Learning New Languages

[OS]

Hello, all! In the midst of school work, VRE development, random posting, working in the Scripting Academy, and looking for a paying job, I have decided I have too much free time, so I am teaching myself a few new languages.

Currently on my list:

Albanian
Arabian
Dutch
French
Gaelic
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin
Romanian
Russian
Vietnamese

So far I have a decent understanding of French (learned in school), Japanese (Online/Print-outs), and Latin (Online). My vocabulary isn't perfect, but my Grammar is improving with every lesson.

I am just wondering, what do you think is the best way to learn a new language? I've seen brain washing (not kidding, btw), Picture Lessons (like flash cards), detailed grammatically oriented lessons, sound based lessons, and (so far the easiest, imho) formulaic lessons (such as Japanese A wa B desu, and Latin <ACTOR/ACTEE><ACTION>). So, what other methods do you know, and what is the easiest method in your opinion?

 

[GrooveMan.exe]

French, Spanish, and italian are Romantic Languages, so having a decent grasp of Letin will make those easier, and vice-verca.

I was taught French and Latin up until last year, but I hated Latin, and I was mediocre at French...

 

[$t3v0]

That's a rather large list you have there. Learning a new language can be VERY tedious, be aware of that. To learn a new language entirely you have to either:

a) Have a teacher that won't let you quit
b) Be 100% dedicated to learning it mentally.

In my opinion you need a frequent visit from a tutor. They won't let you quit because at the end of the day you're paying their wages.

 

[moog]

Teaching yourself a FEW languages? That seems like a hearty list you got there. And most of those are pretty difficult to learn, as $t3v0 pointed out.

Take Spanish first (if you dont know it) and then German, those are the two easiest to learn.

 

[OS]

I plan on learning Spanish someday, but I am really tired of hearing it everywhere I go, and don't want to waste time hearing it at home as well.

As for German, it seems easy enough, although pronunciation is proving rather difficult. The best lessons I've found so far tell me a whole bunch of words right off the bat, but doesn't explain their English equivalents. If someone knows a free German lesson set for beginners, please let me know!

Latin is really easy so far. I found a great lesson set, and I already have enough to speak in the present tense (though my vocabulary is still pretty low here).

I don't think I need a Tutor, since I already have gotten a pretty decent start in Japanese on my own, and the rest of the languages I want to learn right now appear to be relatively easy grammatically. The hardest part is going to be Vocabulary, and I know not of any Tudors who can make me Remember better than I already do. I'll just have to practice.

So, what other methods do you think I could try? Oh, and has anyone tried the Brain-washing method? if you don't know what I mean, look here: http://www.easy-language-systems.com/japanese/japanese-language.php

Peace!

 

[shiroun]

http://www.easy-language-systems.com/ja ... nguage.php actually works. I use something similar.

 

[Nachos]

I think the best way is studing, trying to understand the language and practice whenever you can.
I've been studing English since I was 4 or 5 and I think I have a decent knowledge of it. I know sometimes it's hard to understand me because I mix things up, but I do my best.
Start form the basics, then try to read things, and buy a diccionary! My sister thaught me German and my grandfather Italian, but I've forgotten most of it.

Take Spanish first (if you dont know it) and then German, those are the two easiest to learn.

True. :P

 

[OS]

If it really is easy, shiroun, I guess I'm spending the 44 bucks! Anything to get me fluent fast. I like the way this one sounds, but I was waiting for someone to say they tried it before I considered it further (I don't want to get ripped off or become a brainless zombie drone).

nahchito, that is basically the way I am going now, although I am using Online Dictionaries when I need to (a lot cheaper than buying twelve new dictionaries).

 

[Calibre]

Well the most useful second language to know for convenience is clearly Spanish however, I do quite enjoy speaking German (if one can find speaking a language enjoyable).  Everything you say gets to sound like an order.  If you don't plan or going to Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein or Switzerland, whats the point?  This is why I don't understand people who learn latin.

 

[iceplosion]

Well I speak English, French, German and Irish (Gaelic)

French and German are the easiest two to learn, as for Irish I had an easy time learning it since I learned it while I was still learning english, I had a lot of people to teach and I've pretty much always been able to speak it, however I hear it's pretty hard to learn.

 

[OS]

The point, Calibre, is to sound like a bad ass. j/k

I am just very interested in language, whether it be for communicating with people or computers. In fact, after I get these down, I have a whole other list of programming languages to learn. Language is just fun for me.

By the time I finish learning the short list in Post One, I hope to be able to write a story in English, then rewrite it in every one of those languages as accurately as possible. It'll be fun.

iceplosion, French is pretty easy. Gaelic does look hard, but I have found a great list of pronunciation samples that are very useful.

 

[miss matcha]

I think everyone has a different style of learning that works best for them.  Personally, if I'm immersed and hearing the language all the time, I'll pick it up very quickly.  I'd been going to Korea for 2-week stints, and at the end I'd be able to hold very simple conversation (of course it helps that I speak Japanese... the pronunciation and grammar structure are very similar). 

