Zelda's French Log (+ Modern Greek)

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zjones
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Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=9860
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Mon Jun 04, 2018 7:58 pm

Yes, I am very lucky to have found this person via Reddit. We have already spoken on the phone and had a few short conversations in French. He said that if I push myself to produce spoken French my speaking level will increase dramatically, and I think he is correct. My spoken French is lagging behind my written French. I've always known that I would have issues practicing and perfecting speaking, but I really, really want to be able to produce!

Notes for self: I need to work on the differentiation between the vowels ou and u. I need to open up the vowel sound in leur, and make sure to vocalize my v more.
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Mohave
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby Mohave » Mon Jun 04, 2018 8:44 pm

zjones wrote:Yes, I am very lucky to have found this person via Reddit. We have already spoken on the phone and had a few short conversations in French. He said that if I push myself to produce spoken French my speaking level will increase dramatically, and I think he is correct. My spoken French is lagging behind my written French. I've always known that I would have issues practicing and perfecting speaking, but I really, really want to be able to produce!

Notes for self: I need to work on the differentiation between the vowels ou and u. I need to open up the vowel sound in leur, and make sure to vocalize my v more.


I found that my speaking ability/fluidity in French increased enormously when I worked and spoke regularly with my language exchange partners so I think you are exactly on track! I also found Pimsleur very helpful in producing speech and helpful with output - and I would particularly focus on Pimsleur before I headed on vacations where I would have the opportunity to speak French. Pimsleur is expensive - my library has digital copies of Levels 1-4. I purchased Level 5 thru Audible - which at the time was the most reasonable. Happy Language Learning!
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Spanish Motivation: Dec 2018 - Costa Rica
Spanish Pimsleur 3: 6 / 30 Assimil: 56 / 100
Spanish Super Challenge Books: 2 / 50 Movies: 0 / 100
French Super Challenge Books: 24 / 100 Movies: 22 / 100

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zjones
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Wed Jun 06, 2018 12:37 am

Mohave wrote:I found that my speaking ability/fluidity in French increased enormously when I worked and spoke regularly with my language exchange partners so I think you are exactly on track! I also found Pimsleur very helpful in producing speech and helpful with output - and I would particularly focus on Pimsleur before I headed on vacations where I would have the opportunity to speak French. Pimsleur is expensive - my library has digital copies of Levels 1-4. I purchased Level 5 thru Audible - which at the time was the most reasonable. Happy Language Learning!


Thanks for the recommendation! I'm going to finish Assimil, and then maybe I'll look into Pimsleur. I've always been attracted to the idea of adding Pimsleur to my resources, but I'm not keen on putting money down yet. They have it at my library but my MacBook doesn't have a CD drive (I know, I know) so I'd have to listen in the car. :(

There are just so many great programs available for French! I love the multi-track approach but I have to be careful with my resources so I don't get scattered.
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reineke
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby reineke » Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:08 am

External DVD Drive: $14.98
Pimsleur OverDrive Listen MP3 library audiobook: free, if available
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jeffers
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby jeffers » Wed Jun 06, 2018 10:11 am

zjones wrote: so I'd have to listen in the car. :(


The only time I listen to Pimsleur is in the car. I listen to some audio resources while biking or walking, but as Pimsleur requires a verbal response I only use it while driving, when I feel a bit more isolated. Between Pimsleur and audiobooks, I'm actually looking forward to my commute time getting longer when I start a new job in September! :lol:
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Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien (roughly, the perfect is the enemy of the good)

French SC Books: 0 / 5000 (0/5000 pp)
French SC Films: 0 / 9000 (0/9000 mins)

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zjones
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Wed Jun 06, 2018 6:58 pm

reineke wrote:External DVD Drive: $14.98
Pimsleur OverDrive Listen MP3 library audiobook: free, if available


Looks like my library is ahead of me. I recently switched library districts, and my new one has the entire French Pimsleur course available as MP3 downloads. I'd still need to take it out on loan, but I'm super excited that this is available. Thanks for prompting me to look it up.

jeffers wrote:The only time I listen to Pimsleur is in the car. I listen to some audio resources while biking or walking, but as Pimsleur requires a verbal response I only use it while driving, when I feel a bit more isolated. Between Pimsleur and audiobooks, I'm actually looking forward to my commute time getting longer when I start a new job in September!


Congrats on your new job! The only thing I miss about working a job is commuting, I loved having time alone in the car.
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zjones
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Mon Jun 11, 2018 7:44 pm

I'm finally conjugating future simple and future conditional with both Kwiziq and my grammar book! Hooray!

The active wave of Assimil has added about 20 minutes to my day. I do my active wave as follows:

1) Cover up L2 text. Look at L1 and translate verbally (out loud) into L2. If the text is difficult, I repeat until I'm confident that I've done the best I can.
2) With L2 still covered, translate L1 to L2 in writing, either by hand or keyboard. (This translation should generally match the verbal translation.)
3) Uncover L2 and check work, noting every mistake or discrepancy.


As the active wave texts become longer and more difficult, I may need to start listening to the French audio before Step 1.

My sleep hasn't been great lately, and it's definitely affecting my ability to study during the day. I find myself waking up about an hour before I should, and I'm unable to fall back to sleep until for another hour... by then it's time to get up. That one missed hour of sleep plagues me all day unless I manage to take a nap. I guess I'll need to start going to bed earlier and see if that helps. Je suis une grosse dormeuse. :D
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zjones
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Tue Jun 12, 2018 3:50 am

I completed the 6WC Challenge today, which I joined on May 11 and ended today, June 11. For posterity I'm posting my results here.

Total time spent on French in the last 4-1/2 weeks:
4,412 minutes (73.5 hours)

I would like to spend even more time on French, but I'm already doing as much grammar as I can handle in a day. If I want to increase my time, I'll need to add some extensive activities like reading or listening.
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zjones
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Sat Jun 16, 2018 3:50 am

I had a nice lengthy chat with my language exchange partner about aimlessness, discouragement, and overwhelm. He was very supportive, and of course he understood exactly what I was feeling, as he had felt that way countless times with English. It was so nice to have an actual voice conversation about how emotions are involved in learning a language, and how to work with them (or in spite of them). I felt much better after the call.

In any case, my French language exchange partner is coming to the US in a month or so. He'll primarily be staying with another friend in the Southwest, but my partner and I are going to rent a house in Seattle and take him on a short tour of our corner of the country so he can see some mountains and big city. I'm very, VERY excited to work on my French pronunciation in person.

I found a cute cabin for rent that is known for being surrounded by tamed cottontail rabbits. :o Fingers crossed that it will stay available for a little longer, who doesn't want to feed bunnies in the morning?!
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zjones
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Re: Zelda's French Log

Postby zjones » Mon Jun 18, 2018 10:21 pm

Easy French Step-by-Step is complete. :D

Image

The last three chapters included 7 different tenses and moods, including the subjunctive, which was why I was so overwhelmed last week. The way the book sped through the tenses reminded me that Easy French is just a grammar book, it's NOT a course.

Finishing the book feels great, but I'm sure I'll be back to reference it often.

I'm now having regular short conversations in French, about 10 minutes long (which includes a lot of "Comment on-dit..." and "Est-ce que tu peux l'épeler ?" and "C'est ça ?") with my language partner, and my production seems to be improving just after a few days.
Last edited by zjones on Mon Jun 25, 2018 11:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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