Il viaggio di Shandra

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shandra
Orange Belt
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [ENG, FR]

Postby shandra » Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:47 pm

Just a few notes about new course on Coursera:

French
Espace mondial, une vision française des global studies
Le Bien, le Juste, l'Utile. Introduction aux éthiques philosophiques
Étudier en France : cours de français intermédiaire B1-B2

The language course can be interesting, the other two seems useful, but not too funny to follow :roll:

English
Teach English Now! Second Language Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation
Learn English: Intermediate Grammar Specialization
English for Effective Business Speaking
Business English for Cross-cultural Communication
Teaching Tips for Tricky English Grammar

As always, the real problem is to have too many sources.

I have TV series, novels, lectures, language courses, radio, grammar books, and only 24 hours in a day :?

Well, I don't have deadlines, so I'll try to take it easy :)
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jeffers
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Location: UK
Languages: Speaks: English (N), Hindi (A2-B1)

Learning: The above, plus French (A2-B1), German (A1), Ancient Greek (?), Sanskrit (beginner)
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [ENG, FR]

Postby jeffers » Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:54 pm

shandra wrote:Just a few notes about new course on Coursera:

French
Espace mondial, une vision française des global studies
Le Bien, le Juste, l'Utile. Introduction aux éthiques philosophiques
Étudier en France : cours de français intermédiaire B1-B2

The language course can be interesting, the other two seems useful, but not too funny to follow :roll:



I've taken a few moocs, some have been very good and some have been dreadful. Have you ever taken a mooc teaching a language? The intermediate French course looks interesting, but I'm not quite at B1. I'm tempted to sign up just to see how over my head it is.
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Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien (roughly, the perfect is the enemy of the good)

French SC Books: 0 / 5000 (0/5000 pp)
French SC Films: 0 / 9000 (0/9000 mins)

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shandra
Orange Belt
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [ENG, FR]

Postby shandra » Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:50 pm

jeffers wrote:I've taken a few moocs, some have been very good and some have been dreadful.
You're right :cry:
Maybe one of the main skills for a (self) learner is to be able to understand what is useful and what is a total waste of time :o
When I was young I used to finish all the books or movies I started, also the boring ones, now I can stop reading or watching (although with difficulty :roll: ) if they don't worth my efforts.

I've just finished the MOOC Teach English Now! Second Language Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation (3 hours of videos).
It gave me tips and suggested aspects to consider from the point of view of a teacher AND a learner, but for me those lectures are almost always a win, because English is not my native language and they are an opportuny to practice listening (way easier compared to not academical contents: teachers speak so slowly!)

Today Duolingo - French becomes harder because I've started lessons about the Past :(
The problem is not passé composé, the problem is translating sentences to English and not my language, I still make annoying mistakes :roll:
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shandra
Orange Belt
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [EN, FR]

Postby shandra » Tue Mar 28, 2017 4:00 pm

A linguistic mission involves also to immerse oneself in the culture of a given country.

This blabla is to say this afternoon I ate some French butter cookies called sablés :oops:
I bought them only because they are (was) made in France and the list of ingredients was really short (it normally means quality).

So I had my tea and ate while reading about la Meré Poulard de Mont Saint Michel, famous for her omelette (and cookies and more).

Maybe after all this, it's time for Duolingo or a bit (bite) of grammar... or for more cooking videos :oops:
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shandra
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Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [ENG, FR]

Postby shandra » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:24 pm

Today Duolingo, Level 10 (or 47% of the French tree).

Last weekend I begun Memrise A1 French.
It seems more useful than Duolingo because I have to answer in French, and not in English almost all the time :roll:
I joined the Vocabulary Challenge, so I need to learn 50 entries a day in order to finish the deck by the end of the month :o

This evening I walked in the park listening to Assimil's tracks in random order.

I tested my level of French via RFI - Radio France Internationale’s website
According to it I am at B1, but surely not yet B2 (dramatic lack of grammar).

What if I study for an intermidiate exam? Dunno... :?
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shandra
Orange Belt
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [ENG, FR]

Postby shandra » Mon Apr 03, 2017 9:27 pm

Today Duolingo, Level 10 (or 47% of the French tree).

Last weekend I begun Memrise A1 French.
It seems more useful than Duolingo because I have to answer in French, and not in English almost all the time :roll:
I joined the Vocabulary Challenge, so I need to learn 50 entries a day in order to finish the deck by the end of the month :o

This evening I walked in the park listening to Assimil's tracks in random order.

I tested my level of French via RFI - Radio France Internationale’s website
According to it I am at B1, but surely not yet B2 (dramatic lack of grammar).

