Learning french with DVDs

[Rataxes]

I'm going to France as an exchange student in about 10 months, and with no formal education in french behind me, I'm basically trying to learn as much french as possible as quickly as possible. So since new year I've been going through the Rosetta Stone units and have built up a decent starting vocabulary. Still have a few units left on French Module 2 (of 2), but I thought that now may be a good time to start watching french movies. I have a dozens of DVDs with both french dubs and french subtitles, but the question is, what combination of subs/dubs would be most rewarding, as regards picking up the language as quickly as possible?

Is it better to start off slow with no dubs and only french subs, or perhaps french dubs and english subs, until I have a better grasp of the language, or am I likely to pick it up more quickly if I go for both french dubs and subs, even if it means not understanding much initially? Thought this might be the case since people usually pick up a language quicker the more fully they immerse themselves in it (like going to a country where it's the first language), even if it means having fewer points of reference to begin with.

Of course, watching DVDs is just part of my effort, and I realize the answer may depend on in what other ways I'm educating myself, (at this moment, just the Rosetta Stone and a few pages a night of a high school text book in french, but I'll be taking proper courses later this year), but what in general is the best and fastest approach?

 

[Athelwulf]

I'm going to France as an exchange student in about 10 months,

I'm jealous.

and with no formal education in french behind me, I'm basically trying to learn as much french as possible as quickly as possible.

Quite a goal. Try not to strain yourself in the process. There's only so much you can learn in a short period of time.

So since new year I've been going through the Rosetta Stone units and have built up a decent starting vocabulary.

I've heard good things about Rosetta Stone. I've asked a friend to get me the German version so I can refresh my knowledge. I might ask him for more.

Still have a few units left on French Module 2 (of 2), but I thought that now may be a good time to start watching french movies. I have a dozens of DVDs with both french dubs and french subtitles, but the question is, what combination of subs/dubs would be most rewarding, as regards picking up the language as quickly as possible?

I always like to say that one should learn a language with as little reference to their native language as possible. I like to say this because this is how everyone learns their native language. Everyone starts with no language to serve as a reference point, yet most grow up fluent. I'm not qualified to say this is unquestionably the best method, but I like to think it's a good method because I think it minimizes your reliance on your native language, and thus it's easier to become fluent in the long run.

The way I learned most of my German was through something called the total physical response method. For example, the teacher would give the word Haus without a direct English translation, instead miming the translation by making a roof and walls. The students figure out that the teacher is miming a house, and they imitate. This helps to ingrain into your memory that Haus means "house". With zeigen, the teacher would point in various directions, and you learn "to point". With schreien, the teacher screams, and you learn "to scream".

I can't think of any magical combination of dubs and subs, but I can tell you a few things:

A drawback to dubs, although a relatively minor one, is that you can't watch the actors' lips and observe how they articulate the French language. This would help you learn to properly articulate it yourself, especially if you're a visual learner. But a benefit to having a dub of a movie you've already seen in English is that you already know what's going on, and you can probably figure out what they're saying from your previous knowledge.

I've found that subtitles distract me. When I watched French movies with English subtitles in my French classes in high school, I only paid attention to the subtitles, because I hardly understood the French. Even when it's a movie in English with English subtitles, too often I'll end up only reading the subtitles. But if you figure out a creative way to have the subtitles, but not to see them unless you really need them to figure out what someone just said, that might work well.

In general, however, I think it's a good idea to not be too picky.

I'm sorry I can't be much help. However, I have an essay written by a person who was about to immigrate to Quebec and wanted to learn enough French to pass the Test d'Evaluation de Français in order to drastically improve his immigration score. In ten months he managed to learn enough French to earn an "advanced" score in most areas of the test. You might find his essay extremely helpful: http://portal.wikinerds.org/node/167/

 

[Rataxes]

Well, your reply was far more than I dared hope for, and thanks for the link, it was a indeed a great read. That thing he mentions about french subtitles rarely corresponding much to what is actually being said is something I've noticed as well. I might skip them altogether and make the DVD watching more focused on pure listening comprehension.

Gotta start reading books as well, Harry Potter seems a good choice.

 

[Athelwulf]

Well, your reply was far more than I dared hope for,

That's good.

and thanks for the link, it was a indeed a great read.

Happy to pass on the knowledge.

I might skip them altogether and make the DVD watching more focused on pure listening comprehension.

Good plan.

Gotta start reading books as well, Harry Potter seems a good choice.

I bet. Especially if you've already read them.

Quand vous pourrez bien parler (ou écrire) le français, je voudrais que nous ayons pratiqué l'un avec l'autre. And don't mind my possibly crappy attempt at the language; I barely learned the language in my classes.