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Author Topic: Working up to a project  (Read 2097 times)

Sefiru

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Working up to a project
« on: July 04, 2019, 06:55:11 pm »
This is about projects that you want to accomplish, but need to develop skills for first. I could use some advice and/or moral support.

My particular project is this: on a recent trip I picked up a book on a topic I'm highly interested in, pre-christian and nature-worshiping practices in Switzerland. The title of it is Mythologische Lanschaft Schweiz, and there you see the challenge. I do speak German, but not at the academic level.

Besides getting a good dictionary app, my rough plan is to work up to it using other German-language books I have around. I think I'll probably have to actually make out a schedule. I do have some education background so I know a bit about creating a lesson plan, but ... this is going to be a long project. Months and possibly years. Part of me is going *AAAARGH* and running in circles.

Has anyone else here done anything similar? Any tips or anecdotes are welcome.
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Klaw

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Re: Working up to a project
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2019, 07:15:37 pm »
This is about projects that you want to accomplish, but need to develop skills for first. I could use some advice and/or moral support.

What if you take a class or two online on German to improve those skills? Maybe one with more focus on reading than speaking. I think in the long run it would be faster and easier than trying to translate the book.

Sefiru

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Re: Working up to a project
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2019, 06:30:43 pm »
What if you take a class or two online on German to improve those skills? Maybe one with more focus on reading than speaking. I think in the long run it would be faster and easier than trying to translate the book.

Not quite sure how you got the impression I was going to translate anything instead of just reading it. (Though I would be taking notes in English, does that count?). :P I'm technically a native speaker of German, but since I only ever used it at home, I don't have an adult/professional vocabulary, and I need to get used to reading longer passages at once.

Part of the problem with any task that involves a lot of practice is finding time to do it. I think my best bet is Sunday mornings, that's about the only time I can be well-rested and give undivided attention to something.
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Shewhoseeks

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Re: Working up to a project
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2019, 08:52:34 am »
Has anyone else here done anything similar? Any tips or anecdotes are welcome.

I am in the midst of research on kyphi in Ancient Egypt.
What started with looking into the recipe(s) quickly expanded into a full blown project on aromatics and their liturgical use, Osirian liturgy and aromatics trade.
I have been busy with this for almost a year by now without a clear End in sight.
A research plan is a helpful tool - I made one at the start, but soon it became too narrow so I expanded it, but still had moments where I went with the flow, because at times the material was quite tenuous.
I also had to refresh my knowledge of the French language, because the most relevant research on many of these topics is written in French.

 :D

Sefiru

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Re: Working up to a project
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2019, 06:55:59 pm »

I also had to refresh my knowledge of the French language, because the most relevant research on many of these topics is written in French.

 :D

That's pretty similar to my own project! Did you use any particular methods to practice your language skills? And did you ever have trouble staying motivated?
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