Le Grand Cahier de Shige en anglais

Rosetta Stone

2010-09-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

I think Rosetta Stone is not a good tool to learn foreign languages because of the following problem.

corrected August 14, 2010
Original text
The problem is that I have no occasion to speak something like "the boy is in the airplane." when talking with native speakers.
I prefer to learn something like " Nice to meet you, I can hardly hear you, I don't understand what you said, etc"

Corrected one
The problem is that I have no occasion to say something like "the boy is in the airplane" when talking with native speakers.
I prefer to learn something like " Nice to meet you, I can hardly hear you, I don't understand what you said, etc"

The stroke orders of certain Chinese characters

2010-07-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

The stroke orders of certain Chinese characters
I realized that I made mistakes at the level of composition after reading mine.
I have certain problems of the appropriate stroke orders even if I recognize more than two thousands of Chinese characters we use in Japanese. Some characters are quite different, so I often use my electronic dictionary to look up the characters' stroke order. I write them many times on my notebook, reading aloud their pronunciation.

The stroke order of certain Chinese characters
I realized that I made mistakes at the level of composition after reading mine.
I have certain problems with the appropriate stroke order even if I recognize more than two thousand Chinese characters we use in Japanese. Some characters are quite different, so I often use my electronic dictionary to look up the characters' stroke order. I write them many times in my notebook, reading their pronunciation aloud.

Corrected May 06, 2010

Literal errors

2010-07-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

My text
I think we must not respect original texts too much, especially in case that we are can not find appropriate words in dictionaries. There are sometimes literal errors.

Corrected one
I think we do not need to respect original texts too much, especially when we can not find appropriate words in dictionaries. There are sometimes typographical errors.

Corrected April 29, 2010

Is it effective to study 2 or more languages at the same time?

2010-07-17T05:57:00.000-07:00

Learning a target language with an explanation in a language that we already know is an effective approach to learning two languages simultaneously

I occasionally watch Chinese lessons in French on the CCTV: the Chinese TV channel. Thanks to the situations they present with French subtitles, dialogues from daily life can make me feel as if I were really there. After watching a short dialogue, an instructor explains the details or annotations in French so I get familiar with the basic phrases and their social and cultural context. Then she or he explains the grammar used in the dialogue and shows other similar phrases containing different basic words. These exercises are also helpful.
Next time, I will try to watch more difficult content such as Chinese TV dramas with French subtitles on the CCTV.

Corrected April 20, 2010

What is a cat?

2010-07-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Think About It, 01.3 Socrates: What is a cat? - Advanced

K: Excuse me, sorry to bother you.
S: Yes, what can I do for you?
K: Well, I happen to be looking for my cat. You haven't seen one in these parts recently, have you?
S: Please pardon me, but you say you're looking for a cat?
K: That's right. You see, she's been gone for some time now and I haven't a clue where to find her. Something told me to look in this direction, though.
S: Ah, I see.
K: Her name's Tiger. She's quite small for a cat, but then she's only around nine months old. I've been worried to death about her, actually. ...Oh, sorry for not introducing myself. The name's Kelsey.
S: If you don't mind my asking, what is a cat per se?
K: ...I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.
S: What do we mean by 'cat'? What must something be, or what must something have, to be a cat?
K: ...Um...Well, I suppose it would need four legs.
S: You mean like something resembling a table?
K: No. That's absurd! A cat is nothing like a table. It's a living thing, you see, and a table is completely inorganic. Plus it moves, as you know. A table is static and just sits there. My cat happens to move rather quickly, at that. She's one of the fastest cats in the neighborhood.
S: You mean fast in the way a horse is fast?
K: That's silly! A cat doesn't resemble a horse at all! I've already mentioned that my cat's a small thing! A horse's size doesn't compare. But this is beside the point. Have you or haven't you seen my cat?
S: Let me get this straight. You're trying to tell me this small cat has four legs like a table but is a living thing which is unlike a table. And that it is fast in the way a horse is fast but doesn't compare to a horse's size?
K: Yes! That's what I've said, point for point!
S: But you've left my question unanswered. If a cat is like these things in some ways but not like them in other ways, then what can we say a cat is? You leave me asking, 'what must something be, or have, to be a cat?'
K: ...I'm too perplexed to answer. I haven't any idea what a cat is now... In any case, I'm still wondering whether you've seen my cat or not.
S: Ah, right. Indeed, I've seen your cat. She was heading that way earlier.
K: *Whew* Thank you.

