TAC 2018 - Salajane

[aaakknu]

I will take part in it for the first time. During this year I will learn Estonian and English.

[flag=]et[/flag] ESTONIAN

My current level: can hold a basic conversation with native speakers; can understand 25%-40% of lyrics (mostly Christian songs and worship); can read veeery simple texts.
My goal: ability to read a book in original.

My plan:
1. continue the course of Estonian in my university.
2. sing and translate Estonian songs.
3. translate short stories into Estonian.

[flag=]en[/flag] ENGLISH

My current level: can read almost everything I'm interested in, but still often come across new words, especialy if it is style is too complicated; can understand people if they speak not very fast; very hard to understand when people speak with strange accent which I'm not used to. (I can understand well only Ukrainian accent )
My goal: expand my vocabulary.

My plan:
1. study it in the university.
2. to read books in original.
3. to watch films in original.

What do you think about my goals and my plan?

Please write something!

[aaakknu]

During last week I:
1. translated one short (very short) story into Estonian (http://lang-8.com/1219445/journals/9197 ... 1881759790 )
2. started translating 3 other stories, but haven't finished yet.
3. translated 2 songs ("Need, kes ootavad Issandat" and "Ma leidsin Sind") and learned words from them.

New words are:
hääbuma - to fade away, to vanish
kaduma - to disappear, to get lost
hirm - fear
röövima - to rob
halvama - to paralyze
pimedusse mattuma - to benight
tunduma - to feel
tummalt - mutely
vaikima - to be silent
kahtlus - doubt, suspicion
mure - anxiety, trouble, sorrow
mõte - thought
eales - never (?)
kohale - above
jõudma - to be able
kohale jõudma - ?
üles tõusma - to wake up
kotkas - eagle
jõud, vägi - strength
tüdima - to be bored (?)
tormituul - storm wind
maavärin - earthquake
liikuma - to move
alandlik - humble (?)
salajane - secret
paik - place
imeväikene - tiny
sosin - whisper

[aaakknu]

I learned a lot during last months, but I haven't time to post anything here. But I think it's better to learn, than talk about learning.

[flag=]en[/flag] I've read (almost) the book in English, called "A whisper of peace". And I read something in English in the internet every day about things I'm interested in. Unfortunately, I haven't watched any English films yet.

[flag=]et[/flag] But I think that I achieved more progress in Estonian, at least it is more visible and obvious for me. I finished the second semester of Estonian in my university. Apart from lessons, I watched a lot of videos on Youtube and tried to read everything I found on the internet. I realised that now I understand Estonian much better. The last video I watched in the language I understood almost completely, so I'm proud of myself. I watched that video several times before, but then I understood almost nothing or very few sentences, and now I understand it rather well. Some days ago, I also borrowed an Estonian magazine from my teacher. It is very difficult to read without a dictionary, but I can understand at least what the article is generally about.

[flag=]es[/flag] I also started learning Spanish. It's my second foreign language in university. I'm not very good at it yet, I know only really basic things. My friend shared with me some websites for learning Spanish, so I will use them during the summer to continue learning Spanish.

(If you see any mistakes in English, please correct them)

[vijayjohn]

Sorry this is so late, Irusia, but welcome to the TAC section of UniLang, and good luck!

I will take part in it for the first time. During tThis year I will learn Estonian and English.

[flag=]et[/flag] ESTONIAN

My current level: can hold a basic conversation with native speakers; can understand 25%-40% of lyrics (mostly Christian songs and worship); can read veeery simple texts.
My goal: ability to read a book in original.

My plan:
1. continue the course of Estonian in my university.

I at least would say "Estonian course" here rather than "course of Estonian."

My current level: can read almost everything I'm interested in, but still often come across new words, especially if it is the style is too complicated; can understand people if they don't speak not very fast; very hard to understand when people speak with strange accent which I'm not used to. (I can only understand well only a Ukrainian accent well )

You could also say "if it is in a style that's not too complicated."

My goal: expand my vocabulary.

My plan:
1. study it in the university.

I would say "at the university."

2. to read books in original.
3. to watch films in original.

I'd say "in the original" for both of these, although in a list, I would either consistently include definite articles or consistently drop them.

What do you think about my goals and my plan?

