Comments on: My Progress in Becoming Bilingual http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:53:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Serge Allard http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-379072 Serge Allard Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:06:23 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-379072 I can only commend you for undertaking such a difficult task. Learning a language at an adult age is not easy. As we know, most people in North America just give up. I would like to point out that I have been using an amazing learning tool for Spanish from a company www.langcal.com. It's a language calendar that you hang on the wall and study daily. They have a French-language version. I saw it in the store, and it looks as good as the Spanish one. I highly recommend it. I can only commend you for undertaking such a difficult task. Learning a language at an adult age is not easy. As we know, most people in North America just give up. I would like to point out that I have been using an amazing learning tool for Spanish from a company http://www.langcal.com. It’s a language calendar that you hang on the wall and study daily. They have a French-language version. I saw it in the store, and it looks as good as the Spanish one. I highly recommend it.

]]> By: Domagoj http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-367320 Domagoj Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:33:39 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-367320 After some 8 years of classroom studying of french I was at a simmilar level as you are now. I went to a three months work assignement to Besançon to no avail. But it took only three weeks on Interrail crisscrossing France and Belgium to start speaking it 24/7 and to learn converstational words like hash, meuf, ca y ait, bouffer, boulot, bosser, monnaie, con, and some fillers like vachement, quand meme, c'est pas vrai... But the most important thing was to learn how to express my ideas, and for that you usually must learn subjonctif. Je pense que il faut le faire sinon pas de paye. And you must learn how to quote others Il a dit que tu as mal a tete. And you must learn the difference between Je suis chaud and Je ai chaud :) After some 8 years of classroom studying of french I was at a simmilar level as you are now. I went to a three months work assignement to Besançon to no avail. But it took only three weeks on Interrail crisscrossing France and Belgium to start speaking it 24/7 and to learn converstational words like hash, meuf, ca y ait, bouffer, boulot, bosser, monnaie, con, and some fillers like vachement, quand meme, c’est pas vrai…
But the most important thing was to learn how to express my ideas, and for that you usually must learn subjonctif. Je pense que il faut le faire sinon pas de paye. And you must learn how to quote others Il a dit que tu as mal a tete. And you must learn the difference between Je suis chaud and Je ai chaud :)

]]> By: Charles http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-364905 Charles Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:30:43 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-364905 Where are you in France, Scott? Where are you in France, Scott?

]]> By: phylox http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-364209 phylox Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:03:05 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-364209 I learnt English as a second language. Actually it wasn't hard at all but that's probably because it is very close to German (my native language). What's more, there was a lot of stuff on the web I was eager to understand. Therefore, learning was always fun. When I spend 6 month in Australia I realised for the first time that there is a gap between consuming and speaking. My accent wasn't too bad (e.g. not typical German ;-) )but sometimes I was too slow to express myself exactly the way I intended. This was not because I didn't know enough words but rather because I wasn't used to talk in "real time". French, however, is something different.I learnt it in school as well & I managed to score good marks. But I hardly understand native speakers and I feel even less comfortable speaking it myself. Right now I am living in a city which lies very close to the borders of French. It's very tempting to start learning French anew. Unfortunately my studies are very demanding right now but hopefully I'll find some time in the near future to spend some time over there. I learnt English as a second language. Actually it wasn’t hard at all but that’s probably because it is very close to German (my native language). What’s more, there was a lot of stuff on the web I was eager to understand. Therefore, learning was always fun. When I spend 6 month in Australia I realised for the first time that there is a gap between consuming and speaking.
My accent wasn’t too bad (e.g. not typical German ;-) )but sometimes I was too slow to express myself exactly the way I intended. This was not because I didn’t know enough words but rather because I wasn’t used to talk in “real time”.

French, however, is something different.I learnt it in school as well & I managed to score good marks. But I hardly understand native speakers and I feel even less comfortable speaking it myself.

Right now I am living in a city which lies very close to the borders of French. It’s very tempting to start learning French anew.

Unfortunately my studies are very demanding right now but hopefully I’ll find some time in the near future to spend some time over there.

]]> By: Joseph Garza http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-363879 Joseph Garza Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:08:28 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-363879 Nice work Scottie :) I had to learn Russian living in a coal mining town, so I now how you feel. After 2 1/2 years I was clocked in at an advanced low level.... whatever that means :) Good luck with the language... it pays off 100 fold with integration. Nice work Scottie :)

I had to learn Russian living in a coal mining town, so I now how you feel. After 2 1/2 years I was clocked in at an advanced low level…. whatever that means :)

Good luck with the language… it pays off 100 fold with integration.

]]> By: Benny the Irish polyglot http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-363452 Benny the Irish polyglot Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:56:33 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-363452 OK, to get on to the third as quickly as possible, <a href="http://en.lernu.net" rel="nofollow">learn Esperanto</a> as your second one (in a week or two of work). It's a freebie in terms of becoming a polyglot :D Anyway, you'll hear me rave about it soon enough on my site since I'll be spending New Year's with about 500 speakers in Poland - these guys know how to party; and strangely enough, most of them are veggies too ;) Will let you know if I can make it down there, at least the TGV makes things easier! OK, to get on to the third as quickly as possible, learn Esperanto as your second one (in a week or two of work). It’s a freebie in terms of becoming a polyglot :D Anyway, you’ll hear me rave about it soon enough on my site since I’ll be spending New Year’s with about 500 speakers in Poland – these guys know how to party; and strangely enough, most of them are veggies too ;)
Will let you know if I can make it down there, at least the TGV makes things easier!