This conversation is available on the following site.
LingQ
(You can listen to this conversation here)

My comment
There are, I think, in this conversation, certain rules of sound in intonation and pronunciation to learn in the way Kelsey talks which are quite challenging to shadow or to imitate exactly . For almost every Japanese who has been learning in the traditional way at school for at least 6 years, it is unfamiliar or stressful to understand natural sounds to English. Generally speaking, if we can pronounce the sound, we can understand the sound. So, I am trying to imitate natural English pronunciation and intonation.
Also, using academic words is tricky. I don't have a clue when to use simple words versus academic ones. I know it depends on listeners or situations but... I cannot use academic words naturally in daily life . Even native speakers don't usually use them. I only know the meanings of these words.

That is my comment about this content.
Corrected August 09, 2009

Marcel Mule's Last Interview, 1990, Interview 2

2010-07-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

Marcel Mule's Last Interview, 1990, Interview
Interviewed By David J. Gibson
This never before published interview with Marcel Mule was recorded April 18, 1990, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Mule’s home in Sanary, France. Marcel Mule was 89 years young. He answered my questions with energy and enthusiasm as I asked the questions in English and he answered them in French.

My comment
After having read this article, I was very impressed with what this great saxophonist had done for us.
As for me, I did not place or get awarded a prize to be able to graduate from the Paris Conservatory in 1988. There were three imposed pieces from "Concour de Prix" (somewhat of a graduate examination), which included contemporary music. I disliked this kind of music. So, I did not study or practice it very well. As he said in this article, players must be able to play a great piece, like Mozart's, marvelously to the public.

corrected, July 15, 2009

vocaburary

2010-07-04T05:09:00.000-07:00

Thank you very much for talking with me. I must say that vocabulary skills are a precondition for foreign language learners. So, I will save the LingQ words - political unrest, swine flu, etc. that you sent me in the chat box. I see that the system is very efficient , because we can find all sorts of examples and phrases with the new words that we saved.

corrected, July 07, 2009

Training time

2007-07-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Since I learned English in a school, one thing I don't know very well.

What is RALLY?

It looks like something in which we can take part in order that we say personally to ourself, "I can do it!"

I was wonderig if I would participate in this kind of competition also...because I always forget to write down my training time even if I listent, read, write and speak foreign languages for more than many hours, I am poor at doing it... but I must try to write down time. It is very nice to think about my own condition any time.)

I am very sorry for not having written it well.

7th of July celebration, "Tanabata"

2007-07-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

The 7th July celebrations or Star festival almost always include branches of bamboo with colorful decorations at home, in subway stations, and in main streets in some cities like Sendai and Hirastkta. And they go far back in a Chinese legend. Kengyuu (the star Alter) meets Orihime (the star Vega) only once a year on this day over the Milky Way called "Amanogawa" in Japanese.
On this day, people write their wish on a stripe of paper, "Tanzaku", hanging it on the branches of bamboo.
This year, I wrote my wish about improving my English.on bamboo tree during Yube.

Unfortunately, I wrote my wish in French...
"J'ai envie d'obtenir plus de huit cent points pour TOEIC."
It translates as "I want to get over 800 points for TOEIC."

Personally, I would like to improve two languages at tht same time. My first target score is 60% for TEF, Test d'Évaluation de Français.
In the near future, maybe in september, I will go to France to take TFI, Test of French Internatinal (by ETS) which we cannot take in Japan.

I hope that my dream will come true like a story of Tanabata.

My training of English

2007-01-27T03:43:00.000-08:00

Oh it has been a long time since I wrote down my article.

Personally, I have been taking lessons of English since 13 january to prepare a Next TOEIC test of 25 March.

