Learning a language

[Necator15]

I've recently been thinking of attempting to learn a new language (English is my native language, and I know a bit of Latin)
I was thinking of probably learning Italian. Seems like a logical step from Latin.

So I was wondering Escapist, have any advice for someone who has made no attempt at learning a not-dead language before? I've heard a lot about Rosetta Stone, mostly that it's only really good for mastering pronunciation, and not a hell of a lot else. I do know that immersion is often the best way to learn a language, but I'd like a good base in the language first, and it isn't really an option as I'm, you know, broke college student. School I'm going to doesn't offer a class in Italian.

Outside the advice, have any of you attempted to learn a second or third language?

 

[Rylot]

I tried learning Korean after knowing a bit of Japanese, but it was taught in a "memorize these words" structure and I just don't learn that way.

 

[Wintermoot]

I learned english by playing a english RPG maybe you cna try the same

 

[child of lileth]

I know some Japanese. I'm better with spoken than written, and I basically only know enough to do business, or to say basic stuff, but not to have a normal conversation. :<

For learning, just surround yourself with the language. It's the same way you learned your native one. If you hear it enough, you'll start to pick up on it.

 

[Nimbus]

Don't bother unless you actually plan on using it. Waste of bloody time, IMO.

 

[Dags90]

Find some good books, don't bother with Rosetta Stone. Italian pronunciation and spelling are ludicrously easy. Find some Italian media and immerse yourself in that.

Vedo in te - Airys.
Sulla Mia Pelle - Lost.
Tiziano Ferro - Indietro. Wouldn't be Italian music without a love song.

 

[Shoqiyqa]

I know bits of a few languages.

The only thing I can really recommend is constant exposure, which amounts to immersion. Get flashcards of your vocab and go over them at meal times or while sitting by the river and being molested by ducks who suspect you're carrying HobNobs.

Try reading sites like Italian news [http://roma.corriere.it/] for extra practice.

Fori Imperiali, abbattuti 2 pini secolari
Il Municipio protesta: «Non informati»

Degli alberi restano solo i tronconi a largo Corrado Ricci
Pittueo e Corsetti :«Uno scempio, nessuno ci ha avvisato». Il Comune: «Buttati giù perchè pericolanti»

ROMA - Abbattuti due pini secolari in pieno Centro a Roma, su largo Corrado Ricci, all?incrocio con via dei Fori Imperiali. Uno era secco da tempo, l?altro era sano, ma troppo inclinato verso la corsia stradale. Sono diventati così tre i ceppi mozzati sul front line dell?incrocio di fronte all?ingresso dei Fori. Un altro pino era stato già abbattuto in precedenza. Il risultato per questo angolo suggestivo della città storica è deprimente: il largo è assolato, di notte è trasformato spesso in un bivacco, accanto altri due importanti manufatti come Le Colonnacce del Foro di Nerva e Tor de? Conti transennata richiedono interventi.

I don't actually know Italian but I'm pretty sure they've cut down two pines that were threatening to fall into Fori Imperiali street there, one past its best and one healthy but leaning, and I guess the "bivacco" part means there's a protest camp there now.

Edit:

Songs, indeed.

I much prefer "Sarah's intimate version" but Andrea Bocelli has much clearer pronunciation:



You may also find your DVDs have multiple language options, possibly more so in Region 2 (Europe) than in Region 1 (USA), including Italian:


Try that. Libertààààààààààààààà&#65279;!!!!!

 

[Necator15]

*snip*

I would never have thought of that, thank you.