Languid Language Learning

[MamaPata]

I'm just gonna be sitting here humming South Pacific songs now...



Replace 'man' with 'French'?

[Elenia]

I'm just gonna be sitting here humming South Pacific songs now...



Replace 'man' with 'French'?

I don't get it... what is this 'French' of which you speak?

(Actually, I spoke some French with an atrociously bad accent last week, just because I could...)

[Ani]

(I've been at it for about six hours and I still haven't even gotten near water yet. The sorrows of my life).

Wait this is related to hair washing or making lists? I was going to come share the lament the time required to wash curly hair but that's on a whole different level. Mine takes me about 30 minutes before the wash and 40ish after plus drying time (5+ hours by air, less if I diffuse) and I thought that was long...

[Elenia]

(I've been at it for about six hours and I still haven't even gotten near water yet. The sorrows of my life).

Wait this is related to hair washing or making lists? I was going to come share the lament the time required to wash curly hair but that's on a whole different level. Mine takes me about 30 minutes before the wash and 40ish after plus drying time (5+ hours by air, less if I diffuse) and I thought that was long...

It was the hair washing. Or, more accurately, it was the pre-wash stage of undoing plaits and finger detangling all of the hairs, which had as usual decided to indulge in some kind of free for all hair orgy. All in all, undoing, untangling, washing and then styling (into corkscrews which were hell to sleep in) took ten hours. I let it dry all of sunday and took it out this morning. Within about three hours it had already started tangling again. On the plus side, I look like the eighties. No, seriously, 'curly perm' is the look I was aiming for.

[I haven't done any language study].

[Ani]

Oh I love it! That sounds amazing. I love long curly hair of all kinds and I have wild hair envy of Stéfi Velma on Call My Agent (hey there's a way to revive your French!). You have some serious dedication, as I tell my daughter "it's the price of beauty, honey!”

[Elenia]

It's been a while.

I've felt absolutely snowed under with work and school, and still don't feel entirely as though things have let up - although they certainly have. I've not even had enough time to miss language study.

This month hasn't been a complete black hole, however. I've spoken Swedish most days at work, as always, and have also done some reading in French for class. And I'm more irritated than ever by my gaps and holes, by not feeling fluent. I get lots of compliments, and can do everything I need to and then some, but I still get frustrated by my speaking, and by the fact that, for the most part, I'm not improving. I'm still wondering what to do about that.

I also am rearing to get started with Portuguese, but I think it can wait a week or two more.

It's too soon to say I'm back, but

I'm back.

[Elenia]

So seeing as I'm back and all...

I tried the vocabulary test linked to in Xmmm's log for Swedish. I have no clue how to upload images, and I'm not even going to try but I got 28960 words, which is apparently the top 7.58%, the level of professional white collar workers. I was expecting a result that was way above my actual capabilities, but certainly not by so much! I got quite a few things right because I knew them, a few things right because I was able to figure them out, a few things right because I guessed them, and probably a few things right using the 'point and click with eyes shut' method. Nonetheless, the result makes me feel good about myself

I've been thinking a very little bit about what to do with my Swedish. One thing that I'm certainly hoping for is to take a class at Lund University next semester. The main reason I want to do that is because it will certify me in Swedish if I pass. I don't have enough disposable income right now to take TISUS again, and besides, taking TISUS won't help me fill in the blanks of my grammar which still feels horrible. I think I would also like to start writing again in Swedish. I looked over my NaNo project from a couple of years ago, and found that there were mistakes that even I could see, but I think it was a great exercise for me. It served as an impetus to learn new words and push myself, and while I certainly have not retained every word (actively or otherwise), when reading my text again I know what I mean and can be refreshed on the new-to-me vocabulary.

