Ani's 2017 Log

[MorkTheFiddle]

As a by the way, do you ever get database errors in LWT? I have abandoned my projects because a whole pile of words started saying something about there already being an entry for that word. The word stays blue no matter what I try to do with it.

I know this wasn't directed to me, but I have gotten it a couple of times. There was a specific thing that I was doing while creating cards that caused this problem, although I can't quite remember what now. Sorry, I couldn't be of more help!

Pardon the interruption, but I just stumbled on this post by accident.
To answer the OP's question, yes, I do get database errors in LWT. It can be disconcerting, but I find that if I close the text and reopen it, the error resolves itself.
A few weeks ago another error occurred, corrupting the whole database. I did a few things with the phpMyAdmin to no avail. So I attempted using LWT's mechanisms to restore the backup, but the process kept timing out. Luckily LWT is installed on my laptop, so I uploaded the backup there and then copied the data language by language over to my desktop. In retrospect, I should have tried 2 other things first: (1) reinstalling LWT on my desktop and/or (2) exporting the database from the laptop LWT and importing it to the desktop LWT. For the sake of comparison, I have 243534 total terms (words and phrases) from 6 languages. Of those 6 only 4 are currently active.
And, since I am on the subject, I once had nearly 1,000,000 terms (a programming experiment gone awry), which were more terms than the regular backup process could handle. The developer addressed this issue, but beats me where he discussed it. The old HTLAL perhaps. Anyways, unless you plan on studying a dozen or so languages, I doubt you'll ever get close to 1 million terms.

[Ani]

"Эти сумки тяжёлые (These bags are heavy), там мой друг, (There is my friend) and Моя сестра медсестра. (My sister is a nurse). Oh and Твоя мама дома? (Is your mother at home?) which would be even weirder than the others Not entirely sure those are all correct, but it seems like Glossika is working!

They are correct, but sound a bit unnatural without a context .

Thanks! Is it possible to clarify in what way they are unnatural? I am using Glossika just to add vocabulary chunks so I am not too worried but just curious. For example, would Эти сумки тяжёлые be unnatural if I were walking up the stairs with some purchases and complaining to my husband?

Pardon the interruption, but I just stumbled on this post by accident.
To answer the OP's question, yes, I do get database errors in LWT. It can be disconcerting, but I find that if I close the text and reopen it, the error resolves itself.
A few weeks ago another error occurred, corrupting the whole database. I did a few things with the phpMyAdmin to no avail. So I attempted using LWT's mechanisms to restore the backup, but the process kept timing out. Luckily LWT is installed on my laptop, so I uploaded the backup there and then copied the data language by language over to my desktop. In retrospect, I should have tried 2 other things first: (1) reinstalling LWT on my desktop and/or (2) exporting the database from the laptop LWT and importing it to the desktop LWT. For the sake of comparison, I have 243534 total terms (words and phrases) from 6 languages. Of those 6 only 4 are currently active.
And, since I am on the subject, I once had nearly 1,000,000 terms (a programming experiment gone awry), which were more terms than the regular backup process could handle. The developer addressed this issue, but beats me where he discussed it. The old HTLAL perhaps. Anyways, unless you plan on studying a dozen or so languages, I doubt you'll ever get close to 1 million terms.

It is no interruption, thanks for stopping by! Really good to know your errors resolved themselves. At one point it seemed they hadn't resolved themselves from one day to the next for me, but perhaps I needed to actually exit LWT or something because now they are fine. I'll try not to panic next time
And holy smokes 1,000,000 terms! Even 243k is really amazing. I don't know that I'd have the brain capacity to work with all that

[aaleks]

"Эти сумки тяжёлые (These bags are heavy), там мой друг, (There is my friend) and Моя сестра медсестра. (My sister is a nurse). Oh and Твоя мама дома? (Is your mother at home?) which would be even weirder than the others Not entirely sure those are all correct, but it seems like Glossika is working!

They are correct, but sound a bit unnatural without a context .

Thanks! Is it possible to clarify in what way they are unnatural? I am using Glossika just to add vocabulary chunks so I am not too worried but just curious. For example, would Эти сумки тяжёлые be unnatural if I were walking up the stairs with some purchases and complaining to my husband?

It will be quite natural. I'm afraid I've confused you . All phrases you've mentioned are OK, you may use them. By "unnatural" I meant, that I would've maybe said it differently. For example, "моя сестра медсестра" - "моя сестра работает медсестрой" or "Эти сумки тяжелые" - "Сумки тяжелые" etc. it will depend on context, but the Glossika's version is absolutely correct too.

[Ani]

It will be quite natural. I'm afraid I've confused you . All phrases you've mentioned are OK, you may use them. By "unnatural" I meant, that I would've maybe said it differently. For example, "моя сестра медсестра" - "моя сестра работает медсестрой" or "Эти сумки тяжелые" - "Сумки тяжелые" etc. it will depend on context, but the Glossika's version is absolutely correct too.

