've been modifying a lot of his English class materials so that there's zero German involved in it. (He doesn't have to do French like the others, but as he'd already taken a year of English before we got him, I'm making him do a bare minimum of work in English.) That means I'm using deepl to translate his vocabulary words into Ukrainian (naturally, I'm reverse-translating it to make sure it's at least somewhat accurate) and he's allowed to write translations in Ukrainian instead of German. There's not a lot of that last bit anyway, as I try to teach as immersive as possible, so I don't have to correct a lot of Ukrainian. Really, it's just his vocabulary words. I've also been translating instructions on tests and homework and such into Ukrainian, so that his parents understand what it is that I'm asking him to do. I'm getting pretty good at writing in the Ukrainian alphabet, too, and can already recognize some of the sounds of the letters! Baby steps are still steps!

So, yeah, I've been super busy and doing more in TLs than in English lately. But a lot of people have been commenting on my good German, and even someone commented that I understand a lot of Swiss German today, so it seems like it's definitely worth it. I just wish I had more time to talk to y'all!

Oh! One thing I wanted to say in here, before I forget again! I can't remember who, but I think it was either BeaP or Cavesa that mentioned in some thread this spring or summer that the difference between C1 and C2 was that those fill in the blank exercises become more automatic, and you just know what the word in the blank is supposed to be. I get that now. We have these exercises for the written exams where we have a text with ten words highlighted and each word has a specific word that we have to use in place of the highlighted portion. In the spring, I looked at that exercise with horror and dread. Now, it's more of, "Oh, it's THAT word. I just have to do this, this, and this instead." Every time I notice myself doing it automatically and without too much thinking, I think on what was said and find comfort, knowing that I'm getting there. So thank you. <3
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby Lawyer&Mom » Sun Nov 13, 2022 9:20 pm

What a fantastic update! Congrats on your C1, that C2 will be yours before you know it!
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby PeterMollenburg » Tue Nov 15, 2022 12:58 am

Lawyer&Mom wrote:What a fantastic update! Congrats on your C1, that C2 will be yours before you know it!


Agreed Lawyer&Mom. Inspirtional stuff, MaggieMae, well done!
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MaggieMae
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby MaggieMae » Wed Nov 30, 2022 3:49 pm

I blink and another week passes me by. :lol: Thanks for all the good wishes!

I took the German listening and speaking C2 exams on Thursday. I think they went well. My answers in the listening were similar to a colleague's (We compared afterwards, we didn't cheat!), so either we both bombed the test or we aced it. 8-) I had super amounts of luck on my topics for the spoken exam, and I think I was able to impress the proctors. It definitely helped that I didn't have my normal brain blackout this time, and I think I presented everything in a concise fashion... I hope... :lol:

Another thing I ended up doing was quitting my job in order to focus more on my exams. I had found that I didn't have enough time for homework, and the job was really stressing me out. Having a lack of support at work didn't help in the slightest. My plan is to get through the written test, then try for a job with fewer subjects to teach, or a job as an assistant, then work my way up from there.

Speaking of the tests, when they're done, my teacher offered to teach my class all the colloquial parts of language that we'll need in a classroom, but never find in a regular class or on a test. It's such an amazing offer, I'd be a fool to turn it down.

I did manage to get some Chinese practice last week, but I've forgotten most of it already. :oops:
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby MaggieMae » Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:41 pm

Has it really been almost 3 months!?! :shock: I blinked...

So I passed the tests I took in November! Barely squeaked by in listening, but I managed to get 1% more than needed. Passing is passing, that's all that matters. Writing is scheduled for the end of April. I took a small break from concentrating on tests, and I had taken speaking before any of my other classmates, so I relaxed for the holidays and let them catch up a bit. And now it's back to the grindstone! We're only doing classes once a week now, though, and using the extra time for doing our writing assignments.

In the meantime, I started watching some Slow and Clear Chinese videos on YouTube, but nothing is seeming to stick. I think I'm just not doing anything with Mandarin regularly enough. I'm looking into getting the HSK 1 book, or printing out a .pdf from a site that, I think, rdearman linked to in another log ages ago. I have to find that again.

Another language challenge I've given myself is to be able to sing a few popular songs in Swiss German. A few people from the sports club that I joined in August suggested a couple songs, and I've also joined a brass band (though I play percussion), and there are a couple songs from there that have Swiss German lyrics, too. The band members also primarily speak Swiss German, so I've been quite immersed in the language lately. The hard part is, they all speak different dialects! :lol: I ordered a book today called, "Hoi Zäme!" that's supposed to teach Swiss German, so we'll see when it comes in if it'll be helpful.

In more personal, but still language connected news, I started teaching English at the school where I take German classes. I teach about 5 lessons a week, so it keeps me from staying home and moping around. Looking at English from the perspective of the German speaker is a pretty fun experience, though!

