Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
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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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Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby vegantraveller » Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:44 pm

Hello everybody,

First, it is a pleasure to interact with you all on the forum. I’ve been reading it since 2005 (it was on the old platform and in the old format), and I also contributed a few times, even though I mostly prefer lurking.

I’ve also tried to log my activities on it, but I kind of get bored so I’ve given it up (I only track the time I spend on languages on another file, either studying, reading, speaking, listening to podcasts, watching films and videos, studying vocabulary on anki, etc.).

I try to focus on two languages for three months, devoting at least half an hour for each language, while maintaining the other ones, even with short activities.

I will try to keep this diary lively and not too pedant as it sometimes used to be.

As far as my current languages are concerned, I’m a native Italian speaker, and I have a good command of English and French.
I use them regularly for my job and my activities, as well as German and Japanese (and the latter took many years of constant, daily exposure).

Spanish is kind of straightforward for us Italians, and it’s a beautiful language, too. I can speak and understand it at ease, but for sure I have to polish it so there are always some issues to revise and practice.

I also started Swedish in 2016, the language sounds beautiful and the culture appealing. Luckily enough, all the Swedes I met were quite eager (or kind enough) to use their language, so I could avoid resorting to English even at the beginning.

Finally, I have taken up two more languages in 2023, Icelandic and Romanian. Icelandic is an old project, I fell in love with the language back in 2016 when I visited the island, but never studied it seriously because I had just started Swedish.
On the contrary I took Romanian up on a whim. I wanted something quite easy, Romance, and spoken natively by some friends: this language was the perfect match and I must say I also adore it!

Finally, but I have yet to start it, a very minor language (virtually no native speakers left) but with a rich cultural value and also spoken some 60km from where I live (Turin): Occitan/Provençal. The Assimil course I have just purchased is very thick and rich, and presents the contemporary language as well as the medieval poetry in the second half of the book.

That’s for now, hopefully I will post some interesting content while documenting my language process!
12 x
I'm a man from Italy, not an owl from Japan :mrgreen:

Please correct my errors!

Mista
Blue Belt
Posts: 608
Joined: Wed May 11, 2016 11:03 pm
Location: Norway
Languages: Norwegian (N), English (QN). Studied Ancient Greek (MA), Linguistics (MA), Latin (BA), German (BA). Italian at A2/B1 level. Learning: French, Japanese, Russian (focus) and various others, like Polish, Spanish, Vietnamese, and anything that comes my way. Also know some Sanskrit (but not the script) and Coptic. Really want to learn Arabic and Amharic.
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7497
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Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby Mista » Sun Mar 19, 2023 1:58 pm

Your Assimil Occitan/Provençal sounds very tempting - I hope you'll keep us updated on that. Are you planning to start on it straight away?
2 x

User avatar
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
x 273

Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby vegantraveller » Sun Mar 19, 2023 3:36 pm

Mista wrote:Your Assimil Occitan/Provençal sounds very tempting - I hope you'll keep us updated on that. Are you planning to start on it straight away?


It’s definitely different from what I’m used to, and looks very good! I’ll try it right away, also considering that I use the Assimil courses quite differently from their instructions, because I like to savour them in detail and not rush through them. But that’s my method.
By the way, I had some trouble in finding it, even though it dates back to 2012 only. But it is unfortunately the case for some (not-so-minor)-languages such as Danish, Finnish, or Cantonese…
4 x
I'm a man from Italy, not an owl from Japan :mrgreen:

Please correct my errors!

Fledermaus
White Belt
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:16 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Languages: English (N), German (C1), French (B1), Spanish (B1), Italian (intermediate, rusty)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19001
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Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby Fledermaus » Mon Mar 20, 2023 11:41 am

vegantraveller wrote:I also started Swedish in 2016, the language sounds beautiful and the culture appealing. Luckily enough, all the Swedes I met were quite eager (or kind enough) to use their language, so I could avoid resorting to English even at the beginning.


