Hestia's Log (FR, JP)

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Xenops
Brown Belt
Posts: 1444
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Location: Boston
Languages: English (N), Danish (A2), Japanese (rusty), Nansha (constructing)
On break: Japanese (approx. N4), Norwegian (A2)
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Xenops » Wed Jan 18, 2017 1:19 am

Time for French study is: 11.6 hours. I finished French in Action chapter 3 (I need to update my bar!) and I watched the video of chapter 4 this evening. I'll have to see how intense the following chapters are, but I wonder if I can finish a chapter a week? Could I possibly finish this course in one year? I'll have to see. I like the course so far: it covers all of the bases, and it has defined tasks to accomplish. It also presents grammar in a structured manner; I have a hard time with immersive or assimilation courses.

I haven't touched Dari lately; I'll fix that soon.
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Xenops
Brown Belt
Posts: 1444
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: Boston
Languages: English (N), Danish (A2), Japanese (rusty), Nansha (constructing)
On break: Japanese (approx. N4), Norwegian (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=16797
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Xenops » Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:23 am

Time for French hours: 14.9

Since I made the statement of trying to finish a French in Action chapter a week, I haven't made much progress for chapter 4. :lol: I'm also on 27 or 28 of the first collection of Pimsleur French, and this is the farthest I've gone for any language on Pimsleur. Go me! :mrgreen:

I tack on Dari, because because I like to have another language to use Pimsleur for exercise, housework, etc. I like the idea of studying two languages at once, but even though I don't put much effort in language #2, the stress of "oh shoot I have to work on that one too!" makes language learning in agitating. I might have to come to grips with the fact that I learn one language at a time. Maybe if I get French high enough this year, I can start another one next year.

As far as moving to Europe, I'm working on French, but I'm undecided as to what the next most useful language would be; hence the Dari (is might be useful in Europe, with all of those refugees).

Today's discussion in one of the threads made me wonder: I had been raised with the concept that any form of wit was something to share, including jabbing insults. I can think of a Winston Churchill exchange in particular:

Famous lady: If you were my husband, I would give you poison.
Churchill: If I was your husband, I would take it.

I'm not sure if this practice is limited to the U.S., or if other English speaking countries do this as well (with Churchill being British, I wonder if this is common there). Something I'm considering is that perhaps this practice is more of an individualism mentality, which is almost limited to the U.S. Perhaps in the more common perspective of "community first", this sharing of painful wit is limited. If that is the case, if I want to move to Europe, I need to change my mentality, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".
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tastyonions
Black Belt - 1st Dan
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Location: Dallas, TX
Languages: EN (N), FR, ES, DE, IT, PT, NL, EL
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby tastyonions » Mon Jan 23, 2017 1:39 am

French people *love* to share jabbing wit. Just watch their talk shows. They can be way crueler and more critical to their guests than any American show would.
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Ani
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Location: Alaska
Languages: English (N), speaks French, Russian & Icelandic (beginner)
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Ani » Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:43 am

Xenops wrote:Today's discussion in one of the threads made me wonder: I had been raised with the concept that any form of wit was something to share, including jabbing insults. I can think of a Winston Churchill exchange in particular:

Famous lady: If you were my husband, I would give you poison.
Churchill: If I was your husband, I would take it.

I'm not sure if this practice is limited to the U.S., or if other English speaking countries do this as well (with Churchill being British, I wonder if this is common there). Something I'm considering is that perhaps this practice is more of an individualism mentality, which is almost limited to the U.S. Perhaps in the more common perspective of "community first", this sharing of painful wit is limited. If that is the case, if I want to move to Europe, I need to change my mentality, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do".


Mind if I hop I this discussion? I think taste in humor is too varied to make a general statement by country. Tastes vary across the country as much as they do situationally. I think you'll find fans of a witty reply all over the world (except maybe where there are huge cultural barriers -- Japan perhaps?) Just not everyone in every situation. My husband just spent the last half a year reading through some longer works about Churchill so we've laughed at quite a number of these.

