Talossan Fluency Test

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

I have started floating around the idea of a Talossan fluency test, and awards for high scores, what do the members of the CÚG think about that?

Here are my ideas. A comprehensive test which encompasses all (or most) of Talossan grammar and vocabulary.

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

That wouldn't be a bad idea, but in order to do a good job of it we need to establish a base of fluent speakers first. There are only two people in the world who have ever been fluent speakers, and neither is currently a citizen of Talossa. Hopefully within a couple of years, we'll have several fluent speakers in the Kingdom, and those speakers can then create a test to evaluate the fluency of new learners.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

True. True. The only other predicament it the question of how we would stop cheating. I mean the honor system is good and whatnot, but let's get serious. Hmm.... *Think* *Think*

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

OOh! How about all the instructions are in Talossan (since there's no Talossan-English translator) and then we shut down the lessons for the day when people take the test.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

Who cares if someone wants to cheat? There would presumably not be anything riding on the competition, and they are going to be the ones unable to demonstrate their alleged fluency and having to live with it.

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

If we're going to plausibly call it a fluency test, it really should have a component to test one's conversational ability. Which is a difficult thing to cheat on. And which is why we need to have fluent speakers to administer the test in the first place.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

So you are saying that the test should take place in a live chat room? Sounds like a good idea to me.

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

alexandreu said:

So you are saying that the test should take place in a live chat room? Sounds like a good idea to me.

Hmm, possibly. I was thinking more of some medium that allows for the use of actual speech. Telephone, or Skype, or something like that. A conference call via telephone would be best. Long-distance tolls could become an issue though.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

What about something like Ichat that would allow people to speak and type?

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

alexandreu said:

What about something like Ichat that would allow people to speak and type?

I've never tried that. Maybe I'll have to look at it. But Skype allows for simultaneous speaking and typing too, I believe. Plus video, so you could get extra points for taking your test in Berber garb.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

unfortunately, many of us don't have video capability...

[Nicola Damiana Aseria]

but wouldn't the people fluent in Talossan who are administering the test want to take it? because wouldn't they be the most fluent, probably?

[Sir C. M. Siervicül]

nicole said:

but wouldn't the people fluent in Talossan who are administering the test want to take it? because wouldn't they be the most fluent, probably?

Yeah, that's a chicken-egg problem. I think we'd just have to agree that the people who initially administer the test have demonstrated their fluency by other means.