 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| spud wrote: |
Funnily enough... trying to speak French with a supposed 'French Accent' is actually better than an English accent.
I remember having a guest who could speak almost fluent French, but he did it in a thick Yorkshire accent. It sounded hilarious. None of the French could understand him.
I told him to try it with an 'accent'... how he imagined the French sounded. He tried it...and it worked. |
Funnily enough... I've found the total opposite and that - in the same way a heavy French accent on someone talking English doesn't really matter and is actually sometimes rather nice -pace and confidence are the overriding factors, and so every time I down a glass of red and give up on trying to put on a French accent and embrace just how allo allo my natural accent is, everything flows much better and I can speak French and get told how nice my (absolutely appalling) accent is.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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For me the thing which made it click was getting out there and speaking it.
You'll find that during the season you are massively, crazily busy but try and take some time out to do "normal" things. Ask for where the cheese is in the supermarket when you're shopping, discuss the weather/snow/how you feel with the woman in the post office, ask your waiter what things are on the menu if you're eating out etc etc. Do it even when you don't need to because the more you use it the better it will get.
It is really hard to meet locals in ski resorts but remember that there will be loads and loads of french seasonaires who do exactly the same as the English ones - except working fewer hours and being paid more obviously  Lots of companies pay a bonus or a higher wage to people with language skills so most french seasonaires are keen to practise their English too. Try asking in the bars, restaurants, lift pass office, ski techs, hotels etc if there is anyone who wants to do a language exchange - you'll have hundreds of takers.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I spent 5 years of learning French at school .... complete waste of time.
I bought a set of cassettes from Readers Digests ..... Fantastique!!!
I got a CD course from Amazon for Italian ... I cant quite remember who by ... PGL or somthing ..
But that's very good I stuck it on the phone and practised on the Bus.
The imporant thing is practice, if you drive to work in the car for half an hour that's ideal.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thank you to everyone for there brilliant advice. I really appreciate it!
J
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| robapplegate wrote: |
| Tirol, +1 for memrise, using it to polish up my german too and my oh is trying to learn rumanian so she can talk to our daughters boyfriend. I take it you read the guardian the other week too. |
Yes, it's just what I was after. I'm doing a proper course with the Goethe Institut which is focussing a lot on grammar. Memrise is great for learning vocab and the points system appeals to my competitve inner child and keeps me coming back for more.
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Another vote for memrise.com here too - great for expanding vocab so avoiding that moment when your perfectly constructed phrase grinds to a halt at the noun.
Watch TV - better than the radio as you get visual clues - especially factual programmes as again they have images!! Mr Stella likes the politics as he reckons the language used is more correct, which given the accent down here I see as no help at all 
As said above do something every single day or it won't stick.
Talk, talk, talk....
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| Quote: |
I think putting on an accent always helps and even if you dont get the words rights at least makes out your are making the effort.
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+1
I have a French colleague... 90% of the time when either of us says 'I don't know the word for..........' (in English or French), it turns out to be the same word, just with the appropriate accent.
Some suggestions -- build up a list of phrases that you will use frequently. Remember that the French are very polite - so always say 'Bonjour' when you start, and 'Bonne Journee' when you finish. Don't try to practise in a really busy shop or bar... Another beer is 'Encore....' Chair lifts can be a good place to practise, and you can prepare most of the conversation beforehand (Are you here on holiday, how long for ? Where do you come from ?'
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Also have a look at the BBC site - that has a language section, this page looks like a good start for you.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/talk/
My advice is to practice on everyone, and when they reply in perfect english stick to the french. It really is the fastest way to improve.
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I got the starter pack of the michel thomas method, seems pretty good. It tries to teach you methods and patterns so you can work things out rather than simply memorising words and phrases. I'm not sure if ill shell out for the full course of discs which is about £60-70 will see how i get on with this first 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
I do get smoe strange looks on the tube when I am muttering French words to myself).
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I wouldn't be trying to learn Arabic that way 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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If you ask for a "cafe" (sorry, can't locate the accent) you will get an espresso. - for a milky coffee ask for a grand creme.
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Russeh, you might pick some up cheap on ebay .
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
can't locate the accent
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alt 130
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| Russeh, you might pick some up cheap on ebay . |
cracking idea thanks ill take a look
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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An alternative to Michel Thomas is Paul Noble. I'm refreshing my French using his cd set at the mo and Im amazed at what I've picked up 19 years since gcse french!
The apps don't work well if you actually want to learn something. You don't need to memorise stuff though to develop a skill with languages. At least, that's what the Paul Noble / Michel Thomas methods espouse. Good luck.
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