When you move to a new area, it is important to realize that you are the outsider for much longer than you might want or expect to be. I've been where I live 4 years and we are definitely still new around here. It takes patience, observation and humility to begin to integrate into a new environment -- and maybe some thick skin. People are always getting into a kerfluffle over social expectations/faux pas but we are all humans in this one life. Shouldn't take it too seriously :)
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But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

moo
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby moo » Mon Jan 23, 2017 2:59 am

Ani wrote:

Mind if I hop I this discussion? I think taste in humor is too varied to make a general statement by country. Tastes vary across the country as much as they do situationally. I think you'll find fans of a witty reply all over the world (except maybe where there are huge cultural barriers -- Japan perhaps?) Just not everyone in every situation. My husband just spent the last half a year reading through some longer works about Churchill so we've laughed at quite a number of these.

People are always getting into a kerfluffle over social expectations/faux pas but we are all humans in this one life. Shouldn't take it too seriously :)



There are traits of humor in different countries (cultures probably a better word)
The French are very well known for their wit. Of course not every French person is witty but yes it's very common.

THe Germans find slapstick humor funny. We have a sort of "banter " in England / Irleand/ Wales, I could go on...

I think banter between people is funny but I know when it's banter and someone is actually trying to insult
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Xenops
Brown Belt
Posts: 1444
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: Boston
Languages: English (N), Danish (A2), Japanese (rusty), Nansha (constructing)
On break: Japanese (approx. N4), Norwegian (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=16797
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Xenops » Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:02 am

Ani wrote:
Mind if I hop I this discussion? I think taste in humor is too varied to make a general statement by country. Tastes vary across the country as much as they do situationally. I think you'll find fans of a witty reply all over the world (except maybe where there are huge cultural barriers -- Japan perhaps?) Just not everyone in every situation. My husband just spent the last half a year reading through some longer works about Churchill so we've laughed at quite a number of these.

When you move to a new area, it is important to realize that you are the outsider for much longer than you might want or expect to be. I've been where I live 4 years and we are definitely still new around here. It takes patience, observation and humility to begin to integrate into a new environment -- and maybe some thick skin. People are always getting into a kerfluffle over social expectations/faux pas but we are all humans in this one life. Shouldn't take it too seriously :)


tastyonions wrote:French people *love* to share jabbing wit. Just watch their talk shows. They can be way crueler and more critical to their guests than any American show would.


Thank you for the visit, you two: I'm glad to know that humor is universal. :D
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moo
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby moo » Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:04 am

tastyonions wrote:French people *love* to share jabbing wit. Just watch their talk shows. They can be way crueler and more critical to their guests than any American show would.


True
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Fortheo
Green Belt
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Languages: English (N), French (?) Russian (beginner)
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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Fortheo » Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:26 am

Xenops wrote:Time for French study is: 11.6 hours. I finished French in Action chapter 3 (I need to update my bar!) and I watched the video of chapter 4 this evening. I'll have to see how intense the following chapters are, but I wonder if I can finish a chapter a week? Could I possibly finish this course in one year? I'll have to see. I like the course so far: it covers all of the bases, and it has defined tasks to accomplish. It also presents grammar in a structured manner; I have a hard time with immersive or assimilation courses.

I haven't touched Dari lately; I'll fix that soon.


I'm sure it's possible to finish the course in one year, but just know that it gets much much harder. For some reason I remember it picking up a lot around lesson 15 or so. Also, pretty soon it will be completely in french, including all the grammar instruction in the workbooks—I think it makes the switch to all French after lesson 5.

Good luck, it's a great course, but a lot of work.
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Elenia
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1888
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 1:22 am
Location: London
Languages: English (N), Swedish (C1), French (Massively Atrophied) German (lowly beginner, somehow learnt to read)


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Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Elenia » Mon Jan 23, 2017 10:03 am

I believe it was arthaey who shared the link to L'Atelier. I don't know if you saw it when she shared originally, but I think it would be of interest to you :)
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Xenops
Brown Belt
Posts: 1444
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 10:33 pm
Location: Boston
Languages: English (N), Danish (A2), Japanese (rusty), Nansha (constructing)
On break: Japanese (approx. N4), Norwegian (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=16797
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Contact:

Re: Xenops Dates French! (and maybe German)

Postby Xenops » Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:39 pm

Elenia wrote:I believe it was arthaey who shared the link to L'Atelier. I don't know if you saw it when she shared originally, but I think it would be of interest to you :)


Thank you. :) I'll use it when I get better at French. :D
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