There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

[tarvos]

Could be, but I am pretty sure the research department has a huge reputation abroad as well. Or does it seem to you like I am doing a lot of acid right now? I assure you I haven't been smoking pot or anything of the sort. I wasn't comparing it to other programmes in the Netherlands anyway, as I am well aware they don't exist elsewhere in this country.

(I've also met other people that studied Japanese before :p)

[brilliantyears]

Nah, I'm sure the Japanese programme is pretty good indeed As for the rest, yes, we're pretty strong in Humanities overall, but there are pretty big differences between departments...

[tarvos]

Nah, I'm sure the Japanese programme is pretty good indeed As for the rest, yes, we're pretty strong in Humanities overall, but there are pretty big differences between departments...

Now that I have also heard. xD

[MamaPata]

Unsurprisingly, there has been lots of general life stuff, but not much language learning. I've started my new job, which obviously means that most of my time is now spent doing that. After work, language learning probably isn't too high up my priorities, despite my hopeful goals from the other post! Beyond friends and fitness, etc, I want to explore some other new hobbies and I don't particularly want to do that in a TL.

I've been reading quite a bit - long commutes - and mostly in English. While I do want to work in some TL reading at some point (and have been here and there), I've got a long list of Anglophone books I want to read. I just finished "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe", which I really enjoyed. I watched the film when I was young, but don't really remember it, so I'd like to watch that. (And some related films I haven't seen, like "Thelma and Louise"). I'm also looking at maybe joining a book group or two, which I suspect will be fairly English-dominated. There is a book group for books in translation, but obviously many of those I would still have to read in English! Looking at the books coming up, I'm not particularly inspired. I'll keep an eye on it and may suggest some TL books if I get more involved.

I'm pretty content with this state of affairs. I have a few TL books on the go, I'm still doing Drops and some memrise, so it's not like I'm abandoning languages completely - it's just moving down the priority list a little. I do have one or two mindless tasks at work, so listened to French news while I was doing one of those. I suspect there will be the opportunity for a bit of that, though it will be quite limited.

As I settle into my job and when the school holidays finish, I suspect things will change again - I'm definitely planning on doing one language course. But we'll see how it goes for now.

[MamaPata]

Life is all going pretty well - I've been busy, which always suits me. I'm figuring out a balance between some different interests and I'm feeling pretty happy.

Language wise, there's been some stuff here and there.

I read 1222 in Spanish, which was an experience! (Yes, I appreciate it's a little weird to decide that the best way to start building my Spanish back up is to read a Norwegian book. Don't blame me.) I picked this up from my local library because I wanted something light and engaging. There are about 1.5 shelves of foreign language books, most of which are in Polish. I have complained about this previously, so I'll stop here! This seemed like a good option and it was in the end.

I really struggled when I started reading and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to cope. I couldn't quite work out what was happening in the first few pages (it starts right in the thick of things, there's no gradual build up). I perservered but I could only read a page or two at a time, so I wasn't sure I was going to keep going. (Or if I'd be able to get anywhere into it at all before I really had to return it). However, after about 50-100 pages, something clicked. I was still missing a lot of words, but I knew what was happening and I got into the story. I read chapters at a time and it wasn't as exhausting.

I've still got a long way to go before I can read anything quality. And I need to remember that there will be a similar adjustment period for the next book. When I started reading in French for the super challenge, I really struggled with every new book. But I will get past that. The only downside is that I want something equally pulpy and summer-read-ish for my next Spanish book, but most of what I have access to in Spanish is Serious Literature.

I also started reading La Reine étranglée in French. I read the first one sometime last year and got quite into it, but also very much struggled (I'm not strong on religious or monarchy-related vocabulary in English!). I am finding this one considerably easier, which is a nice sign. I actually bought quite a few of them for pennies off second hand book sites, so that will keep me going with the French SC. I also really have to finish Femmes de Dictateur so I can return it to the library!

My final bit of language work (beyond vocab apps) is that I started watching La Mante on Netflix. I am really quite into it but having been very busy, I am basically 2.25 epsiodes in. I have to watch it in about 20 min intervals so it's going to take me a while. But I really like it so far! And I find it very accessible - they all feel quite easy to understand. I am watching it with subtitles, just because they're very accurate and so I can quickly jot down any new words.

Haven't really managed any Russian, but will start getting it back in.

[MamaPata]

Every week I think 'oh, great, this week won't be as busy... I can catch up on everything, get some sleep....' And then every week, I actually look at my diary and think 'Oh sh*t'. When will I learn?

So, unsurprisingly, yet again languages haven't been really getting a look in. The most contact I am getting is normally at work when I listen to stuff during my particularly brain dead tasks. Currently I have a few of those, so I'm getting a lot of listening in but it's pretty passive. Mostly I tend to go for Diana Uribe (in Spanish, assorted history lectures, she is Colombian), FranceCulture (you'll be surprised to know, in French, various programmes), and вДудь (Russian, various interviews). Listening to Жириновский's interview there was an experience. I'd quite like to watch it properly but also, just wow.

This is obviously useful for generally keeping me in contact with my languages, though, because it is so passive, I don't know how much it's helping me improve as opposed to maintain. There is one area however, that I think it really helps with. I find that one of the biggest differences between my native language and TLs is that in english, if I haven't been listening to something, I can tune in and know what's being discussed pretty fast (depending on how much I can hear, etc). In TLs it takes me much longer and if I'm in country, that can be really stressful. (Also at home, it means I struggle to eavesdrop on people successfully which is a crying shame).

When I'm listening, I do tune in and out - I start getting a headache so take my headphones out, people start talking in the office, the task gets harder, generally losing interest. Which means that I have to then try and work out what I've missed and what's going on now. Feels like quite a useful skill that I don't always cover in other study sessions

That said, I am hoping that I get less mindless work soon and as a result the time I spend listening to TLs will decrease.

Other than that, I finished my crappy novel in Russian and read a few more pages of La Reine étranglée. I've also got some crappy romance novels to read in french that I bought for 50p ages ago. I won't count them towards the SC because I'm not counting translations for French, but I need something light and easy to get me back in the swing. I also want to set up my kindle with a bunch of TL options. However because it's quite old (probably a decade now? Near enough) I normally do this through my laptop. Which has died.

So between the dead laptop and the general lack of time, I wouldn't expect any stunning progress anytime soon!

[Elenia]

Finally caught up on your log! Congrats on the job

[MamaPata]

Finally caught up on your log! Congrats on the job

Thanks! Nice to have you back on the forum!

[MamaPata]

One thing that I have been listening to - which I would very much recommend to any French speakers - is La Veille Branche. It's a podcast that I'm listening to on Spotify, though I am sure it is available elsewhere.

In it, the presenter (who has a lovely clear, soothing voice) interviews renowned figures over the age of 75. I've listened to two so far, both of which were really interesting and I actually listened to, rather than getting distracted like I usually do!

The one I would particularly recommend for people on this forum is with Alain Rey. He is a linguist and lexicographer, aged 90, and the Editor in Chief of Le Robert. He talks a lot in the episode about words, about French, which I think people here may find intriguing. For obvious reasons, it does have a political overtone, and I didn't always agree with him, but it was very interesting. (He talks about the predominance of English for example, which I'm not interested in discussing here. I think it's been done to death elsewhere on the forum!)

Do check it out! Let me know what you think.

[Ani]

Nice! I like it already. Thanks for the rec. I was looking for a new podcast.

FYI -- I misspell vieille the same way every time