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-363430 Scott Young Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:59:24 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-363430 Thanks for your advice, Benny. The third may be easier than the second. My point was more for myself (and others) who like to take on the task of learning a new language without any real commitment (in time, and effort) and then complain/give up when they don't make progress. Definitely if you're around the south, drop me an email, I'd love to meet up! -Scott Thanks for your advice, Benny.

The third may be easier than the second. My point was more for myself (and others) who like to take on the task of learning a new language without any real commitment (in time, and effort) and then complain/give up when they don’t make progress.

Definitely if you’re around the south, drop me an email, I’d love to meet up!
-Scott

]]> By: Benny the Irish polyglot http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-363383 Benny the Irish polyglot Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:24:04 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-363383 Had a look through your previous posts related to your French learning and your commenters' and your own general analysis are definitely along the lines of what I would recommend! :) Rather than think of fluency as a "myth", I <a href="http://www.fluentin3months.com/defining-fluency-to-achieve-fluency/" rel="nofollow">define exactly what it means</a> to me and aim for that, much along the lines of the tangible achievements you've mentioned here. One thing I would disagree with is your projecting for <i>more</i> time if you try this again. You are definitely learning a lot about being able to speak a language and about how languages are structured and this will hugely speed up the process when learning your 2nd foreign language, especially if it's another European language related to French, like Spanish or Italian. Even learning an Eastern European or Asian language would be so much easier at the end of your stay in France, compared to before it. You've gotten over the extremely important barrier that holds so many of us back, of only being able to think in English. Getting over that barrier just once is much harder work than the grammar or vocabulary issue in any language. I famously suggest that anyone can achieve fluency in 3 months, but it does presume acceptance of certain ideas that take some getting used to first. You'll have already passed that stage! I don't think you need so much time for your next attempt ;) I'm glad to see you'll still be in France for a while! I use Paris as my hub (despite having quite the love-hate relationship with Parisians), since I'm working on getting miles with Air France, so I'm always passing through! In my current plans, the next few trips will only be hour or two transits, but I might hang around for a few days and possibly travel in France from March - note sure if I would make it to Montpellier, but it would be nice to meet up! Merde !! ("<i>Break a leg</a>", a charming, if not confusing French expression of wishing crappiness upon someone so that only the best will happen!) Had a look through your previous posts related to your French learning and your commenters’ and your own general analysis are definitely along the lines of what I would recommend! :) Rather than think of fluency as a “myth”, I define exactly what it means to me and aim for that, much along the lines of the tangible achievements you’ve mentioned here.

One thing I would disagree with is your projecting for more time if you try this again. You are definitely learning a lot about being able to speak a language and about how languages are structured and this will hugely speed up the process when learning your 2nd foreign language, especially if it’s another European language related to French, like Spanish or Italian.

Even learning an Eastern European or Asian language would be so much easier at the end of your stay in France, compared to before it. You’ve gotten over the extremely important barrier that holds so many of us back, of only being able to think in English. Getting over that barrier just once is much harder work than the grammar or vocabulary issue in any language. I famously suggest that anyone can achieve fluency in 3 months, but it does presume acceptance of certain ideas that take some getting used to first. You’ll have already passed that stage! I don’t think you need so much time for your next attempt ;)

I’m glad to see you’ll still be in France for a while! I use Paris as my hub (despite having quite the love-hate relationship with Parisians), since I’m working on getting miles with Air France, so I’m always passing through! In my current plans, the next few trips will only be hour or two transits, but I might hang around for a few days and possibly travel in France from March – note sure if I would make it to Montpellier, but it would be nice to meet up!

Merde !! (“Break a leg“, a charming, if not confusing French expression of wishing crappiness upon someone so that only the best will happen!)

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-362166 Scott Young Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:35:38 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-362166 François, Merci. Le français est difficile pour les anglophones parfois, oui. France est une très belle pays! -Scott François,

Merci. Le français est difficile pour les anglophones parfois, oui. France est une très belle pays!

-Scott

]]> By: François Cassin http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2009/10/26/my-progress-in-becoming-bilingual/comment-page-1/#comment-362006 François Cassin Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:41:52 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1115#comment-362006 Hi Scott, I'm french and i started reading your blog not so long ago. I didn't know you were living in France at the time being, I hope you're enjoying your time here :) Although I learned english at school, my learning was mostly based on watching TV shows and reading books/blogs. As Mark pointed out, it must be great to be able to practice every day, my accent is horrible ! Bon courage pour la suite, le français à la réputation d'être une langue difficile à apprendre ! Hi Scott,

I’m french and i started reading your blog not so long ago. I didn’t know you were living in France at the time being, I hope you’re enjoying your time here :)

Although I learned english at school, my learning was mostly based on watching TV shows and reading books/blogs. As Mark pointed out, it must be great to be able to practice every day, my accent is horrible !

Bon courage pour la suite, le français à la réputation d’être une langue difficile à apprendre !

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