Asterix und Obelix

 We've just started with this:

J is really enjoying it. I had to leave the house for the afternoon after reading a section; my wife messaged me and said that he was continuing to read by himself, "standing there transfixed for about 15 mins."  

Later she added: "J just told me that France used to be called Gallien."

Anhaltspunkt

This afternoon while listening to Harry Potter, I told J that since it had been about ten years since I had read the story, I had forgotten a lot of the details and was excited about experiencing the suspense of the story again. 

When I said I didn't recall how Harry finally got hold of the first Hogwarts letter, J said: "Ok, ich gebe dir einen Anhaltspunkt: Das hat mit Hagrid zu tun!"

Major L2 acquisition goals achieved

The latest media update represents the achievement of two major goals I set for myself and my son when we first began the second-language project nearly five years ago. The first goal was that J would eventually be able and willing—and really like—to read German books on his own, without my help. 

Well, this afternoon J sat read a German story all by himself. I had asked him to work through five pages, but instead he read over 30, in deep absorption for about 40-45 minutes. When I asked him why he kept going, he said: "Weil die Geschichte sehr sehr spannend war" (because the story was very very exciting). 

The second goal was ... Harry Potter! 

Five years ago, I thought to myself that if I could get J to the point where he can fully understand and enjoy this story, we will have reached a major language (and literature!) benchmark. Well, my wife started reading the first book to him several weeks ago, and we've been following that up with audiobook listening in German (my wife insisted English must take priority here!). He loves it, and he seems to understand everything.  

Media update 296

J Reading alone: Manfred Mai, "Jonas der starke Ritter." In: Das große Buch der Abenteuer, S. 63-98. 

J Reading with me: Die schönsten Rittergeschichten zum ersten Selberlesen, S. 65-107. 
Me reading: Michael Ende, Der satanarchäolügenialkohöllische Wunschpunsch; DK Penguin Random House, Naturwissenschaften für clevere Kids (various pages) 

Listening: J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter und der Stein der Weisen (narr. Beck)(100 min.); Ich weiß was, Albert E. erklärt Taschengeld: Umgang mit Geld (47 min). 

Viewing: RoxasLP SoraHerz, Let's Play Ratatouille, episodes 1-11 (270 min.); Let's Play ICE AGE 2 Jetzt Taut's, episodes 1-4 (81 min.); RoxasLP SoraHerz, Let's Play Ratatouille, episodes 1-5 (103 min.); episode 1 (19 min); episode 3 (18 min.).

2016
Total audio: 43.24
Total video: 48.08
Total gamplay: 5.40
Age 6.11.23 

L2 Writing 3: Ritter Döskopp

statt + genitive case

J with the grammar skillz: "Ich baue jetzt statt eines Hauses ein Loch in den Berg hinein."

And then in a following sentence he says "Statt Lichtern baue ich Fackeln ...", Which is a switch to the more colloquial dative, but it makes sense because with the genitive there would be no lexical case marker (statt Lichter) and obviously his little mind senses it needs to be marked!

The uses of adversity

J is sick today. 

When this happens on a weekend, we don't let him play videogames (since they can nauseate), but usually let him watch movies and videos to his heart's content. Today he watched some of Angriff der Klonkrieger, Ratatouille, and now the Ratatouille Let's Play videos I just wrote about. I'm happy because this is the first major dose of L2 media J has had in a long time.

These days I often find myself in the unusual position of worrying that my son doesn't spend enough time watching television! (Only in German, of course.)

Schnurpse

J loves the "Schnurps" poems by Michael Ende:

Especially "Das Schnurpsenkonzert":

And this one about two Schnurpse fighting:

New Let's Play video in L2

The Let's Play Ratatouille by RoxasLP SoraHerz from the last media update is very high-quality and substantial. Two years ago J watched another Let's Play of the same game, which was ok, but this is much better because the player comments throughout.

As I've discussed before, Let's Play videos are fabulous for L2 acquisition because they offer thick description of the visual material in real time, with (usually) lively commentary to boot. This one has the additional advantage of subtitles when the characters speak, which J is actually able to follow now. 

Media update 295

J reading: Manfred Mai, "Jonas der starke Ritter." In: Das große Buch der Abenteuer, S. 59-101; Die schönsten Rittergeschichten zum ersten Selberlesen, S. 9-64.

Me reading: Fabian Lenk, Die Zeitdetektive. Band 1. Verschwörung in der Totenstadt; Michael Ende, Das große Michael Ende Vorlesebuch (herumgelesen); Roger Hargreaves, Mister Fies; Miss Hokuspokus; Miss Zwilling.

Listening: Ralph Erdenberger, Robin Hood (134 min.); Torben Kuhlmann, Lindbergh (43 min.); Ich weiß was, "Albert E. erklärt Rekorde" (45 min.), "Albert E. erklärt schlaue Tiere" (49 min.).

Viewing: Dreamworks Dragons: Auf zu neuen Ufern, vol. 2 (22 min., = one episode); Star Wars: Das Erwachen der Macht (135 min.); Star Wars: Angriff der Klonkrieger (142 min.); Ratatouille (111 min.); Es war einmal der Mensch, "Die ersten Weltreiche" (25 min.); RoxasLP SoraHerz, Let's Play Ratatouille, episodes 1-11 (270 min.)

2016
Total audio: 41.7
Total video: 40.57
Total gamplay: 5.40
Age 6.12.8

Denglish 5

J: "Mommy, you have to kitzel me!"
K: "No I don't have to kitzel you."
J: "Kitzel my foot!"

Denglish 4

This evening we were talking about archery and J went to the closet to look for his bow (der Bogen, a masculine word). At first he couldn't find it, so he called out. My wife went to help. Thinking it was me coming up behind him, J said: "Ich habe ihn gefunden aber ich kann ihn nicht ..." Then he saw who it was and continued: "Mommy, I found him but I can't reach him; can you get him for me?"

Das Volk der Murinae 3

We've gotten a good chunk more written about the Murinae, the rodent people Jamie is planning on proposing to Blizzard. Today we started working on the pantheon.

Die Götter und Göttinnen der Murinen 

Eine wichtige Göttin heißt Pallas Murina. Sie ist die Göttin des Krieges. Sie hat ein kleines Häschen als Gefährte. Das ist ein Kampfhäschen. Eine von ihren Fähigkeiten ist, dass sie fliegen kann. Pallas Murina ist die Gemahlin von Schweizo. 

Schweizo ist der Käsegott. Er ist der Gemahl von Pallas Murina. Sein Tempel steht in der Mitte des Käsewaldes. Die Murinen opfern dem Gott Schweizo Käse und bekommen von ihm Käse zurück.

J himself came up with "Pallas Murina" (he loves the goddess Athena); "Schweizo" was my suggestion, based on J's reference to Schweizer Käse.