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Learning a language
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
I've got completely mixed-up with language learning, I've been trying to learn one for 2 years yet I haven't go anywhere because I can't decide what to learn, and I thought I'd chosen one, bought a course that set me back £20 and didn't want to learn it anymore. I've tried to learn Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, French, German, Spanish, Greek, Swedish, Danish, Noweigian, Swahili, Afrikaans, Dutch, Russian, Inuktitut, and various other language. So basically, I know a few words in each because I decided I didn't want to learn it soon after.
So, how do I decide which fucking language I should learn so I can get on with learning it?
So, how do I decide which fucking language I should learn so I can get on with learning it?
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i think you need to ask yourself why you want to learn a language.. if its for travelling, for work, because you like a certain culture. and then you'll have a better idea
Scottish is a language? i just thought it was english with a few words different like tatties and och noor
/has read some oor willie
But on the subject of Scottish languages, there is a language called Lowland Scots that is actually considered another language yet it looks just like what you described.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowland_Scots Wikipedia knows all
He wrote Scottish Gaelic, which is a language. A complicated, horrible, practically distinct language that I was forced to learn in Primary School
Quite right, it's so complicated I almost believe it is impossible if you're not born into it.
Alright, not immpossible, but up there with the likes of Mandarin.
Hmm, I guess I could download one of his, he does French, Spanish, Italian and German, right? What do you think of them and how does he teach?
I travel a lot to South Africa, but the problem with languages there is, you'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't use English on a day-to-day basis, and the resources just aren't availible to learn Afrikaans or one of the various black South African languages
Its not like speaking a language fluently or anything, but to get a feel for a language, I think hes really good.
It is quite difficult to explain, but I can tell you that he is very popular and I was quite impress with how much I learned, considering that I have very little aptitude for "other" languages.
The format is him in a classroom situation with two other students and he is teaching them and you are the third student. The way he teaches is almost to like make the language logical, so that it just sinks into your head, which it does. One of his rules is that you shouldnt really have to think about it you should just be able to use the words and phrases automatically. Im sorry I cannot explain it any better than that, but I can tell you that I used it before I went travelling in France in the summer, knowing virtually no French and it, I dont know, just seem to stick with me. it is a ver effective way of learning.
I think you can get them from bookshops or WHSmith, but what I would recommend you do is to get one from your local library, because a decent one will stock one.
Good luck.
Don't pick Greek for that. If you want to learn it you really need to get some experience into learning foreign languages.
I've heard from foreigners that it's quite a frustrating experience having to learn all our grammar and vocabulary and all the subtle syntactic differences and of course the accent and the intonation of the voice when speaking.
Other than that I'd suggest you find a course rather than self-teahcing. Native speaker teachers are best of course.
Best in my opinion to start with however is C.
Indeed. Also, it may help you if ever so often you had someone who could test you to see how well you're doing?
I've always thought it is hard to learn a language on your own. Taking courses and the like are good, but isn't having a personal teacher the best idea?
EDIT: They could check your progress etc.
It was only when I did the GAP year thing and went to Brazil that I really got to learn a foreign language- Brazilian Portuguese. Before I went I tried with a book, a tape and a cd-rom but to be honest classes are much better.
Adult education classes are often quite subsidised so work out really good value and having other people to practice on and motivate you helps.
It took me about 2 and a half years to get fluent in Portuguese although I have spent a total of 10 months in Brazil which really helped.
I learnt French to a high level and did a bit of German. I loved languages at school. Don't know why I didn't carry them on. Instead I chose maths :yeees:
Good luck with it
I speak to myself all the time. I may as well do it in a different language
I think I just want to get a feel for the language and things before committing myself to a course and the like. And I can have the CD on in the background.
First step is to buy the damn CD though!
Cheers m'dear