Please write something!

Sorry. How soon are you aiming to be able to read a book in Estonian? That sounds like a pretty ambitious goal by the end of the year! But maybe I misunderstood. Also, your goal for English is to "expand your vocabulary"; how will you know if you've accomplished that or not by a certain point? To what extent are you aiming to expand your vocabulary?

I've learned a lot during over the last few months, but I haven't had(?) time to post anything here. But I think it's better to learn, than to (just) talk about learning.

[flag=]en[/flag] I've read (almost) the entire/whole book in English, called "A whisper of peace". And I read something in English in on the internet every day about things I'm interested in. Unfortunately, I haven't watched any English films yet.

[flag=]et[/flag] But I think that I achieved more progress in Estonian,; at least it is more visible and obvious for me. I finished the second semester of Estonian in my university. Apart from lessons, I watched a lot of videos on Youtube and tried to read everything I found on the internet. I realised that now I understand Estonian much better.

Note that "realise" is a British spelling whereas e.g. "paralyze" is an American spelling.

The last video I watched in the language I understood almost completely, so I'm proud of myself. I (better: I've) watched that video several times before, but then I understood almost nothing or very few sentences, and now I understand it rather well. Some days ago, I also borrowed an Estonian magazine from my teacher. It is very difficult to read without a dictionary, but I can understand at least what the article is generally about.

[flag=]es[/flag] I (better: I've) also started learning Spanish. It's my second foreign language in university. I'm not very good at it yet,; I know only really basic things. My friend shared with me some websites for learning Spanish, so I will use them during the summer to continue learning Spanish.

(If you see any mistakes in English, please correct them)

[aaakknu]

Sorry this is so late, Irusia, but welcome to the TAC section of UniLang, and good luck!

Thank you very much for the reply! I thought nobody will read this
And thank you for your corrections, they will help me to improve my grammar.

Sorry. How soon are you aiming to be able to read a book in Estonian? That sounds like a pretty ambitious goal by the end of the year! But maybe I misunderstood.

Yes, that's an ambitious goal, but it's exactly what I meant. So you understood everything correctly.

Also, your goal for English is to "expand your vocabulary"; how will you know if you've accomplished that or not by a certain point? To what extent are you aiming to expand your vocabulary?

I want to improve my English as much as I can, both grammar and vocabulary. How will I know if I've accomplished that? I didn't think about that.
I just want to learn more advanced vocabulary in order to be able to understand and express more. I want to know more synonyms and also different idioms.

[uzferry]

Hi.

Unfortunately, I haven't watched any English films yet.

How are your listening skills? I remember having lots of trouble with listening during my school years because I wasn't a fan of films and I didn't watch any shows so I always lagged behind. Even now some movies are difficult for me to understand, so it took its toll :/

[linguoboy]

Thank you very much for the reply! I thought nobody would read this
And thank you for your corrections, they will help me (to) improve my grammar.

[aaakknu]

[flag=]en[/flag] Nothing new.

[flag=]et[/flag] Recently I wrote a couple of short texts and got corrections for them.

1. Viimane eksam ja plaanid suveks

2. Ma vihkan seda filmi!

3. Ma vihkan vigu teha!

4. Täna on nelipühad.

Now I do not write anything in Estonian, because I revise everything I learned during last few months.
Also, I received Estonian language test a couple of days ago, yesterday I did first two tasks from it, and today I plan to finish three next. I have time till 1st of July (today is 26.06, I have 4 days, so I do not need to hurry )

[flag=]es[/flag] Texts, I wrote some time ago:

1. Me llamo Ira

2. Mi familia

3. Soy guapa

4. Mi día

5. El aula de español

Now I do not practise my Spanish very much, except Duolingo.

[vijayjohn]

Now I do not write anything in Estonian, because I revise everything I learned during last few months.
Also, I received an Estonian language test a couple of days ago,. yYesterday(,) I did the first two tasks from it, and today(,) I plan to finish three next the next three. I have time till the 1st of July (today is 26.06,. I have 4 days, so I do not need to hurry )

[flag=]es[/flag] Texts, I wrote some time ago:

[...]

Now I do not practise my Spanish very much, except Duolingo.

