Mil !

Multilingual communications and translation major ✮⋆˙ Studying too many languages and trying to be a langblr ˙⋆✮ native 🇫🇮

[miltsuuna]

It's already nearing the end of January and I'm still yet to work on a concrete language learning plan for this year. At this point I feel like I'm trying to juggle too many languages, and most of them are already on the floor. :--D

[televisionenjoyer]

"stop speaking like you're superior" do you know how much more agile your brain is when you're bisexual?

[televisionenjoyer]

**BILINGUAL

[polysprachig]

Polyglot Checklist for Setting Reasonable Language-Learning Goals for 2025:

List out your languages (main(s), target(s), side(s), etc.).

Write 1-3 main areas of focus, project ideas, books to read, films to watch, studies to complete for each language. If you have more than 3, you might list 3 main and 1-3 side aspects you would like to focus on. If you are unsure what to focus on, consider your strengths, weaknesses and as of yet unexplored topics related to the language or culture in specific, then choose 1-3 aspects which speak to your interests the most (regardless of whether they are connected to your strenths, weaknesses or the unexplored).

After making your list, view the points you've listed en masse. Rank the activities in order of most-to-least intersting or most-to-least crucial to your studies and long-term aims.

Now, look at each point again. Ask yourself: how long would it take me to complete this task if it were in my native language? How long if I had C2 level? B2 level? A2? Ask yourself: given my current knowledge base/level, usage (vocabulary + grammar + accuracy with or without resources), and access to the materials required to engage with these points/aspects, how long would it take me to prepare, collect resources, study, and practise/learn the skills/vocabulary/grammar required to engage with each of these points?

Ask yourself: Is my focus something that requires time in order to achieve? Is this skill a grape on a vine to be ripened? Is it a bottle to be cracked open? (For example: If, say, your goal is to write a short story in your target language and you already have a working knowledge of sentence structure and the tenses most required to write fiction in that language, you may be working with a bottle. Expanding your vocabulary/range of expression in order to improve your writing in that case is simply adding spice to mull the wine. But if you are still in the growing phase, your skills hang as grapes you must cultivate in a rich soil. Tend to them first.)

Use this reflection to help you reconsider your list, but do not do away with it entirely. These are interests which you may return to at a later time or in a future level.

Ask yourself (whether you like to focus on one task/language or more at a given time): what are reasonable expectations for me to have for myself, my time, my learning and my output at my current level and considering all my other interests and obligations?

[miltsuuna]

It's 2:40 a.m. It's just me and the about three Chinese words I keep repeating on Duolingo.

[miltsuuna]

PSA if you're not already very advanced, do not use ChatGPT to learn Finnish.

[miltsuuna]

Serious question: how do we read books in our target languages?

Like, does anyone have a strategy?

Do you guys only consume stories you're already familiar with or does it matter to you?

[benkyoutobentou]

Yes, there are strategies to reading books in your target language(s)! Like basically everything else about language learning, reading, especially at the beginning, is very much up to you as to how you want to go about it and what works best for you. But first, I'll explain the two main "methods" of foreign language immersion.

The first "method" is called intensive reading(/insert other immersion type here) and the basic idea is to fully understand the entire text. With this method, you'll be looking up every single word and grammar construct that you don't understand. I've seen lots of people use this as their main method of learning languages and get great results from it! If you find that textbook study just isn't doing the job for you, you might want to try this.

The other method is extensive reading, where you're reading as much as possible and only trying to get the main gist of things. This is my preferred method of immersion, especially now that I'm more comfortable using my target language (in one language at least). This is typically supplemental to textbooks/other methods of study, and tends to work best (for language learning/studying purposes) with something that's just slightly above your level. However, sometimes reading in your target language is just fun, and that's still time spent with your language, which is a huge win!

As for finding something to read, that's where personal preference comes in the most. As a Japanese learner, I've never had issues finding things written in my target language to immerse in. If you're learning something like Irish, it might be a bit harder to find things written in your target language. I personally prefer to consume media in their original languages across the board (to the logical extent), but others prefer translated materials.

As for finding something suitable to someone just starting out with reading in their target language, I personally find comics to be a great starting point (again- Japanese learner). They have less words per page, it's mostly if not exclusively dialogue, and you'll get through it a lot faster than a page of pure text, which is a great morale booster at the beginning. Some people also like to start with children's books, whether that's picture books or early reader chapter books is up to the individual. Graded readers are also a popular option, but keep in mind that these are created specifically for language learners.

I personally started with a story that I was familiar with but had never actually read before (the manga of an anime I had seen). This way I knew that I would enjoy the story and I knew the plot in case I got lost, but there was also things in there that I hadn't come across before and therefore would have to figure out myself. I've seen lots of people read books that they've read multiple times in their native language as well. Although the first manga I read in Japanese was a story that I knew well, my first novel was one that was completely new to me. At this point, I almost exclusively read things I'm completely unfamiliar with.

I hope I could help you a bit on your journey! There are lots of ways to start reading in your target language, but the only real way is to just start reading something. In the end, all that matters is that it works for you and your brain.

