Attempting to Learn Thai 2
September 7th, 2006
Months in Thailand: 2.5
Hours at AUA: ~60
Other study: None since I started at AUA (before that, some minimal self-study and 6 very poor classes at another school)
Progress: Nothing groundbreaking, but I am definitely understanding a substantial amount more in class than when I started. I would say I follow the gist of the conversation/activity/etc. about 75% of the time. I can't reproduce what I hear, and I certainly don't catch every (or even most) words, but I understand what's going on. (Keep in mind that Level 1 covers very simple topics and the teachers encorporate a great deal of drawing on the board, sound effects, and body language.) In the mixed Level 1+2 class (4pm) I understand substantially less, but again noticibly more than when I started.
I'm sure my vocabulary has not improved by very many words, but that isn't the way AUA works. The small pool of words/phrases/ideas that I would say I've permanently acquired via AUA are now automatic... I don't have to think about what they mean when I hear them. I also find myself thinking these words outside of class at times. For example, "puying suay" (beautiful woman) and buchai law (handsome man) are discussed very often in level one. Last week a rather attractive Thai woman was walking my way on Sukhumvit, and the first- and only- thought to enter my mind was "puying suay." No English in my head, just Thai. The same goes with "have/don't have" which occur very very frequently in Thai. I find myself thinking these words, for example, if a store doesn't have something. "Mai mee."
Other: Still leaving Thai TV on probably 1 hour or so per day. Most of the time I'm not "watching" or even listening actively, but I do notice that I understand more little bits and pieces than I used to. Just words, though, really... unlike AUA classes, I don't get the big picture of any conversations on TV yet.
September 7th, 2006
Months in Thailand: 2.5
Hours at AUA: ~60
Other study: None since I started at AUA (before that, some minimal self-study and 6 very poor classes at another school)
Progress: Nothing groundbreaking, but I am definitely understanding a substantial amount more in class than when I started. I would say I follow the gist of the conversation/activity/etc. about 75% of the time. I can't reproduce what I hear, and I certainly don't catch every (or even most) words, but I understand what's going on. (Keep in mind that Level 1 covers very simple topics and the teachers encorporate a great deal of drawing on the board, sound effects, and body language.) In the mixed Level 1+2 class (4pm) I understand substantially less, but again noticibly more than when I started.
I'm sure my vocabulary has not improved by very many words, but that isn't the way AUA works. The small pool of words/phrases/ideas that I would say I've permanently acquired via AUA are now automatic... I don't have to think about what they mean when I hear them. I also find myself thinking these words outside of class at times. For example, "puying suay" (beautiful woman) and buchai law (handsome man) are discussed very often in level one. Last week a rather attractive Thai woman was walking my way on Sukhumvit, and the first- and only- thought to enter my mind was "puying suay." No English in my head, just Thai. The same goes with "have/don't have" which occur very very frequently in Thai. I find myself thinking these words, for example, if a store doesn't have something. "Mai mee."
Other: Still leaving Thai TV on probably 1 hour or so per day. Most of the time I'm not "watching" or even listening actively, but I do notice that I understand more little bits and pieces than I used to. Just words, though, really... unlike AUA classes, I don't get the big picture of any conversations on TV yet.
posted by Dan at 12:58 AM
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