Prohairesis' Log : C2 German by 2019

Continue or start your personal language log here, including logs for challenge participants
User avatar
aokoye
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1818
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:14 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Languages: English (N), German (~C1), French (Intermediate), Japanese (N4), Swedish (beginner), Dutch (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19262
x 3309
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Sitting the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in June

Postby aokoye » Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:19 pm

Prohairesis wrote:I passed the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 !!

Awesome! Congratulations!!
1 x
Prefered gender pronouns: Masculine

User avatar
aokoye
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1818
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:14 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Languages: English (N), German (~C1), French (Intermediate), Japanese (N4), Swedish (beginner), Dutch (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19262
x 3309
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Sitting the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in June

Postby aokoye » Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:23 pm

Systematiker wrote:If anyone is still curious, I happen to know that the TestDaF has the participants record their oral part so that there's less subjective impression on the part of the graders based on what an individual looks like (there's a subtext there accusing the Goethe Zentrum, or at least some of its examiners, of minor racism within Germany).

Hm, that's a very good reason to to the spoken bit that way (similar to the idea of auditioning behind a curtain which has yielded more diverse orchestras). I still hate the lack of actual dialogue in the TestDaF spoken section, but it hadn't occurred to me reducing bias was the reason.
1 x
Prefered gender pronouns: Masculine

User avatar
Prohairesis
White Belt
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:29 pm
Languages: Thai (N), English (N), French (C2), German (C1)
x 98
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Sitting the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in June

Postby Prohairesis » Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:23 am

Thank you, everyone, for the hearty congratulations ! My breakdown scores are as follows :

Hören : 19.50 / 25
Lesen : 12 / 25
Schreiben : 16 / 25
Sprechen : 18 / 25

Total score : 65.50 / 100
Note : Ausreichend


Now, of course, this isn't a good score by any means, but I am quite content with the score given the situation I had created for myself. First of all, I had less than three weeks to prepare for the exam, and had never set foot in a C1 class. I was actually surprised by the reasonably good score I received for the speaking part, as I was under the impression that I had completely bombed it !

My goal between now and the end of the year is to keep up with reading and listening in German, and possibly speaking it. I'm going back to Paris in the Fall to resume my Master's and will be taking a C1 German class for the mandatory language module. I'm also hoping to be in Germany every now and then, as it's right next door, and this should bring back the gute Stimmung I so long for !

With my sincere thanks, again, to all those who have been a source of constant support throughout the process.

Und jetzt geht es weiter vorne los !
5 x

User avatar
schlaraffenland
Orange Belt
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2016 11:50 pm
Location: West Side
Languages: English (N), German (C2)
Actively studying: French (C1), Japanese (~N5)
My old flames: Latin, Ancient Greek (Koine, Attic, Homeric)
On ice for now: Spanish, Korean, Turkish, Norwegian
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5831
x 287

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Sitting the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in June

Postby schlaraffenland » Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:50 am

Prohairesis wrote:I passed the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 !!


This is a great achievement, and I'm really proud of you! You'll be heading back to Paris with a nice feather in your cap that you probably hadn't even expected six months ago. May the second half of 2017 bring many more lovely things!
1 x
: 120 / 150 Expressions françaises (120/150)

User avatar
Prohairesis
White Belt
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:29 pm
Languages: Thai (N), English (N), French (C2), German (C1)
x 98
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Sitting the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in June

Postby Prohairesis » Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:58 am

schlaraffenland wrote:
Prohairesis wrote:I passed the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 !!


This is a great achievement, and I'm really proud of you! You'll be heading back to Paris with a nice feather in your cap that you probably hadn't even expected six months ago. May the second half of 2017 bring many more lovely things!


Thank you !! I hope the Zertifikat will help play a part in my obtaining an internship in Germany, as part of my Master's programme. Thank you again for your great support throughout my journey to C1.
0 x

User avatar
zenmonkey
Black Belt - 2nd Dan
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 7:21 pm
Location: California, Germany and France
Languages: Spanish, English, French trilingual - German (B2/C1) on/off study: Persian, Hebrew, Tibetan, Setswana.
Some knowledge of Italian, Portuguese, Ladino, Yiddish ...
Want to tackle Tzotzil, Nahuatl
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=859
x 7030
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Sitting the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in June

Postby zenmonkey » Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:32 pm

Fantastic job! Good luck on the Masters!
1 x
I am a leaf on the wind, watch how I soar

User avatar
Prohairesis
White Belt
Posts: 35
Joined: Fri May 05, 2017 2:29 pm
Languages: Thai (N), English (N), French (C2), German (C1)
x 98
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Closing the Gap between C1 and C2 in German

Postby Prohairesis » Mon Jun 26, 2017 9:55 pm

I have just received confirmation from my uni in Paris that I have been granted a seat to study German at C1 level. Foreign languages are part of a mandatory module, and I get to pick from over 17 languages even though the school's Hauptfach is actually political science. Aside from the fact that there are rarely ever language classes at C2 level, except for English and French (for French and international students respectively), I am also quite happy to be reviewing the level and. 'taking my time' after such an intensive study period for the Goethe-Zertifikat C1.

Having obtained the Goethe Zertifikat C1, my goal till the end of 2017 is to review and consolidate the C1 level. I realize that this will be a fair more gradual process and will demand consistent effort on my part, as 1) I will be studying German within the cadre of an antiquated French Grande École system (even though the school is quite proud of the fact that their language center is ALTE-approved) and 2) I will be having only 2 hours of classes per week next to a full course load.

