How do *you* learn languages?

[WickedEyes]

Some people go with strict memorization. Others create sayings, using words in English to spark the word in the foreign language (or whatever your native tongue is). There are a myriad ways to learning languages - how do you learn, or how DID you learn? What did you find the easiest way?

 

[ShyGuy68]

My experience is that you can only learn so much of a language by studying it in school, the best way is to live with the language. I've done that with both German and English (American), and I'm happy about my language skills. Maybe it's a combination of having a basic knowledge of the language when you start to live with it, and then what you learn through that period.

 

[SkyyAngel]

I find the easiest way (the way with the highest rate of correct recall) is to learn the same way you learned English.

Your parents probably had picture books and pointed at a picture of a cow and said cow.

When I'm learning another language I try to visualize what the word is describing. If I'm saying school I picture a schoolhouse...most people picture the WORD "school". This type of direct memorization rarely works for languages.

 

[UnseenChagrin]

Living it. I agree with ShyGuy- you can only learn so much at school. You may learn how to perfectly form a sentence or conjugate some verbs, and your vocabulary might outspeak a 5th grader's, however, you won't truly know or understand the language (and most imporantly, the culture behind it) until you are immersed in it.

Also agreeing with SkkyAngel- It's best to learn it the way you learned your native language. Yes, it's silly to visualize an adult reading a book designed for toddlers, but it works. Once again though, you didn't just learn your native language by looking at picture books. It was all around you, constantly. When you said "I seen a play today" you were probably just told "you SAW a play today." Latent learning is a huge part of learning a foreign language.

I personally feel it's better to learn from a native speaker. A native English speaker may be fluent in a foreign language, but it is usually still their second language. Why do you think there is such a high demand for native English speakers to teach English as a foreign/secondary language? You know the rules people follow and the rules they don't. You know the slang and what should be said and what shouldn't.

And no matter how silly it feels or how dumb you think you sound, if you go to a place that speaks a foreign language, try to speak it! If you go to Montreal, say "bonjour" instead of "hello." You don't have to be the master of French to show them some respect. They will find out soon enough you can't hold a conversation, but they will appreciate that you put forth some sort of effort. Unfortunately, this isn't a sentiment in the United States by large, but that's another rant.

 

[SweetErika]

IMHO, immersion is a huge part of success. When you're forced to learn it because you need to survive and you're constantly hearing it, you learn quickly. As a teacher of many ESL students, the degree of immersion is a major factor...the ones who speak (even broken) English at home, watch tv and read English books do far better than the students living bilingual lives. I'm not an advocate of getting rid of your native language, but exposure is so critical until you have the new language down.

The second thing I've learned teaching English and Spanish is that people who do really well use pnemonic devices and associations. For some lucky people, it's easy and natural to make these associations (those are the ones who learn quickly). Others have to work at it, but once they get it, they take off. Seeing the patterns in the language is another related factor.

 

[fsumusic1981]

Use it frequently. If you are trying to learn a foreign language in America, good luck unless it's spanish. At least if you are trying to speak spanish, there are people around you can talk spanish with. If you are trying to learn french or russian, that would be a little different.

I'd recommend getting a book on how to learn the language (college textbook/workbooks) and just get familiar with the language and build up some kind of vocabulary. Then, get familiar with verb conjugation. That should be enough for you to go out and find some people to talk with. Native speakers are better because they'll know the language better.

Then, practice practice practice!

-Peace

 

[SweetErika]

And no matter how silly it feels or how dumb you think you sound, if you go to a place that speaks a foreign language, try to speak it! If you go to Montreal, say "bonjour" instead of "hello." You don't have to be the master of French to show them some respect. They will find out soon enough you can't hold a conversation, but they will appreciate that you put forth some sort of effort. Unfortunately, this isn't a sentiment in the United States by large, but that's another rant.

I'll second that rant...a few of us are trying to change that sentiment though! People always complain about the French being rude, but I met the nicest, most helpful people there. I didn't speak French, but I did what I could to say a few words and show respect and I got a very warm reception. Strangers went out of their way to help! I've had the same experience in every country when I spoke a few words of the language.

 

[freeasair]

motivation

just look around for someone whom you want to get to know in the target language and then swap tongues for a spell...i learnt Italian and Spanish by finding some very dreamy eyes...and then getting close to them..it is amazing what you can learn and want to learn to SAY

 

[UnseenChagrin]

Just a personal viewpoint...

For those that want to learn a language and haven't, choose something that appeals to you because you want to learn it, not necessarily because it's more popular. Spanish IS huge, but people fail to realize that French is also. Japanese anyone? What about Arabic? What you learn depends on who you are, where you are, where you want to be, and why you want to learn the language.

