I think of studying my language in terms of how I want to experience the language in action. I think that since coming to college and when I started studying Italian completely by choice, I began to understand the importance of why you want to study a language. My experience in lower education was mostly negative for learning language, and I think that it was because the study felt uncentered and completely grade focus. I never stopped to wonder why I was learning Spanish, instead, I only ever felt like I had to.
Now I know that the main objective of my language learning journey is cultivating more human connection. I want my French to be "livable", according to the diagram, lean more toward the applied linguistics. I hope to be able not only to survive, but really live and form relationships with people using the French language. Part of that will be to engage in pop culture in French language, really be able to understand colloquialisms. I know that I want to live in Paris at some point, so really focus my learning on the urban, cultural vocabulary. I think that that will involve engaging in current media like tv shows and movies, and learning these sorts of topics that may come up in conversation at perhaps a dinner or something. I also plan on utilizing tutoring to really expose myself to the language in conversation. I know from experience that this is what really helped when learning Italian, living within it.
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Hi Caro!
I like how you phrased your learning objective, and think it is also very similar to my personal learning objective. When learning French, do you also want to learn French dialects such as Creole or Québécois? In my experience, I have encountered people who speak almost every dialect but Parisian French.
I hope you can embark on your dream to live in Paris, Caro! Do you have a favorite neighborhood or arrondissement?