So apparently I can change the title of the subject field when I'm posting. I guess I'll see what it does.
New attempt at scheduling language-timeI still like doing Greek at 8:00am and then again in the early evening, but my French time is not structured so I'm finding myself subject to all kinds of distractions, procrastination and excuses. Language-learning is more about learning how to battle my impulsivity and directionless-ness than it is about actually learning a language.
There
has to be a good balance regarding time-management, right? If I track or plan too much, I hate it... but if I don't have any idea of how I'm going to spend my time, I don't do as much French as I would like.
I have a terrible habit: I try a scheduling method (like time-tracking) and somehow think that it will fix my language studies, only to realize that I
HATE tracking time. So I stop. Then two months later I try time-tracking again, because "this time it will work!"
I think I've done this like four or five times already.
But I've been inspired reading all the logs on here and seeing the changes that people are making in their schedules (Morgana and Stringerbell in particular). I do get the feeling that it helps to shake up my routine from time to time.
So my new idea is to set minimum daily amounts of time for different French activities:
- 1 hour of French reading
- 1 hour of French listening (includes YouTube and shows without subtitles)
- Some amount of French conversation practice (this will take place mainly by online chatting, minimum daily requirement is to at least reach out to someone in French).
- At least 1 minute of spontaneous French speaking (either an audio message to a LE partner or recorded on my phone, and like Pandora's box, never to be opened again)
Again, these are just minimums so I hope to do more. I've tried this out today and it seems to work well. It allows me enough flexibility to choose what I want to do with each given area, but I still have a goal to reach which keeps me in check.
GreekKeeping my head above water, basically. There are so many COMMON words that are spelled the same but have an accent in a different spot and so they mean something totally different. Also, maybe it's just me but starting in the 3rd week of Assimil Le Grec, the Greek voice actors speak faster and run their words together more than the French speakers did in the first third of Assimil NFWE. I'm not sure if this is due to French being more familiar to me as a native English speaker, or if the Greek speakers are actually talking faster.
Random noteI've been learning new vocabulary and phrases in French from using Assimil Le Grec. I had no idea that
un pont does not only mean bridge, but also the deck of a ship. Another word I learned is
une escale which means a stop or a layover.