books

Not sure if it is allowed to send a book recommendation.

Not a text book, but more a musing about Italy and the language. Will post it, if allowed, as delightful reading and funny too

Hi Sebongela, 

You can share the name and author of the book so that it commented by other users who might have read it, but it's not possible to post the book itself in here. 

Kind Regards

The book I am reading is called “La bella LIngua” by Dianne Hayles. I am finding it a delightful read. Makes Italy come more alive and makes me smile. Am planning a trip there as soon as I can travel

On a different books theme, I've recently been convinced of the value of reading “easy readers” - short novels in Italian only, graded to the reader's level.  Likewise, listening to “Easy Italian News” and often, reading the Italian text at the same time as listening to it.  The theory behind both is that it isn't necessary - and is considered a hinderance - to be worrying about every word one is reading/listening to, plus the grammar rules at the same time.  The more I get into the Rocket programme, the more convinced I have become about that, given the sheer volume of vocabulary and grammar rules I am being exposed to.  So - Rocket as always, supplemented by audio and text in Italian only, to get exposure to the range of visual and audio input anyone visiting Italy will experience.

If it ok with the moderators, I will be happy to post links to the above.

A presto, Chris

ChrisM108

Once again, Hi

Have found reading in Italian really helpful. Found that I am able to follow it and that my vocabulary has grown. Still at a basic level, but still enjoyable. Some info on what you have found will be great. I am always looking for new sources to improve my grasp of “La bella LIngua”

Here's the links I mentioned:

1. Easy Italian News https://easyitaliannews.com  Free.  Text and audio, multiple times a week, and you can opt in for alerts about new editions.
2. Easy Readers https://easyreaders.org/product-category/italian/  Payable, but often at a sale price at extremely low prices.  Graded by aptitude level. Lots of free resources.

As I mentioned, I have only recently become convinced of the logic of immersion listening and reading, but I definitely get the gist of the news, and with the books, absorb a surprising amount, which is very encouraging.

HiChrisM108

Thanks once again.

Bought 2 books on another site on my e reader. Short essays and conversations. 

Have you bought any of the books? Listened to the news, that was awesome. Helped that I had read those news items on BBC World, but it was encouraging and gratifying how much I understood. 

I agree that using different resources keeps in interesting and helps it all eventually make a whole. Happy learning Sharon

I have read some of the books, Sharon, and they're well-written for the appropriate level - at that time for me, A2/1.  It was understandable, but also stretched me.  I resisted the temptation to keep looking up words I didn't understand, as (a) it's not part of the immersion system, and (b) you can't do that in real time. in real world situations.  That's what convonced me that the system is the best way forward as a supplemental tool to Rocket.

A presto, Chris

Hi ChrisM108

I get all stressy thinking about not looking up the words I don't understand. Different learning styles, I guess. Am going to try it at any rate and see how I feel about not understanding it all. I guess between Babbel, Rocket, reading ,writing it will eventually all mesh. A type personality is sometimes a blessing and a curse. Am taking it easier, as level 2 and the grammar is more intense, so concentrating on smaller bits opposed to the whole lesson 

ciao

Sharon

Buon giorno ChrisM108

Or maybe buona sera. We live in very different time zones. 

Not sure if you have seen the advice section of the news casts you sent . On the left at the bottom are some other listening sites. I am enjoying those too.

Sharon

I've regularly used all the sub-sites accessed via the links, Sharon.  There's loads of information that is provided free.  The only sections I have avoided are the grammar ones, but I suspct as I get deeper into the Rocket modules, I'll use them for more complicated grammar issues.  All of the resources are excellent, and run by a Brit who has lived in Italy for ages.  If you join the mailing list on the main page https://onlineitalianclub.com/ you'll get multiple emails a week, each one of which has novel and interesting angles on language learning.  Recommended.

HiChrisM108

You really are a font of all knowledge. I appreciate all the suggestions and links you have posted on the forum. Takes my learning to a whole new level. Makes it more interesting too. 

Have signed up for the newsletter. Will see how that goes. 

Finally a discount for Memorial Day, going to get the travelogues. Find those interesting and will tackle that in between the grammar. Understand athe grammar I have been wading through, but find it so tedious.