Every day I listen to English Trainer and repeat every phrase... I think it is a good practice. I spend 1, 2 or 4 hours for my English training.

Bien sûr, j'écoute, parle, lis et écrit le français aussi.
Of course, I listen to, speak, read and write French also.

Since 30 August, I have been execisint one book.

2006-11-23T05:20:00.000-08:00

My English training of this book, "Ondoku Drill" will be almost finished.
I feel that English is a little easier to listen to, after pracing my English training... But I will continue this practice. I will write down VOS special English News for the next practice.

I took TOEIC at Keio University on 22 october.

2006-10-25T03:16:00.000-07:00

This time, I could do the best for the listening section, but I did not answer all questions on Part7, especially double passage section. I think I did not answer the easiest one on Part7. If there is 10 minutes for reading section, I will answer all the questions...

I took TOEIC today.

2006-09-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

Oh terrible!
I went to Tokyo university to take TOEIC. It's a very large university.
I could not answer all the questions during the test. Reading section, especially Part 7 is difficult to finish.

Tomorrow, I will take the airplain to go to Hongkong and to Paris.

I have just started my training for TOEIC !

2006-08-31T08:58:00.000-07:00

In spite of my hard work almost 10 hours a day, I listen to many pod casts in English, in French, walking in the street, in the train....every day.

Especially, I have just bought a new book, Ondoku Drill the day before yesterday. Since yesterday, I have been practicing my English with this book.

A series of my training is the following.

1) Listening to one lesson without reading the transcript (once)
2) Reading the traduction written in Japanese (once)
3) Reading the transcript in English very carefully (three times)
4) Listening to one with the transcript (once)
5) reading aloud the transcript over listenting one lesson (three times)
6) reading aloud it without listenig it (twice) Second time, checking the time, how long it takes
7) Listeng it without the transcript (once)

I think that this training is good.

Oh! I have not been able to write some articles since longtime...

2006-08-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

I think that today's title is wrong... but I can not find a good expression. Sorry.
Although I have not written my articles for longtime, I always listen to some programes of podcast with my MP3 player or my i-pod shuffle in the train, on the street.

I am going to take a test, TOEIC in september, too.

I will take TOEIC test next Sunday!

2006-07-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I created my article!

Since the day before yesterday, I have been listening to TOEIC CD with MP3 player.

It is so hot every day in July!

I work now!

Today is my salary day!

2006-06-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Now it seems to be summer.
Since two or three days, I have been listening to Radio France International and Radio Japon with my MP3 player in the train, on the street. And I always listen to a little slow English when I am a little tired...
Yesterday, my boss told me to write E mail in English in order to buy a dedicated server existing in USA on the internet. I tried to translate in English simply what he said in Japanese. Today, when arriving at my office, checking E mails, I saw an E mail from USA! Fantastic! American business man has understood what I said! But I still have some questions to ask... I tried to write what I must ask again, and sent it at once.

Today is my salary day !

After working, I went to Roppongi to eat Chinese food.

Today I ate Tunisian food at noon, Chinese food... Before yesterday I ate Korean food at the restaurant with my colleague near the station... How I am international!

What I practiced today in English

2006-06-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

It was very hot today. I think that today was the hottest day this year.

What did I practice in foreign language?

Well, I spoke French with Tunisian owner at the retaurant near my office.
In the train, I listened to "English Aloud", "Le journal en français facile", "Le journal de Radio Japon" with my MP3 player or my i-pod.
In my room, I sent two e-mails in French on Meetic (the meeting site in French). I talked to a Colombian friend in English on MSN messenger.
That's all today.

I found many i pods for English as a second language on the i Tunes.

2006-06-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday and today I stayed many hours at the cyber cafe after my work.
Since I resistered for the next TOEIC, I have been listening to anything about English with my MP3 player or my i-pod in the train and in the street except when working at the office.
This week I listened i-pod progamme for French language, too, when I was a littel tired with listening to English....for example, Radio France International, Radio Japon, Europe1, Listen to French, FSL, "French with pod cast"...