I chose French in HS because I found it to be so beautiful. I love the French culture and their history. I've always lived close enough to Canada where it's useful to know a bit of the language, especially now that I'm very close to Quebec (and more importantly, Montreal!). Now that I'm older and I have a good grasp on it, I want to move on to other languages. I want to learn Spanish as well, not only because it's such a popular language, but because when I was in Europe I met some awesome Spaniards and have become good friends with them. It would be nice to find ways to communicate with them a little easier.

 

[Stiffy Says...]

Excellent point

IMHO, immersion is a huge part of success. When you're forced to learn it because you need to survive and you're constantly hearing it, you learn quickly. As a teacher of many ESL students, the degree of immersion is a major factor...the ones who speak (even broken) English at home, watch tv and read English books do far better than the students living bilingual lives. I'm not an advocate of getting rid of your native language, but exposure is so critical until you have the new language down.

The second thing I've learned teaching English and Spanish is that people who do really well use pnemonic devices and associations. For some lucky people, it's easy and natural to make these associations (those are the ones who learn quickly). Others have to work at it, but once they get it, they take off. Seeing the patterns in the language is another related factor.

I too work with ESL students and have noticed the same effect of full time immersion versus part time immersion.

As for my own experience trying to learn Spanish - my classes helped alot (immersion at school) but I too had english everywhere else. To this day, despite practice at every reasonable opportunity (including a second job where many coworkers do not speak but limited english) my spanish listening skills are horrible, and same with sentence structure.

 

[Guest]

 

[SweetErika]

Depending on where you live, your local library should have a variety of foreign language materials. Mine has books, videos, language cds, workbooks, and magazines. It might sound rediculous, but check out some children's books to learn vocabulary and practice sentence structure...they're simple enough to provide understanding, but they are also a good refresher. If you have kids, teach them the language so you get to practice everyday. Teaching Spanish has been great for me because I make new connections and keep my vocabulary fresh trying to explain it to the kids.

 

[Marsipanne]

I speak English and Chinese fluently and I did French and German in school (as well as Latin but that doesn't count). I went on a French exchange, but not on a German one. Result: I'm much better at French than German. Speaking the language is the best way. My younger brother had to learn two languages simultaneously. It was because we spoke Chinese at home and he spoke English at kindergarten

 

[JoseIsWild]

The best way is to travel to the country where you HAVE to know the language to get around. I learn pieces of other languages just by associating with friends and classmates who speak their native language. I took 2 years of French but can barely form a complete sentence. I picked up some Hindi & Marathi from being around friends who spoke that regularly.

 

[SXCRgirl]

The best way for me to learn a foreign language is to immerse myself in it. I am currently learning Spanish. The people I work with and for are fluent in Spanish and most of the people we do business with can only speak Spanish. I am forced to *learn* it in order to do my job properly and communicate with the people around me. I'm a bit perturbed at the fact that some of these folks that have big business in America can't speak a word of English. Can't or won't? Who knows. But after a year of working there, I can hold a conversation on my own and understand it perfectly.

 

[schatz]

I learned Spanish in school and German through immersion. I think a combination of the two would be the ideal approach. In school, I had a learning structure and somebody setting the plan, homework and tests which are well and fine up to a point. I found I could do translations well but holding a conversation took a lot of practice. When one speaks with a native speaker, it is much different than in a classroom. I taught myself German (I decided it was a good idea since I was moving over here) by buying a book. I could handle a few phrases but did not really advance until I arrived here (Germany). After being completely surrounded by the language in public, on radio, on television...the language develops from sounding like bla bla bla, to individual words. I think a language course would have been helpful though because even though I speak relatively fluently, my written German needs a lot of work.
And on a side note, I have two children who are getting both English and German through me and their mother and even though German is their primary toungue, they understand both perfectly.

 

[ZeldaT]

I learned spanish and french in high school, but in college I decided to learn ASL, which after only a year of classes I am more fluent in than the spanish I studied for 2 years in high school. Part of the reason I think that is, is because after the first quarter you are required from then on to use ASL in all the classes after and not your native tongue. The other thing that is a big help is you can use ASL while also using what ever language you are comfortable with at the same time, that is for sure the biggest added advantage.

 

[TheFrenchGuy]

At school I took English first and German second. Sorry to say my German sucks, though when thinking about it words come surprizingly easyly to my mind...

