Prohairesis' Log : C2 German by 2019

[Prohairesis]

Hello ! I've had a good look at a couple of language logs in this forum and am very much impressed by the stamina, the consistent effort and the passion that shine throughout the different month-, and sometimes, year-long endeavours. Today I've decided to start a log of my own, in which I shall document my attempted leap from the B2 to C1 level in German, culminating in the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 exam I will be sitting on June 20th.

As you may have now realized, the exam is only less than a month away. Unlike many of the logs here in this forum which document the progressive acquisition of foreign languages and improved mastery, my log will only document how I aim (theoretically) to become more familiar with the demands of the C1-Prüfung in consulting training material for the exam, as well as other miscellaneous material and literature which may help me achieve optimal scores relative to my current grasp of German. In the spirit of the undertaking, my logs will mainly be in German.

On that note, I've been formally learning German since 2013. I have taken classes from A1 through to B2 at various Goethe-Instituts, including Bangkok, Munich, Freiburg and Berlin. In these four years my commitment to the language has been sporadic at best. That, however, has not prevented me from passing the B1 and B2 exam with relatively good success. Only in the last six months or so have I had more time to focus on German, and I am hoping to pass the C1 since I may need the certificate to apply for an internship or a position in Germany in 2018.

It is quite clear that I am an amateur at best compared to the many experienced language learners in this forum. So I am definitely counting on your feedback (as I gradually post my daily reports) and your advice.

Und jetzt geht's los !

[PeterMollenburg]

Good luck Prohairesis,

Can I ask how you've managed to attain C2 level French? Have you sat the DALF C2? If so, you'd have a good idea of what's required at C2. Have you ever lived in (a) francophone environment(s)? Sorry I know it's all about German here, so it would be understood if you'd prefer to leave French out of the discussion. Nevertheless I sincerely hope you reach your German goal!

[Prohairesis]

Good luck Prohairesis,

Can I ask how you've managed to attain C2 level French? Have you sat the DALF C2? If so, you'd have a good idea of what's required at C2. Have you ever lived in (a) francophone environment(s)? Sorry I know it's all about German here, so it would be understood if you'd prefer to leave French out of the discussion. Nevertheless I sincerely hope you reach your German goal!

Hello PeterMollenburg,

Yes, I sat the DALF C2 back in 2015. This was right after I had graduated from a three-year degree programme in French literature and civilisation in Paris, and even then I found the exam to be somewhat of a mental challenge.

I believe the DALF C2 to encompass everything a C1-level student can do, but with the academic vocabulary and skill set to boot. The real difficultly for me was to summarize the 15-minute audio clip and talk about 10 minutes. Aside from the fact that the actual clip in the exam was about the importance of language in a professional/business setting (for which I really didn't have much to say for the point de vue argumentée segment of the presentation), the fact that I didn't have anything tangible in front of me had me worrying about having to note down everything important.

This is where the C2 differs from the C1. On the one hand, for the production orale at niveau C1, you have two or three documents in front of you that you can refer to and look back as much as you want. On the other hand, the passive and productive skills in the DALF C2 are combined, meaning that there are only two parts instead of four : the compréhension et production orales et écrites (out of 50 points each). To take the compréhension et production orales as an example, if you miss an important point from the audio clip, that could affect the overall cohesion of your oral presentation and also affect the score you receive for the production orale. The same goes for the written parts. If, on the other hand, you either ace the listening/reading or the writing/speaking part, that could really boost up the other half of your total score. So I would say with the DALF C2, you either don't reach the minimum 50 points required, or you just do really well.

Most people do better in the listening & speaking portion of the exam, and I was really surprised to attain higher scores for this part (but only by 3 points). I was actually quite surprised to learn that many people who sit the DALF C2 prepare many months (or even up to a year) in advance. In my case, I needed about two weeks of solid self studying, and I won't sugarcoat it - it really was an intense two weeks, but also definitely worth it !

Definitely feel free to come to me with questions about the exam if you have any more. I'd be happy to answer them !

[PeterMollenburg]

Thank you kindly Prohairesis, for your replies above. That certainly answered my queries

[blaurebell]

Yes, I sat the DALF C2 back in 2015. This was right after I had graduated from a three-year degree programme in French literature and civilisation in Paris, and even then I found the exam to be somewhat of a mental challenge.

Do you mind sharing the name of the degree program and what the syllabus was like? I use university syllabi for making up my own study program for C1-C2 study with tutors so some more information about the program would be really helpful for me! Also, may I ask why you did a C2 test if you got a local bachelor degree? Just to see whether you could? No English employer or funding body has ever asked me for a language certificate because I have a masters degree from an English university.

Sorry, again a French question rather than anything related to German I'm sure you'll do really well in your C1 test though, since you seem to know exactly what is required!

[Prohairesis]

Do you mind sharing the name of the degree program and what the syllabus was like? I use university syllabi for making up my own study program for C1-C2 study with tutors so some more information about the program would be really helpful for me! Also, may I ask why you did a C2 test if you got a local bachelor degree? Just to see whether you could? No English employer or funding body has ever asked me for a language certificate because I have a masters degree from an English university.

Sorry, again a French question rather than anything related to German I'm sure you'll do really well in your C1 test though, since you seem to know exactly what is required!

That's quite alright, don't worry about it

Sure, I did a BA in French Studies programme at the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP for short). It is the one of only a handful British universities outside the UK. Many of the classes I took there were in French, although quite understandably the translation modules were both in French and English. I also took some classes in English. It became apparent to me that I needed the DALF C2 after I had graduated, because as much as I wanted to believe myself to be bilingual, without a degree from a French university, I at least needed a French-government administered certificate which at least says that I already know their language quite well for future employers. That proved to be very useful when I eventually applied for a master's at Sciences Po Paris.

So no, I wouldn't say I took the DALF C2 just to see if I could, although without any immediate need for the C1-Zertifikat at least until after I graduate from my master's, I may indeed be in over my head with German...

As for the link to my syllabus programme, you'll find it below, under the "Degree structure" tab :

https://ulip.london.ac.uk/degree-progra ... ch-studies

[Cavesa]

Hi,

welcome to the forum!

I am looking forward to reading of your exam preparation, even though I hope to sit the B2 in November or December.

But we did DALF C2 in the same year, what a coincidence. And it is curious how the views of individual participants differ, I have already heard a few. I found the audio summarization pretty easy, but it was partially due to the subject. In the science variant, there was a presentation of a conference about the natural disaster. The point of the conference was "yeah, it is an issue, but don't panic, it doesn't help and isn't necessary", which was fun. The writing part was difficult for me.

So, let's see how the German exam goes. Good luck!

[blaurebell]

It became apparent to me that I needed the DALF C2 after I had graduated, because as much as I wanted to believe myself to be bilingual, without a degree from a French university, I at least needed a French-government administered certificate which at least says that I already know their language quite well for future employers. That proved to be very useful when I eventually applied for a master's at Sciences Po Paris.

Ah, I didn't knew that a program like that even existed, I thought your degree was from a French university. So, makes total sense! Thanks for the link!

[zenmonkey]

Good luck on the GZ - C1!

I'll quietly follow your log, I'm planning on taking the C1 in 6 to 12 months.

[aokoye]

Viel Glück! I'll be following your thread with interest. I'm taking a different test (TestDaF) but I'm sure reading about your experiences will be useful.