The 250 on the top bar is the number of consecutive days. The 842 are credits for weeks and levels. 10 credits per week and level. The 48% in the shield is the fluency meter. Now it must be said the program adds new words so I've 2452 words of German, where I had 2430 in the post a month ago. Not many you could say, but they are in context and you barely know they are going in.
You're certainly doing a good job at sticking with it - 250 consecutive days! I'm not sure how they're rating fluency, but I'm guessing at 48% you're about average?
ReplyDeleteI've found the biggest obstacle in speaking another language is the difference in classroom versus real life. Just like with English, some people speak more quickly and often with just enough differing accent or regional idioms to be confusing.
I think the reason I'm posting about it is that progress is slow and I need a public statement of intent. A bit like those 31 day blogging things.
DeleteI thin the 48% is saying just that. I have enough to watch a German film and get a lot of the dialogue. Until that is it becomes complex, then I follow with the subtitles.
But I thin what I'm trying to say about how I'm going about this, is, I think while learning in class will get it into my head quicker I think this may be more permanently in there. But we'll see.
I'm pretty sure I want to try something similar though German wouldn't be my first choice. I would like to take a refresher in Spanish since there is a large Hispanic population in our town and also Tagalog, my wife's native tongue of which I only know maybe a hundred words at best.
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect of language is that learning from the books don't teach you some elements of language. I remember a trip to Wales that I took many years ago and though they were speaking English, I was hard pressed to understand what they were saying. Also, my wife was forever asking me what all the various English expressions that mean something totally different than the literal translation. I remember the day I told her that there was another way to "skin a cat" and only when she got silent did I realize the thought I was literally going to find a cat and skin it!
Wales speak a unique version of English for most are closer to the celtic language, 4 generations at most, and Wales has by far the largest group speaking it today. So even I would have a hardship following the Welsh.
DeleteAs to learning Tagalog. I'd say you have more than you think. You can have an osmosis learning where you are hearing it from the rest of the family. But what I'd do is the next time you are heading off to Luzon go out a month earlier and go around the island where you are immersed in the speech.
Vince, I agree with your strategy of making your intentions public. I should immediately post on my blog that I am going to lose 50 pounds!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, this is very impressive and your persistence is admirable. I am sure your total words and percentage will only continue to increase. Well done.
From Strategy, I don't know. But persistent I'll take. And yes I think that the totals will increase. In fact I've found it's a bit like a wheel spinning and then gripping, lurching forward, and into another hole to spin for another while.
DeleteMy daughter has been taking German in college in a program where they except the student to be able to spend a semester studying there after 2 years (she has one more year). It sounds like you have done a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteMy best to her. Is German part of her degree.
DeleteAnd frankly I think I'll have to devote more hours that I've been doing :-)
I've not heard of Duolingo. I'll have to check it out. It's impressive the amount of time you've spent. It's needed for a language, but I find that I've not the discipline to get on the program with regularity. It's always the plan, but not the outcome. I think though, to really learn you need to go be immersed in it...maybe a trip to Germany is on the horizon?
ReplyDeleteOh yes defiantly a trip is on the cards.
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