Neurotip 2020: Greek, Icelandic, things like that
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 5:05 pm
Welcome to my new log! (link to the old one for reference...)
Log post 1: Plans
Greek - where I am now
I'm definitely a false beginner with Greek, in two distinct ways. Firstly, I can read Greek aloud reasonably accurately - I'm comfortable with the alphabet and I know something about the pronunciation. Secondly, as an etymologically-inclined medical doctor, I have a decent vocabulary of Greek roots in technical English. Just for fun I took the Dialang placement test (a brief vocabulary test based on classifying items into real words vs nonwords) and scored 386 with the comment: 'People who score at this level have a limited vocabulary which may be sufficient for ordinary day-to-day purposes' - which is amusing as my productive vocabulary probably doesn't top 20 words. Let's just say I have a significant discount on the vocab.
Funnily enough Icelandic gives me a bit of a pronunciation discount on Greek too; both languages have voiced and unvoiced fricatives (and stops) at both velar and palatal places, even with some parallels in spelling.
Greek - goal for 2019
I'd like to get my Greek to the same level as my Icelandic (is now, i.e. solid A2, nosing into B1) by the end of 2019 - this is more ambitious than my goal for Isl was, as I was significantly further ahead with Isl this time last year than I am now with Greek, but I was working on Italian as well in 2018. In total I think I managed 250 hours or so during 2018, and if I can keep this up then it should be achievable. Indeed who knows, Greek may turn out to be easier than Icelandic!
My plan to start with is to use Language Transfer for grammar and vocab, FSI for pronunciation. These should fit in with my routine of listening to podcasts and mumbling to myself while walking to and from work. I've warmed up by re-reading Horrocks which I read about ten years ago (just because). I might well get through Language Transfer in a few weeks though, at which stage I'll need something else - possibly Living Language, or more FSI if I get on well with it.
Last year's languages
Italian - I bought La verità dell'Alligatore a couple of months ago and have just started reading it, and don't intend to stop just because it's no longer a TL. I never really left Italian and may well continue reading and having the occasional conversation when the opportunity presents itself.
Icelandic - keeping the possibility open that I may continue to read odd bits - hearing of the British people involved in the recent road accident in Iceland, I was able to read an Icelandic news article on the subject and establish from it one or two facts missing from the UK news. Having got this far I'm not going to feel guilty about doing the odd bit of reading, on the contrary.
Happy New Year to all!
Log post 1: Plans
Greek - where I am now
I'm definitely a false beginner with Greek, in two distinct ways. Firstly, I can read Greek aloud reasonably accurately - I'm comfortable with the alphabet and I know something about the pronunciation. Secondly, as an etymologically-inclined medical doctor, I have a decent vocabulary of Greek roots in technical English. Just for fun I took the Dialang placement test (a brief vocabulary test based on classifying items into real words vs nonwords) and scored 386 with the comment: 'People who score at this level have a limited vocabulary which may be sufficient for ordinary day-to-day purposes' - which is amusing as my productive vocabulary probably doesn't top 20 words. Let's just say I have a significant discount on the vocab.
Funnily enough Icelandic gives me a bit of a pronunciation discount on Greek too; both languages have voiced and unvoiced fricatives (and stops) at both velar and palatal places, even with some parallels in spelling.
Greek - goal for 2019
I'd like to get my Greek to the same level as my Icelandic (is now, i.e. solid A2, nosing into B1) by the end of 2019 - this is more ambitious than my goal for Isl was, as I was significantly further ahead with Isl this time last year than I am now with Greek, but I was working on Italian as well in 2018. In total I think I managed 250 hours or so during 2018, and if I can keep this up then it should be achievable. Indeed who knows, Greek may turn out to be easier than Icelandic!
My plan to start with is to use Language Transfer for grammar and vocab, FSI for pronunciation. These should fit in with my routine of listening to podcasts and mumbling to myself while walking to and from work. I've warmed up by re-reading Horrocks which I read about ten years ago (just because). I might well get through Language Transfer in a few weeks though, at which stage I'll need something else - possibly Living Language, or more FSI if I get on well with it.
Last year's languages
Italian - I bought La verità dell'Alligatore a couple of months ago and have just started reading it, and don't intend to stop just because it's no longer a TL. I never really left Italian and may well continue reading and having the occasional conversation when the opportunity presents itself.
Icelandic - keeping the possibility open that I may continue to read odd bits - hearing of the British people involved in the recent road accident in Iceland, I was able to read an Icelandic news article on the subject and establish from it one or two facts missing from the UK news. Having got this far I'm not going to feel guilty about doing the odd bit of reading, on the contrary.
Happy New Year to all!