New Language Learning

[Misty]

Allo Folksy Folks and Dank Denizens!

Lately, my little brother and I have been working at learning Spanish because how else are we going to overthrow our parental unit? Speaking in our own fanciful code language? NO BUENO.

Still, I've always struggled with trying to learn new languages because I am Ameriscum. (Although, I maintain it isn't an accident I got a degree in English and struggle with other languages). I usually find I'm pretty good at learning to read and write languages, but the moment I try to speak them I feel like R2D2 making the same three bleeping noises.

Enough about me, are any of you desperados learning languages? Are you good or bad at it? Any tips or tricks for the rest of us? Favourite apps (little brother and I are using duolingo)?

Something about being trescurious.

 

[el :BeoWolf:]

I took Spanish my first two years in high school. All I remember are numbers, colors, and Months.
I've heard it's better to learn a new language when you're younger.

 

[Dan]

Duolingo is a good start for learning vocabulary as you probably guessed. Try watching some of your favourite films including pornography in Spanish too as it will really aid you with the speaking part.
You can always take a trip abroad to speak to the natives of the language which is what many people do when learning languages.
Skype with others that know Spanish and hold as many conversations with them as possible.

 

[Dio]

I learned Spanish in school and I could speak it rather well. I can only remember the naughty words now as I dont use the language regularly.


I would like to learn Japanese because it would allow me to enjoy their media more without subtitles and also German, just because I like the way the language sounds.

Eventually translation software will become so good learning a language will be pretty pointless, I imagine in 20 years it won't be a skill that is as highly sought after as it is now.

 

[Mipha]

Um I'm using Duolingo and I've almost learned German and then I will learn Gothic which is like German on steroids

 

[misskitten]

I think the huge reason I did well with learning English and not so well learning French I think is I was more surrounded with English, it was on tv, in music, so I more easily absorbed it. French became more of a challenge because I didn't really have much French around me in my life, and even worse was that we hardly ever practiced actually speaking it in class.

So my advice is to practice speaking and find music and movies in the language you want to learn. Use subtitles, of course, but when you begin feeling competent in the language, try to switch to watching movies with the subtitles also being your intended language to learn.

 

[Jimmu]

I'm currently taking Japanese classes at University as one of my majors. I'd also studied Japanese Beginners in High School from 2013-2014 but in the year between finishing High School Japanese and beginning University Japanese I didn't learn a whole lot. This comes down to procrastination to a large extent, when you don't have any deadlines you can fall into a hole of procrastination where as in a class you have deadlines and tests to keep you going. Much like described in this TED Talk:



Now that I am back into a class though I use a few flashcard apps to memorise vocabulary but find that memorising Kanji requires pen and paper in my experience. I listen to Japanese music often and I think that this has steered me towards better pronunciation for speaking. I think immersion is one of the best ways to learn a language; my University will be sending me to Japan to study Japanese full time for 12 months. Students coming back from this abroad year are always at a much more advanced level than when they left.

 

[Beauts]

I took French at school and due to a combination of good teachers and a penpal system, I was almost fluent at one point but if you don't use it you lose it. I understand some Somali but I can't speak a word of it without feeling like a total moron. The only reason I understand anything foreign is because of hearing it being used- so if you really want to learn I'd say the best way is to surround yourself with native and fluent speakers of that language.

 

[Mudora]

It was never mandatory for me to learn French, or any other language for that matter, at school, but I've always thought it would be neat to be bilingual. I've actually been attempting to learn Spanish through the Duolingo app as well. I like it compared to other programs I've tried because it almost transforms learning a new language into a game, so it keeps me motivated. I would say the hardest part for me has been trying to memorize rules regarding grammar, though hopefully with more practice it will get easier!

 

[Ventus]

Growing up I had to learn three languages, Arabic English and Spanish. They are all rather similar to each other, grammar rules and all. Reading and writing all tree languages is simple enough for me.

Peculiar thing is that though I can read and write, I cannot comprehend. I forgot everything from Arabic because I never need to use it living in the Great State of Texas™. So while I can read something like "ما هي هذه الشجرة ؟ Ma hee hadhihi ash-shajara?" I would never know that that sentence says "What is this tree?" If I knew the vocabulary, I'd be able to get the language down. The rules for Arabic are not so dissimilar from English after all. But, Arabic is just so unnecessary in my life that I almost wonder why I had to learn it.

Spanish is easy to pick up, again given that I live in Tejas. And it's similar enough to English that I can figure sentences out rather quickly despite not speaking it. sabes que you know stuff like that. Thing with Spanish - and I mean no offense - is that there are some accents that absolutely drive me nuts. This would probably be true with any language, but Dominican Spanish and Puerto Rican/Spain Spanish are not at all the same. Dominican Spanish is so grating, like rats scurrying around. Unnerving to me. they speak too quickly and the slang they use is (not ok symbol) (0 percent symbol) (devil symbol).

> I am hungry. Yo tengo hambre. Can't remember how to say it in arabic lmao.

Languages I WISH I knew would be German. I don't really care for any other language though. If I learn it, I would like to put it to use. Lotsa people want to learn for example Japanese, but for literally what purpose? Ya never goin to Japan, you ain't nothin but a weeb. :^)

 

[kochiva]

I feel you on the struggle – R2D2 vibes all the way. For Spanish, try talking more, maybe find language exchange pals. Duolingo's solid, but mix it up with shows, music, and easy reads.

 

[Vanessa28]

I feel you on the struggle – R2D2 vibes all the way. For Spanish, try talking more, maybe find language exchange pals. Duolingo's solid, but mix it up with shows, music, and easy reads.

This topic was made like 7/8 years ago. The latest reply as well. The TS isn't active for years anymore. It's not a crime to reply to old threads but just check the creation date and latest reply
Sometimes it's better to start a new topic about the subject

 

[ThePoesareLoose]

This topic was made like 7/8 years ago. The latest reply as well. The TS isn't active for years anymore. It's not a crime to reply to old threads but just check the creation date and latest reply
Sometimes it's better to start a new topic about the subject

I think new people sometimes make accounts just to reply in a thread that either popped up in a Google search or while browsing the forum before account creation. It would be a good idea to highlight the thread necromancy rule in the welcome pm imo.

 

[Vanessa28]

I think new people sometimes make accounts just to reply in a thread that either popped up in a Google search or while browsing the forum before account creation. It would be a good idea to highlight the thread necromancy rule in the welcome pm imo.

That's not a bad idea at all. Google search does this often. You should post this in the forum suggestion thread

 

[ExLight]

Learning a language is HARD. You can probably break it down in sounds, grammar structure, and vocabulary; which in theory seems so simple.

I probably can't think of better way to quickly learn them than brute force yourself by surrounding yourself by it.
The slow and steady learn a bit everyday probably works too but requires so much dedication and attention spam. The rise of apps like Duolingo that try to make it a bit less exhausting by gamefying the learning is interesting but often all it takes is a break on the streak for all the motivation to be gone, lol.

My recent trip to Chile made me realize I should probably go back at studying a bit of Spanish. While my Portuñol was enough to get by there it's probably still a bit embarrassing to have so little vocabulary and have so much accent.

I wonder if there is an ideal route of languages to learn if someone wants to achieve polyglotiness (?)