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Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 10:11 am
by PeterMollenburg
smallwhite wrote:> I'm considering no log from 2020 post my French results and disappear for a while.

NOOoooo!!!

Pose a word limit or time limit or something.


You mean like your log :lol: ?

I appreciate the sentiment, smallwhite. Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I’ve made numerous empty threats before. Nothing came of them. And without feeling sorry for myself but just logic speaking, I’m sure there’s a good few who would be relieved to see the back of me and my trouble making ways. Just follow the f€&@/3! rules, you €)6-/@&”! &&€€//??! PM! Know what I’m sayin’? ;)

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 11:14 am
by PeterMollenburg
I forgot to mention... been watching a couple of really interesting series (my VPN is coming in handy lately - Netflix just seems too limiting now).

The first, a Dutch series called Droomhuis Gezocht! is the typical buying house in an alternative location, picking from 3 houses type show. Very much like Escape to the Continent, a Dutch couple will be looking to up and leave and buy abroad. Why I like it is because it gives an insight from a Dutch perspective on Dutch people wanting to leave the Netherlands and it provides a Dutch angle on many locations abroad where Dutch couples have chosen to relocate. But what's extra cool, is that they move to very diverse locations. From next door Germany, a little further Austria, Spain, Italy, Greece and some other European countries (had to watch one on Norway!), to places further afield, such as Bonaire, St Martin and Curaçao on the Carribean, South Africa, and even Suriname (which I watched too). Pretty cool. I can't understand all the vocabulary by far (Dutch audio, Dutch subtitles), but it's easy to follow the gist of what's going on without much difficulty. Boring for some perhaps, but I'd imagine many of you language nerds attracted to other cultures would find it as interesting as I have.

The other, a French police drama series, I just started watching 30 minutes ago. It's called OPJ Pacifique Sud. I find it really interesting not necessarily from a content perspective or plot or earth-shattering acting, but because it's filmed in New Caledonia (NC). A place we visited 2 years back and are fond of (not the expensiveness, though), and feel somewhat drawn to. I can see NC playing a bigger role potentially in our lives down the track, since it's a French speaking archipelago, and I mean pretty close to standard French - i.e. not Creole, not that I have anything against Creole, but I'd prefer to settle/live temporarily or long-term in a French speaking area as opposed to Creole with some French (like Martinique or Guadeloupe). It's also bursting with nature (75% of the plant species there are endemic), and most of all, is only a short flight from Australia. Anyway, this series has me excited to just see NC on the screen, and perhaps learn some new things about one my daughter's favourite places. Unfortunately, she can't watch it, as it's a police series. Anyway... might watch another now.

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 1:57 pm
by iguanamon
It's really good to see how much you are enjoying French and Dutch media! Finally you get to indulge your language-learning wanderlust now that you've sat the C2 exam! Believe me, I understand your desire to quit logging. I have cut back to once a month logging or so as what I am doing isn't really anything new. That being said, I disagree that you have nothing to share with the community now besides courses logged. I believe there will continue to be a lot of interest in your log now that you are moving more out of la Francophonie and embracing new languages.

I cannot concur that at this phase of your language-learning life you have somehow "grown beyond" providing anything useful to the community, (though I probably have ;) ). Actually, I think that it is at this very stage when your journey will become even more interesting to the community. There are so many unanswered questions to play out: Will you find a productive rhythm of learning multiple languages simultaneously? Will you allow your perfectionism to be the enemy of the good? Will your planning evolve to become more flexible? What techniques will be most useful to you? Will you learn your next language to a high level quicker?- I believe you will. What will you try and discover to be a new helpful technique that you didn't really use much before? How much will your French-learning process inform learning your new languages? What will you do differently? What will you do the same? If you drop out of logging now, a lot of those questions will just be left hanging.

Besides that, there will be others here whom you can help with your experience. There will be beginners in French with questions about courses... and who knows more about English base French courses than you do here?! There will be people with French CEFR Level exams who can benefit from your experience too. So I think your experience and your new language-learning journey will continue to be valuable to the community... and you don't have to log every week.

You being you, PM, I can never take your pronouncements of leaving (or your elaborate plans!) too seriously. I've seen you declare abstinence from the forum before... only to come back again. Where else can you go to talk about, and with whom else can you discuss, this simultaneously frustrating and fulfilling activity of learning languages we all seem to love/hate at the same time?! You never know though, maybe this time is actually for real and you really mean it! I won't be surprised to see you disappear for a while... only to come back with a declaration that you must learn Luxembourgish and lamenting that there's no full Assimil course available for it, :lol: . Looking forward to watching the rest of your journey, hopefully. :)

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 7:04 am
by PeterMollenburg
I just received my DALF C2 exam results by email.

I FAILED.

25 out of 50 for the listening/speaking part.

13 out of 50 for the reading/written part.

= 38/100

Pretty low score on the reading/writing side. I'm definitely surprised I did not pass. I expected to. However, I'm okay with it. It is what it is. I had many challenges in the lead up, which meant my preparation was less than ideal. Additionally, my language level must not be up to C2 standard. I need to expand my vocabulary, read and listen to more natural French, and do another 600 thousand beginner French courses. In fact, I'm going to erase my memory, and start my French courses mission over and do every single French course in existence! ;)

Hell no! I have little time. I must choose wisely my activities and also include some enjoyment, which ironically will include a course from time to time.

