Re: PM’s French Re-entry into the Matrix - Phase 1: 500 Hours Extensive Reading

[smallwhite]

I suggest yet another option (not saying it's better than your current options): taking French TCF in Feb 2017, aiming for C1. TCF works like those placement tests you take when you first join a language school - everyone does the same test, and your final score tells you what level you're currently at. So you can't "fail" a TCF; you'll always get a certificate, in your case a B2 or a C1.

I think this is a good option for you because (1) it's in Feb which means less waiting (2) you're a self-learner, you don't really know your exact level, and you don't really know how much more of what to study in order to pass B2 or C1, and with TCF you don't need to know, you just study as much as possible and your efforts will reflect in your score (3) if you end up with a B2 score (and a certificate in hand) then you can decide what you want to do next - Dutch or German or C1 French - while there's always a chance that you'd end up with a C1 score, in which case your only dilemma left would be which Dutch course to use.

[PeterMollenburg]

I suggest yet another option (not saying it's better than your current options): taking French TCF in Feb 2017, aiming for C1. TCF works like those placement tests you take when you first join a language school - everyone does the same test, and your final score tells you what level you're currently at. So you can't "fail" a TCF; you'll always get a certificate, in your case a B2 or a C1.

I think this is a good option for you because (1) it's in Feb which means less waiting (2) you're a self-learner, you don't really know your exact level, and you don't really know how much more of what to study in order to pass B2 or C1, and with TCF you don't need to know, you just study as much as possible and your efforts will reflect in your score (3) if you end up with a B2 score (and a certificate in hand) then you can decide what you want to do next - Dutch or German or C1 French - while there's always a chance that you'd end up with a C1 score, in which case your only dilemma left would be which Dutch course to use.

It's a logical option, and given my apparent hurry to add another language, it makes sense to have a decent official assessment of my level, arming me with the knowledge of what remains to reach the stated objectives. However, although I'm in a hurry, February is bad timing for me, as it's a month in which there will be a new addtion to our family.

Also, I originally assumed the DELF/DALF exams were in February based on the timetables of recent years (including this year). But, ironically, although I want to get this done, Feb feels too soon. I'm only just breaking away from heavy course use to more and more native content, and feel like I need some serious work in the use of the subjunctive and conversational practice. So although May might in some ways be overkill, I don't think February is ideal. I also am more keen to have DELF/DALF certificates in my pesky little hand than TCF, for whatever reason. I know that I'm very keen to add another language, but again I don't want to spoil the main objective.

I guess in the end no matter how impatient I am, when it all comes down to it, I'm actually really not prepared to compromise my French learning in any way. Perhaps I know deep down, that I simply will not start Dutch until I truly have reached the desired French level, unless it appears to be many years away. Smallwhite, once again you provide me with a very logical solution, that I argue against, but given all the information I've provided it makes 100% sense why you would suggest it, thank you.

[LadyGrey1986]

Congratulations on the new addition, Monsieur PM! Are you an absolute beginner at Dutch?

[PeterMollenburg]

Congratulations on the new addition, Monsieur PM! Are you an absolute beginner in Dutch?

Thanks LadyGrey,

Nee, eigenlijk wanneer ik zal beslissen om het Nederlands weer te studeren, zal ik het niet vanaf het begin moeten studeren (I've reached a solid B1 in the past, 2011). Dus, ik zal het niet zo vreemd vinden denk ik. Zie je dat ik nog steeds een beetje Nederlands kunnen schrijven? Maar ik moet heel veel hard denken Nu, heb ik een beetje hoofdpijn.

Mjn vader was in Nederland geboren, in Limburg. Maar hij heeft het nooit met ons gesproken, toen wij kinderen waren. Maar mijn vrouw en ik woonden vijf maanden in Maastricht in 2011. Dat is waarom, geloof ik, dat ik me het nog kunnen herinerren- omodat ik het toen heel veel heb gebruikt.
-------------------------
Edit (translation):
No, actually when I decided (will decide) to study Dutch again, I will not have to start from the beginning (I've reached a solid B1 in the past, 2011). So, I will not find it so strange, I believe. You see I can still write a little Dutch?

My father was born in the Netherlands, in Limburg (province). But he never spoke Dutch to us when we were children. But my wife and I lived for five months in Maastricht in 2011. That is why, I believe, that I can still remember it- because I used it so much then.

[PeterMollenburg]

I had a habit in the past of logging my hours of French here. I haven't done it for a while, and don't want to waste time sifting through my log to find the last post in which I did that, thus here are my last four months broken down into hours and minutes.

