14.01.a - Different levels of being Fluent in French
My fascination and my quandary about becoming Fluent in the French language - Margot Robbie + Introducing Anne Thomas a new Contributor from Grenoble + the Var + A Love Affair with France
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1. Different levels of being Fluent in French
Studying and fluency
I remember when I was early in my French language learning journey, there was much discussion about attaining the level of au courant (fluent). Those conversations had high energy and excitement as we strived to master all the grammar and nuance, believing that once we’d completed the entire Alliance Francaise course we’d be fluent.
Then, sometime later, upon the completion of that excellent and comprehensive course, I also remember a conversation about how that concept may have been misleading. That being fluent was something else altogether. We were advanced speakers, just beginning a new challenge, a new journey - a fascinating one - a wonderful one, but we were far from fluent!
Reading in French
More recently, years later, in our French book club, some read in French, others read in English and some read in both languages.
In a book club discussion event late in 2023, a member, Marshall, asked if we believe, that truly studying or knowing a language is reading in that language…