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My parents bought me a GPS unit when I first moved away. While using it was convenient, I discovered that I did not actually learn to orient myself with respect
by nanolith 3y ago
My parents bought me a GPS unit when I first moved away. While using it was convenient, I discovered that I did not actually learn to orient myself with respect to that city. It wasn't until my GPS unit was stolen and I had to go at it on my own that my mental map "snapped" into place.
That is one reason why I'm hesitant to use LLMs to the extent that so many have. If we don't use certain skills, we lose them. I learned this the hard way with French. In my teens, I was conversant in the language thanks to years of high school French and immersion. But, I didn't touch French again until my late thirties, and I forgot most of it. It hasn't been until recently that my French has surpassed the level I was at with it in my teens.
- LeoPanthera 3y agoI always have my GPS map set to "North up", and I honestly think this has caused me to learn the layout of where I live faster. Knowing which direction you are traveling really helps.
- shaneoh 3y agoHow did you get your French back up to snuff?
- nanolith 3y agoI'm using a combination of Duolingo, Babbel, watching and reading French content, and live drilling with local French speakers. Since I live in the US, it's difficult to replicate immersion here, but I do what I can. I'm also studying Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Esperanto. These aren't (yet) as intensive as the French, but a bucket list item of mine is to become a polyglot. Fluency isn't likely, but I should at least be able to chat with folks about food, the weather, and other pleasantries. Yeah, the language selections center on Europe and the Americas, but these languages are at least somewhat interrelated, which means that I get a boost when learning them, since I already know English and some French.