Fri 27 May 2005
The family is going to Quebec City in a week. My wife’s mother is from there, so we’re going to show off the new addition to the extended family. Everyone speaks English, so there’s no communication barrier per se, but I have a thing for languages and I like to fit in as best I can — so I’m cramming some French. I bought a “French in Ten Minutes a Day” book before our last trip there, but didn’t keep up the studying after I got back. I also have a Pimsleur conversational French audiobook, but have I been doing my daily lessons?
Have we discussed how little free time I have?
So now I’m trying to get semi-serious about it at the last minute. Any tips? Besides just buckling down and doing the audiobook? Merci.
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Umm I dont speak a lick of french…oh well…haha…i dont plan on going there I would say the best way to get ahead with the french though it to talk to somone who speaks it
Hey, thanks for visiting my blog from Michele’s. You have a great blog here!
Emm, I am French so if you need any help with your french lessons, give a tinkle, I’d be glad to help…
Come back anytime… I’ll add you to my blogroll on Monday! ;-D
[...] French-Canadian dinner conversation — in French that was way over my head despite my last-minute cramming. Well, my French can’t help but improve this week. S [...]
I use the pimsleur courses on my iPod, which helps a lot, otherwise I think the very best way is to find someone to talk to.
You’ll learn a lot more with someone patient than any course (je habite en Belgique maintain, alor c’est tres facile pour moi trouver quelqu’un).
The only problem with the Pimsleur courses is that the full versions are prohibitively expensive. It’s hard to justify shelling out a couple hundred bucks when you’re only going to be in country for a week.
I agree that practicing with a native speaker is the absolute best option. I studied Russian for several years in college, but had to let it drop. Recently I’ve befriended a couple of native Russian speakers, and it’s amazing how fast it comes back. I’ve thought about asking them for some semi-structured tutoring.
I am happy to pass the mp3’s to you if you want.
Tempting, but I’d better pass. A FOAF recently received a DMCA “we know you you are, so cut it out” letter for downloading torrents of TV shows. So I’m trying to limit my consumption of content that I don’t own. Thanks, though.