Rdearman 2016-24 You Can't Have Your Kate and Edith Too.

[Brun Ugle]

I have been doing a lot of French and Italian language exchanges, but I still don't think my listening comprehension is improving. For this I think I need to just expand my vocabulary since often the thing that snags me is one unknown word will throw my concentration off the rails and I just get lost.

Do what I do. When you don't understand a word, just nod and smile and keep going. It was kind of funny on Tuesday because Zenmonkey used a word I didn't know and I used that technique. Then he proceeded to use the same word about 15 more times and I'm laughing internally because I'm wondering how long I can keep it up before he gets wise. Of course, the longer it goes on, the more ridiculous and embarrassing it gets. In the end, I managed to figure out the word through context and I don't think Zenmonkey realized I didn't know the word. (Secret's out now though.)

The conversation was something like this:
Z (talking about his recent trip to California): My daughter's were happy because they could use the ____.
B: That's nice.
Z: Yeah. They don't get to go to the ___ very often. In France and Germany there aren't a lot of private ____. So, they would have to go to a public ____.
B: Oh, really?
Z: I don't imagine there are a lot of private ___ in Norway either.
B: Probably not.
Z: Well, do you know of any?
B: Um, no, not that I can think of.
......

The worst part? I actually had learned that word before and afterwards, I remembered where: from Zenmonkey.

Spanish always seems to have 20 different words that all mean the same thing and in this case, I usually use a different one than Zenmonkey does.

Setswana, I have done a little here and there, but will probably lose out to Brun Ugle in the 6WC. She is another language machine. *sigh*

I'm flagging, but let's see if I can't catch my second wind.

[Adrianslont]

I have been doing a lot of French and Italian language exchanges, but I still don't think my listening comprehension is improving. For this I think I need to just expand my vocabulary since often the thing that snags me is one unknown word will throw my concentration off the rails and I just get lost.

Do what I do. When you don't understand a word, just nod and smile and keep going. It was kind of funny on Tuesday because Zenmonkey used a word I didn't know and I used that technique. Then he proceeded to use the same word about 15 more times and I'm laughing internally because I'm wondering how long I can keep it up before he gets wise. Of course, the longer it goes on, the more ridiculous and embarrassing it gets. In the end, I managed to figure out the word through context and I don't think Zenmonkey realized I didn't know the word. (Secret's out now though.)

The conversation was something like this:
Z (talking about his recent trip to California): My daughter's were happy because they could use the ____.
B: That's nice.
Z: Yeah. They don't get to go to the ___ very often. In France and Germany there aren't a lot of private ____. So, they would have to go to a public ____.
B: Oh, really?
Z: I don't imagine there are a lot of private ___ in Norway either.
B: Probably not.
Z: Well, do you know of any?
B: Um, no, not that I can think of.
......

The worst part? I actually had learned that word before and afterwards, I remembered where: from Zenmonkey.

Spanish always seems to have 20 different words that all mean the same thing and in this case, I usually use a different one than Zenmonkey does.

Setswana, I have done a little here and there, but will probably lose out to Brun Ugle in the 6WC. She is another language machine. *sigh*

I'm flagging, but let's see if I can't catch my second wind.

This is a test, isn’t it? Haha. My money is on “gym” or “pool”.

[Brun Ugle]

This is a test, isn’t it? Haha. My money is on “gym” or “pool”.

Yep, pool. Zenmonkey uses the word “alberca” and I say “piscina”.

[rdearman]

I've basically stopped the 6WC, so I'll probably fall somewhere between Brun Ugle and Zenmonkey in the list for Setswana. But still the 6WC definitely drives you onward.

I just spent an hour calculating all the language exchanges and lessons I've done since I topped up my iTalki account back in the June. I have completed 152 LE or lessons. Unfecking believable! No wonder I was getting burned out on them. All worthwhile I hope. One of my French regulars tells me it has helped, certainly with fluidity of vocabulary. I don't search around so much in my head for the right word, and Italian and French don't get so muddled up when I'm speaking to someone. I think both French and Italian have learned to stay in their own separate box when I've pulled out the other.

I guess this was an unintentional sort of Super Output Challenge for me. The really annoying thing is that idiot who made the rules for the Output Challenge will not let me count over 75 hours of output because they aren't recorded. Can you believe that guy!

There has been a snowball effect here though. I don't think I can stop doing LE's in the short term because now that I've so many "regulars" they have all started to contact me about times to speak. So I'm not even trying to drum up business any more lots of people are contacting me and trying to get fit into the schedule. Therefore the primary hassle which was burning me out, e.g. the scheduling and trying to find partners has for the most part disappeared. I have people who have a timeslot saved for them and this means I have six language exchanges for next week pre-booked.

All these LE's also mean that I haven't actually spent all the money which I'd dumped into my iTalki account. So I'm thinking I might use the remainder of the money for either Mandarin lessons (but don't really need them since Dandelion is helping me) or try to find someone who does DELF type exams and get them to give me an evaluation. Or I can just wait until I have some slack time and backfill with a lesson.

[zenmonkey]

I have been doing a lot of French and Italian language exchanges, but I still don't think my listening comprehension is improving. For this I think I need to just expand my vocabulary since often the thing that snags me is one unknown word will throw my concentration off the rails and I just get lost.