Have a great weekend

Sharon

Di niente Sharon e buon fine settimana.  Chris

Hi ChrisM108

Have you tried the Coffee Break podcasts? Tried the greetings one they are free, will try more advanced ones later. A bit up bit and enthusiastic. Would like your take on them 

Ciao Sebongela

Ciao sebongela. Come stai oggi? I sure have, and CB is very good.  I was reluctant to go too far with it, because of (even more) cost to add to my Italian studies.  Having said that, I'm focusing more time on listening (crucial) with Easy Italian News that I previously mentioned https://easyitaliannews.com/ and may well add CB as well.

A presto

Chris

Buongiorno  ChrisM108

Sto molto bene grazie. Sono in vacanza sull'isola Vancouver Island.

Not sure I'm going to subscribe  am going to think about it, but the podcasts are free and will use those. All little bits help to form a whole picture and breaks some of the routine. Rocket still my main focus, but I like the fact that sometimes I can just listen and knit or when am in the kitchen. My strength is not auditory learning , so all that I am using develops that.

Ciao.

Sebongela

One thought for your deliberations, sebongela.  In my management courses, the behaviourists often maintained that human communication is 70% non-verbal; i.e. body language, unconscious lip reading, etc.  I reckon that's why emails are so often a relationships train wreck in slow motion.  There are no clues as to the intention of the writer other than text.  

In my Romance languages studies, blogs often recommended watching the mouths of native speakers in action and I have noticed that Italian speakers mouths are much more animated than native Brits.  It's often said posh English people speak as if though clenched teeth - the complete opposite to Italians!

So - I'm increasingly of the opinion that videos are better than podcasts for that reason.  Plus, there are truckloads of them available for free online.  Just a thought.  Chris

Hi ChrisM108 

Never thought of that, interesting idea. All bits help is my motto. Especially if it is free. I watch quite a few videos too,  just find some annoying, but then that can be said of anything. My husband is Portuguese, and although he is an introvert, he still uses his hands to express himself more than an English speaker

Hi ChrisM108

Is the forum working for you. If I have a comment that comes via email and I reply it goes through, if I try and post directly from the forum, as in a new conversation it comes up with an error 500 in red at the bottom right screen. So just checking if this is going to go through or not. Have contacted Rocket, but still no joy. Have tried logging out and back in. My son who is a techie person has looked at it all and found nothing amiss. So just wanted to check in if you can post

Ciao

Sebongela

Hi sebongela. That's another server issue response, similar to the 300 series error response you previously had, from memory.  I would put money on it being at Rocket's end rather than yours.  Chris

Hi ChrisM108

Am seeing if I can post on the forum from my email. Am using the coffee break languages podcasts for revision. All bits help. Have installed Chrome still no luck, so let's see if this works.

A presto 

sebongela

Hi sebongela. That definitely worked.  It's odd how Chrome doesn't seem to have helped, because when I switched from using (a) an iPad, then (b) Safari on my Macbook (neither of which worked 100%) using Chrome on Macbook works just fine.  I recall you're using a PC?

Perhaps some tech-savvy forum members have some suggestions?

Good luck.

Chris

Hi again ChrisM108

By the way that is quite the moniker. Doesn't beat sebongela, a Zulu word or derivative of we give thanks and the spelling is not quite correct

It's the user name ‘assigned’ to me when I joined Rocket.  I've often thought about changing it, but then, why bother?!  

I don't know any Zulu.  The only Afrikaans I remember from my airline days is totsiens.  Allegedly, it is one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.  I'll stick with Italian, methinks!!!!

Chris

Hi ChrisM108

The totsiens made me smile. My father was Afrikaans, my mother English born in Mozambique. We only spoke English at home, but were sent to an Afrikaans primary school, as  an English one meant boarding school. The only Afrikaans word my sister and I knew was “ Baie dankie” - thank you. We thought it very funny ,as it sounded like buy a donkey. 

Languages have so many idiosyncrasies and a word in one language can mean  something quite different in another and at times downright rude. Met an Italian guy the other day and he was explaining some double meaning words, I'm sure tourists get laughed at at times. I know the Portuguese make fun of things like that. Even I have got into a pickle with my Portuguese

Believe me Italian is far more complicated than Afrikaans. In Afrikaans the grammar rules are simple and spelling totally phonetic. Still enjoying my Italian, but find am spending less time on Rocket and listening more and using other tools to improve grammar comprehension

Again I feel that different sources make a whole. When the whole Covid debacle clears I would like to spend at least six weeks in Italy. For now we are staying in Canada and in September we may drive across Canada to the Maritimes. So much to see here.

Sebongela