[miltsuuna]

Serious question: how do we read books in our target languages?

Like, does anyone have a strategy?

Do you guys only consume stories you're already familiar with or does it matter to you?

[miltsuuna]

I would love to be really interested in morphology but I'm not. Unfortunately that makes life as a language student quite difficult sometimes.

[la-galaxie-langblr]

do it scared do it bored do it in your target language

[miltsuuna]

Intento hacer algunas cosas pequeñas en español cada día durante la semana que viene. Me gustaría escribir unas pequeñísimas publicaciónes aquí para registrar mi progreso. (A ver si recuerdo hacerlo.)

Tengo que escribir una reflexión de unas cuatro páginas sobre mi progreso en mi curso de español en la universidad. Para prepararme, pensé que a lo mejor sería una buena idea repasar los temas de vocabulario y gramática poco a poco y complementar el repaso con algunos podcasts y vídeos. Hoy es lunes (aunque es martes en cuatro minutos), y voy a empezar mañana.

[miltsuuna]

Am I finally for once in my life having an original experience feeling like I absolutely suck in a language I'm minoring in? 😀

[miltsuuna]

Does anyone have literally ANY resources for complete beginner Latvian? 🤝

(Preferably online for free!)

[linguistness]

Best language learning tips & masterlists from other bloggers I’ve come across

(these posts are not my own!)

THE HOLY GRAIL of language learning (-> seriously tho, this is the BEST thing I’ve ever come across)

Tips:

Some language learning exercises and tips

20 Favorite Language Learning Tips

what should you be reading to maximize your language learning?

tips for learning a language (things i wish i knew before i started)

language learning and langblr tips

Tips on how to read in your target language for longer periods of time

Tips and inspiration from Fluent in 3 months by Benny Lewis

Tips for learning a sign language

Tips for relearning your second first language

How to:

how to self teach a new language

learning a language: how to

learning languages and how to make it fun

how to study languages

how to practice speaking in a foreign language

how to learn a language when you don’t know where to start

how to make a schedule for language learning

How to keep track of learning more than one language at the same time

Masterposts:

Language Study Master Post

Swedish Resources Masterpost

French Resouces Masterpost

Italian Resources Masterpost

Resource List for Learning German

Challenges:

Language-Sanctuary Langblr Challenge

language learning checkerboard challenge

Word lists:

2+ months of language learning prompts

list of words you need to know in your target language, in 3 levels

Other stuff:

bullet journal dedicated to language learning

over 400 language related youtube channels in 50+ languages

TED talks about language (learning)

Learning the Alien Languages of Star Trek

.

Feel free to reblog and add your own lists / masterlists!

[miltsuuna]

Feb 2022

🖤 Overview of my languages to reflect back on later

Swedish: I definitely took two steps back with Swedish last year, so now the goal is to brush it up and pass an exam in August.

French: My skills are very rusty but it's all coming back nicely now that I've started revising. It's amazing how much you remember even though it feels like nothing has stuck! French goal for 2022 is to get to a level where I'm comfortable with going to French classes in uni.

Italian: Oh how this language pains me. I used to be A2 but I haven't studied or revised in such a long time. Goal is to self-study my way back on track with Italian this year; gently and kindly and in a way that feels good. <3

German: I feel like I've maintained my A1.2 level alright, and although it's not a high level it's a beginning, and this year I choose to be happy about it. I'll be starting a German course at uni in a few weeks, which I expect to help me with maintaining motivation and consistency at least for the spring. The goal is to continue on the next course in autumn and so on. Getting there one moment at a time.

Hindi: I'm craving to pick up Hindi. I don't think I can fight it. But I'll have to do it softly and without expectations or demands. I'll start with devanagari and see how it goes from there. It'll be like a piece of candy every now and then! :)

Estonian: Unfortunately I feel like it's not time to pick Estonian back up again this year, although I'm super looking forward to it. Estonian, I believe, is going to be quite an easy task for me because my native Finnish is so similar to it, and I've also studied it in the past. I hope to be able to get to it either in the beginning of next year or perhaps next autumn - we'll see how things go! However, I love Estonian dearly and I absolutely will get to it again.

All in all: I hope to mainly work on the languages I already know to some level and improve and/or rehabilitate (so to say) my skills in them. I just want this year to be a nice one, I don't wanna be too hard on myself, so I'll just go my own pace, although knowing that language learning isn't always a walk in a park. I'm not reaching fluency in any of these anytime soon so I will not stress about that. One day I will, and this year is going to be my healthiest attempt to come closer to that day.

[miltsuuna]

why is it that as soon as you get ONE word wrong on Memrise it never lets you move on from that like c’mon

[our-devious-exploits-in-memework]

I know it’s a weird kind of wish But the linguist in me wants to dish On how spelling and sound Are so weirdly unbound I can argue the swimmer’s spelled “ghoti”  - Mod M

[nothing-mancer]

It’s just me and my seven incomplete duolingo courses against the world