jueves, 9 de enero de 2014

¿ Cuántas horas se necesitan para aprender un idioma ? How long does it take to learn a language?


Es la pregunta que se hacen todos los estudiantes de una lengua. Aunque no todas las personas son iguales, sí que se puede establecer una media, como en las tablas que aparecen en las webs siguientes. Como ven, ni siquiera coinciden, pero puede ser una muestra.

That is what everyone who wants to learn a language wonders. Even though we don't have the same skills, it  might be averaged as the links down below show. 


En la web http://www.fedeablogs.net/economia/?p=10593 que está dirigida a americanos que quieren aprender otra lengua, se dice que se puede llegar a tardar hasta 600 horas.

This link is referred to Americans who want to learn a foreign language. They say it might take you 600 hours. 


Enhttp://www.bridgeenglish.cl/aprende-ingles-blog/%C2%BFcuantas-horas-necesito-para-aprender-ingles/ se dice que 200 horas por cada nivel. Como El Marco Común Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas (MCER) establece 6 niveles, tendríamos 1200 horas para el nivel más avanzado.

According to this link it takes you about 200 hours for each level. As C.E.F.R. establishes 6 levels we would be talking about 1200 for the advanced level.


Por último, en



Finally, according to this link we need about 1000 hours to get by and 5000 hours to master it. 


Con Daily English Dictation puedes hacer todas estas horas absolutamente gratis. Es un método divertido donde aprenderás no solo la lengua inglesa sino también la cultura.

Muy, pero que muy pocos profesores online o paginas webs ofrecen tantos recursos y de tanta calidad como Coach Shane.   

Thanks to Daily Dictation you can do those hours for free. It's a fun method where you will learn not only English but culture too. 

Very few on-line ESL sites gives you such top-notch English material like Coach Shane does.  








miércoles, 8 de enero de 2014

26th blog post














https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU9eQbHh24E


8:27 Comienza el ejercicio a dictar. Versa sobre el Titanic. Supongo que todos hemos oido sobre el Titanic y su trágico accidente. Escucharás a un tipo hablando sobre lo que pudo ser la causa del hundimiento del Titanic. La historia no es tan dificil, pero una vez más, la dicción posiblemente no te lo pondrá nada fácil...    

Antes de todo eso tienes la respuesta del ejercicio anterior junto con la, siempre interesante, exposición de Coach Shane.

Just go straight to 8:27 if you wanna get around to the next dictation which is about The Titanic and its both tragic and well-known wreck...  It's a guy talking about what migth have been the main cause that made The Titanic sink. The sotry itself is not that tough, however the guy's pronunciation might give you a difficult time... 

Before that you have the answers for DD58 along with Coach Shane's explanation which is always pretty DAMN cool, isn't it? 


viernes, 3 de enero de 2014

25th blog post





Así que resulta que un grupo de científicos en una expedición al Antártico para estudiar el calentamiento global de Al Gore se quedan tirados (vendidos, atrapados) por el frío... ''Vaya tela'' ''Si es que...'' GO FIGURE...







It turns out that a group of scientists researching Al Gore touted Global Warming became stranded as their Antartic expedition became frozen in the sea... GO FIGURE...





Y cuando te preguntaron que opinion te merecen esos científicos, ¿qué dijiste? - Pues que son unos ilusos -  ¡Bien hecho!



And when you were asked on what you think about those scientists, what did you say? - Well I said they are suckers - Kudos to you!!








Entonces ¿vas a tirar el panfleto? - Pues claro -

Then are you going to trash the pamphlet? - What do you think? -   




miércoles, 25 de diciembre de 2013

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS


 

 
 
 
 
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

 
 
 

 
 
Estamos en pleno invierno - al menos en el hemisferio norte - y en muchos lugares del mundo hace bastante frío a pesar del calentamiento global..''Ehem..''
Por eso algunos tienen gripe y otros simple resfriados o constipados. Y con ellos vienen ataques de estorundos o tos. Uff sí es algo no muy agradable, ¿verdad? 
 
Well, we find ourselves in the middle of winter - in the Nothern Hemisphere - and in so many places around the world it's freezing, despite global warming... ''ahem''
That's why some of us get flu or a severe cold. Additionally we go through sneeze fits and or cough fits Ugh not very nice, is it?
 
 
 
Pero a veces cuando tenemos gripe o resfriados tenemos una excusa para no ser atosigados a agobiados o ''rallados'' --- Esta última es una expresión juvenil y típica en España. No creo que en Hispanoamérica signifique algo parecido....  Podemos ser atosigados por madre, esposas, novias, padres, esposos, novios, jefes.... Ahh! ¡Deja de agobiarme! 
 
Sometimes as we're ill with flu or a cold we have a good excuse not to get nagged. We can get nagged by moms, wives, girlfriends, dads, husbands, boyfriends, bosses... Ah! Stop nagging me! Get off (of) my back!!!
 
 
 
 
Y cuando te recuperas de la gripe o del resfriado, todo vuelve a la normalidad y el atosigamiento ¡tambien! Entonces en ciertas situaciones llega un momento en el que tienes que desahogarte y liberar la frustración
 
As you get recovered from flu or a severe cold everything gets back to normal and the nagging comes back too!! Then in certain situations at some point you need to vent you need to blow off some steam
 
 
 





martes, 24 de diciembre de 2013

LAYAWAY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtoSD-rvJxE

Es 24 de diciembre de 2013. Es Nochebuena. Buscando, echando un vistazo a la formidable ''videoteca'' Daily Dictation, encuentro una excelente historia que encaja perfectamente con lo que podríamos llamar ''espíritu navideño''. Es un gran episodio Daily Dictation en términos de pronunciación y cultura. Shane te explica con detalle de qué se trata (13:20). Toma nota del término: Layaway.


Yes it's Dec 24th thus it's Christmas Eve. Looking around through the amazing Daily Dictation ''video library'' I find this great story that fits perfectly what we call ''Christmas spirit''. It's a great DD episode in terms of pronunciation and culture. Shane breaks it down for you in his own fashion that we enjoy so much, don't we. Take note of this term: Layaway.


miércoles, 18 de diciembre de 2013

Blog Post 20th

I won't want one  -    I won one -   Won't you want one?


La frase al margen superior izquierdo es la que Shane te muestra como ejemplo. Las vocales son siempre un problema para los hispanoparlantes. Presta atención repite y ''píllale el rollo'' a estos sonidos. Especialmente la diferencia entre ''want'' y ''won't'' pues en inglés norteamericano son distintos. Entre los tres sonidos que quizás ''won't'' es el más distinto.  

The sentence at the top left is what Shane presents to you as an example. The vowel sounds are always an issue to Spanish speakers. Listen carefully, repeat, get those sounds down. Specially the difference between ''want'' and ''won't'' since in American English are very different. Maybe among those three sounds ''won't'' is what varies most.   


Daily Dictation 184
 
Ve justo al minute 13:50. Una vez más Coach Shane pone a prueba tu comprensión oral con Seinfeld. Seinfeld es uno de las series más exitosas en los EEUU. Todo el mundo conoce Seinfeld es un verdadero referente cultural y es la serie que estudiamos en profundidad en DDM. Como el mismo Coach Shane dice es una ''mina de oro'' para aprender como es el inglés de verdad
 
 
Go straitght to 13:50 to start the dictation. One more time Coach Shane, put your listening comprehension to the test using Seinfeld. Seinfeld is one of the most successful shows of all time in America. Everyone knows Seinfeld, it's just a true cultural model and it's the show we studied in depth in DDM. As Coach Shane says himself it's a ''gold mine'' when it comes to learning real English.