"However, I find watching television is a very passive experience. I feel that interaction is pretty much the best way to learn." <-- I agree, and this is something I've been lacking in my learning. However, I have also noticed that if I watch shows that I really enjoy, a surprising amount of words and phrases seem to stick (e.g. throughout the day I might remind myself of funny quotes or words I heard). There will of course be gaps, but in the absence of immersion, this kind of learning can still be very useful.
![[Marianne10]](http://m.lingq.com/media/images/no_photo.gif){kind=small}
Peter - I agree with that. What I do in those situations is to try and find a native to ask about that particular phrase that keeps on coming up. Just to be able to remember it and it works. The very fact that you have spoken to someone about that expression helps.
@Marianne
I would have to say that German soap operas have, in recent years, become increasingly...well...vulgar!
Back in the early days, GZSZ was at least watchable. For example, there was a character called (I believe) "Dr Gerner" who was a fairly serious lawyer. But over the years he turned into a kind of weird and sleazy panto-villain!
More recently there was another soap called AWZ - but I quickly tuned out of that when the script-writers became obsessed with gay sex. (What consenting adults do in private is, of course, their business. But I personally don't need to have this right in my face when I'm watching 6.00pm TV...)
I would have to say that German soap operas have, in recent years, become increasingly...well...vulgar!
Back in the early days, GZSZ was at least watchable. For example, there was a character called (I believe) "Dr Gerner" who was a fairly serious lawyer. But over the years he turned into a kind of weird and sleazy panto-villain!
More recently there was another soap called AWZ - but I quickly tuned out of that when the script-writers became obsessed with gay sex. (What consenting adults do in private is, of course, their business. But I personally don't need to have this right in my face when I'm watching 6.00pm TV...)
@ JayB - Never even heard of AWZ but I think I am not that keen on German TV. We have a satellite dish here and only watch British TV at home.
On the what you do in private note, I am often asked by people in other countries why the Germans are so keen on FKK...(they should just ask the Germans that).
The intellectual Germans tend to rave about a series called Tatort. I have never taken to it. It is not a soap opera but more like a detective story. That and Spiege for reading :-)is what intellectuals should at least consume hat man mich belehrt.
On the what you do in private note, I am often asked by people in other countries why the Germans are so keen on FKK...(they should just ask the Germans that).
The intellectual Germans tend to rave about a series called Tatort. I have never taken to it. It is not a soap opera but more like a detective story. That and Spiege for reading :-)is what intellectuals should at least consume hat man mich belehrt.
If you want to sample AWZ:
http://rtl-now.rtl.de/alles-was-zaehlt.php
(It can be watched online too - but you probably don't want to do that to yourself! :-D)
http://rtl-now.rtl.de/alles-was-zaehlt.php
(It can be watched online too - but you probably don't want to do that to yourself! :-D)
I love the way we can meander away from a topic. Let me add to the German tv sub-plot here:
Tatort is not a series, it is an institution: stand-alone 90 mins detective stories produced by and set in the various German speaking countries. It is not bad.
Tatort is not a series, it is an institution: stand-alone 90 mins detective stories produced by and set in the various German speaking countries. It is not bad.
I think many people can learn a language at LingQ from scratch. I do recommend that people also access other resources such as beginner series like Colloquial, Teach Yourself of whatever they like, as well as grammar reference material on the web. Our content in many languages, including German, Spanish, Russian, is really quite large. Even in Czech which has a limited library, I was able to start at LingQ although I also referred to Teach Yourself and other resources, but most of my time was at LingQ.
As for reading, this is the first thing I do when I start learning a language. The only exception would be Chinese where I relied on pinyin at the beginning.
I would not travel to learn, but would only travel after I had learned the language to a certain degree which is what I am doing with Czech.
I also find movies, videos and the like less useful for learning than reading and listening, since I mostly don't understand videos and movies and television shows for a long long time.
So, to each his/her own.
As for reading, this is the first thing I do when I start learning a language. The only exception would be Chinese where I relied on pinyin at the beginning.
I would not travel to learn, but would only travel after I had learned the language to a certain degree which is what I am doing with Czech.
I also find movies, videos and the like less useful for learning than reading and listening, since I mostly don't understand videos and movies and television shows for a long long time.
So, to each his/her own.