boring language stuff
Sometimes, so many things just irritate me when it comes to languages including reading shit about people being undecisive. I always warn people at work that one thing I cannot stand is when you come to me looking for advice simply because you cannot decide for yourself wtf you want!
I watch on a daily basis REDE TV (SUL), and sometimes a couple of others. I also watch GALICIAN T.V., and at least once a week, I watch either the Azorean RTP or some other Portuguese station just to be exposed to it. Ironically since January since I started doing this regularly and practice with tutors, attend language meet ups (both in Portuguese and Spanish), my fluency has increased tremendously and I've noticed how much more comfortable I am speaking both languages, unlike before. My comprehension level has been growing too. I don't know however, how well my pronunciation is with Spanish since I speak without thinking so much. I know it's not bad, but sometimes I wonder. I was reminded about this as I read an entry in linguaphiles about someone trying to take on a particular accent without proper exposure. Unlike my accent which I know is pretty much "standard" especially since I am exposed to various accents. I mentioned how my friend Luis, a Salvadorian whose accent is pretty much Mexicanized. I hear the difference from his relatives who live near him and damn! lol That's all I can say.
I know for my Portuguese, my accent has been pretty much carioca. My first prof. was from Rio, then I studied for a month if not less with a Paulista. Then since January I've had 1 Mineira whom I dropped, and 2 cariocas. So my accent remains the same, unblemished I guess. lol If anything, it has perfected but it was the paulista who actually perfected my accent. That was pre-1994. I think that's what gave the cariocas the impression, or they're convinced I have no accent. In other words, I sound Brazilian. They never said it was very carioca, but at least Flavia has pointed out the most that I have no accent. In fact, this past Wednesday she told Anglea, a Chinese peruana that I am modest. lol It had to do with my fluency and level. hahaha I told her Angela that I don't view it the way Flavia does. But it seems that other Brazilians, at least the paulistas that I met last Tues. have the same concept. I still laugh at the fact that when I first walked in, that one Brazilian asked if I spoke Portuguese, but the others asked if I were Brazilian whereas everyone else they asked "...you speak portuguese?" lol Filipe, Anizia, Luis (Anizia's husband) all asked if I were Brazilian. I don't think Maria Fernanda asked me that though. That's 3 out of 5 native Brazilians...I say that's pretty impressive. The private tutoring is paying off! hahaha Oh wait, that was actually based on phenotype actually. Anizia said I had features like those in Bahia, and Flavia agreed. hahaha
On May 23rd we have another Spanish meet up and Flavia is definitely coming again. She enjoys it, so that's good. I still get confused but have been able to hold a conversation, although brief phrases, with Flavia in Spanish. I of course am comfortable speaking Portuguese with her. lol I notice though, that her accent in English is very strong. lol I never noticed before, mainly because we don't speak much English when we are together. And if anyone speaks English, it's me, not her.
Then early part of June is the Irvine Portuguese meet up. Not sure what is going to happen with the closest one to me because Luis stepped down. Flavia offered to help me, and I told her that I'd prefer the organizer be a native speaker. Like the Samoan girl Leilani who stepped up as the organizer for the Santa Monica meet up, and now she's been AWOL. *sigh* So I dunno, we'll see. I'm not that type of person to put that kinda shit together. Bad enough the Irvine one is super far, but every meet up is always eating out dinner. Fuck, it becomes expensive and then it's too fucking loud in that type of establishment. I just want to fucking practice speaking! Ironically you have all these native speakers, including with Spanish and they prefer to speak their language. But whatever works for them.
Anyway, the point of this post was exposure! You cannot gain fluency without proper exposure. Only so much you can learn from books and tapes/cds/dvds as a means of interaction. But the best remedy will and always has been, a native speaker.
I watch on a daily basis REDE TV (SUL), and sometimes a couple of others. I also watch GALICIAN T.V., and at least once a week, I watch either the Azorean RTP or some other Portuguese station just to be exposed to it. Ironically since January since I started doing this regularly and practice with tutors, attend language meet ups (both in Portuguese and Spanish), my fluency has increased tremendously and I've noticed how much more comfortable I am speaking both languages, unlike before. My comprehension level has been growing too. I don't know however, how well my pronunciation is with Spanish since I speak without thinking so much. I know it's not bad, but sometimes I wonder. I was reminded about this as I read an entry in linguaphiles about someone trying to take on a particular accent without proper exposure. Unlike my accent which I know is pretty much "standard" especially since I am exposed to various accents. I mentioned how my friend Luis, a Salvadorian whose accent is pretty much Mexicanized. I hear the difference from his relatives who live near him and damn! lol That's all I can say.
I know for my Portuguese, my accent has been pretty much carioca. My first prof. was from Rio, then I studied for a month if not less with a Paulista. Then since January I've had 1 Mineira whom I dropped, and 2 cariocas. So my accent remains the same, unblemished I guess. lol If anything, it has perfected but it was the paulista who actually perfected my accent. That was pre-1994. I think that's what gave the cariocas the impression, or they're convinced I have no accent. In other words, I sound Brazilian. They never said it was very carioca, but at least Flavia has pointed out the most that I have no accent. In fact, this past Wednesday she told Anglea, a Chinese peruana that I am modest. lol It had to do with my fluency and level. hahaha I told her Angela that I don't view it the way Flavia does. But it seems that other Brazilians, at least the paulistas that I met last Tues. have the same concept. I still laugh at the fact that when I first walked in, that one Brazilian asked if I spoke Portuguese, but the others asked if I were Brazilian whereas everyone else they asked "...you speak portuguese?" lol Filipe, Anizia, Luis (Anizia's husband) all asked if I were Brazilian. I don't think Maria Fernanda asked me that though. That's 3 out of 5 native Brazilians...I say that's pretty impressive. The private tutoring is paying off! hahaha Oh wait, that was actually based on phenotype actually. Anizia said I had features like those in Bahia, and Flavia agreed. hahaha
On May 23rd we have another Spanish meet up and Flavia is definitely coming again. She enjoys it, so that's good. I still get confused but have been able to hold a conversation, although brief phrases, with Flavia in Spanish. I of course am comfortable speaking Portuguese with her. lol I notice though, that her accent in English is very strong. lol I never noticed before, mainly because we don't speak much English when we are together. And if anyone speaks English, it's me, not her.
Then early part of June is the Irvine Portuguese meet up. Not sure what is going to happen with the closest one to me because Luis stepped down. Flavia offered to help me, and I told her that I'd prefer the organizer be a native speaker. Like the Samoan girl Leilani who stepped up as the organizer for the Santa Monica meet up, and now she's been AWOL. *sigh* So I dunno, we'll see. I'm not that type of person to put that kinda shit together. Bad enough the Irvine one is super far, but every meet up is always eating out dinner. Fuck, it becomes expensive and then it's too fucking loud in that type of establishment. I just want to fucking practice speaking! Ironically you have all these native speakers, including with Spanish and they prefer to speak their language. But whatever works for them.
Anyway, the point of this post was exposure! You cannot gain fluency without proper exposure. Only so much you can learn from books and tapes/cds/dvds as a means of interaction. But the best remedy will and always has been, a native speaker.