What do I do from here and where do I go from here? I have no plans to re-sit the exam in the near future as it currently stands. I just don't see a need to put myself through it again any time soon. I don't need the C2 for anything but my own sense of accomplishment. Yes it would help with some things such as employment prospects in Europe, but the B2 at least is what is requested (which I have) and yes it would be better to sit it sooner rather than later and pass it, but I'm in no rush as time is not on the side of those who learn slowly and want to learn several languages. The experience has been beneficial but it was also stressful trying to prepare while an unsettling environment continued to unfold and persist around me.

Yes, as many of us language learners know all too well, time is a constant struggle for those who want to learn multiple languages. Even two languages other than one's native language is a incredibly massive undertaking that many a language learner fails. I have already started introducing Dutch to my children and resurrecting my own abilities in the language, and I don't intend on reversing that because I failed the DALF C2. There'll be a time that seems right to sit it again, or when it's even required. Then I'll re-sit it.

In the meantime, Dutch, Dutch and more Dutch as well as gradual French improvement. We'll see what the future holds for additional languages...

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 3:26 pm
by Gustav Aschenbach
Trop ballot, mais pas grave. La prochaine fois tu déchireras :) mais faut pas faire trop de langues à la fois...

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 7:56 pm
by StringerBell
PeterMollenburg wrote:I had many challenges in the lead up, which meant my preparation was less than ideal. Additionally, my language level must not be up to C2 standard.


I wouldn't necessarily conclude that your language abilities aren't up to C2 standard. From what I've read about the C1/C2 tests, it is equally important to prepare for the format of the exam as it is to have the skills tested. I think very few native speakers could pass C2 exams in their own languages without a lot of test prep in the months leading up to it. I know that I certainly couldn't pass a C2 exam in English without a ton of test prep practice and maybe not even then - the rigors of sitting for a 6-8 hour exam are definitely too much for me in any language.

I am really impressed that you took such a formidable test, and even if the results weren't what you were hoping for, at least now you don't have to feel like you need to hold yourself back from focusing on what you really want to spend your time on.

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:20 pm
by PeterMollenburg
StringerBell wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:I had many challenges in the lead up, which meant my preparation was less than ideal. Additionally, my language level must not be up to C2 standard.


I wouldn't necessarily conclude that your language abilities aren't up to C2 standard. From what I've read about the C1/C2 tests, it is equally important to prepare for the format of the exam as it is to have the skills tested. I think very few native speakers could pass C2 exams in their own languages without a lot of test prep in the months leading up to it. I know that I certainly couldn't pass a C2 exam in English without a ton of test prep practice and maybe not even then - the rigors of sitting for a 6-8 hour exam are definitely too much for me in any language.

I am really impressed that you took such a formidable test, and even if the results weren't what you were hoping for, at least now you don't have to feel like you need to hold yourself back from focusing on what you really want to spend your time on.


Thanks StringerBell. Yes they are formidable tests. The best thing I can do at this stage is to inform myself to find out really where I went wrong, as the Alliance Française has offered that I either make an appointment to review my exam with the next two weeks or be provided with some (sounds more general) feedback via email (also within the next two weeks). I will take them up on this offer. After all, as I've said a few times, there is a benefit in sitting and failing the exam and that is knowing the conditions and where one goes wrong in order to resit it another time. Thus, best to take all I can in terms of feedback.

Thanks everyone else for following along and I had a couple of comments outside this thread, thanks everyone!

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:27 pm
by Carmody
he Alliance Française has offered that I either make an appointment to review my exam with the next two weeks or be provided with some (sounds more general) feedback via email (also within the next two weeks). I will take them up on this offer.
That sounds great!

But even without that, sitting for the exam must have been tremendously helpful to you for learning what it is you don't know and what you need to work on.

Also, tremendously respect you for sharing the results with us all!

Thanks and best wishes for whatever you decide.
:D

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2019 11:50 pm
by PeterMollenburg
Carmody wrote:
he Alliance Française has offered that I either make an appointment to review my exam with the next two weeks or be provided with some (sounds more general) feedback via email (also within the next two weeks). I will take them up on this offer.
That sounds great!

But even without that, sitting for the exam must have been tremendously helpful to you for learning what it is you don't know and what you need to work on.

Also, tremendously respect you for sharing the results with us all!

Thanks and best wishes for whatever you decide.
:D


Thanks, Carmody. Yeah, taking stock of where I’ve gone wrong can only help my French.

As for the sharing, you’re welcome ;) .

I hope your French journey is going well, Carmody, as well as everyone else’s respective language learning journeys.

Re: PM’s French Adventures in the Matrix

Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2019 11:01 am
by Caromarlyse
I've just joined the forum, but have been making my way through your log for a while. I was therefore sorry to hear you hadn't passed the C2 exam, but I'd echo what others have said that the offer of personalised feedback sounds like a great learning tool, potentially. Also, I wanted to try to encourage you not to disappear: I for one want to hear more of your adventures!