Unfortunately, working at a language school means I pass by the notice that says a Swedish for beginners course will start at the end of March every. Single. Day. I might just have to bite... :P
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby MaggieMae » Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:09 pm

I met the Swedish teacher today... I'm soooooorely tempted. :lol:

I've been doing a lot of writing lately, trying to get ready for my last exam in a month and a half. The topics are all starting to bleed together, though. It's always the same: intro, defend extreme point, counter extreme contra argument, tell your opinion, conclusion. I can't wait for this to be done.

Swiss German is becoming easier and easier to understand, but to replicate it is a completely different story. The book I got is mostly just a bunch of word lists, which was disappointing, but there are 4 golden grammar pages in there that make it worth it. The songs are getting easier to sing, so I have hope that I'll be able to speak soon as well.

I've become a little more confident with the little Chinese I've been learning, especially thanks to a hilarious mistake I typed to a friend. I was trying to type 我的杯子 (my cup) and ended up typing 我是杯子 (I am a cup). She asked me what kind of crazy brainwashing I was watching on YouTube. :lol: :lol: :lol: "Aaaaah! 我不是杯子! 我的杯子! 我的杯子!”

I'm really just holding out until I get accustomed to everything, I suppose. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby MaggieMae » Thu Mar 23, 2023 12:46 am

Tried to pronounce some Chinese to a native speaker on Monday. Failed miserably, but I tried! :lol:

Getting irritated at the very slight differences that exist between English and German formal writing, specifically persuasive writing. For example, in English, we're taught to avoid the use of first and second person like the plague, with the exceptions of rhetorical questions and the like. We're also taught to be very straightforward with our arguments, and present them as though the opinions are actually facts. It's a very aggressive way of writing, but it also brings with it a sense of certainty.

Apparently, (or so I've been learning) that's not the case in German formal writing. I will get 100% downgraded if I never use the word "I" to declare what my personal opinion on this topic is. And in doing so, I'm also encouraged to say things like, "In my opinion...", "I'm convinced that...", or "I stand by the opinion that...", which I've always been taught marginalizes the whole point of the message. Then the reader thinks, "Well, you can go on with your incorrect opinion", and no persuading has been made. So instead of saying things like, "In my opinion, C2 language tests are dumb and measure test taking skills instead of actual language proficiency", we would just say, "C2 language tests are dumb and measure test taking skills instead of actual language proficiency." If someone disagrees with that statement, it's presented as a fact, and they have to dig deeper in order to try and refute it, thus (hopefully) feeding into the arguments in the text. But I can't do that. It'll cost me points. :x

And, apparently, I'm not supposed to refer back to the main points of my text in the conclusion, since that's too repetitive and superfluous. I'm really just supposed to use it to restate the thesis and end it there. Like, only 1-2 sentences total. It feels empty and unfinished to me. I mean, I can kinda see the repetitive bit, but aren't you supposed to end with something thoughtful, too? Like a hook to keep them thinking about what you just said? I dunno, I also like the small summary at the end as a reminder of the points you made. "C2 language tests are dumb and measure test taking skills instead of actual language proficiency. As stated above, this is clearly evidenced by A, B, and C, despite people thinking that D makes them worthwhile. Why do we continue to require non-native speakers to succeed at something most native speakers would fail, or are we purposefully setting them up for failure?" I think that little summary bridges the main idea to the last thought quite well, but my teacher doesn't think so.

I dunno... it just makes me mad and frustrated and confused. I can't wait until this dumb test is over and I don't have to worry about it ever again. A month and a week to go.

In other news, I bought a new book (in German) today! Despite not yet having read the last one, nor the one I'm supposed to be reading for this dumb test... :oops: Granted, it was about 12:30 am when I forced myself to stop reading so that I could post my progress to the SC (and then spend an hour ranting about stuff in my log), so that's a good sign!

I should get some sleep... :oops:

But first SC logs! :lol:
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Languages: English (N), German (C2), Swiss German (depends on the day), Swedish (A1), Mandarin (beginner)
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MaggieMae
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Re: Maggie's Melodramatic Monologues (German Studies)

Postby MaggieMae » Thu Mar 23, 2023 9:50 pm

The book was the best idea I've had in a while. I might actually survive the book portion of my first Super Challenge! I'm already at page 158/501!

Now, my sleep schedule on the other hand might be negatively affected for the next week or so... :oops:

ETA: For the curious, I'm reading "The Lost Crown: Wer die Nacht malt" by Jennifer Benkau. The author lives in a village between Düsseldorf and Köln, which is important for me, as I've been trying to specifically read things originally written in German.
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Languages: English (N), German (C2), Swiss German (depends on the day), Swedish (A1), Mandarin (beginner)
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