AUGUST
Courses (C): 41hrs 7min
Audio only courses (CA): 16hrs, 18min
French TV (subs or audio) (TVF): 9hrs 59min
Podcasts/Radio (PC/R): 50min
Intensive reading (Li) 0
Extensive reading (LE): 20min

Total: 68hrs 35min
Average: 2hrs 12min
----------------------------------
SEPTEMBER
C 32,22
CA13,47
TVF 7,20
Flashcards (FC): 2,21
PC/R0,36
Li 0
LE0,40

Total: 58,10
Average: 1,56
----------------------------------
OCTOBER
C13,15
TVF11,16
CA8,54
FC8,07
LE5,39
Li4,01
Éch.d'éc. (Written exchanges): 2,35
PC/R1,11

Total: 53,08
Average: 1,42
----------------------------------
NOVEMBER
TVF17,31
C15,13
PC/R11,16
FC11,16
LE10,37
Li5,29
CA2,42

Total: 74,44
Average: 2,29

[PeterMollenburg]

Bloody wanderlust is hitting me again.... And hard

I'm so tempted to introduce Dutch lately, but as previously stated, I ought to sit my French exam in May.

Why is this taking me so long? Normally I'm totally cool with this but all of a sudden I'm impatient and want to move ahead in my French in leaps and bounds. Why does it take me 70 hundred years to get through Assimil compared to others? Angry, angry, angry. I know the answers, pissfarting around lately doesn't help. I think because I know this is a long journey and I want it over with sooner rather than later because I want to introduce Dutch I'm becoming annoyed. Grrrr I am in for the long haul. I'm happy to continue to study French every day for years to come (or be exposed to it), but how damn long does this journey through the intermediate stage take, cozy trying to do 3 hours a day of French lately is starting to frustrate me! Also it almost feels like my vocabulary is not increasing- like I have to study all 3 hours every day or if I miss some here and there (not done anything today! That's rare) I seem to lose words I knew before! I"Ve done so much but nowhere near as much as I thought I would've done in the last 3 years. I've barely scratched the surface of the original course list I had for example. Grrr

[Tillumadoguenirurm]

Hello.

I made an Occitan resource list, viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5051 . Sorry for the delay, I suddenly got very busy. Hope some of them will be interesting/useful to you.

[PeterMollenburg]

Hello.

I made an Occitan resource list, viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5051 . Sorry for the delay, I suddenly got very busy. Hope some of them will be interesting/useful to you.

Awesome, thank you kindly Tillumadoguenirurm. I will check it out as soon as I get a chance.

[smallwhite]

I guess this belongs more to your log than to your B2~C1 thread.

> You can understand my wanderlust and keen interest in Dutch then. Sometimes I think I like it more than French, but I think that's more a feeling of wanting to study something different. Still I do really love the language too. Shame...

I imagine it's hard not to like Dutch. The language is different (verb-2nd-place) but not hard, while the country seems interesting with its lowlands, windmills and split culture, has no negative side or negative image (that I know of), and even has a cute side with its wooden clogs. I haven't read much about Dutch culture yet, but I look forward to doing so. And if you've had a pleasant stay there, then naturally you'd like the country and the language even more.

On the other hand, I never particularly liked French or France. Neutral. But I thoroughly enjoyed the learning process - plenty of grammar to learn but nothing too hard, need to work on listening & speaking etc but again not too hard; keeps you intellectually stimulated for a while.

> I was a little hesitant to start this thread in the beginning, ...

It's grown to 9 pages already!

> I say do it! Go for the Spanish exam! But you'll have to find a good way to balance your Dutch it seems with a strong focus on Spanish. What's your Spanish level like currently, out of interest?

You're right, Dutch will be in the way just like your cat will sit on your newspaper whenever you try to read it I don't maintain my Spanish so my level today would be A0... but I think I can pass the C1 exam in Feb 2017. However! I can't afford the A$235 exam fee yet, so meanwhile I'll just stick with Dutch

[PeterMollenburg]

I started another thread off a little while ago to get some feedback on progressing from B2 to C1/C2 in French, as I felt I was hitting a wall and becoming frustrated. The thread is rather like an offshoot of my log. It can be found here:
http://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5037

As B2 is a bit of a calculated guess of my level, upon the recommendations of others I took some assessments, which iguanamon provided a link to. These are provided by DLI and are conducted with the Online Diagnostic Assessment. I came out with a rating of ILR 3 or above in reading, and ILR 2 in listening. From what I can gather, this means my listening is at a B2 level and my reading is at a C1 level. Fingers crossed this is accurate. I believe it is, personally. I may follow with more assesments yet.

I also developped a new study schedule. You can see it back in the other thread just mentioned, but basically:
*I'm continuing with 15min SRS per each hour of study.
*Listening and extensive reading now fill out the first two study sessions of the day.
*Intensive activities are done with the remaining study time if I have time left in my 'study day'. This includes course work and intensive reading.

I also am aiming to do more speaking. I participated in a 30 min conversational session 2 days ago via italki, which was fine. We read through an article online and discussed some of the language used. It was a spur of the moment booking I made after buying some credits. In future I'm aiming for more targeted exam prep tutor sessions.

I'm thirsty... catch ya on the fly, like literally "on" the fly. So either we shrink ourselves and jump on a fly, or we find a giant fly. Pretty straightforward. Up to you though how we go about it, as I've not got the time to figure it out right now and i've got more important things to do, so you'll have to do it. I'll be waiting... at the shop... where they sell drinks that I like. Better be there!