When you say:

"now I do not write"
"I revise"
"now I do not practise"

do you mean:
now I'm not writing
I'm revising
now I'm not practicing? (Note: "Practicing" = American spelling; "practising" = British spelling. I just use the American spelling since I'm American, so your spelling isn't wrong ).

That is, are you talking about things that you are (or aren't) doing right now? Or are these things that you have or haven't been doing lately?

Also, just two minor notes:

1. After "yesterday" and "today," I think you would normally need a comma, but that's the kind of punctuation rule that I think people (including native speakers) break on forums and on the Internet, so it's not a big deal or anything.

2. I would just say "I have until the 1st of July"; I guess that sounds more idiomatic to me, but I don't see anything wrong with "I have time till..." either.

[księżycowy]

While what Vijay corrected is fine, I think (to me at least) it would sound more natural to say things like "I'm not writing anything in Estonian now/at the moment" or "I do not/don't practice my Spanish very much now/at the moment." My personal preference would be for the phrase "at the moment" over "now" but either are fine there.

Alternatively, you could say, "Right now I'm not writing...." or "Right now I'm not practicing..."

I guess it just sounds odd to me to have "now" just hanging there, alone at the beginning of the sentence.

[Michael]

I guess it just sounds odd to me to have "now" just hanging there, alone at the beginning of the sentence.

Yeah, I'd only use "now" at the beginning of a sentence if I were to use a contradictory statement in the next clause, e.g. "Now I don't practice my Spanish very much, but..."

[ceid donn]

ADVERBS OF TIME are actually really easy in English. Most commonly they are placed at the end of a sentence for clarity:

I will finish my work now.
I make dinner today.
I went to the store yesterday.

You state the subject, then the action and then the time it happened or will happen. This is English syntax at its clearest and most neutral.

In many cases you can move the adverb of time around for different shades of emphasis:

I will now finish my work.
Now I will finish my work.

With most adverbs of time, you should not separate them from the sentence they are modifying with a comma.

Today I made dinner.
Now I will finish my work.
Yesterday I went to the store.

The reason people might use a comma (I am guilty of this myself) is because there is one exception: when an adverb of time that expresses frequency of an action is placed at the start of a sentence, a comma is commonly used. This is due to the aspect of time the adverb expresses in relation to the verb (i.e. complicated syntax stuff). However, using a comma with adverbs of time that express only a specific or limited time would be a hypercorrection.

Usually, I go to the park. (expresses this action happens several times without a specific start or end)
Yesterday I went to the park. (a specific time that has ended)

But note, if adverbs that express frequency are placed elsewhere in the sentence, you don't use a comma:

Sometimes, I wish for a better world.
I sometimes wish for a better world.
I wish for a better world sometimes.

Don't worry if you forget this rule. It's one almost no native English speaker is taught anymore, unless they end up in a uni class with a hard-nosed grammatician dealing out his own custom style handbook that he expects his students follow, like I did as a post-bacc.

[vijayjohn]

Thanks for your replies, everyone! I didn't think about most of those things.

[linguoboy]

The reason people might use a comma (I am guilty of this myself) is because there is one exception: when an adverb of time that expresses frequency of an action is placed at the start of a sentence, a comma is commonly used. This is due to the aspect of time the adverb expresses in relation to the verb (i.e. complicated syntax stuff). However, using a comma with adverbs of time that express only a specific or limited time would be a hypercorrection.

Usually, I go to the park. (expresses this action happens several times without a specific start or end)
Yesterday I went to the park. (a specific time that has ended)

Source? I just perused several style guides (e.g. Strunk & White, OWL, Economist, Grammarly) and couldn't find this particular comma rule in any of them. It's foreign to my own usage and that of most writers I read.

Explanation for Irusia: There is no authoritative governing body for grammar or style in English. Every body (e.g. university, publishing house, government agency) is free to set its own rules. Several of these bodies publish guides to their particular house styles, which in turn may be picked up and adopted by other bodies. So--particularly in matters of punctuation--it's good practice to cite a source when giving a rule, since different authorities may disagree.

[aaakknu]

[flag=]en[/flag]
Yesterday I finally finished reading "A whisper of peace". It was a really interesting book!

[flag=]et[/flag]
Today I'm revising Estonian vocabulary about appearance and character.