In general though, the more you are exposed to a language, the more effectively you'll pick it up.  One method used at this company I used to work at, was to have students watch the news/listen to music and try to repeat what was being said over and over again... making sure to write down new words, look them up and memorize them, etc.   

 

[OS]

That's a good way to go; I am doing that with Japanese using the Naruto and Death Note openings on YouTube.

 

[Incognitus]

Cut it down dramatically. You're never going to get anywhere with that list: you have a lifetime's work there and so it's not really the sort of thing you should be saying "I have some free time so I'll do it" because... well... it's a very demanding and far reaching effort. I think if you start out with so much now, you're just going to end up unhappy a few months down the line.

French
Italian
Latin

Gaelic
German
Dutch

Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese

Romanian
Russian
Albanian

Arabian

If you want to learn multiple languages at once, I'd suggest tackling one of these groups. You've mentioned Latin or German as things you are approaching, which is good because German is quite simple alongside English once you get the hang of it, and Latin is often only hard in learning it's grammatical forms.

Have you taken a language before? Without knowing your general learning style, I can't really recommend anything as everyone is different, and it actually depends greatly on why you want to use it or learn it, and how you would define "mission accomplished".

It's almost universally agreed however that the best way to learn is in immersion - after you have picked up enough to survive with the basics however. It's a good excuse to take a vaction.



I've got to go now though - I have to study for my "Language Teaching" module exam tomorrow. ;P

 

[iceplosion]

iceplosion, French is pretty easy.

Uh...I know, it's one of four languages I speak fluently.

Gaelic does look hard, but I have found a great list of pronunciation samples that are very useful.

I wouldn't recommend learning unless you have a teacher/someone who actually speaks Irish.

 

[miss matcha]

Just a note, Vietnamese is very very different from Japanese and Korean.  It's a tonal language, and its grammatical structure is quite different as well.  Japanese is closer to Spanish than to Vietnamese.  In fact, don't learn Vietnamese unless you can take a class or something... because unless you are a very small child, tonal languages are near impossible to learn unless you're well-immersed either in a comprehensive class, in the country itself, or you have a good and consistent tutor or something.

Japanese and Korean, on the other hand, are a lot easier to learn via books and self-study because they're phonetic and the grammar follows patterns that can be memorized.  They aren't tonal, so even if you aren't pronouncing something correctly, people can still basically understand what you are saying.

 

[Mortimer Cool]

It took me a while to learn the language here, but it was worth it. It's spoken by 4-7 million people worldwide!

Still, I had to learn another one to be able to do business here; 2/3rds of the country or so speaks the language of our 'gregarious neighbors', so to speak!

 

[OS]

Alright, everyone. You have made some points that I suppose are pretty valid. I'll definitely be learning Japanese and Latin, and I already know French.

I guess I'll do the rest based on a one or two lesson trial; if it is as easy as Jap/Latin than I shall continue, if not than I drop it from my list.

I consider learning a language a success if I know the grammar enough to be able to say anything I want. Of coarse I don't need to know all of the vocabulary of the language, just enough to be able to speak comprehensibly, but I can continue to increase my Vocabulary if I like the language enough.

In fact, I declare that soon I will have mastered a low level of Japanese Grammar, enough to speak Japanese and not sound like a dumb ass (i.e. Communicate like a child who is very polite.)

Directly after that, I shall master Latin Grammar, and then see what happens next.

 

[iceplosion]

It took me a while to learn the language here, but it was worth it. It's spoken by 4-7 million people worldwide!

Still, I had to learn another one to be able to do business here; 2/3rds of the country or so speaks the language of our 'gregarious neighbors', so to speak!

That's Punjabi right?
That makes me think you're in Pakistan where 44% of the population speaks Punjabi.

 

[Tindy]

You can't learn Japanese from a book. Oh sure, you can get the basics, stuff like "watashi ha OS desu" and etcetera.  But Japanese is an intentional language - it's not logical.  (Well, the grammar is, but that's a different story.)  Just take Spirited Away - In Japanese, it can be read two ways:  Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, or Sento Chihiro no Kamikakushi.  It's intentionally done like that, and depending on how you want to read it it can be "Sen and Chihiro's spiriting away" or "Bath house Chihiro's spriting away."  That's not a big difference, really, but they get much grander than that.    The verb "irassharu" can mean "to be", "to come," or "to go."  That's a BIG span of meaning and it all depends on intent.  You can say, without intent, "Kumazaki-san ha irasshaimasu."  And it could mean all three.

As for listening to and repeating from anime,  it only works up to a point.  Translations are as close as they can be, but they can always change, again depending on intent.  To learn Japanese, you really need a competent teacher, either someone who is fluent in English AND Japanese or someone who is trained in Japanese.