Oh don't worry about confusing me. You couldn't make it any worse lol. I appreciate your answer. I hesitated to ask because my level is so low I wasn't sure I'd be able to understand. (But I do!) The French sentence in Glossika is often kind of awkward so I assume the Russsian is similarly or more frequently weird but I have no way of knowing *in what way* it is weird. For example, one sentence asks " Is your mother at home" and the next says " No she is outside". I typically consider myself home if I am just outside but I suppose there could be a context in which you'd say that. It just isn't the normal one. Anyway thank you

[blaurebell]

" Is your mother at home" and the next says " No she is outside". I typically consider myself home if I am just outside but I suppose there could be a context in which you'd say that. It just isn't the normal one.

I think living in an apartment building is relatively normal too and there the "outside" makes total sense to me. I grew up in a typical Soviet apartment block in East Germany and you'd sometimes hang out with folks in the stairway between buildings. The block had several entrances and one building had about 40 flats. So one block could easily have 120 or even 200 flats if the terrain allowed it. The buildings were connected by a corridor on the 9th floor and not even the staircase of the same building was considered home, that ended at the apartment door. Trick or treating was great that way, I'd always try to get into the block across the street with 5 entrances and then I had 200 flats I could try without getting cold at all A lot of people still live in the blocks in the East by the way. Different types, 6 storey ones without an elevator, 11 storey ones with an elevator and the oldest blocks actually date from the 1920s from the first housing projects. These ones are actually great if they aren't falling apart, often the architecture is very futuristic and for lack of materials it wasn't even concrete, just brick made to look like concrete. Sadly most of them are pretty run down now, a real shame.

[Ani]

" Is your mother at home" and the next says " No she is outside". I typically consider myself home if I am just outside but I suppose there could be a context in which you'd say that. It just isn't the normal one.

I think living in an apartment building is relatively normal too and there the "outside" makes total sense to me. I grew up in a typical Soviet apartment block in East Germany and you'd sometimes hang out with folks in the stairway between buildings. The block had several entrances and one building had about 40 flats. So one block could easily have 120 or even 200 flats if the terrain allowed it. The buildings were connected by a corridor on the 9th floor and not even the staircase of the same building was considered home, that ended at the apartment door. Trick or treating was great that way, I'd always try to get into the block across the street with 5 entrances and then I had 200 flats I could try without getting cold at all A lot of people still live in the blocks in the East by the way. Different types, 6 storey ones without an elevator, 11 storey ones with an elevator and the oldest blocks actually date from the 1920s from the first housing projects. These ones are actually great if they aren't falling apart, often the architecture is very futuristic and for lack of materials it wasn't even concrete, just brick made to look like concrete. Sadly most of them are pretty run down now, a real shame.

That is true. I wasn't thinking about apartment buildings. I had to look up the type of structure you are talking about but they look really neat. Not too different from what we had in Jersey City for a number of years, but I bet they had some interesting features.

Now of course this is getting into 3 languages/2 translations so I have no idea what the Russian actually implies and I am not a native speaker of French. The phrase is à l'extérieur and the Russian says: Нет, она́ ушла́. English translation was my own. Where I live now, "outside" has a different meaning. It means you've left the state . So a conversation might go more like this: "Is your mother at home? -- No she's traveling Outside" or you might say "I'm going Outside for a week. I'm going to a convention to Seattle and I've got 2 extra suitcases nested inside my bag so I can stop at Ikea before I come back!":lol: Gardens grow and kids play outdoors, never outside.

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I had a funny experience the other day. My 2 year old corrected my French! We were talking about the rain and I slipped and said "Il pleure" and he instantly had this horrified expression and said "No momma, pleut it not cryin', it rainin'. I was super proud of him
Actually, it is not the first time he's corrected me, but the first time he was correct. He and I have an ongoing debate about cheveux/chevaux. He doesn't believe me that cheveux and chevaux are different words. Our neighbor has horses and if we happen to see more than one at a time.. yikes. His bilingual corrections are wildly emphatic and super adorable. "Des cheval(s), mama, neighneighs, cheval. Pas cheveux mama. Not hair! Neighneighs"

[MamaPata]

Now of course this is getting into 3 languages/2 translations so I have no idea what the Russian actually implies and I am not a native speaker of French. The phrase is à l'extérieur and the Russian says: Нет, она́ ушла́. English translation was my own. Where I live now, "outside" has a different meaning. It means you've left the state . So a conversation might go more like this: "Is your mother at home? -- No she's traveling Outside" or you might say "I'm going Outside for a week. I'm going to a convention to Seattle and I've got 2 extra suitcases nested inside my bag so I can stop at Ikea before I come back!":lol: Gardens grow and kids play outdoors, never outside.

I would say that the Russian would better be translated as 'No, she's gone out' which would make sense to me in English. (Maybe 'elle est sortie' in French?) Ушла is the past tense form of the verb.