[flag=]et[/flag] - [flag=]uk[/flag]

ISELOOM, -U, -U - ХАРАКТЕР, ВДАЧА

arg, ara, arga - несміливий
julge, -e, -et - сміливий
siiras, siira, siirast - щирий
ebasiiras, ebasiira, ebasiirast - нещирий
vaikne, -se, -set - тихий
jutukas, -ka, -kat - балакучий
vihane, -se, -st - сердитий, злий
kade, -da, -dat - заздрісний
armukade, -da, -dat - ревнивий
rõõmus, rõõmsa, rõõmsat - радісний
lahke, -e, -et - добрий
külalislahke, -e, -et - гостинний
heatahtlik, -ku, -kku - доброзичливий
pahatahtlik, -ku -kku - недоброзичливий
tark, -ga, -ka - мудрий
rumal, -a, -at - дурний
sõbralik, -ku, -kku - дружній
aus, -a, -at - чесний
valelik, -ku, -kku - брехливий
ükskõikne, -se, -set - байдужий
melanhoolne, -se, -set - меланхолійний
romantiline, -se, -st - романтичний
egoistlik, -ku, -kku - самолюбний
abivalmis, abivalmi, abivalmit - готовий допомогти
kohusetundlik, -ku, -kku - сумлінний
hajameelne, -se, -set - розсіяний
tähelepanelik, -ku, -kku - уважний
töökas, -ka, -kat - працьовитий
laisk, laisa, laiska - лінивий
viisakas, -ka, -kat - увічливий

VÄLIMUS, -SE, -ST - ЗОВНІШНІСТЬ

peenike, -se, -st - стрункий
paks, -u, -u - товстий
kole, -da, -dat - огидний
sümpaatne, -se, -set - симпатичний
kasv, -u, -u - зріст
keskmine (kasv), -se, -st -середній
pikk, pika, pikka - високий (2. довгий; tall; long)
lühike, -se, -st - низький (2. короткий; short)
tüse, -da, -dat - товстий
sale, -da, -dat - стрункий
kõhn, -a, -a - худий
juuksed, juuste, juukseid - волосся
--------heledad, -te, -daid (ainsus: hele, -da, -dat) - світле
--------tumedad, -te, -daid (ainsus: tume, -da, -dat) - темне
--------lokkis (ei käändu) - кучеряве
--------sirged, -te, -eid (ainsus: sirge, -e, -et) - пряме
silm, -a, -a - око
kõrv, -a, -a - вухо
nina, nina, nina - ніс
suu, suu, suud - рот; губа; уста
kael, -a, -a - шия
nägu, nägu, nägu - обличчя
--------piklik, -ku, -kku - овальне
--------ümmargune, -se, -st - кругле

OTHER ADJECTIVES

magus, -a, -at - солодкий
hapu, -u, -ut - кислий
kõrge, -e, -et - високий (high)
madal, -a, -at - низький (low)
kitsas, kitsa, kitsast - вузький
lai, laia, laia - широкий
nõrk, -ga, -ka - слабкий
tugev, -a, -at - сильний
vajalik, -ku, -kku - потрібний, необхідний
ebavajalik, -ku, -kku - непотрібний
kasulik, -ku, -kku - корисний

[aaakknu]

[flag=]et[/flag] - [flag=]uk[/flag]

ISELOOM, -U, -U - ХАРАКТЕР, ВДАЧА

arg, ara, arga - несміливий
julge, -e, -et - сміливий
siiras, siira, siirast - щирий
ebasiiras, ebasiira, ebasiirast - нещирий
vaikne, -se, -set - тихий
jutukas, -ka, -kat - балакучий
vihane, -se, -st - сердитий, злий
kade, -da, -dat - заздрісний
armukade, -da, -dat - ревнивий
rõõmus, rõõmsa, rõõmsat - радісний
lahke, -e, -et - добрий
külalislahke, -e, -et - гостинний
heatahtlik, -ku, -kku - доброзичливий
pahatahtlik, -ku -kku - недоброзичливий
tark, -ga, -ka - мудрий
rumal, -a, -at - дурний
sõbralik, -ku, -kku - дружній
aus, -a, -at - чесний
valelik, -ku, -kku - брехливий
ükskõikne, -se, -set - байдужий
melanhoolne, -se, -set - меланхолійний
romantiline, -se, -st - романтичний
egoistlik, -ku, -kku - самолюбний
abivalmis, abivalmi, abivalmit - готовий допомогти
kohusetundlik, -ku, -kku - сумлінний
hajameelne, -se, -set - розсіяний
tähelepanelik, -ku, -kku - уважний
töökas, -ka, -kat - працьовитий
laisk, laisa, laiska - лінивий
viisakas, -ka, -kat - увічливий

