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20 Feb 2008
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[QUOTE=mattcbf600;175439]One of the things that struck me when I went to Morocco was how bad my French was, when I came back I set about learning to speak correctly so that I could at least make myself understood when buying food etc....
I had exactly the same experience four or five years ago and set about improving my French (or trying to).
There are evening classes at various levels in my area but they are horrendously expensive (£200 per term for my wife and I to go) so I started with the Michel Thomas discs to try and get some base level of ability before mixing with others. I must have gone through the 12 CDs about 20 times each to the point where I can now repeat them parrot fashion and it has enabled me to hold my own in the evening classes. Three years on no one is going to mistake me for a native and I still can't follow French film's without the subtitles but for someone with no linguistic ability I'm amazed how much I'm now able to do.
I was recently given the German and Spanish discs!
Matt, presumably you'll be doing video review of the BBC stuff - in French of course.
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20 Feb 2008
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I've been using Radio Lingua Network | Learn Spanish online with free podcasts, good if you live in the place you can practice as they give you 15 minute podcasts as the lessons. So listening to a couple a day is easily possible.
The bonus for Scottish people is that (being produced by a Scottish guy), they include Scottish examples in the language lessons.
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20 Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by backofbeyond
Matt, presumably you'll be doing video review of the BBC stuff - in French of course.
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he he! 
Not sure how that would work - except maybe if it was extensively sub-titled!
Really interesting to see all the resources people use to learn the language... please keep it coming I've got a whole list of places to try now :-)
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20 Feb 2008
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[quote=backofbeyond;175652]
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattcbf600
One of the things that struck me when I went to Morocco was how bad my French was, when I came back I set about learning to speak correctly so that I could at least make myself understood when buying food etc....
I had exactly the same experience four or five years ago and set about improving my French (or trying to).
There are evening classes at various levels in my area but they are horrendously expensive (£200 per term for my wife and I to go) ..........
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I've just signed up for French lessons in la belle France and it's 100€ (£70 ish) a term which is 10 X 2 hour lessons. So it's a bit cheaper here.
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20 Feb 2008
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21 Feb 2008
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Yay!!
Matt!
I've been FURIOUSLY, studying in the past 6 months trying to improve my French in prep for our trip next year... (Me and Gigi agreed that she will worry about GPS and I'll learn the LANGUAGE!)
I've done the BBC courses (got it tutored at a local evening college) and its good for basic knowledge...to get you started. I've got loads of other resources too -- will dig them out for you.
HOWEVER --- the problem is, its really not good enough to have 'basic French' because... its just even MORE frustrating....
The key is in PRACTISING it, SPEAKING it with others...
Maybe we can practice on each other?? Lets start a French thread in the Bar!!!
__________________
Some great quote about hard core travel that nobody has said yet.[/URL]
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21 Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by impasto
Maybe we can practice on each other?? Lets start a French thread in the Bar!!!
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Sounds good, will we have to use 'French Letters'?? 
__________________
'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.
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21 Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave ede
Sounds good, will we have to use 'French Letters'?? |
ROFL. I'm not allowed to incite or gloat. So I can't answer appropriately. 
__________________
Some great quote about hard core travel that nobody has said yet.[/URL]
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23 Feb 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by impasto
Matt!
I've been FURIOUSLY, studying in the past 6 months trying to improve my French in prep for our trip next year... (Me and Gigi agreed that she will worry about GPS and I'll learn the LANGUAGE!)
I've done the BBC courses (got it tutored at a local evening college) and its good for basic knowledge...to get you started. I've got loads of other resources too -- will dig them out for you.
HOWEVER --- the problem is, its really not good enough to have 'basic French' because... its just even MORE frustrating....
The key is in PRACTISING it, SPEAKING it with others...
Maybe we can practice on each other?? Lets start a French thread in the Bar!!!
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Il sera un peu difficile a parler avec les autres utilisant un texte, non?
Mais tu peu corriger ma grammaire a commencer. Merci, a "Gigi" et toi!
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28 Feb 2008
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Here's a great way to learn enough to get by in most countries. Won't get you fluent, but will help with the day to day travel stuff.
Learn the Lingo - Travellers Language Guides
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28 Feb 2008
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I have to admit that I'm useless when it comes to languages. Last year was my first trip to the darkside (France). Previously I've been to Scandinavia where I've only needed to speak English. I tried some free CD's I'd got from the "Sundays" and found them really boring. I don't need to know how to get a train or a hotel. They try to do a story you can follow but it seems quite irrelevant to me so it wasn't much help. In the end I just went and said sod it I'll manage. I had a phrase book and had to learn the bits I needed day to day. I quickly learned that it helped immensly if I said it in a French accent and not my native Midlands! Everyone I met was brilliant and very helpful, contrary to my pre-conceptions. I stopped on a farm campsite near Gap and the owners spoke no English and I spoke no French. After two days they knew some English and I knew some French. It was a great experience and it set the tone for the whole 3 weeks. What a wonderful country. I hope my experience in Spain and Portugal this year are as good. I don't speak a word of either!
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
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