Aloyse's study log (ZH + some ARB, ARQ, KAB, EN, ES, JP)

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cjareck
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby cjareck » Fri Nov 01, 2019 9:17 pm

Since I hope to start seriously learning Mandarin in 2020, I've subscribed to your log :)
Aloyse wrote:
Aloyse wrote:Bought a new smartphone and installed Pleco on it. Considering buying a bundle of options.

Done. Better not lose that registration number now :mrgreen:

I'm using only the free version of Pleco since the full version surely is not cheap. Could you please write a short review of it when you will become familiar with using it? I would be very grateful.
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Listening: 1+ (83% content, 90% linguistic)
Reading: 1 (83% content, 90% linguistic)


MSA DLI : 30 / 141ESKK : 18 / 40


Mandarin Assimil : 62 / 105

Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:39 pm

cjareck wrote: Since I hope to start seriously learning Mandarin in 2020, I've subscribed to your log :)

I'm not exactly a "serious" Mandarin learner ;) Started 10 years ago (there were some interruptions) but my reading barely exceeds B1 level and my speaking lags behind somewhere between A1 and A2. The one thing I'm proud of is that my pronunciation is not too bad (when reading aloud).

cjareck wrote: I'm using only the free version of Pleco since the full version surely is not cheap.

They don't really have a "full" version. I bought the "professional" bundle (60USD) and two additional Chinese/French dictionnaries (10 USD each). There are other add-ons that you can buy separately (extra dictionaries, ebooks, extra audio files etc). More details here: https://store.pleco.com/products.php

cjareck wrote: Could you please write a short review of it when you will become familiar with using it? I would be very grateful.

There are surely bunches of reviews around the internet. Currently what I like the most is the Xiandai Hanyu Guifan Cidian (Chinese/Chinese dictionary). Bought alone it's 30USD. The bundle is much more value for money.
I'll probably make use of the stroke order animations when/if I get around to learning to write more characters.
(I think the free version only has these animation for a limited number of characters).

By the way, the day after I bought these Pleco options, I found out that my new Samsung smartphone contains a dictionary application and you can download bunches of dictionaries for it (apparently Samsung has licenced them for their customers), including Chinese/English and English/Chinese Ofxord dictionaries. (I also downloaded Obunsha Japanese/English and English/Japanese dictionaries, and a few Collins dictionaries for English/Spanish/French translation).
I don't regret buying the Pleco bundle though. I tend to consider that after 10 years, it has become a lifelong hobby. And I have spent way more than 80USD on Chinese books.

===

Aloyse wrote:Restore routines.

(mostly passive) Routines restored (except the Spanish cards but this one was never very solid).

No Chinese classes tomorrow (non-Chinese Saturday). I'll try to find a Chinese movie to watch.
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Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:14 pm

Tonight while doing boring household chores, I was considering whether to go to the Chinese association games night. The old Chinese ladies might be there, I thought, and we might play Mahjong together.

There's this particular lady who introduced herself during a Chinese culture class as 和太太 and who speaks Cantonese and some Mandarin but almost no French. So I was daydreaming that I would say "和太太,晚上好" to her.

Then it occurred to me "si ça se trouve elle ne sait pas comment je m'appelle".
My daydream self then promptly added "私はAloyseです。"

Fail. :D
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Aloyse
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Random Thoughts

Postby Aloyse » Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:59 pm

Random thoughts

My daydream self is more outgoing than my real self.

The great Chinese book digitization of Fall '19 is reaching an end. What's next?

Lately I've been feeling random impulses to spend as much time as possible everyday doing a lot of different language-learning activities in a lot of different languages. Then immediate counter-thoughts of "been there, done that".
Last edited by Aloyse on Sat Apr 25, 2020 5:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Aloyse
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Holiday season 2019

Postby Aloyse » Sat Dec 21, 2019 5:54 pm

The Holiday season is upon us :evil:
I did go to a Chinese culture class last week (this time it was in Chinese) but I think it wasn't very productive as I was tired and preoccupied with work and holiday/family plans.
I deliberately didn't go to any Chinese class today, and there was an additional Japanese activity which I also skipped. It's just not worth attending when it will only add to the end of year stress.

My current/past routines:

Currently my USB key (which I play at night and during morning ablutions) contains:
- 1 imandarinpod (Chinese) intermediate podcast (~ 20')
- the new Marugoto (Japanese) tracks of the week (2 to 10')
- 1 NHK learn Japanese podcast (10')
and various Chinese radio tracks which I seldom listen to.

My daily routines also include(d)
- transcribing my notes from Japanese class on my computer (10 to 15')
- reviewing Chinese sentence patterns and Kanji cards in the tramway
- 1 or more youtube videos in Spanish and Chinese.
These daily routines rely on youtube subscriptions, situational habits, and occasional (~ weekly) card creation and USB key updating.

My weekly routines include(d) Japanese class (Marugoto, still only level A1) and some type of Chinese class or group activity.


I posted goals for 2020 here: Re: 2020 Polyglot Fitness Challenge
They should be achievable...

I have been thinking about my 3 neglected target languages, namely Standard Arabic, Dialectal Arabic and Berber. It's been a long time since I made any attempt at learning them. Recently I overheard a conversation in Dialectal Arabic in the tramway and realised I could understand a single word, "this". I don't anticipate ever needing to speak any of these 3 languages, but it's a pity that I forgot what little I learnt. So I think I will try to review them by selecting 2' to 5' of mp3s to add to my USB key.

