Learning French

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Reply Fri 28 May, 2010 07:53 am
Is there a French equivalent of Deutsche Welle?

I've done some french before at school, so I don't want a beginner's path - I want a grounded grammar-correct path.
 
kennethamy
 
Reply Fri 28 May, 2010 08:07 am
@platorepublic,
platorepublic;169940 wrote:
Is there a French equivalent of Deutsche Welle?

I've done some french before at school, so I don't want a beginner's path - I want a grounded grammar-correct path.


Radio France.....................
 
platorepublic
 
Reply Fri 28 May, 2010 12:36 pm
@kennethamy,
kennethamy;169947 wrote:
Radio France.....................


Thanks. But I seem to find it quite hard to understand Radio France's shows (e.g. in podcasts).

Is it even possible to repetitively listen to French and understand it eventually, assuming you have some basic knowledge of French?

I love watching French films btw - like Amelie or A Very Long Engagement - and having the subtitles help a lot.
 
xris
 
Reply Fri 28 May, 2010 01:44 pm
@platorepublic,
platorepublic;170050 wrote:
Thanks. But I seem to find it quite hard to understand Radio France's shows (e.g. in podcasts).

Is it even possible to repetitively listen to French and understand it eventually, assuming you have some basic knowledge of French?

I love watching French films btw - like Amelie or A Very Long Engagement - and having the subtitles help a lot.
We hear the familiar and see it in context and assume we understand. 90% of the time we are wrong but the 10 % grows our understanding, I believe. Then how long would it take?
 
platorepublic
 
Reply Fri 28 May, 2010 04:06 pm
@xris,
xris;170078 wrote:
We hear the familiar and see it in context and assume we understand. 90% of the time we are wrong but the 10 % grows our understanding, I believe. Then how long would it take?

90%... sometimes it's 100%, lol.

Well, it does help that I like the language: the flow and sound of french like river flowing, whereas that of German (despite the fact, I'm actually better at Deutsch than francais) sounds like a volcano spitting :/
 
platorepublic
 
Reply Sat 29 May, 2010 03:57 am
@platorepublic,
I found this particularly useful:

RFI - Edition du 28/05/2010 20:00
 
xris
 
Reply Sat 29 May, 2010 04:04 am
@platorepublic,
Merci blow through mon ami, mange tout
 
jgweed
 
Reply Sat 29 May, 2010 07:26 am
@platorepublic,
It is much easier to read a foreign language than either speak it or write it. I learned to read French on summer break in preparation for my MA requirement.
 
Jebediah
 
Reply Sat 29 May, 2010 10:51 am
@platorepublic,
I think that foreign language learning is becoming a relic. If you speak English, you are set, given how widespread it is and how available translations are. But we still enforce it on students as a relic of the days when to be educated, you had to be able to read the great works in other languages.
 
xris
 
Reply Sat 29 May, 2010 12:31 pm
@Jebediah,
Jebediah;170404 wrote:
I think that foreign language learning is becoming a relic. If you speak English, you are set, given how widespread it is and how available translations are. But we still enforce it on students as a relic of the days when to be educated, you had to be able to read the great works in other languages.
God Ive tried. I have travelled in France over twenty years and my French is terrible. Every damned Frenchman wants to practice his English on me. Swear , drink, food, matters of importance and thats it. I wish I had a brain that could absorb language. I usually think of an alternative word in English and say it with a french accent. Wealthy = Opulence. Orpooolance..
 
platorepublic
 
Reply Sun 30 May, 2010 03:02 am
@platorepublic,
je pense que il aide if we had french parents.
 
attano
 
Reply Wed 2 Jun, 2010 02:23 pm
@platorepublic,
platorepublic;169940 wrote:
Is there a French equivalent of Deutsche Welle?

I've done some french before at school, so I don't want a beginner's path - I want a grounded grammar-correct path.


(Not that I find this very philophical, but if I can help...)

Did you try to google that?
Try this www.frenchassistant.com. Not that I recommend it but at least is offers intermediate and advanced level.

Beware of movies, there' s a lot of jargon and they do speak quite fast.
If you really want to try recent ones, I would suggest Les Visiteurs and or Un air de famille (but give up the idea to understand Bacri, no way), you won't understand much, but at least they are funny.

Maybe the best hint would be to look for movies with Fabrice Luchini, he's indeed most clear in his elocution and there are abundant recent films with him in key roles.

Maybe old films would be more approachable, La grande illusion, Casque d'or or the Battle of Algiers).

Warning: even if you understand their language it does not mean that you will understand what they say...:bigsmile:
Good luck.
 
platorepublic
 
Reply Wed 2 Jun, 2010 10:48 pm
@attano,
attano;172201 wrote:
(Not that I find this very philophical, but if I can help...)

Did you try to google that?
Try this www.frenchassistant.com. Not that I recommend it but at least is offers intermediate and advanced level.

Beware of movies, there' s a lot of jargon and they do speak quite fast.
If you really want to try recent ones, I would suggest Les Visiteurs and or Un air de famille (but give up the idea to understand Bacri, no way), you won't understand much, but at least they are funny.

Maybe the best hint would be to look for movies with Fabrice Luchini, he's indeed most clear in his elocution and there are abundant recent films with him in key roles.

Maybe old films would be more approachable, La grande illusion, Casque d'or or the Battle of Algiers).

Warning: even if you understand their language it does not mean that you will understand what they say...:bigsmile:
Good luck.

I have this strange fantasy that one day I will do.
 
 

 
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