Adds ChatGPT post.

Author: qubyte

content/posts/2023-05-13.md

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+---
+{
+  "datetime": "2023-05-13T13:21:54Z",
+  "updatedAt": null,
+  "draft": false,
+  "title": "Using ChatGPT to help me learn a second language",
+  "description": "When learning a second language I've frequently been asked to create a sentence, or some dialogue to exercise some new grammar. The problem is, this isn't how I use a language. I don't invent what I want to say in real life. I have something to say, and use language to convey it! The creativity needed to do this is often enough to overwhelm me and derail the thing that matters. I've discovered that I can use ChatGPT to do this creative part for me!",
+  "tags": [
+    "japanese",
+    "ChatGPT"
+  ]
+}
+---
+A couple of months ago I was chatting with my fellow [Skiffmates][the skiff]
+about how folk are using [ChatGPT]. Some use it to automate data entry for
+themselves. Others to create complex SQL queries. [Caroline] and I were chatting
+and the idea of using ChatGPT to help with learning a second language emerged.
+
+Yes, yes, I know. ChatGPT has been done to death at this point, and I remain
+deeply sceptical about most applications of this technology, but stay with me
+here...
+
+When learning a second language, I've frequently been asked to create a sentence
+or some dialogue to exercise some new grammar. The problem is, this isn't how I
+_use_ a language. I don't invent what I want to say in real life. There is
+something to say, and I use language to convey it! When someone says to me
+_create a sentence which uses the causative form_ my brain goes blank.
+
+I ask ChatGPT to produce example sentences in Japanese (but hide them) with some
+particular grammar point in, and give me the translated sentences in English.
+Then I translate as many as I like to exercise the grammar point. Sometimes the
+point is subtle and ChatGPT needs some coaxing, but it usually gets it. I've
+started to ask for longer pieces of text to translate too, with the JLPT level
+as a ceiling for vocabulary and grammar it can assume I know.
+
+It turns out most folk at the skiff use it to solve little bits of pain for
+themselves like this. Nobody else needs to see the output. Of course, in all
+cases the output has to be verified. I see this technology as filling a niche;
+little bits of drudge work which are time-expensive to do by hand, difficult to
+delegate, and easily verified. A bit like using a pocket calculator instead of
+doing long division by hand.
+
+Here's an example conversation:
+
+> Hi ChatGPT. I'm learning Japanese, and need some example sentences to
+> translate from English into Japanese which use the causative form
+> ({ja:使役動詞}). Can you create three sentences for me please? Only show me the
+> English sentences for now. I'll ask for the translations later.
+
+> Sure, I can help you with that! Here are three example sentences that use the
+> causative form:
+> 1. I made him clean the room.
+> 2. She had her hair cut at the salon.
+> 3. They let me use their car for the weekend.
+
+> Thanks! Can you show me the translations now please?
+
+> Certainly! Here are the translations of the three example sentences into
+> Japanese using the causative form ({ja:使役動詞}):
+> 1. {ja:私は彼に部屋を掃除させました。}
+> 2. {ja:彼女は美容院で髪を切らせました。}
+> 3. {ja:彼らは私に週末に彼らの車を使わせてくれました。}
+
+[ChatGPT]: https://chat.openai.com
+[the skiff]: https://theskiff.org
+[Caroline]: https://www.carolinebeavon.com

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