Do what I do. When you don't understand a word, just nod and smile and keep going. It was kind of funny on Tuesday because Zenmonkey used a word I didn't know and I used that technique. Then he proceeded to use the same word about 15 more times and I'm laughing internally because I'm wondering how long I can keep it up before he gets wise. Of course, the longer it goes on, the more ridiculous and embarrassing it gets. In the end, I managed to figure out the word through context and I don't think Zenmonkey realized I didn't know the word. (Secret's out now though.)

The conversation was something like this:
Z (talking about his recent trip to California): My daughter's were happy because they could use the ____.
B: That's nice.
Z: Yeah. They don't get to go to the ___ very often. In France and Germany there aren't a lot of private ____. So, they would have to go to a public ____.
B: Oh, really?
Z: I don't imagine there are a lot of private ___ in Norway either.
B: Probably not.
Z: Well, do you know of any?
B: Um, no, not that I can think of.
......

The worst part? I actually had learned that word before and afterwards, I remembered where: from Zenmonkey.

Spanish always seems to have 20 different words that all mean the same thing and in this case, I usually use a different one than Zenmonkey does.

Setswana, I have done a little here and there, but will probably lose out to Brun Ugle in the 6WC. She is another language machine. *sigh*

I'm flagging, but let's see if I can't catch my second wind.

Haha!

Internally: "You had kind of a scared look for a second and I thought - oh this might be me using Mexico specific word where in Spain they use the other one. No, I'm sure its ok, we talked about this before..."

As to the 6WC - I've given up on passing you guys. I'm just hoping to stay in my spot or gain a position as we move along...

[Brun Ugle]

Haha!

Internally: "You had kind of a scared look for a second and I thought - oh this might be me using Mexico specific word where in Spain they use the other one. No, I'm sure its ok, we talked about this before..."

As to the 6WC - I've given up on passing you guys. I'm just hoping to stay in my spot or gain a position as we move along...

We had talked about it before, and when you first said it, I knew you'd used that word before at some point, probably the last time you were in the US, but that was a couple of months ago and I'd forgotten it again. So, when you said it, I thought, "I should know this. What is it? I won't interrupt and ask just for one word. It's probably not all that important anyway." And then you just kept going on and on. That's what made it so funny.

Usually, I understand everything you say because you don't tend to use a lot of hard words or talk very fast. And one word doesn't usually make so much difference. Oh well, at least I'll never forget the word "alberca" ever again. Maybe.

[rdearman]

at least I'll never forget the word "alberca" ever again

Until next week.

[rdearman]

All these LE's also mean that I haven't actually spent all the money which I'd dumped into my iTalki account. So I'm thinking I might use the remainder of the money for either Mandarin lessons (but don't really need them since Dandelion is helping me) or try to find someone who does DELF type exams and get them to give me an evaluation. Or I can just wait until I have some slack time and backfill with a lesson.

I booked an hour with a guy who specialises in DELF examinations simply so that I can spend an hour with him and speak. I want him to evaluate my French and tell me what test I should take. A2, B2, C1 or whatever. I don't actually have any intention of taking a test, but figure short of actually taking one this is probably the best way to get my level assessed (for the princely sum of $18).

Two LE's today in Italian. One with a regular who I speak to weekly and the other to a new lady who is about to embark on a job with Doctors without Borders. She had to learn French, it has taken her a month.

This annoyed me slightly. But anyway, it was fun speaking with her in Italian. I spoke briefly with her in French, but she responded in Italian, so I'm not really sure she has assessed her level correctly. But who am I to judge other people's French?

I broke my rule today about always doing a LE if I agreed to it. But it was because it was in the evening (which I don't normally agree to) and I didn't have it in my calendar. Not having the reminder pretty much guaranteed that I would forget it. So I'll have to make it up to her later.

Hopefully doing some more Mandarin tomorrow. I have found a Setswana speaker, thanks to another forum member and I hope they'll be able to join us on our study sessions! Yay!

The podcast with Dave seems to have been a hit, and I've had some questions put forward people would like us to discuss which is cool. I don't class myself as a expert by any stretch of the imagination but having done a lot of it, and having access over the years to all the brilliant advice on the forum has given me a bit of knowledge. Anyway, new episodes on Tuesdays (Dave promised) so hopefully it will get better as we go along.

Still have a lot of LE's scheduled, but the dreaded commuting time is approaching, so I need to figure out someway to keep all my LE regulars "on side" and not be swamped at evenings and weekends with LE. A nice problem to have I suppose. But still a problem. My Italian regular suggested we speak while I was on the train. This is a good idea except for the telephone black spot halfway through my train journey. Plus it might be a little annoying for all the other passengers.

Well that is it for the moment. Basically doing the same old stuff and chatting with people.

[daveprine]

The podcast with Dave seems to have been a hit, and I've had some questions put forward people would like us to discuss which is cool. I don't class myself as a expert by any stretch of the imagination but having done a lot of it, and having access over the years to all the brilliant advice on the forum has given me a bit of knowledge. Anyway, new episodes on Tuesdays (Dave promised) so hopefully it will get better as we go along.

I promise a lot of stuff. Doesn't mean a thing.

[DaveAgain]

Basically doing the same old stuff and chatting with people.

I was watching a video about "improving listening skills" earlier, and you cropped up in the Q&A bit asking for exercises to improve listening (34m26s into video). The speaker suggested shadowing, dictation, and repetition.

Did you try these? Did you see a benefit?