I'm reallu intrigued by how you'd use outside - I've never heard of that before. (I guess as the UK is so small we don't need an outside. ) I would associate the word outdoors with a much more general or large scale meanings. 'She loves the great outdoors' or stuff like that. 'The kids are playing outdoors' doesn't sound weird or wrong, but I'd definitely say 'the kids are playing outside' (or I'd specify where, there aren't that many places outside they could be playing!). Languages are fun!

[Ani]

I would say that the Russian would better be translated as 'No, she's gone out' which would make sense to me in English. (Maybe 'elle est sortie' in French?) Ушла is the past tense form of the verb.

I'm reallu intrigued by how you'd use outside - I've never heard of that before. (I guess as the UK is so small we don't need an outside. ) I would associate the word outdoors with a much more general or large scale meanings. 'She loves the great outdoors' or stuff like that. 'The kids are playing outdoors' doesn't sound weird or wrong, but I'd definitely say 'the kids are playing outside' (or I'd specify where, there aren't that many places outside they could be playing!). Languages are fun!

Thank you! So maybe the weirdness is hiding only in the French, which may have been a bit more literal than necessary from the starting language (assuming English?).
That word quirk of Outside is kinda neat. It is specifically Alaskan. The rest of the US most likely wouldn't know that usage, and would equally or more frequently use outside. As I was writing it though I wondered if other insular or island cultures had similar expressions? I would think so. I'd be curious to hear about that.



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In other musings for today, I finished week 1 of the 21 week intensive schedule for Glossika FR - RU. That is 90 minutes a day or about 6 fifteen minute tapes. It took me 9 days as I had to split a couple days in half. I might do another week at 90 mins a day and then drop back to 45 mins. This particular schedule is the only one that gets you over 90k reps, and is the recommended schedule for a second or third language that is different from any languages you know. I figure I should try and stick as closely to the recommendations as possible to see if I feel it works.
This plan covers 100-150 new sentences a day so right now I have the good ol' "drinking from a firehose" feeling and I can't really evaluate what progress, if any, I have made. The program does recommend you work intensively at the sentences both with writing and transcribing, but I didn't have any extra time this week to do that. From now on there are only 5 tapes a day instead of 6 (although some are longer than 15 minutes) so theoretically I might have time within the projected 90mins to do the intensive work.

And for my darling French. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. It's only been a couple weeks ( maybe?) that I've been neglecting it, and I've actually managed a decent amount just by habit or love. I started reading the grammar book that smallwhite recommended and I'm really enjoying it at just a few pages a day. I did write out some of the more interesting phrases. I think using an English based grammar again may give me some improvement in accuracy. I haven't used anything like this in over a year. It is very helpful to read the technical details behind a rule I internalized unconsciously. In think it is going to give me more confidence in my writing.
I also picked up the unabridged audio book of L'origine des espèces. The narrator actually has a great voice and I'm really enjoying it.

[Ani]

I have a cold And so I have been trying to avoid posting so I don't sound whiny but.. Oh I give up.

The virus must be mysteriously infecting the left hemisphere of my brain. I feel too sick to study but since I am not actually sick enough to lay in bed, I have been painting.
I took my daughter on her fist ever trip to Michael's this weekend. If you're not familiar, it is a huge craft store that sells everything from fine arts supplies and framing, to fake flowers, beads and scrap booking materials. We got some canvases and in particular some mini-canvases that are 4" square. I've been making tiny still lifes with them..

2017-06-28 18.50.56.jpg

Like this I'm not much of an artist but this is super fun and makes me want to actually practice drawing again.

Anyway, I am kind of bummed to be losing study days to illness but that's just how it is. I did watch some след as recommended by aaleks and some kaamelott. Doubt I'll get much done in the next day or two either but then it's back to the books.

[Ani]

I hope you're feeling better soon. Having your studying derailed that way is so frustrating! But it's probably better than pushing too hard through it. Rest days are good. Maybe you'll experience a bit of a boost after the time away

And good job on that canvas! You say you're not much of an artist, but that looks so good!

Thanks! All better now. And I appreciate the compliment on the painting but I really just watch tutorials on youtube and paint from those. Lots of fun and low frustration!

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So today starts the C1/C2 study group challenge. I am really not sure exactly WHAT starts today since I have studied or used French for listening/reading every day for at least the last to years. But now it is with more force. Maybe Anyway I am refocusing a little and being sure that what I do actually sends me in the right direction. I really do want to be ready to take a C2 exam November of next year, 16 months from now. Not sure if I'll actually have the opportunity but I'll study for it anyway as if I will.

Also, homeschooling allotments come available today (i.e. purchases today or later date will be reimbursed for the 2017/2018 school year) which is super duper exciting. Most of that is not language related so I shant detail that for you here. I DID however buy DS's Greek courses. I bought him the Greek 123 Conversational 1 and the Level 2. This is the continuation of what he's currently using. He is still really excited about Greek so I am exciting for his new material to arrive.

And carrying on the art theme, I learned the French word un croquis today as in "Croquis du payesage" -- a landscape sketch. I might try and find some interesting things on art - books, podcasts or websites -- and try and fill in some vocabulary there.