Re: Tongue Twisters

purdue — 2008-05-11 11:44:42

I always wonder what the highest level of language proficiency would be. Understanding, creating, and telling jokes. Tongue twisters. double-entendres.

Those to me seem to be the hardest to comprehend. This podcast had zero value to me since it went WAY over my head. :(

Re: How's it going?

purdue — 2008-04-29 03:45:05

For a few months now, I've been listening to (HOURS A DAY) things such as Spanish Pod podcasts; brand X podcasts, Pimsleur I, II, III audio CDs (almost through all of III), and many other audio CDs by using my (new) iPod Nano. Latest one in my ears right now is Penton Overseas's iSync Spanish for the iPod. It has words and phrases and they show up on the ipods screen in english and spanish ($15 for 5 hours). I also tune into my local spanish-language radio station ciento siete punto uno! And I try to get the 'feel' for the pacing and pronunciation of spanish words. (sometimes hard, especially with phone-ins). I find the sunday morning preacher/minister's program to be the easiest to follow along with. He says many words very deliberately and repeats them often. So, it's easier to follow. (and he's very passionate about his message!) I also at times watch univision. Near my bed and in el bano, I have Spanish phrase books, dictionaries, and a grammar book. I'm not sure what more I can do short of enrolling in a class, or actually engaging a spanish-speaker in conversation. But I still find myself very confused with 'short words'. All the "ahh"s, "Ay-yo"s "Ay-ye"s and such seem to blend blurrily together. And my guesses at the use of estar/es vs hay and such is a coin toss in correctness. The biggest problem is present/past tense, etc. For conjugations, is brute force (rote memorization) just the solution? Or, learning the most common usage/phrases of the most common verbs most useful? I have a LOT of vocabulary that has been built over the hours and hours of listening to all of this. But, I have a hard time tying them all together into discernible and understandable complete sentences and thoughts. Not sure that's ultimately important, though. If I POINT a lot! :) I also find that my brains fills up. After about 1.5 - 2 hours of straight audio listening. I have to take a break. My desire to 'keep learning' usually prompts me to pop the iPod back on within 45 minutes or so, though. And since I have no (current) plans to visit any area/place where Spanish is spoken, my family thinks this is odd. :) So, should I keep going? Slow down? Do more pen-to-paper work? Enroll in a class? Start going to Mexican restaurants to talk? (though, I usually don't to stay trim) And I love Spanish Pod and wish I could afford to visit a good friend of mine in Shanghai with the possibility of stopping by SpanishPod studios! (though I'm a boring visitor)

Re: The Opera

purdue — 2008-03-27 04:03:01

Buenas Suertas para leccion de cien manana!

Re: Bill Gates

purdue — 2008-03-14 03:24:35

I loved this conversation. Even though I'm a newbie, I was able to pick up a good deal, and it was funny to hear them argue about Bill and Warren.

Re: Photos by Phrank

purdue — 2008-02-15 03:29:12

Some of the most fantastic photos I've seen lately.

Re: She's a vegetarian

purdue — 2008-02-06 06:32:45

yeah, I'm sure I can only come close, but not perfect. I'm only learning via podcasts/CDs and such. Thanks.

Re: She's a vegetarian

purdue — 2008-02-05 03:36:11

Muchas gracias, Liliana! Aprendido mucho de español, porque usted y spanishpod.com.

Re: She's a vegetarian

purdue — 2008-02-04 04:10:54

Ola todos! Mi submision primera. Cual es la diferencia entre "otra vez" y "de nuevo", por favor? Gracias!

SpanishPod - purdue Conversations

Re: Tongue Twisters

Re: How's it going?

Re: The Opera

Re: Bill Gates

Re: Photos by Phrank

Re: She's a vegetarian

Re: She's a vegetarian

Re: She's a vegetarian