Comments on: Returning from a hiatus http://languagegeek.net/2009/07/22/returning-from-a-hiatus/ Just blogging about my language geekery. Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:22:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Josh http://languagegeek.net/2009/07/22/returning-from-a-hiatus/comment-page-1/#comment-25506 Josh Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:38:49 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/?p=360#comment-25506 All of the comments here are pretty much dead on. I've been enjoying my language studies much more now, after having taken some (forced) time off. It feels like a hobby again which I'm deeply interested in, rather than a second, unpaid job. One thing I do need to work on is gathering some decent music in all of the languages I'm studying. I've a small mountain of German music, as I actually became interested in learning the language due to music, rather than the other way around. I have a few artists that I like well enough for Russian, but I need more. For French and Spanish, I have nothing at all. I prefer rock music; any suggestions? :) All of the comments here are pretty much dead on. I’ve been enjoying my language studies much more now, after having taken some (forced) time off. It feels like a hobby again which I’m deeply interested in, rather than a second, unpaid job.

One thing I do need to work on is gathering some decent music in all of the languages I’m studying. I’ve a small mountain of German music, as I actually became interested in learning the language due to music, rather than the other way around. I have a few artists that I like well enough for Russian, but I need more. For French and Spanish, I have nothing at all. I prefer rock music; any suggestions? :)

]]> By: doviende http://languagegeek.net/2009/07/22/returning-from-a-hiatus/comment-page-1/#comment-25411 doviende Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:47:15 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/?p=360#comment-25411 I recently felt a bit stressed about spending so much time on languages, and some of it began to feel like a chore, so i took some time off to start learning to play irish-style flute, and to do some bird-watching during migration season. When i came back to working on german, i found that my motivation was greatly increased, and i felt refreshed and ready to go again. I've been working even harder than before, and enjoying it more. It only took me a few days to get back to where i was, and within another week after that i had clearly moved beyond where i was. Sometimes i think it's like weight-training. Generally, it's best if you take a week off every 12 or 13th week, and then when you come back you're stronger than you were before. Sometimes a "break" for me means just listening to audio content on an mp3 player when i'm at work or on the bus. we don't necessarily need to be hard-core studying all the time, but it's usually pretty easy to keep the audio flowing in the background. I recently felt a bit stressed about spending so much time on languages, and some of it began to feel like a chore, so i took some time off to start learning to play irish-style flute, and to do some bird-watching during migration season.

When i came back to working on german, i found that my motivation was greatly increased, and i felt refreshed and ready to go again. I’ve been working even harder than before, and enjoying it more. It only took me a few days to get back to where i was, and within another week after that i had clearly moved beyond where i was.

Sometimes i think it’s like weight-training. Generally, it’s best if you take a week off every 12 or 13th week, and then when you come back you’re stronger than you were before. Sometimes a “break” for me means just listening to audio content on an mp3 player when i’m at work or on the bus. we don’t necessarily need to be hard-core studying all the time, but it’s usually pretty easy to keep the audio flowing in the background.

]]> By: GeoffB http://languagegeek.net/2009/07/22/returning-from-a-hiatus/comment-page-1/#comment-25232 GeoffB Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:39:05 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/?p=360#comment-25232 Josh, Glad to see you back. I hope life isn't throwing quite as many curve balls at you anymore. Take it easy and remember that those languages have been waiting around for you to learn them for hundreds of years. Another week won't hurt if other things are going on. In my experience, I can let a given language slide for as much as a couple months and be back on track in a short time - if I so desire. Sometimes, I realize it's just not something I want to pursue further. I do usually tend to do at least a little language related stuff every day, but if life is busy that may mean listening to French music instead of the radio, not serious study. That way, it's a refuge from life, not another hassle. But yes, if it's a hassle, let it drop until you miss it. Then you'll be refreshed when you come back to it, if that's what is right for you. Take it easy, Geoff Josh,
Glad to see you back. I hope life isn’t throwing quite as many curve balls at you anymore. Take it easy and remember that those languages have been waiting around for you to learn them for hundreds of years. Another week won’t hurt if other things are going on.

In my experience, I can let a given language slide for as much as a couple months and be back on track in a short time – if I so desire. Sometimes, I realize it’s just not something I want to pursue further. I do usually tend to do at least a little language related stuff every day, but if life is busy that may mean listening to French music instead of the radio, not serious study. That way, it’s a refuge from life, not another hassle. But yes, if it’s a hassle, let it drop until you miss it. Then you’ll be refreshed when you come back to it, if that’s what is right for you.

Take it easy,
Geoff

]]> By: Joe http://languagegeek.net/2009/07/22/returning-from-a-hiatus/comment-page-1/#comment-25094 Joe Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:30:04 +0000 http://languagegeek.net/?p=360#comment-25094 I'm like you, in time my hobbies start to become obligatory parts of my day. When something feels like an obligation, you just don't have that same level of enthusiasm that comes with a passion that you do for the fun of it. I also have had to scale back my own language study the past two weeks due to moving across the state. This has turned out to be a great thing, because it helps you focus on all the progress you made and also realize that a lag now and then isn't the end of the world. I think language learning, for those of us who love languages, is a hobby we intend to keep for life. With that in mind, if we hopefully live to a decent age, we have many enjoyable years of languages ahead of us. It's a good thing to keep in perspective when we feel overwhelmed or like we're not making the progress we should! By the way, I actually think it's funny how many personality traits many fellow language learners seem to have in common. Many of the things you have written about, like stress from juggling several languages (and how to devote time to them all) and the like are all things I and other friends of mine who love languages have run into. Anyway, even while I was on a break, I still listened to music and watched TV and movies in my languages... though I view that as pure fun and not "work" (Maybe I need to trick myself more often!) I’m like you, in time my hobbies start to become obligatory parts of my day. When something feels like an obligation, you just don’t have that same level of enthusiasm that comes with a passion that you do for the fun of it.

I also have had to scale back my own language study the past two weeks due to moving across the state. This has turned out to be a great thing, because it helps you focus on all the progress you made and also realize that a lag now and then isn’t the end of the world.

I think language learning, for those of us who love languages, is a hobby we intend to keep for life. With that in mind, if we hopefully live to a decent age, we have many enjoyable years of languages ahead of us. It’s a good thing to keep in perspective when we feel overwhelmed or like we’re not making the progress we should!

By the way, I actually think it’s funny how many personality traits many fellow language learners seem to have in common. Many of the things you have written about, like stress from juggling several languages (and how to devote time to them all) and the like are all things I and other friends of mine who love languages have run into.

Anyway, even while I was on a break, I still listened to music and watched TV and movies in my languages… though I view that as pure fun and not “work” (Maybe I need to trick myself more often!)

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