And the Cat!
Among other things I'm studying French by the method of Dr. Pimsler, as once I used to improve my English . That time I went through English lessons from Russian language. Now I use English as the basic language to learn French.
If I remember correctly (should I return to them now?), the topics of both courses (English and French) are pretty different, maybe due to the fact that these lessons are not unconnected too much from the real life situations.
For example, now I already know that here (i.e. in France) cars and fuel are more expensive than in the US, and there are more holidays. In addition, the shops are closed during the holidays. The last reminds me an expression "she/he/it is not a buck, which is loved by everyone". The same thing (literally) applies, to also to an euro :)
Well, there is... coffee in addition. At which, according to experts of the Universe of Stirlitz, the professor (who came with the encryption) fell his exama... (even then it was Viennese coffee instead of French)
Well, they have told me many times that people here drink coffee with sugar, but no milk.
However, I continue to shock the local population, who do not want to understand: Tigers (like any Decent Cats) love cream, and get fat from sugar! :)
Duolingo (there my main language is English) in his application "Stories" gives the same type of story in French and German. On one hand, this significantly helps studying, but, on the other hand, it reduces the educational effect. However, they change the names of characters of their mini-stories, and not only them.
For instance, when Juliette comes to her first "blind" date, she has trois petits chats, while Julia is talking about a ein Hund. And a cat, of course! :)
* * *
Probably, among of many different methods these three are the best: the method of Dr. Pimsler, Rosetta Stone and the free Duolingo. In addition, they go well with each other.
The only thing about Duolingo I slightly don't like is its insistence in not accepting other, alternative alternative versions for the answers. Is it an occasional lack, or it's a reflection of one of the author's characteristics, such as "I'm the only one who is always right. Well, in addition to my family/(grand)mother etc..."? (I tell you, such people
runs after me all the time long!)
In order not to allow you to judge me too severely, I'll bring you an example from this site (well, two examples, but pas plus!:)
you can translate the English word "to know" in two different way like savoir and connaître. Their usage depends on the context, but there is no connection which pronoun precedes it. But the site is stubborn like ten thousands donkeys: je connais, but tu sais.
Well, I have even one better example. The usage of english pronouns "his/her" depends only to whom the object belongs (the same rule you meet in Russian and Hebrew languages). In French its different: SON livre, but SA fleur. Well, now you should translate it into English, and here the only possible answers (i.e. the right answers by the site's opinion) are: "HIS book" and "HER flower". Or to say more exactly they were the only right answers some time ago. Now the only right answers are: "HIS book" and "HIS flower".
Well, I remember, that the site is free, and they live of the ads, but can I mewl a little?
In general, the site is good! And I sincerely recommend it. You can even learn the Cats Language there - they are real sweethearts!
* * *
In addition, a little more about the methods using by these teaching resources.
They give a little grammar, but mostly teach as people talk., i.e. teach us generally with whole phrases, expressions and sentences. Single words are not in use too much, that is the significant difference from my schooldays.
Once I read one "ladies novel" by a British writer.
Victoria (the main character of the story), who lost her parents due to road accident, was invited with her younger sister to London, when their rich relatives from high english society lived at that time. Beforehand Victoria with her family have been living in an American village. The cousin of Victoria's mother, who hosted the young lady, decided that now Victoria has to know everything that every other decent young lady from the high society should to (savoir:), including French.
Well, Victoria studied something at her hometown, but she still has problems with this language.
Then a wife of the best friend of the illegitimate son of her second cousin uncle-duke hosting her (have I succeed to write that?) gave her a simple but wise advice: "You should better study whole phrases and sentences instead of single words"
Hence now I lost in my thoughts: ok, I'm a former schoolgirl from the USSR was taught such way. You know it well: the big political games, the Iron Curtain, and other related factors, including low teachers' salaries. But she did not have to break out behind the iron curtain. Was it really the way to teach American schoolgirls that time, or did the author wanted to show the "great difference" among the USA and her "Great motherland"?
If I remember correctly (should I return to them now?), the topics of both courses (English and French) are pretty different, maybe due to the fact that these lessons are not unconnected too much from the real life situations.
For example, now I already know that here (i.e. in France) cars and fuel are more expensive than in the US, and there are more holidays. In addition, the shops are closed during the holidays. The last reminds me an expression "she/he/it is not a buck, which is loved by everyone". The same thing (literally) applies, to also to an euro :)
Well, there is... coffee in addition. At which, according to experts of the Universe of Stirlitz, the professor (who came with the encryption) fell his exama... (even then it was Viennese coffee instead of French)
Well, they have told me many times that people here drink coffee with sugar, but no milk.
However, I continue to shock the local population, who do not want to understand: Tigers (like any Decent Cats) love cream, and get fat from sugar! :)
Duolingo (there my main language is English) in his application "Stories" gives the same type of story in French and German. On one hand, this significantly helps studying, but, on the other hand, it reduces the educational effect. However, they change the names of characters of their mini-stories, and not only them.
For instance, when Juliette comes to her first "blind" date, she has trois petits chats, while Julia is talking about a ein Hund. And a cat, of course! :)
* * *
Probably, among of many different methods these three are the best: the method of Dr. Pimsler, Rosetta Stone and the free Duolingo. In addition, they go well with each other.
The only thing about Duolingo I slightly don't like is its insistence in not accepting other, alternative alternative versions for the answers. Is it an occasional lack, or it's a reflection of one of the author's characteristics, such as "I'm the only one who is always right. Well, in addition to my family/(grand)mother etc..."? (I tell you, such people
runs after me all the time long!)
In order not to allow you to judge me too severely, I'll bring you an example from this site (well, two examples, but pas plus!:)
you can translate the English word "to know" in two different way like savoir and connaître. Their usage depends on the context, but there is no connection which pronoun precedes it. But the site is stubborn like ten thousands donkeys: je connais, but tu sais.
Well, I have even one better example. The usage of english pronouns "his/her" depends only to whom the object belongs (the same rule you meet in Russian and Hebrew languages). In French its different: SON livre, but SA fleur. Well, now you should translate it into English, and here the only possible answers (i.e. the right answers by the site's opinion) are: "HIS book" and "HER flower". Or to say more exactly they were the only right answers some time ago. Now the only right answers are: "HIS book" and "HIS flower".
Well, I remember, that the site is free, and they live of the ads, but can I mewl a little?
In general, the site is good! And I sincerely recommend it. You can even learn the Cats Language there - they are real sweethearts!
* * *
In addition, a little more about the methods using by these teaching resources.
They give a little grammar, but mostly teach as people talk., i.e. teach us generally with whole phrases, expressions and sentences. Single words are not in use too much, that is the significant difference from my schooldays.
Once I read one "ladies novel" by a British writer.
Victoria (the main character of the story), who lost her parents due to road accident, was invited with her younger sister to London, when their rich relatives from high english society lived at that time. Beforehand Victoria with her family have been living in an American village. The cousin of Victoria's mother, who hosted the young lady, decided that now Victoria has to know everything that every other decent young lady from the high society should to (savoir:), including French.
Well, Victoria studied something at her hometown, but she still has problems with this language.
Then a wife of the best friend of the illegitimate son of her second cousin uncle-duke hosting her (have I succeed to write that?) gave her a simple but wise advice: "You should better study whole phrases and sentences instead of single words"
Hence now I lost in my thoughts: ok, I'm a former schoolgirl from the USSR was taught such way. You know it well: the big political games, the Iron Curtain, and other related factors, including low teachers' salaries. But she did not have to break out behind the iron curtain. Was it really the way to teach American schoolgirls that time, or did the author wanted to show the "great difference" among the USA and her "Great motherland"?