I should also listen more. This is a harder habit to get into, because I'm not used to listening much generally. TV often exhausts me, especially new shows. I came to the realisation yesterday that I have never watched more than three seasons of anything in my life. Even of shows that I really like! So it's not a simple substitution equation. I think podcasts are the way to go for now - money restraints mean that I'm reluctant to renew my storytel subscription at the current moment. That way I can get a bit beyond everyday Swedish and start hearing the kind of collocations that are used in conversation, as well as learn some more niche words.

A silly story from this week:

For the class that I'm taking, we have a number of books to be presented in seminars by students. I picked Ru by Kim Thúy because my boyfriend already had it in Swedish. He later bought the book in French to see if it would be a suitable subject for study - it wasn't. However, having both could only be bneficial for me. So I took them out with me on Tuesday and, while waiting to meet a classmate at a café, decided to start reading. I figured I could start with the Swedish, and check in the French if there was something I didn't understand. And so I duly picked up the book and started reading. Sure enough, I came to a sentence I wasn't one hundred percent sure of, and wanted to check. I started reaching for the French version, only to realise I had been reading the French version all along.

I'm not quite sure what this says for my Swedish, or my French...

[Brun Ugle]

Since you’re now actually in Sweden, I would think you could get audiobooks at the library. I assume they are free to borrow like they are here, so that should be a lot cheaper than StoryTel. Of course, there might not be quite the range of choice available.

I often read or hear something without noticing what language it is. I think it just means that you are pretty comfortable with both languages.

[PeterMollenburg]

Wow, I've been a little slack or selfish, talking all about myself and not paying enough attention to other language learners in this community. Just spent some time going back 5 pages or so in your log Elenia. Belated congratulations on your engagement. Up to date congratulations on your Swedish vocab size. I must try this test for French - I'm sure I'll get a much less decent score than yours.... and crazy you thinking you were reading Swedish while reading French

I read a bit of a ranting session on some few years old forum the other day regarding working holiday visa's for Sweden (I was gathering info for my sister in law with regards to work/hol visa's for various European countries). One person was stating they loved the gorgeous Swedish woman, the stylish fashion and the beautiful architecture of Stockholm, while found it incredibly difficult to rent a place for a decent price not sub-let upon sub-let upon sub-let, incredibly super hard to find any form of a decent job and Swedish people very hard to 'crack' in terms of social bonding if you will.

However, others made comments on the fact that you won't land a decent job in Sweden without knowing Swedish. To that I thought, what a turd, can't you bring yourself out of your English bubble? How arrogant to go to a foreign country and expect a warm welcome without attempting the local language. Why even complain? So disappointed was he, that he went home only just past half way into his 12 month visa. I don't deny he would've been unhappy. When I was doing my nursing studies, a semi friend (more acquaintance) went to Sweden for 6 months. She found the same. Again - me = astounded and = jugemental, because English monolingual speaking arrogance and expectations that others speak English = stupidity + arrogance and lack of respect. Unfortunately in many countries, now English will get you far, but i'm glad to hear that learning the local language will take you much further for Sweden. The more countries like this the better. Not because I despise English (which I kinda do, and I kinda don't), but because I value other cultures! Vive la langue suédois.. sorry can't say it in Swedish, so there's some irony for you. I'm so arrogant!

Any thoughts of the above based on your experiences? If not, all good. Just call me Ranty McRant.

Peace out

[garyb]

I have an Italian friend in Stockholm whom I went to see a few years ago and I heard similar things about the rent situation. Near-impossible to find a place without some kind of compromise, in her case a strange and very strict live-in landlady.

She had a good job there as an architect, didn't speak Swedish, and would have liked to learn the language but didn't have much time or opportunity because the job was demanding, English was the lingua franca in the office, everyone in her social circle spoke Italian and/or English, and people in shops, restaurants etc. spoke English. I believe she's learnt a bit of the language now thanks to having a Swedish boyfriend, but it seems like a case where even if you'd like to learn it all the circumstances are against you. I've no doubt that if you have a strong enough desire to learn it then you will, but for most foreigners living there it's a nice-to-have rather than a necessity and that's not enough motivation. Quite sad, but true.