Certificate of English conversation 10

Clic on the picture to see the blue cowboys.

Bibliography

Here is, with the exceptions of books I borrowed in library, almost all the books in English I read since the start of the process of English learning (most of them are children books). The whole weighs 13 kilos.

Photograph : Sebastien Moitrot

English speaking parrot 1

Wall of the listening understanding 2

This wall it's more or less what I feel when I'm listening a native english speaking person. It's very discouraging. So, starting from today, each time I'll understand some thing of a native english speaking person, I'll recompense myself in taking off a brick.

Wall of the listening understanding 1

This wall it's more or less what I feel when I'm listening a native english speaking person. It's very discouraging. So, starting from today, each time I'll understand some thing of a native english speaking person, I'll recompense myself in taking off a brick.

Certificate of English conversation 2, 3 and 4

Clic on the picture to enlarge.

Certificate of English conversation 1

A year of English

This month is the first birthday of my English learning. It's already one year since I started to learn the English in self-taught in the edge of the lake Leman between two baths, during the summer. First, I began study with children's books and web sites, next, I also watched many subtitled movies. Then, in september 2007, I started to write my thesis (my blog) in English with translation tools in the web (such "Google translation" or "Babel fish"). After the exams, I fall in a post partum depression, so I decided to continue the blog and to continue learning the English through lessons in a language school. Since, I write every days in English, specially in the comments section of my blog (specially thanks to Lilian, Doreus, and Krn, thank you everybody for your kind comments). I think that I did never been strong for learn news tongues, but the fact is that English will my fourth tongue. In my life, I had to learn many languages : first I learned the Castellano (starting from my birth), then the italian (in my childhood, it was the first tongue that I learned write), then the french (in my adolescence, it was the first tongue I could finally to develop), and now, the English. 

When I had to learn french, I said to myself that this is too much for my little head, I felt like with cognitive extra work. So I decided to learn only the french (without any attention for the English), because I wanted speak normally with my friends, and because I felt always like a outsider. It was very difficult learn French, it's a language with a lot of sonic nuances and homophonic words (there aren't homophonic words in the italian or in the spanish, each word is very distinct, definite and plain). Because of all these changing of languages, I felt all my life like an outsider everywhere, even in my birth country.

I hope the English will be the last language that I must learn, but I have say that learn English had been a good thing for me, because it mark a transition, or the start of something, I don't know what. The fact is that English has a kind of molecular power for me, it like if it repair my head, a music that tells me something that happens. If I arrive to exit of this bad situation (I talk about my health), the English will be for ever the music of the miracle. But, for now, in spite of some obvious progress, the English rest for me a kind of a extraterrestial tongue, because I don't have been yet the lucky of to practice the conversation. Put differently, I would need now an immersion.

Homework

809) My teacher asked me to write six sentences in English.

900) These six sentences must be wrote with the present simple, and I must use this three words: never, sometimes and currently*.

901) Let's go !

902) ) Currently, my English is still* very weak*.


903) But I am sure that when I will have finished these lessons, I could begin to jabber the English (in 5 weeks).

904) Now I am listening to nice music (Caetano Veloso), and I'm happy.

905) Unfortunately*, it's in portuguese, sometimes I tell myself that I should* listen some more songs in english.

906) But I never listen to songs in English.

907) But, from today*, I promise to listen more often* the "Love songs" of Elvis Presley.

908) Hum,... I realise that the sentences are not all with the present simple. No problem, here are six supplementary sentences (with the present simple):

909)) I get up at eight o'clock and I shower myself with petroleum.

1000)*** I have breakfast at two o'clock (I have a red tablet).

I leaves home at eight thirty and I go to work by flying saucer.

I have lunch in my office (I have a blue tablet).

I usually* work late. I leave work at three AM.

I sometimes buys a violet tablet and eat it in my flying saucer.

I often go out in the evening, because I like to do the feast from nine PM to six AM.

I goes to bed at seven AM.


***I reached my thousandth sentence. I decided to stop the numbering at thousand.


- Currently = actuellement
- Still = c'est un mot très polysémique à l'évidence, dans sa forme courante il veut dire : encore, toujours: "he's still asleep" il dort encore, "I've still got 5 dollars" il me reste encore 5 dollars.
- Weak = faible, fragile, peu convaincant, léger
- Unfortunately = malheureusement
- I should = je devrais
- From today = à partir d'aujourd'hui
- Often = (se prononce sans le "t") souvent, fréquemment
- Usually = d'habitude, d'ordinaire, habituellement

Tomorrow I begin intensive English lessons (2)

808) I will take a sleeping pills.

Tomorrow I begin intensive English lessons.

581) I am afraid that the teacher will pull my ears.


- Afraid = peur, craindre (to be afraid of), regretter (to be afraid that)
- Ear = oreille

SPAM -"She is trying to damage your reputation."

"Elle tente de nuire à votre réputation".

- Damage = nuire à, dommage, dégât, tort, endommager, abîmer.
- Trying = pénible, éprouvant, difficile. Essayer ? Tenter ? Chercher à ... ?

SPAM - "Heat up your bedroom with your giant tool".

"Chauffer la chambre avec votre outil de géant".

- Heat up = chauffer.
- Bedroom = chambre à coucher.
- Giant = géant.
- Tool = outil, engin

Touting

560) Telephone calls and spam advertising put me in a mood bloodthirsty.

561) So, here’s what I will to do:

562) Given the magnitude and persistence of the phenomenon, I decided to exploit it.

563) From today I will translate all the spams (the majority are in English).

564) In the same way, when I will receive an advertising phone call, I will take advantage to put into practice my oral English.

565) I will respond with my catastrophic English while stating that my language is Tagalog.

566) There is no doubt that this will be an excellent workout.

567) So here right away the first spam (received just a moment ago) : « Things women like about men ».

568) I tried to translate this spam with «Google translation», but I am discouraged, I get an incoherent sentence : « Choses femmes comme sur les hommes ».

569) But I suppose that means: "Ce que les femmes aiment chez les hommes", or something of its kind.

570) Hum…

Advertising = publicité. Given = étant donné, vu. Workout = séance d'entraînement. Mood = humeur

List of shoppings

540) I didn't know that "kébab" was an English word.

541) Until now I was convinced that it was a Turkish word.

542) Yesterday afternoon, at the supermarket, I found a piece of paper with à list of foods that I don't eat never (except cheese).

543) I explain why:

544) When I was a kid - I had about four years-, I spent an entire afternoon to play with a baby pig.

545) The next morning I was awakened by cries of terror.

546) It was my game companion that was in the process of make cut the throat.

547) The sight and smell of his blood, his afraid, his cries, the show of its bodies scattered and his agony still haunt me.

548) That's undoubtedly why I became a vegetarian.