Other Languages

[American Patriot]

Who speaks a second language out there?

How well do you speak your second language (if you have one)?

How did you learn your second language?

Has anyone used anything like Rosetta Stone, or the Pimsleur Methods to learn a new language?

(Background: Since I am planning long term travel in third world areas of the world in the near future, and Spanish is one of the most spoken languages of the world besides English, I'm learning Spanish but doing it on my own time, when I have time. I'm seeking the best method. So far, I'm using some easy, beginner stuff using something called the Pimsleur Method. Seems ok. But want to know before I purchase a full set of CDs (at like 700 bucks) how other things stack up. Personal experience with different methods would be helpful. I can read the sites for myself.)

[Malsua]

So in the various weeks i spent in Honduras, my Spanish got pretty good.

i used Rosetta stone.

I'm working on German now.

[samizdat]

I speak Spanish fluently, and forgot most of the Russian I learned. I've taught English extensively, gave a few private Russian lessons and love words. Jesus is the Word. ... just in case... I cannot keep God, morality and biblical cites out of my conversation, because what sprouts from the mouth comes from the heart.

I. Need and desire are the most important factors- most people can learn a f lang in 6 mos to a year- prob you can in 3 mos or less.

II. Discipline is OK, but quality time is more important. Certainly with your love of reading, you can find fun in conquering a new language.

III. The ultimate best technique is the same way you learned English- complete with emotion, joy, praise, excelence- personal/ visual/audio and spoken verbal reference.

IV. Ergo- as per the "quick learning" English teaching technique- no books, no homework, no grammar- learning is best facilitated by hearing and repeating with reference to needs, desires, objects.

V. One factor most important- there must be a spirit of desire. Sans voluntas-will-deseo- nada zilch poco. So learning time should be optimal-relaxed-receptive-alert-
HIGH in endorfin-seratonin brain levels-FUN¡!

vi. Since you're not a child- learning by need and desire- and for JOY, make yourself as such, and have glee at progress- for that is the essence of talent.

VII. Spanish and English are 70% cognate words relative. Romance languages. This is helpful with the RRR technique- 2nd most best. However- it's more like dessert. One can read and write and understand formally spoken foreign language, yet have very little capacity to speak and understand. The RRR technique, nonetheless is an important personal tool. The best way (after 3-6 months of learning naturally) or as an adjunct if desired- is to read a familiar text in (spanish) which you have previously read/ or are very familiar with contents in English. ie preferably something simple-
(I favor a "simple" gospel like John- reprtedly "deep" but with repeated related themes- way-truth-light-life and psalms which contain all emotional words and most practical words.) one could also read tom saywer or hemminway, but not charles dickens- too many ultra-words. It is important to have a phonetical dictionary with accents in the 2nd language, but not be every 5 words lookin it up. Any familiar text of 100 pages will do.

VIII. Hearing, not listening skill are 50-90% of communication. Still I dont buy heavily into "listening" tapes or cds. Yet one cannot lie about the efficacy of audio-visual cds or dvd's which produce an APPLE - apple instead of ap pley or MANZANA - that's man zá na instead of man za-or whatever. Audio visual dictionaries and some conversational videos are not to be bypassed. Listening to tapes in the car or with books is BS.
ix. So the best technique is to have your Mom and Dad, brothers and sisters teach you, by hearing and repetition for needs and desires. Then later, reinforce frequent words with simple texts you are familiar with (readin riting in a notebook) and roaming for infrequent technical word on the internet- port/starboard/aft/bow.

X. The Bible sez that God's mother, brother, sister and friend are those who listen to His Word and put it in practice. That would literally make me God's mother at times, which means I am either extremely pure important and busy or (when not) horribly frivolous and wicked.


so to sign off- the best idea is to find a latin american spanish speakin poisen and corner em with a free lunch to matching all you say- then repeating it until you feel confident. Oh- and dont be intimidated by 216 verbal conjugations. Yes the barrons verb book is essential, but one can get by with 3 tenses, better with 5 or 10.

[samizdat]

I leafed thru rosetta stone which claims the immersion-no book method as a natural learner. Couldn't get to any real files though and it seems awful expensive . A few years back, I was digging for russian files and found adequate ones at cornell university. If you have internet connection from a computer you plan to study on, you may want to search for similar files first and save 700. Nothing beats a flesh in the face cooperative teacher.

[samizdat]

I checked out pimsler and it sounded a crappy expensive waste of time. A/V cd's and dvd's are kool, but people dont communicate like tapes. You really need a local or buddy from work. They can help with idioms. slurs. defending yourself in a faltering conversation and confronting racial and international disharmony. Face it. Irish ancestry will not prevent your new status a american tourist or gringo. Gringo originated as a saying by pancho villa- "Green, go!" , he said to US American army troops.

[samizdat]

look for a boat dock guy who speaks spanish to show you the ropes. It'll be more fun, you'll learn all you need to know, he'll make a few bucks and you'll save.

[American Patriot]

So in the various weeks i spent in Honduras, my Spanish got pretty good.

i used Rosetta stone.

I'm working on German now.

Mal,

Rosetta Stone, tell me ALL you know about it.

Sami, I'm using some beginner CDs for Pimsleur method and they seem ok. I can understand the stuff on the CDs now mostly. I'm slow on the uptake for languages as I learned French in HS and my heart was not really in it.

I can speak a few words in French these days, but I might as well be eating cantaloupe (I don't LIKE, in fact despise cantaloupe!) It makes me gag.