My most difficult language goal might be reading a book in Arabic. I have a few novels and a few bilingual short stories collections, as well as an astronomy vulgarisation book. I could also borrow a book from the "international" library, but this has the drawback (or is it an advantage?) of needing to return it in a given timeframe.

Another tricky part is integrating English into my daily routines. Well, English is already part of my daily routines since I read and write in English and watch youtube videos in English everyday, and occasionally speak English (mostly with non-native speakers). But I'm not making any progress. I want to work on pronunciation and smalltalk. Perhaps 2' of pronunciation or smalltalk tracks can be added to the USB key.

As to losing 4kg, I think it can be done. I've done it before. But stress at work (also, croissants at work), middle age, and physical ailments preventing strenuous exercise, are obstacles that will need to be overcome.
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Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:50 pm

Quick update:
Fulfilled my filial duty despite railway strikes.
USB key updated with 1 track of Arabic.
Interesting lesson about the Chinese names of radicals this past Saturday.
Trying to walk and climb stairs but desired fitness habits not yet in place.

I've been asked whether my job is "une bonne place", which is a rather old fashioned phrasing. I guess one could translate it as "a comfortable position at a firm which is unlikely to declare bankrupcy". Or something like that.
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Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Sun Jan 19, 2020 8:19 pm

Arabic: Reviewed the dialogues and vocabulary of "Manuel d'arabe moderne" lesson 1.
Borrowed a few magazines from the library (Muy interesante, Vocable Espagnol and an old issue of المختارات).
It looks like the language learners magazines المختارات and "Planète chinois" are not published anymore :(
I also bought a second hand book, "Sin noticias de Gurb", mainly because it's short and seems funny.
Chinese: imandarinpod lesson about 比上不足,比下有余.
Japanese: currently at lesson 19 of NHK learn Japanese, and we will soon reach the end of Marugoto A1. I might have to skip class this week unfortunately.

To do:
resume Chinese sentence patterns study.
resume Kanji study.
review Arabic alphabet.
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Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:12 pm

ロータス wrote:How are you liking Marugoto in the class setting? Does your class use the online e-learning or just the textbook?

We use the "activities" textbook in class. The elearning website is useful when I miss a class and to get more practice, including stuff from the "competencies" textbook.
I like the practical/useful themes.
However the activities textbook contains mostly kana and romaji, very few Kanji. So we use Genki plus to supplement it.
We will probably switch to the "competencies" textbook for the A2 level.
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Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Sun Feb 02, 2020 5:03 pm

Yesterday was a Chinese Saturday. I didn't dare refuse the glass of wine offered by the sweet old Chinese lady who leads some of the activities (even though I seldom drink alcohol and dislike wine. It wasn't too bad though, a local sparkling white wine). Got to hear about her experience as a foreign student in France during the 60s which was interesting.
I think I have enough material for Chinese study between the Saturday activities and imandarinpod intermediate podcasts. What I should really do is 1) restart creating Chinese cards for on-the-go review and 2) take some time for daily sit-down study.

Reviewed the Arabic alphabet and now chapter 2 of Manuel d'arabe moderne. For a bit of context, I studied all 30 lessons about 15 years ago, mostly by myself although I did sometimes attend night classes, over the course of two years. When I'm done with reviewing this book, I intend to learn and practice new stuff, maybe with Assimil Perfectionnement Arabe.

I've just bought a primary school student whiteboard slate for the express purpose of filling it with written language study every day (mainly Chinese and Arabic, possibly Spanish as well.) We'll see how that goes.

Watching Youtube videos in Chinese and Spanish: since doing it everyday became a chore that I did just to be able to say I did, even though I didn't really pay attention to the language, I'm giving myself express permission to do it whenever I want to.

Fitness challenge: I didn't lose any weight in January (rather the reverse) but I do climb up stairs almost daily now.
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Aloyse
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Re: Aloyse's study log (ZH, JP, maybe EN, ES, AR ?)

Postby Aloyse » Tue Feb 18, 2020 7:31 pm

Aloyse wrote:I do climb up stairs almost daily now.

My left knee and ankle have been reminding me of why I had given up on climbing stairs...

I'm experimenting with a somewhat new tracking method. I'm using a simple sheet of paper, on which I write various tasks for the current work week or weekend. Then as I accomplish each task, I highlight it (single color, let's keep it simple). This is not the new part, I've been doing this on and off for quite some time, just on weekends though.

But for the recurring tasks that I'd like to do daily, I now write only one entry at a time for each task, followed by the current iteration number.
For instance, on Monday morning, I write "fill slate with Arabic writing 1", "transcribe Japanese 1", etc. Whenever I finally get around to doing the first iteration of a task (on Monday, or any other day) I'll highlight it, and then write a new to-do entry e.g. "fill slate with Arabic writing 2".
This way, I'm hoping to have mostly highlighted (done) entries on my sheet, which is pleasing to the eye, and I don't get overwhelmed by 5x"number of everyday tasks" to-do entries for this workweek.
(or even 14x"number of everyday tasks" as in my previous biweekly habit tracker...)

I am also not logging my language activities which have become habits. Right now that's just listening to my USB key tracks twice a day. Hmmm...

One drawback is that those loose sheets are difficult to keep clean and ordered. They generally end up in the trash after the week is finished, so there's no long term logging/tracking. Maybe a small notebook would be better?
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