Now, I remember having told schlaraffenland that my aim was to sit the G-Z C2 Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom before the end of 2017, and that definitely could have been possibly were I planning to book courses at the Goethe-Institut in Germany from now till the end of the year, but I have to be done with my Master's first. Hopefully, my mandatory 6-month internship in July 2018 will lead me to Germany and allow me to perfect my German at the same time.

Till then, I will be investing a lot more time on reading non-fiction and novels in German, as well as listening to the German radio and television programmes. At the C1/C2 level, not only the language has to contain only very few errors, but a substantial cultural baggage is needed to pass the C2. For that, I am currently reading a cute, little yellow book from the Reclam Universal Bibliothek-Verlag on Quantentheorie und Philosophie by the famous German physicist Werner Heisenberg. For what it's worth, the book is surprisingly very easy to understand given the extremely complex concepts related to Quantum Theory - but I am starting to digress. I doubt the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 will require me to write an Aufsatz or to discuss about Schrödinger's cat or anything like that, but the point is that I am learning and reading books in a language that offers a wealth of scientific knowledge - and that feels like a great reward.

After all that has been said, I am now officially on the road to C2.
9 x

User avatar
aokoye
Black Belt - 1st Dan
Posts: 1818
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 6:14 pm
Location: Portland, OR
Languages: English (N), German (~C1), French (Intermediate), Japanese (N4), Swedish (beginner), Dutch (A2)
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... 15&t=19262
x 3309
Contact:

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Closing the Gap between C1 and C2 in German

Postby aokoye » Tue Jun 27, 2017 2:54 am

Prohairesis wrote:Now, I remember having told schlaraffenland that my aim was to sit the G-Z C2 Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom before the end of 2017, and that definitely could have been possibly were I planning to book courses at the Goethe-Institut in Germany from now till the end of the year, but I have to be done with my Master's first. Hopefully, my mandatory 6-month internship in July 2018 will lead me to Germany and allow me to perfect my German at the same time.

Till then, I will be investing a lot more time on reading non-fiction and novels in German, as well as listening to the German radio and television programmes. At the C1/C2 level, not only the language has to contain only very few errors, but a substantial cultural baggage is needed to pass the C2. For that, I am currently reading a cute, little yellow book from the Reclam Universal Bibliothek-Verlag on Quantentheorie und Philosophie by the famous German physicist Werner Heisenberg. For what it's worth, the book is surprisingly very easy to understand given the extremely complex concepts related to Quantum Theory - but I am starting to digress. I doubt the Goethe-Zertifikat C2 will require me to write an Aufsatz or to discuss about Schrödinger's cat or anything like that, but the point is that I am learning and reading books in a language that offers a wealth of scientific knowledge - and that feels like a great reward.

After all that has been said, I am now officially on the road to C2.

This sounds like a very good plan and your media consumption sounds similar to my general plan after the summer. Non-fiction, German radio, and TV shows. This summer is also going to be, "let's read at least a few German articles on bilingualism." I think taking the time to really consolidate and review what you learned preparing for the C1 test is a good idea. That'll likely give you a broader base to prepare for the C2 test from. Congrats again on passing the Goethe C1 Prüfung!
1 x
Prefered gender pronouns: Masculine

User avatar
blaurebell
Blue Belt
Posts: 840
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2016 1:24 pm
Location: Spain
Languages: German (N), English (C2), Spanish (B2-C1), French (B2+ passive), Italian (A2), Russian (Beginner)
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3235
x 2240

Re: Prohairesis' Log : C2 German by 2019

Postby blaurebell » Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:02 am

Wow, well done! You really had a tight schedule there, so that's quite an amazing achievement! Quantum Theory, eh? If you like reading that kind of thing, I can give you a recommendation for one of my favourite novels of all time: Thomas Mann - Der Zauberberg. It's full of really diverse ideas in all sorts of fields, lots of dialogue, strange characters and lots of philosophical ideas. Also it's a huge book of 1000 pages, all wonderfully written in not too easy German. In general literature from that period tends to be very good and the language is beautifully elaborate. When I read letters by writers of that generation I always feel like a bit of a trained monkey. Even their non-literary production was so beautiful! Stefan Zweig probably writes the most beautiful letters of them all.
2 x
: 20 / 100 Дэвид Эддингс - В поисках камня
: 14325 / 35000 LWT Known

: 17 / 55 FSI Spanish Basic
: 100 / 116 GdUdE B
: 8 / 72 Duolingo reverse Spanish -> German

User avatar
schlaraffenland
Orange Belt
Posts: 130
Joined: Sat Aug 13, 2016 11:50 pm
Location: West Side
Languages: English (N), German (C2)
Actively studying: French (C1), Japanese (~N5)
My old flames: Latin, Ancient Greek (Koine, Attic, Homeric)
On ice for now: Spanish, Korean, Turkish, Norwegian
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5831
x 287

Re: Prohairesis' Log : Closing the Gap between C1 and C2 in German

Postby schlaraffenland » Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:09 am

Prohairesis wrote:After all that has been said, I am now officially on the road to C2.


Woohoo! Excelsior.
1 x
: 120 / 150 Expressions françaises (120/150)


Return to “Language logs”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests