itt: stories of yr attempts to master tongues via DUOLINGO

Heb je even?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IJ_(digraph)

tl;dr: it’s considered one letter.

(Also, it’s “DUO *heeft* me net gezegd...”)

Dankjewel!

Think my verbal confusion was coming from
DUO heeft/hebt me gezegd.

In Amsterdam dialect it would be: “DUO hep me net gezegd (sounds like: gesegt), so you were sort of fine-ish anyway...

Yeah, I actually almost spelled it with a ‘t’ at the end.

Ik ga weg, maar ik weet niet waarnaartoe.

Ben je ergens bezorgd over?

Is it waar naartoe or waarnaartoe? I'd say the former.

DUO said the latter. Was interested in that long word, which is why I posted that.

Discussion here: https://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/566/waar_naar_toe_waar_naartoe/

Also this seems like it may be useful to me https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/3733010/Grammar-Dutch-Word-Order

Took a break from Dutch and am working on Greek a little bit, which is fun and interesting for various reasons I can elaborate on if you like.

Omg isn't it hella hard? My kid is still undecided to continue Old Greek

Doesn’t seem so to me, but I am learning at my own pace

I can dance a tango, I can read Greek — easy.

Modern Greek is easier than (the) Ancient Greek(s)... but it's still quite hard for English speakers to learn! On par with Russian, definitely harder than Dutch. But easier than Arabic or Mandarin.

Ah, you are right, f. hazel, it is in the second hardest category. Very hard to shake that feeling of “In just a short period of time I have learned a few simple greetings, phrases and grammar points — it’s all downhill from here!”

But easier than Arabic or Mandarin.

Japanese is pretty easy. Apparently Korean is easier?

Ancient Greek is still taught in schools here but less and less kids want to study it. I would love if Ophelia continues but it's up to her.

How do you all do it: do you randomly pick a theme or finish one before heading to the next one?

Japanese is not easy

I studied Japanese for three years, it feels easy at the very beginning (no subject/verb agreement, no plurals, very few sounds not already present in English) and then rapidly destroys your self-confidence (honorifics, counters, ten-year investment in memorizing Kanji if you ever want to read a newspaper headline)

^otm

Well, true, the honorifics are quite hard. But compared to dutch (and other languages) it felt easier. Much less exceptions. It feels more structured compared to my language. Granted, languages come easily to me.

Also I read a book on how the Japanese think. (Sociology, psychology,... and how that relates to the language.) It was eye opening and hence made studying the language easier for me.

Did you visit Japan or take any sort of certification test?

I remember my Japanese-as-in-from-Japan professor being asked if she was going to move back to Japan and her momentary abandonment of her usual formal-Japanese-professor aspect to exclaim "absolutely not, I hate living there!" and then she spent the rest of the class saying how great Japan was to make up for it. Not mentioned in textbooks: it really sucks to be a woman there.

Also I read a book on how the Japanese think. (Sociology, psychology,... and how that relates to the language.) It was eye opening and hence made studying the language easier for me.

― nathom, Tuesday, 14 May 2019 5:07 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I would like to read this book.

As for kanji, I find that relatively easy. I’m thirty weeks into a kanji learning programme and I can read most of what a 6th grader can a lot of what a high schooler can. Actually I’m slowing down that to bring my grammar and comprehension up to a similar level. It’s been a real boon to be able to read so much more, though.

Position of women in japan is pretty shocking, if slowly getting better.

Yeah, but aren’t you actually in Japan now? Don’t you think that makes it a wee bit easier as well?

I’m only occasionally in japan. In Australia till August. I’ve just started using an iTalki tutor which is helping.

日本語の文法を覚えるくらい難しいことはない。

I'll look in the attic, Ed. It's been two decades since I read it. Lol

Wat voor noten hebben jullie?

Meneer beer eet een peer.

I'm doing the Irish course and it's bizarrely obsessed with menus and apples.

Yeah. I looked at that one for a bit and it seemed to be missing something, not a lot of audio for one thing, and also the kind of stuff you are describing.

1000 day streak today!

¡Hoy he logrado una racha de mil días!

Waaaaht. Omg. I'm on day 120. Slipped off the top 20. Thanks to returning to FB. LOL

I'm a creature of habit and many days just do a quick couple of lessons, but more when I have time (I'm at 55000XP over those 1000+ days). I've always maintained my streak freeze, which has saved me a few times along the way when life got particularly busy.

I'm at the stage I want to purchase a grammah book bec it feels duolingo is fun but not informative enough (in that regard).

Sounds like a good idea.

This page might be useful for those willing to follow into the Modern Greek rabbit hole: https://www.foundalis.com/lan/greek.htm

Ophelia started Japanese! So proud of her.

Still waiting for https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/32196326/Improved-Norwegian-Course-Overview-and-F-A-Q

In the meantime just noticed Arabic on the app.

Only the app barely works anymore. Overtaxed servers, I assume.

Okay, it’s a go.

It’s a super tiny course :(

Tap the pairs

Hardly any discussions either. I saw a few but they were only a day or two old.

Seems like at least a good way to work the writing system.

Only the app barely works anymore. Overtaxed servers, I assume.

Doubt if it will enable me to catch up to Ed, but the Japanese course is much improved with the recent update. Although I think it may still be in A/B testing so not all will see.