Let's all become "Kwizzers"!

Question

For a long time now I've been interacting with lots people on the Q&A forum, trying to help and answer grammar questions. I look at the names and recognize some of them because they post more frequently or because they share their challenges more often. Most of the time, though, I have no idea who I am trying to help.

I recognize Julia, because she is liberal with her likes on questions and answers. I also recognize Jim's name because most of the time he beats me to answering a question ;) And Maarten is someone who has a French wife. Alan posts rarely but when he does, it is usually well researched. There are others, too, but mostly I have no idea who the people are with whom I am interacting.

Wouldn't it be great to add maybe a bit of flesh to our naked profiles on kwiziq that goes beyond a user name and a profile picture? Why are you learning French? Which part of the world are you from? What other languages do you speak?

I'd also love a second forum next to the Q&A section. A forum where we can talk not about grammar but about the process of learning French. Where we can whine a bit when we hit a brick wall, where people can share the resources they use outside of kwiziq, where we can brag about something we just managed to master.

We're all in this together, so let's become "Kwizzers" and harvest the resources that lie in becoming a true community. What do you think? Share your take on this by commenting below.

Answer

Hi Chris,Sounds like an excellent idea. I'm always on the look-out for new resources and ideas to help me navigate the ups and downs of learning a language! I moved to France from the UK 3 years ago with an A-level education in French and I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be using it again after I left school....which was some time ago now!Nick

Answer

Hi Nick, so you made the jump across the water and landed in France? How's life there? Now that you've lived in France for 3 years, how's that helped your French? Seems that you must have access to a whole lot of French native speakers. How's that turning out?

Answer

Hi Chris, I did indeed. I had a goal in my head of being able to speak fluently like a native within 2 years (haha), I had to review my goals! I understand now that that's probably a lifetime project!

In my opinion, the best way is to get out there and start speaking french, don't be shy, make mistakes when having conversations (compulsory); and then reflect on what I could do better for the next time.

My listening comprehension has come on leaps and bounds, it's odd the way it happens, you just start to catch more words week on week until you start to understand full sentences, then conversations etc. I'm lucky cos I have french neighbours I hang out with and my daily interactions are all in french - it just starts to sink in after a while. I also have 2 french lessons a week with natives.

Still really tough to chat spontaneously in french, but it's coming slowly but surely.

What's your story?

Nick

Answer

Me, I learned French out of spite. I had a terrible experience on vacation in Toulouse, where the strike of flight controllers lead to a real chaos on the ground. Flights were cancelled and delayed left and right. There was no information available in English, only in French, even though the majority of tourists didn't speak French. There happened to be a TV crew there, interviewing people. Eventually, they got to me, but I didn't talk about the strike, I gave them a piece of my mind about how inconsiderate and chauvinistic I thought the lack of any information in English on a major international airport was.

I was still fuming when I got home. I was determined to show them all, that their oh-so-cherished language was nothing special and that I could learn it no problem at all. And that's what I did. Boy, was I motivated! Hahahaha!

I love languages in general, and since then, my bad feelings have subsided and were replaced by the possibilities this new language afforded me. I love being able to interact with French people directly, read books and watch films in French. So, a rocky start led to a happy ending.