I added many i-pod programmes about English as second language for my favorite liks on the right.

In Tokyo, it is the season of rain this month. I hate these humid days.

I hope that it will be clear tomorrow!

A terrible phrase!

2006-06-11T22:28:00.001-07:00

In the dark woods, "on the side of the river where the bushes grow low", stood an ungly thing.

Yesterday and today, I repeated this phrase many times with my MP3 player because the male speaker speaks very rapidly only this phrase, that is "in the side of the river where the bushes grow low"...

Again!

2006-06-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

Since 1st June, I have not been renewed my blog.
In Tokyo, it is quite sunny every day. Today, it is already 5th June. It'll be summer!

Since the day before yesterday, I've been listening to French for biginners. I've just listened to Lesson 12 now.

It is already summer now !

2006-06-01T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have not written my blog yesterday. But I did shdowing as always.
I repeated one lesson again and again.

I find English so difficult to speak as native speaker. I can catch up some words when listening VOA slow spead program but impossible to listen to program for native speakers... I am always unhappyt to listen to terrible high spead!

I started doing shadowing again.

2006-05-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

It was fine Tuesday afternoon, but during working it was raining.
I did not know that it was raining...
After working, I went to Ikebukuro, and met a lady, who said to me that it was raining in the evening.

I was staying, listening to many French sites, RFI, Telerama....etc at the cyber cafe until Wednesday morning; at about 09am.

Good shadowing!

2006-05-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was so nice shadowing for French!

I took a TOEIC today.

2006-05-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I did not write my blog... even if I had enough time to do. I stayed at the cyber cafe for a long time. I found many pod casts for learining French.
I wrote the detail in French. Here is my article in French.
Today, I took a TOEIC from 13:01 to 15:00. How terrible it is! I was not able to read all articles for seventy minutes...there are too many!

After TOEIC, I enjoyed walking on the street in Ochanomizu. It is very fine this Sunday. After eating a chinese food, taking a shawer at DVD room, I went to the office at about 5pm. I was working there until about 10pm. I ate dinner at first food restaurant in Hamamatucho, took the train, came home.

Fine Friday but bad shadowing practice

2006-05-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had enough time to write my blog at the cyber cafe, but I saw many web pages for fun. And I listened also Radio France International.
In the train, I always do shadowing VOA special English with my MP3 player. Yesterday, I did it until the last lesson. Oh but it was so difficult to listent to some topics for the first time. This morning, I did it again and again, especially lesson 8 "Cell Phones and Rare Tumor". Before arrriving at the office, I repeated several time until second paragraphe. Oh! how difficlut it is to repeat some phrases after listening each phrase without transcriptions !

Yesterday

2006-05-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

I did not write my article for my blog on Wednesday because I was tired and could not find nice topics...

Yesterday, It was cloudy and rained very much...

Now, it is 12 o'clock, 25 Mai.

Just before leaving home

2006-05-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

I could not write my article last night.
It is 8:52 am. Just before leaving home now.
Yesterday, I telephoned to Domaine office in USA. Oh... althought a speaker was very kind to answer me my all questions, I did not understand completely what he had said. I did not pick up his all words even if I imagined it by somewords that I catched up.
It is just 9am! I have to leave home.

I am so nervous now...

2006-05-22T08:46:00.000-07:00

Today, it is fine.
I woke up at 8am and left home at 9:10am. I arrived at the office at 9:48am.
During working, I was so busy. This afternoon, my boss could not enter on Domain website. His ID number and password does not work well. So he told me to contact the Domain office that is in Los Angels in order to explain some domain error problems tomorrow morning. I have to speak my bad English in telephone. I am so nervous now...
I hope to explain it in English very well.

The weather is so nice Today.

2006-05-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sunday is not my holiday.
I arrived at the office at about 10:50am. I was very busy with my work until about 21pm. After finishing working, I went directely to the station in order to take a train. I took a pubic bath, we call it Sento in Japanese...
And I returned home just after buyin a bread and a pack of Cafe au lait at Combini.

I must sleep early.