I heard a commercial the other day... something about only the French can turn a gag reflex into a language...

Anyway - I have a Son-in-Law who speaks fluent Spanish, but he has neither the time nor inclination to teach me at this point. It would take a lot more time than he has, and patience that probably neither of us share.

My problem is simple... I don't learn languages well, even though I do comprehend the rules, for some reason (perhaps laziness) I don't get through the first bit of something.

On the other hand, I CAN READ several languages (I don't know how to pronounce the words, but I know the meaning). I don't know if I have some missing electrical connections or what... I can usually muddle through an article in any of the romance languages in short order.

[Ryan Ruck]

What "Rosetta"!

Rosetta Stone language learning.

[American Patriot]

Right, it's a training aid. http://www.rosettastone.com/

I am using something called "The Pimsleur Method". Not the greatest, and I've not been able to do my dedicated 1 hour per day so far in the past few weeks, and no I doubt I am ready to hold more than rudimentary conversations like "Where's the bathroom" and ordering a beer. (Probably all I will need in most cases!) haha

I don't expect to be fluent in Spanish real soon, just fluent eventually. My wife speaks some and understands more. I understand a great deal more than I thought I did but simply have trouble remembering what to say.

No one to really practice with other than my wife and son-in-law who is fluent in English and Spanish. But I don't get enough time to work with him either. So, catch as catch can.

[American Patriot]

By the way, Peterle, or should I say "Signore Matteo" - please call me Rick

Raramente mi sono chiamato Mister. Grazie, signore.

[American Patriot]

Dónde está el baño

Una cerveza, por favor

Dos cerveza, por favor....

lol

[Ryan Ruck]

You forgot the "Bring me women!" part.

'course you might get in trouble using that...

[American Patriot]

omg Boys? LOL

[Toad]

I don't know how I missed this thread.

I took Japanese for 4 years in college, then lived in Japan for 3 years after that. Married a Hawaiian-Japanese girl for 13 years before that blew apart. So my Japanese is pretty good. Speaking is fine, reading less so, writing a chore.

Oh, I can't speak a word of Chinese, but because Japanese and Chinese share a fair number of kanji, I can peck my way though chinese and pick up pieces. Road signs, transportation signs, especially menus. I like to eat.

I vacation in Mexico all the time, my spanish gets me through the airport, taxi, hotel, cafe, bar. I'm good at filling in the blanks and usually mexican beer loosens up the vocabulary. Never really had a problem yet.

I can shotgun both French and Itallian from the hip. (thank you ex-girlfriends) It isn't pretty, but I can make my question.

[American Patriot]

Well, there are certainly roots to languages.
There are well over six thousand different, living languages on the planet.

English, Dutch and German apparently have a common ancestor or root.

I'm not really a language expert, because if I were I'd speak several languages. I struggle with English from time to time I can see, and find common words in various languages and do see where Latin has a strong DNA fingerprint on several modern languages.

[Ryan Ruck]

You are partly right Peterle. As was explained to me in French class in high school, there are a number of languages that share Latin as a root called the Romance Languages.

Oddly, even though English has some similarities, English is considered Germanic in its roots. And I think that is about all I remember from the class... LOL!

[samizdat]

probablamente- What you wish or may, will wish to express es- una caguama. Caguamas are actually turtle eggs- but slang for a quart of beer. Good brands- no hershey squirts are Corona or better India. And don't forget- #nada de frijoles por favor"- not that they look tempting, but VERY salty- airosos- ...

A "cañonazo" refers to a healthy swig of sugar cane alcohol. Coco (nut) milk is high in anti-bacteria & parasitical functions. However, if moctezuma's runs (bacterial flora change) hit, a "cañonazo" for 500 cents don't hurt. I recommend neem tea and cuachalalate for anti-parasitical functions and e-coli regulation. Best prepared personally. (just boil the leaves and bark and stick it in a container like mead. Neem needs miel- that's honey. Better said- 2 caguamas- una por la Doña.

[samizdat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvAfTlJMCDA

I was testing out a new webcam-audio, which works ok w/ utube, though I kant woik it wif windoz movie maker , splice & add subtitles yet. The audio wuz horrible but utube fixez a bit. Trouble a leetle since- ok- but utube videoz r like facebook- kant erase. Not excellent quality, but here's your free spanish klass, Rick. From de toofless wonder. Nothing to see. Just me ranting off about the hijo prodigo, borrego perdido y monedas de plata. Luego q(uiero) sacudir monedas de la maquina(cpu) pa (ra) apoyar con la skuela de sordos colegiatura zapatoz etc. Bad audio eh. I gave sum Engleesh klasses to an Italian dude in 1998 with 14kb windoze 95. Notice how my eyebrowz relax & the lilies of de field smile when i talk about de only thing i know. have a bud & a smile.

[American Patriot]

Spanish? Hell, I can't even understand you're English.

hehe

[samizdat]

The tech is amazing, which may have mislead me in counsel on fl learning. One best way could be to (politely) ask someone to movie-translate what you want to say w/ subtitles. I'm still learning Iwish. This is Kool for both listening comprehension & saying what you want to say- 100% proof. It's even better than conversation partners. No fights/misunderstandings- internet imersion imaginitive intuition.

utube has good sheet. I have some web site domains & crappy (32) beet sofwar. I forget how to fill in the cocos and all dat stuff.

http://captiontube.appspot.com/video/preview/4691223