I really started learning English when I was a baby... My mother used to put me to sleep singing "Yesterday"... Maybe that's why I'm not so found of the Beatles...
The music of the language took a big part in my learning. I listened to a lot of English/American music, thus learning the patterns if not the meaning of the words. Music is also a great way to remind some grammatical patterns ("I'll sleep when I'm dead", thanks to Warren Zevon).
Music and school teaching did it. I never had to spend time in the UK or the US for immersion.

You realize you're fluent with the language when you come to dream in the language... My ex-wife even told me I spoke English in my sleep...

 

[freeasair]

minding one's language

Hey
blow the seasons French Guy..est-ce qu'il y a du raison quand on aime?
we all learn in different ways but the most important thing is to start before you are 7 years old...anyone out there in time for that?
receptors in the brain begin to decline markedly after 7 years and one needs to develop them prior to that in order to receive and appreciate signals in different languages not just the "mother tongue". However if we have perhaps left it a little late (!?) immersion or semi-immersion through music, films, spoken word is very important (as is repeating even if you dont understand) so as to aquire the accent, intonation and cadences of the new language. Think of the processes through which we learnt our first language and imitate them: Mummy speaking and repeating, we mouthing and getting our tongue round "Mamamama" etc
so sing a sexy song in Serbian or whatever...and watch films and try to note the regular phrases, "Bog" they say to one another in Croatian and then try to work out whether they are safe to use in polite company. "Merde!" Reading is important of course but a much more academic exercise and this is where we really have to do the hard yards...noting the words we have read and heard in songs and films and checking out their meaning in the dictionary or better still with an experienced native speaker and then trying to construct phrases where we can use them properly both written and spoken..and finally, comes the grammar. or the grammar comes too but develop it in digestible amounts and take pleasure when you note the native get it wrong as you get it wronger
be patient and love the culture and the people first if you want to succeed.

 

[ullr]

The best way for me to learn a foreign language is to immerse myself in it. I am currently learning Spanish. The people I work with and for are fluent in Spanish and most of the people we do business with can only speak Spanish. I am forced to *learn* it in order to do my job properly and communicate with the people around me. I'm a bit perturbed at the fact that some of these folks that have big business in America can't speak a word of English. Can't or won't? Who knows. But after a year of working there, I can hold a conversation on my own and understand it perfectly.

CLOSE - but no cigar!

The best way to immerse youself is to date a native speaker od the "target" language. They aren't called sleeping dictionarie for nothing.

--Orson

 

[BohemianEcstasy]

Some people go with strict memorization. Others create sayings, using words in English to spark the word in the foreign language (or whatever your native tongue is). There are a myriad ways to learning languages - how do you learn, or how DID you learn? What did you find the easiest way?

I love this question. Language-acquisition is actually my field of study. I'm just getting started, really, but aside from English I know Spanish, German, Latin, and a little bit of French. As for how I learned? I think in that language. If I can't think of the actual words, I think in pictures, but I don't let my internal dialogue run in English for very long. It's kindof like my own personal immersion environment.

 

[UnseenChagrin]

CLOSE - but no cigar!

The best way to immerse youself is to date a native speaker od the "target" language. They aren't called sleeping dictionarie for nothing.

--Orson

I can vouch that Spanish guys definately say "Si" and not "yes"

 

[SweetErika]

Re: Re: How do *you* learn languages?

I love this question. As for how I learned? I think in that language. If I can't think of the actual words, I think in pictures, but I don't let my internal dialogue run in English for very long. It's kindof like my own personal immersion environment.

Right on. I also knew I was really getting it when I started to dream in Spanish!

 

[Vixandra]

Some languages are easier then others. Spanish, French, most Romantic laugages are easier for English speakers to learn then others that are completely different, like Japanese.
I speak from experiance- had no trouble picking up Spanish in HS and even a little french, but learning Japanese has been interesting to say the least.
Immersian makes a difference. If you can, visit the country, spend time amoung its people.
Yeah, you'll get kids pointing at you going "Aniuay, gai-jin!" while tugging on thier sisters jackets, but its worth it. Gai-jin means someone from another coutnry here.
And simple words and phrases, like "choto matae" (wait a min.) and "kudasai" (I want) can go a long way. At least you're trying- that's a big thing here.

 

[SIC]

for me i know english,french,ukrainan. I know english the best because it is used in my home. french just from school and it is pretty basic the reason i know that i dont know much is because my friends grandparent only speak french and when i go there im lost! And i know ukrainan i think its the hardest but the best!! I started picking it up when my great grandma was still alive because she was around all the time cause of her age so you need to learn it to help her with things. I still am in pratice every time i see my grandparent i tell them talk to me in ukrainan and i see if i know whats going on. So they do. I think it is really neat when you run into somebody thats like 60-70 and you can talk to them and all they speak is ukainan.