Quick before I go to Japanese class...

I'm thinking of turning this LJ into a language journal--you know, a place where I post in different languages just to keep my skills up.

Currently I have: French, Chinese
In the near future, I will have: Japanese, MAYBE Finnish

Could be fun. The problem is, even in French and Chinese, I'm only at an intermediate level D:

Must learn: more vocab, but more importantly, more idiomatic expressions and sophisticated structures.

(Aghh, and I have so much work besides! D: D: D:) 

Language table (Last updated 10/29)

Taken from: foreignlanguageexpertise.com/about.html, with some modifications.

I.  Aural comprehension:  1) At a slow speaking rate, with simple words and sentences. 2) If the speaker has clear enunciation; sometimes getting the gist more than specific details and missing specific/technical vocabulary. 3) With ease and depth of understanding at the native rate of speaking in a wide array of topics.

II.  Reading comprehension:  1) Slowly deciphering with the aid of a dictionary, or annotated texts, or simpler works. 2) Smoothly and freely, but sometimes getting the gist more than specific details, and certainly profiting from dictionary use. 3) With ease, pleasure, speed, and depth of understanding comparable to that with which I can read English.

III.  Writing ability:  1) Within a limited range and with heavy dictionary use. 2) Within a full range, but sometimes paraphrasing or searching philological reservoirs for expressions and using the dictionary occasionally. 3) Freely and without constraint, in a fairly sophisticated manner and with limited recourse to a dictionary.

IV.  Conversational ability:  1) Within a limited range and/or with the indulgence and assistance of my conversation partners. 2) Within a full range, but sometimes paraphrasing or searching philological reservoirs for expressions. 3) Freely and without constraint.

	I	II	III	IV
French	2-	2+	2+	1+
Chinese	2+	1+	1+	2-

Japanese: Beginner (日本語が少しはなせます)
German: Just started

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Current goals:
(Concrete)
- Finish one year of college Japanese, decide whether to take it for another semester/year or continue independently
- Finish the Assimil German and see where my level is at, then decide what to do (should be done February 2010)

(Abstract - Less to More)
- Improve French through reading, possibly writing, listening to radio
- Improve literacy in Chinese, attempt to learn more vocabulary & understand TV news & strengthen idiomatic sense
- Go through Teach Yourself Norwegian/Colloquial Norwegian...at some point
- After learning German, look at Dutch?
- Look at Italian?
- Decide on other languages: Russian, Finnish? Borrow a ton of language books from the library when I'm home and see if anything strikes my fancy; attempt to get Assimil for any other languages I seriously plan to learn