A thread for non-native English speakers doing RTK1 in English

Index » RtK Volume 1

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Reply #1 - 2009 January 15, 5:08 am
stoked Member
From: Switzerland Registered: 2009-01-09 Posts: 378 Website

Hola,

here's another motivation for RTK1: I'm doing it in English (which is not my native language) and when I'm done I'll have expanded my English vocabulary by quite a few words! My English is already pretty good (passed CPE with a C, fluent speaker) but by far not perfect. So RTK1 is a great opportunity to review and expand my English vocabulary...

Anyone else doing the same? Speak out!

Last edited by stoked (2009 January 15, 5:15 am)

Reply #2 - 2009 January 15, 5:17 am
etpan Member
From: france Registered: 2008-04-14 Posts: 29

I'd say there are TONS of people doing the same !
But unlike you, I don't really count on RTK to improve my English vocab smile

Reply #3 - 2009 January 15, 5:22 am
stoked Member
From: Switzerland Registered: 2009-01-09 Posts: 378 Website

Hmm...why not? Not sure what to make of your answer...

But yeah, I guess there are many doing this.  smile

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Reply #4 - 2009 January 15, 5:49 am
Nomad Member
From: Santo Tirso, Portugal Registered: 2006-09-02 Posts: 34

I've seen people saying that Heisig should have chosen "easier" english keywords, but imo that attitude is flawed, ie, I agree with you. It's indeed a nice opportunity to expand my english vocabulary a little bit.

Reply #5 - 2009 January 15, 6:22 am
hknamida Member
From: Sweden Registered: 2007-08-16 Posts: 222 Website

I've had to look up my share of keywords, but I usually forget them once I get the kanji to stick. One of these days (i.e. after becoming fluent in Japanese, Dutch, Korean and French ._.), I plan to take up English again, mainly to get rid of my nasty accent.

Reply #6 - 2009 January 15, 2:54 pm
Dakoina Member
From: Belgium Registered: 2008-11-16 Posts: 68 Website

I'm a native dutch speaking person, pretty fluent in english and french. Also some german and a bit of spanish. Eventhough I know enough English, heisig introduced another big batch of english words I had to look up. But it's great, eg I did not know Ford was also a verb for example. This keeps it fun for me to keep on going. Of course having a good background in English is a must to do Rtk.

Reply #7 - 2009 January 15, 3:28 pm
igordesu Member
From: Wisconsin USA Registered: 2008-09-22 Posts: 428

Well, I'm a native english speaker, so I don't belong here.  But I just wanted to say not to sweat some of the weird keywords.  I'm planning an english major here in the US, and I have trouble with some of the keywords.  Some of them are just...bizarre.  Wisteria?  T'ang?  WTFlip?  Don't worry about it.  No matter what people say, I'm sure there are plenty of native speakers here who have a bit of trouble now and then.

Reply #8 - 2009 January 15, 4:22 pm
stoked Member
From: Switzerland Registered: 2009-01-09 Posts: 378 Website

igordesu wrote:

Well, I'm a native english speaker, so I don't belong here.

No no, this thread is open for everyone!  smile

igordesu wrote:

I have trouble with some of the keywords.  Some of them are just...bizarre.  Wisteria?  T'ang?  WTFlip?  Don't worry about it.

Hmm...are those words never used in normal speech or why are they bizarre? Just wondering.

Reply #9 - 2009 January 15, 4:27 pm
Tobberoth Member
From: Sweden Registered: 2008-08-25 Posts: 3364

stoked wrote:

igordesu wrote:

I have trouble with some of the keywords.  Some of them are just...bizarre.  Wisteria?  T'ang?  WTFlip?  Don't worry about it.

Hmm...are those words never used in normal speech or why are they bizarre? Just wondering.

They are names, and names rarely mentioned. Wisteria is a specific plant, T'ang is an old dynasty in China. The kanji are way more common than those words are in English.

Reply #10 - 2009 January 15, 5:14 pm
Dakoina Member
From: Belgium Registered: 2008-11-16 Posts: 68 Website

One of the only problems for me as a non english native is that I need to get my books online. There just aren't really good books in dutch stores. I just bought rtk1 book after finishing the example pdf and ko2001; ubjg I already have.

About the keywords. I don't stress too much. I do it my own pace. Something hardly used i wont study to hard if it's to difficult

Last edited by Dakoina (2009 January 15, 5:17 pm)

Reply #11 - 2009 February 04, 12:43 am
smujohnson Member
From: Canada Registered: 2008-03-13 Posts: 92

Dear original poster,

Don't worry if you don't understand a lot of the keywords.  Things like, "godown", "precipitous" (no, this one doesn't have to do with precipitation, any of you smart alecs out there), etc... I had to look up in a dictionary, and English is my first language.

So so don't beat yourself up!  Also, in case you are curious, I have never heard anyone in my entire life use words like those... so I wouldn't obsess about learning them.

Reply #12 - 2009 February 07, 1:54 am
undead_saif Member
From: Mother Earth Registered: 2009-01-28 Posts: 635

stoked wrote:

Hola,

here's another motivation for RTK1: I'm doing it in English (which is not my native language) and when I'm done I'll have expanded my English vocabulary by quite a few words! My English is already pretty good (passed CPE with a C, fluent speaker) but by far not perfect. So RTK1 is a great opportunity to review and expand my English vocabulary...

Anyone else doing the same? Speak out!

Here!! I open the dictionary many times while doing RTK1, and not just the bizzare words, there are many useful words there I don't know, but mostly they are words in some specific subject.

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