Renewed energy - propelled by fear - about my research work. How will I ever get all the background reading, IRB clearances, and contacts set up before mid-May??
Polish seems to have lightened up a bit, though. We are off of the punishing hours of dull, rote grammar exercises into reading and a more topical approach to grammar. This week, it's time phrases, which is super-useful.
Along with that, I'm trying to learn (or relearn, in lots of cases) some of the vocabulary. I am puzzled by my brain: how is that I know I've learned a word before, and even remember some of the words it's associated with (for example what chapter they're in) but cannot generate the word itself? Then, sometimes I can generate a first letter and sort of the vowel-consonant pattern of the word, but get the letters wrong. Like gorzik for garnek. (Not a great example; I'm usually pretty good with "rz" since it's been so difficult for me.)
Then, if I know a word really well - if I can generate it just by sound/thinking it/knowing it (rather than calling up an actual picture of it in my mind's eye) - I will have trouble spelling it. I've so thoroughly learned the sounds rather than the letter-pattern that the spelling just "goes away."
In other news: lots of things are beginning to fall into place. More of than anon.
And, it's beginning to be spring, always a good thing. Don't forget to spring ahead tonight.
Posted by otto0114 at April 1, 2006 03:22 PM