Today is a good weather

2006-05-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

I always continue to do shadowing in the train, on the street...
Today, I stayed in Cyber Cafe in Roppongi after eating a cold noodle with Gyoza and one bowl of rice.

I found a good podcast programme; Listen to French. And ESL becomes a new version.
I think that I will enjoy listening both podcast every day during my free time.

It is fine this afternoon and rained this evening.

2006-05-19T18:34:00.000-07:00

Oh what a fine day!
I went to eye-glass shop with my boss. He bought a eye glass for me. It was so expensive. This afternoon, I cut my hair at a barber shop.
Oh I did not work very well because of my personal things. I will work better than today.

When will it be fine?

2006-05-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

Although I woke up at about 7am, I could not get up soon. I stayed in my bedroom until I would leave home.
My worktime is always same but I worked this evening until 22pm. After working, I ate Yakiniku at Korean restaurnt. Excuse-me, I could not translate this japanese word in English very soon without a dictionary.
In the train, I did shadowing. Today's topic is about a cartoon writer.

I want a sunshine!

2006-05-17T09:19:00.000-07:00

Today is also a bad weather.
It is cloudy and rains later. Because of not having slept very well, I felt a little sleepy between 13pm and 14pm. After 15pm, I felt better, worked very well.
In the train, I always did Shadowing. Today, I listened and repeated Lesson3. The title is "Laghter is good for the heart" Of course, I did Lesson1 and 2 also again and again.

Star Wars and Style　Sheet

2006-05-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

It is always cloudy this week but is very comfortable to stay.
Waking up at about 7am, gettig up at 9:18am.
My working time is from 10am until 22pm. After working, I ate Chinese noodle with my collegue and my boss at the restaurant near our office. Miso Ramen was so delicious! I ate the soupe completely.
While taking in the train, I was listeng and doing Shadowing the story about "Star Wars" with my MP3 player. I thought that I did very well but I was not able to hear the names of people in this series. Then, I was reading a book about style sheet.
After returning home, I tried changing the CSS of my blog but unfortunately, not successful...
In the future, I hope to create my blog with my own design by writing CSS.

I have just started doing shadowing.

2006-05-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Today is slightly a good weather.
Waking up at 7am, taking the train to work, starting working at about 9:50am.
I finished my work at 21:20pm.
Last night, I have just used Shadowing maneger on my computer. I did Lesson 1 Walt Disnney. I repeated a little later what English speaker said. But I could not repeat exactely the same things. I repeated again and again the words or the phrases that I could not hear clearly... Especially, I was not good at listening to the liason of words...Sometimes, I was surprised to read a transcription after repeating it several times.Oh I had thought that I would imagine different words.

I work every day.

2006-05-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

I could not sleep well until 4:30 am. So I woke up at 10 to 12 o'clock.
I bought obento at combini just before arriving at my office... and put my time card into the machine at 12:40. It is so late!
I was very busy with work today. I finished working after 21pm. Then, I went to the subway station very soon, listening MP3 player. Today, I was listeng TOEIC listening part 2. Oh sometimes, I could not catch up short conversations between two people because of much noise at the station.
After arriving the station near my house, I went to Mastuya to eat dinner. Today I ate Men; one bowl of rice with chicken. It costs 490 yen. And I bought one ice coffe at the vending machine. 100yen.
It was cloudy but very comfortable.

I hope to wake up early tomorrow morning.

I created another blog in Japanese.

2006-05-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

Today was still bad weather again.
I woke up at about 10:30, got up at about 11:30. Then, I went to work in train.
During working, I had a lot of things to do; answering e-mails, checking many messages on web sites, renewing my websites...
After working, I took a bath in Sento, came back home.

At home, I created my blog in Japanese on web site"Seesaa". This blog site is very very useful. I am looking forward to renewing my blog in Japanese.

The weather is very nice today

2006-05-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

It has been cloudy and raining since Monday. Oh Fortunately, it is fine this afternoon.
I arrived at the office at 9:48am. I made a mistake when putting my time card into the machine. I wrote starting time by myself.