VÄLIMUS, -SE, -ST - ЗОВНІШНІСТЬ

peenike, -se, -st - стрункий
paks, -u, -u - товстий
kole, -da, -dat - огидний
sümpaatne, -se, -set - симпатичний
kasv, -u, -u - зріст
keskmine (kasv), -se, -st - середній
pikk, pika, pikka - високий (2. довгий; tall; long)
lühike, -se, -st - низький (2. короткий; short)
tüse, -da, -dat - товстий
sale, -da, -dat - стрункий
kõhn, -a, -a - худий
juuksed, juuste, juukseid - волосся
--------heledad - світле
--------tumedad - темне
--------lokkis - кучеряве
--------sirged - пряме
silm, -a, -a - око
kõrv, -a, -a - вухо
nina, nina, nina - ніс
suu, suu, suud - рот; губа; уста
kael, -a, -a - шия
nägu, nägu, nägu - обличчя
--------piklik - овальне
--------ümmargune - кругле

OTHER ADJECTIVES

magus, -a, -at - солодкий
hapu, -u, -ut - кислий
kõrge, -e, -et - високий (high)
madal, -a, -at - низький (low)
kitsas, kitsa, kitsast - вузький
lai, laia, laia - широкий
nõrk, -ga, -ka - слабкий
tugev, -a, -at - сильний
vajalik, -ku, -kku - потрібний, необхідний
ebavajalik, -ku, -kku - непотрібний
kasulik, -ku, -kku - корисний

[aaakknu]

[flag=]en[/flag] Finally I've read the book "A whisper of peace". Now I'm looking for good Christian movies to watch and maybe also some TV programs about travels. If you know about such, please recommend me.

[flag=]et[/flag] A couple of days ago I finnished the Estonian language test that I had to write. Today I watched the first 30 minutes of this video. I understood it only partially, but it was a big enough part, in my opinion. I understood more than I've expected.

[flag=]es[/flag] I'm looking for a good website with grammar explanations. My textbook is written entirely in Spanish, so I cannot use it. I'd also like to find some good Christian movies and books that are available for free on the internet.

P. S. Thank you very much for every correction and explanation!

[księżycowy]

[flag=]en[/flag] I've finally read the book "A whisper of peace". Now I'm looking for good Christian movies to watch and maybe some TV programs about traveling. If you know any, please recommend some.

[flag=]et[/flag] A couple of days ago I finished the Estonian language test that I had to write. Today I watched the first 30 minutes of this video. I only understood part of it, but it was enough in my opinion. I understood more than I expected.

[flag=]es[/flag] I'm looking for a good website with grammar explanations. My textbook is written entirely in Spanish, so I cannot use it. I'd also like to find some good Christian movies and books that are available for free on the internet.

"The book" is optional in the first sentence.

I also omitted some things to make it flow better and sound more natural.

[aaakknu]

[flag=]en[/flag] I've finally read the book "A whisper of peace". Now I'm looking for good Christian movies to watch and maybe some TV programs about traveling. If you know any, please recommend some.

[flag=]et[/flag] A couple of days ago I finished the Estonian language test that I had to write. Today I watched the first 30 minutes of this video. I only understood part of it, but it was enough in my opinion. I understood more than I expected.

[flag=]es[/flag] I'm looking for a good website with grammar explanations. My textbook is written entirely in Spanish, so I cannot use it. I'd also like to find some good Christian movies and books that are available for free on the internet.

"The book" is optional in the first sentence.

I also omitted some things to make it flow better and sound more natural.

Thank you!

[księżycowy]

No prob.

I'm sure Vijay or someone else will come and catch something I missed anyway.