That's encouraging to hear, was that during a trip to Sweden?
1 x

User avatar
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
x 273

Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby vegantraveller » Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:14 pm

Fledermaus wrote:
vegantraveller wrote:I also started Swedish in 2016, the language sounds beautiful and the culture appealing. Luckily enough, all the Swedes I met were quite eager (or kind enough) to use their language, so I could avoid resorting to English even at the beginning.


That's encouraging to hear, was that during a trip to Sweden?


Thanks Fledermaus. It happened on almost all occasions: trips to Sweden for leisure as well as on business, especially with smaller firms. The Swedes are quite proud about their language, so they are more willing to use it (and are also more used to foreign accents as well, since their language is widely studied).
3 x
I'm a man from Italy, not an owl from Japan :mrgreen:

Please correct my errors!

Fledermaus
White Belt
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:16 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Languages: English (N), German (C1), French (B1), Spanish (B1), Italian (intermediate, rusty)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19001
x 57

Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby Fledermaus » Mon Mar 20, 2023 3:46 pm

vegantraveller wrote:
Fledermaus wrote:
vegantraveller wrote:I also started Swedish in 2016, the language sounds beautiful and the culture appealing. Luckily enough, all the Swedes I met were quite eager (or kind enough) to use their language, so I could avoid resorting to English even at the beginning.


That's encouraging to hear, was that during a trip to Sweden?


Thanks Fledermaus. It happened on almost all occasions: trips to Sweden for leisure as well as on business, especially with smaller firms. The Swedes are quite proud about their language, so they are more willing to use it (and are also more used to foreign accents as well, since their language is widely studied).


Nice. As a learner of Swedish, I'm very happy to hear that, I want to make use of it at some point. :) (I have some experience using Danish in Denmark, but whether or not one could use it would really depend on the context, and my level was never especially high.)
1 x

User avatar
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
x 273

Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby vegantraveller » Mon Mar 20, 2023 3:52 pm

Fledermaus wrote:
vegantraveller wrote:
Fledermaus wrote:
vegantraveller wrote:I also started Swedish in 2016, the language sounds beautiful and the culture appealing. Luckily enough, all the Swedes I met were quite eager (or kind enough) to use their language, so I could avoid resorting to English even at the beginning.


That's encouraging to hear, was that during a trip to Sweden?


Thanks Fledermaus. It happened on almost all occasions: trips to Sweden for leisure as well as on business, especially with smaller firms. The Swedes are quite proud about their language, so they are more willing to use it (and are also more used to foreign accents as well, since their language is widely studied).


Nice. As a learner of Swedish, I'm very happy to hear that, I want to make use of it at some point. :) (I have some experience using Danish in Denmark, but whether or not one could use it would really depend on the context, and my level was never especially high.)


I read it’s more difficult for Danish, since the Danes are less used to foreign accents so they prefer to resort to English. But I’m sure they will also use Danish if you keep on using the language with them (and provided your language level is not too low to hinder conversation!).
2 x
I'm a man from Italy, not an owl from Japan :mrgreen:

Please correct my errors!

Fledermaus
White Belt
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:16 am
Location: Oxford, UK
Languages: English (N), German (C1), French (B1), Spanish (B1), Italian (intermediate, rusty)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19001
x 57

Re: Vegan Traveller’s Language Log (IT, EN, FR, DE, JA, ES, SV, IS, RO, OC)

Postby Fledermaus » Mon Mar 20, 2023 3:58 pm

vegantraveller wrote:I read it’s more difficult for Danish, since the Danes are less used to foreign accents so they prefer to resort to English. But I’m sure they will also use Danish if you keep on using the language with them (and provided your language level is not too low to hinder conversation!).


Interesting. I could imagine that being true since Sweden has a higher level of immigration. And at least in my limited understanding, Danish phonology demands more of the listener and speaker in order to resolve ambiguities. I lived there long enough to become somewhat conversational but I intend to go further with Swedish long term.
1 x


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