Today, I have still a bad mistake. After work, as soon as I checked my web site on the mobile phone, I realized that the HTML files which I had uploaded onto the web server was not correct...
Oh bad!

Always a day seem to be so long but great...

2006-05-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

It has been hot since yesterday. We started turning on the air conditioner at the office last afternoon.

This morning, I woke up at about 7 o'colock but slept again... At last I got up at 9:10am. Arriving at the platform, I took one train until Shinagawa station. Oh unfortunately, the next train was delayed because of problems. So I was late for the work; arriving at 10:07am.
During working, I solved a problem about downloading movie files for mobile phones! Great! I feel so happy. When returning home, I listened LearnItalianPod for the first time in one month. It is so nice to listen to italian. And I ate a Napolitan at noon, a rizotto at night. How delicious is Italian food!

Cloudy and raniny

2006-05-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

It was coludy until this afternoon. Finally, it started raining this evening.

I left the house a little earlier; at about 9:10am, and arrived at the office at about 9:50am. Every day, answering e-mails, renewing two web sites, checking web sites for the mobile phone. No changes. I hope to get a new work in the future.

After working, I went to DVD rental store in Roppongi to return a borrowed DVD. I payed 200 yen for one day's late. After that, I walked near Roppongi station, ate Chinese food at the restaurant. This one was a cole noodle and ten piece Gyoza with a bowl of rice. It's my favorite!

I came back homme at about midnight.

It is also cloudy and rainy today.

2006-05-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

It was also cloudy and cool today. But the weather seemed to be not so bad. At the office, I wore only my half sleeved T shirt during working.

This morning, I work up at about 7am. Leaving my house at 9:22, arriving at the platform at 9:26... Then, I thought that I could not arrive at the office on time. But fortunately, as the train was delayed a little, I was able to chage the train at 9:44. Finally, I arrived at the station at 9:48, at the office at 9:53. Today's work was not as hard as yesterday's one. Not so many mails.... however, one problem was found after 9 pm. I finished working 9:50pm.
Sometimes, in the train, during going shopping at noon, I always listened my mp3 player for my TOEIC training.

I bought a obento, 500ml juice, and shaving creme... at 23 pm, I was home.

I feeled that it was also a long day today.

A long day for working

2006-05-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

It was a long long day today.

I woke up at about 7am but was not able to get up until 9:15. Then, I left my house for the office by train. It usually takes about half an hour to arrive to the office. After arriving at the station, it only a few minutes to go there by foot.
During my work, I answered a lot of e-mails, renewed websites for mobile phones...
But I could not solve a problem about PHP files for having phone users download movie files on mobile phones... I must do it tommrow.

At 21pm, I finished my work and returned home.

I hope that this week will be wonderful.

Last day of Golden Week in Japan

2006-05-07T04:52:00.000-07:00

It was cloudy, rainy and the sky was a dismal gray today.

I woke up late at about 9:20 am but I could not get up. I arrived at office at about 12:30.
It was a little hard work today. I finished working at about 21 o'clock.

My English version has just started today!

2006-05-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Since last May, I have been writing my blog in French and in Japanese. I tried my English version once but unable to continue...It seemed to be unusual because I always study English to take the TOEIC test every time. Today, I bought a book about creating a blog in simple English at the book store; "Aoi shoten" in Roppongi after eating dinner. This book inspired me to create my English version.

I will write only three simple phrases...maybe more almost every day.

Today was clear and sunny day. Of course this week is "Golden week"; Special holidays in Japan, but I work without holidays because I have already taken my vacation in France, in Switzerland from 31 March until 7 April.
At office, I worked from 12:30 to 21:30. After that, I went to Roppongi in order to eat a Chinese cold noudle, ten pieces of Gyoza and one bowl of rice at the Chinese restaurant.

I wanted to take a walk on such a sunny day. I like this weather very much. In a month, it will be rainy season in June, we call it "Tsuyu in japanese, and after these penible days... it will be extremely hot. I don't like these days so much.

OK, I will continue to write my blog in English, in French and Japanese....