Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

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Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Fri Nov 13, 2015 6:11 pm

After a full week of waking up at 6 to study Dutch I feel thrilled. I noticed that my brain seems accepting the Dutch language much more than he was doing in the past. My listening has improved significantly and I can finally understand a lot when I listed the podcast jeugdjournaal. Unfortunately when I listen something more challenging my comprehension rate still drops, but I feel like I'm on the right way. I clearly remember to be in the same situation with English and French at a certain point, but I definetely overcame the obstacle. On a side note, today I discovered that the past of 'to search' is 'sought' and not 'searched'. Or not? My cellphone is accepting both. Well.

I'm in the intermediate plateau phase with my Dutch. I now love the language.
I repeat: I now love Dutch. Is it a sorry of Stockholm syndrome?
Talking about Stockholm. I started with Swedish the lazy way. 100 frequency words per week. I can't truly study this language without spoiling Dutch at least until March-April (more details will arrive). I'm going to study Dutch at crazy rates, much more than now, in the following months. I expect my Dutch to become stronger than my English the next year.

French and Spanish are getting rusty, but I'm not studying them. I can read a lot in this two languages, and I can easily watch movies in Spanish (though only the ones in original language because the dubbings of the American movies suck big times), and this is enough. I think I will go deeper in my Spanish studies at a certain point, because of my love for Spain, Spanish music and food. I sometimes dream to move to Spain, but I already live in the best country of the world :)
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Montmorency
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Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Languages: English (Native)
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Studying: Welsh (advanced beginner/intermediate);
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Back-burner: Spanish (intermediate) Norwegian (bit more than beginner) Danish (beginner).

Have studied: Latin, French, Italian, Dutch; OT Hebrew (briefly) NT Greek (briefly).
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1429
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Montmorency » Fri Nov 13, 2015 7:30 pm

Tristano wrote:After a full week of waking up at 6 to study Dutch I feel thrilled. I noticed that my brain seems accepting the Dutch language much more than he was doing in the past. My listening has improved significantly and I can finally understand a lot when I listed the podcast jeugdjournaal. Unfortunately when I listen something more challenging my comprehension rate still drops, but I feel like I'm on the right way. I clearly remember to be in the same situation with English and French at a certain point, but I definetely overcame the obstacle. On a side note, today I discovered that the past of 'to search' is 'sought' and not 'searched'. Or not? My cellphone is accepting both. Well.


"sought" is the past tense of the verb "to seek" (i.e. to look for).

"searched" is the past tense of "to search".

"seek" is a little old-fashioned, and tends now to be mostly used in set phrases, like "hide-and-seek" (a children's game), and "seek and you will find" (from the New Testament? - sort of a proverb, anyway).

"sought" sounds even more old-fashioned. Not that I have anything against old-fashioned words myself!
You will sometimes come across it used metaphorically in news reports, e.g. "the delegates sought [to find] a solution to the xyz problem". In fact I think I've heard it used like that more than its literal meaning, except in older literature.
I remember once I used it in the minutes of a meeting at work in which I was acting as minutes secretary; the chairman wasn't too impressed. :) ).

.
Sounds like you are doing well with Dutch.
1 x

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Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Fri Nov 13, 2015 7:32 pm

Aah ok that explains why I didn't know it before :D it wasn't me haha
Thank you very much with your very clear explanation. I think I have never use seek in my whole life (despite knowing the meaning). If I want to sound cool I use locate :)
Thanks for your encouragement about Dutch too!
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Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Mon Nov 16, 2015 9:54 am

This weekend I was in the house of Dutch friends of my girlfriends, and we did a 'spelletje'.
I'm not sure why, but I understand my girlfriend much better than her friends... I also spoke with her sister that came in visit for the first time totally in Dutch. Everyone told me they were really impressed for my improvements in one week only. :)
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Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Tue Nov 17, 2015 1:48 pm

So, I'm continuing to wake up at 6 to study (despite how hard is this to consistently).
But I notice that there are still optimizations that I can do. In the evening I could spend some time watching videos or reading in Dutch, but I'm too busy with the housekeeping, and after the housekeeping I'm so done that I just desire to go to bed.
So I think that I can be even more brave and wake up at 5, do the non-noisy housekeeping e some cooking and then start to study and then go to work, go to the gym, come back and eat, study some more, relax a bit, have a shower and go to bed.

This is of course not a routine that I can keep forever... but I can keep it for this three months to advance as much as possible to be ready to the next step.
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iguanamon
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Location: Virgin Islands
Languages: Speaks: English (Native); Spanish (C2); Portuguese (C2); Haitian Creole (C1); Ladino/Djudeo-espanyol (C1); Lesser Antilles French Creole (B2)
Studies: Catalan
Language Log: viewtopic.php?t=797
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby iguanamon » Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:03 pm

Hi Tristano. I think that's a good idea. I'd like to share a couple of posts from one of my favorite bloggers about lifestyle and productivity- Leo Babauta of zenhabits:

10 Benefits of Rising Early, and How to Do It
How I Became an Early Riser

These are very quick reads and may help. Good luck.
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Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
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Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:08 pm

Thanks @Iguanamon!
I remember I read that article some month ago.
This night I had a terrible night (because of an incredible wind where I live) at the point that I ended up not only not to wake up at 5, but to do so at 6.40, later than the previous time. This night I'll try to catch up.
--
I just started the third chapter of the book Nederlands in Actie (gevoelens - feelings). The first reading was containing a lot of vocabulary I didn't know, so I ended up to use my time to put all the new words in memrise. This never happened before with this book. The first two chapters where about work, free time and vacations.
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Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
x 1015

Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Mon Nov 23, 2015 8:36 am

Ok, waking up at 5 seems to be impossible for me.
I'll find another way...
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User avatar
Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
x 1015

Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Thu Dec 10, 2015 10:19 am

Hello guys!
Long time no write.
I've been busy not to study Dutch, but there are some news:

- finally I can say it: I'm going to move with my girlfriend and this has a big impact, since I'm leaving my current job and take a 6 month break to study Dutch intensively. I've subscribed to the B1 - B2 course in Groningen University and my goal is to complete that course plus the following B2 - C1. That will make Dutch my best language and prepare me to my new professional career.

- 6 months with so much time free means: I can dedicate easily 30 minutes a day for a new language :twisted: I was thinking Swedish but since I can't decide between so many languages I want to learn, I'm now considering to learn MSA instead. It is important to choose because when in my life I will have another time this great opportunity???

- my Dutch is still progressing well, thanks to exposure plus studying digestion time. :)
3 x

User avatar
Tristano
Blue Belt
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:11 am
Location: The Netherlands
Languages: Native: Italian
Speaks: English, Dutch, French, Spanish
Understands but not yet speaks: Romanian
Studies: German
Can't wait to put his hands on: Scandinavian languages, Slavic languages, Turkish, Arabic and other stuff
Language Log: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5141
x 1015

Re: Tristano's log 2015 (principally Dutch but not only)

Postby Tristano » Thu Dec 10, 2015 1:32 pm

Another great news. I discovered a very convenient second hand bookshop here. I therefore bought 5 books
Luis del Val - Las amigas imperfectas
Roberto Saviano - Gomorra (in French)
Francesca Marciano - Himmel uber Afrika (in German)
Niccolo Ammaniti - Ik ben niet bang
Isabel Allende - Eva Luna (in Dutch)

in numbers:
- 5 books in 4 languages, one of which I don't speak (yet)
- 3 books from italian writers
- 2 books from Spanish writers

:) :) :)
1 x


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