I need time to try all Dialang sections. The reading comprehension was really good, but I know I am débutant in writing and listening :oops:

What if I study for an intermediate exam? Dunno... :?
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shandra
Orange Belt
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [FR]

Postby shandra » Fri Apr 07, 2017 1:42 pm

I've just finished the anime The Seven Deadly Sins on Netflix, dubbed in French.

I've had no problems in following the plot (it was really predictable because it is a shonen), but I admit that I've understood no more than a fraction of what's been said. I didn't use subs because they don't match to dubs.

At the moment it's​ easier for me to listen to a radio show than to watch a TV serie, but I want to go on (and radio tends to be boring, I find too often talks about politics or actuality, I prefer something that entertain me in a soft way).

I can recommend 7DS because it has a season finale although the manga it's still going on. Fan service is not disturbing and it has funny moments. It is for (very) young (male) adults, so don't expect philosophical moments (nor the lecture about how important Friendship is, yeah!). While they beat each others up, the plot goes on.
[Available in Japanese, English, Italian, French]

Vocabulary challenge: so far I'm following my schedule with Memrise's A1 French.

Duolingo: boring, but I want to finish that tree! I'm doing the minimum (two modules a day, I mean 20 points) because I'm concentrating on Memrise.

FSI Phonetic Course: Still on lesson 6. I want to try Phonetique Progressive Débutant.

CLE Vocabulaire Progressive: I read first lessons and did exercises (only orally), but I've not studied expressions yet.

CLE Grammaire Progressive: maybe it is time to open it, isn't it?

La Pyramide Rouge: 128 pages to go. My library has only volume 1 (of 3).

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Elenia
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Location: London
Languages: English (N), Swedish (C1), French (Massively Atrophied) German (lowly beginner, somehow learnt to read)


Finnish?!
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [FR]

Postby Elenia » Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:51 pm

shandra wrote:I've had no problems in following the plot (it was really predictable because it is a shonen), but I admit that I've understood no more than a fraction of what's been said. I didn't use subs because they don't match to dubs.


I've actually found that subs which don't match the audio can be useful in their own way. For me, they make me focus on what is actually being said, and the difference between what is written and what is said. It might only be useful at certain stages though - not that I pretend to know which!
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shandra
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Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [FR]

Postby shandra » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:52 pm

Elenia wrote:I've actually found that subs which don't match the audio can be useful in their own way. For me, they make me focus on what is actually being said, and the difference between what is written and what is said. It might only be useful at certain stages though - not that I pretend to know which!
Thanks​ Elenia for the suggestion.
I've watched the fist season of Kuromukuro (12 episodes, just begun the second) with French subs and audio. Although sometimes i read instead of listen (the dark side of subs) it wasn't so disturbing as I feared.
I'm understanding more, but I don't know if it depends on me, subs, or on the plot (contemporary setting + big mechas fighting).

I'm a little overwhelmed with the Vocabulary Challenge.
Today I've reached 890 / 1657 with a pace of 55 entries a day (Memrise deck).

I learn via web and revise with the app.
I need one hour to reach my daily goal (typos slow me down).
I revise while commuting. I have 150 to 200 revision a day, so I use Memrise via app because it is way faster (and easier, I admit).
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shandra
Orange Belt
Posts: 133
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 11:35 pm
Location: Italy
Languages: Italian (N), English (B1), Spanish (SIELE: Reading B2, Listening C1), French (A2), Chinese (HSK1), Japanese (JLPT N5) Frozen: Danish, Forgotten: Romanian
Language Log: http://bit.ly/2C2Du5z
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Re: Il viaggio di Shandra [JLPT N5?]

Postby shandra » Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:55 pm

Watching anime made me listen again to the opening/ending songs I have in my playlist.

As you can imagine, the desire to study Japanese knock on my door (again).

When I desire, I go (waaaaaay) beyond, so my thoughts went to JLPT N5.
In my country we have the exam once a year, the first Sunday of December (no July session).

This means six months to study for the 2017 session, but I don't know if it can be a realistic goal.

I know kana and some kanji/vocabulary.

Unofficial lists say one needs around 750 words and 80 kanji, plus grammar.

A friend told me she prepared N5 with Minna no nihongo and mock exams.
The book is in my bookshelf waiting for me, with the Italian version, the workbook, the kanji book, plus Basic Kanji vol.1.

I'm pondering about JLPT because I have to decide now or the time for studying will be not enough (so see ya next year).

I am aware that only a couple of posts above I wandered about the French exam. :oops:

I want to evaluate a concrete study plan for Japanese and understand if I can follow it until the end of the year.

With a real plan, if tired, I can occasionally switch to French, English, or whatever for a short break, without feeling guilty and with the instant gratification that Intermediate passive skills make possible.

...Please tell me what I want, what I really really want...

I tend to change plans day by day, but I know that switching from a language to another makes my study less effective (although I focus on a language a time) :?
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