Learning New Languages

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Tharwen

Ep. VI: Return of the turret
May 7, 2009
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I have no idea how to best learn a language besides using it as your first, because the only language that isn't English that I have ever learnt is French in the standard UK education style, and I hated it (but still got an A* at everything French-related. SCREW YOU, Miss Sheen!).
 

GrinningManiac

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Jun 11, 2009
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Dr. wonderful said:
GrinningManiac said:
*sigh*

The problem with me, is that I'm naturally an English speaker

This puts me at a disadvantage BECAUSE:

1. Most of the world speaks enough English that I would be too willing to be lazy and give up. If I spoke, say, German, or French, I would learn other languages, as I would be in contact with other continentals more than I am as an Englishman

2. English is a very complex, confusing language (apparantly), and when I was learning Spanish, I kept trying to insert all the English grammar into Spanish structures.

It is, for example, is just 'es' in Espana, but so is 'is' and so on. I kept asking people for the words for English grammar, but I kept forgetting they don't exist in Spanish

I suppose the real benefit of a basis in Spanish is that the entire of centeral/southern America is open to me, and so is Italy, because they're quite similar on a basic level
I agree, it's get hard when you have to remember the grammar, terminology etc etc and to always remember the diffrent gender base names.

It's so confusing T.T

but...I'm getting good and could maybe have a basic converstaion.
Do you know what the difference is between "Que Tal" and "Como Estas" ? Cus I sure as hell don't
 

Player 2

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Feb 20, 2009
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GrinningManiac said:
jedstopher said:
GrinningManiac said:
I now want to learn a language by myself, and I like languages that let me "Ch" (the noise you get when you pronounce "loch" properly), So I want to learn Hindi and Arabic
Ch'alla means "lets go" in Hindi if you want to "ch".
How do you pronounce that?

Is it: Kkkrkch*-al-lah ?

*the "ch" sound"

...that sounds a lot like the Arabic "Allah!"

The one thing I've learnt about Arabic so far is that if there's a variant on a saying that uses the word GOD, they use that instead

instead of "I hope so", they say "Imshallah" - "God Willing"
Soft ch like chat, then alla pronounced like Allah but not quite the same.
 

GrinningManiac

New member
Jun 11, 2009
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jedstopher said:
GrinningManiac said:
jedstopher said:
GrinningManiac said:
I now want to learn a language by myself, and I like languages that let me "Ch" (the noise you get when you pronounce "loch" properly), So I want to learn Hindi and Arabic
Ch'alla means "lets go" in Hindi if you want to "ch".
How do you pronounce that?

Is it: Kkkrkch*-al-lah ?

*the "ch" sound"

...that sounds a lot like the Arabic "Allah!"

The one thing I've learnt about Arabic so far is that if there's a variant on a saying that uses the word GOD, they use that instead

instead of "I hope so", they say "Imshallah" - "God Willing"
Soft ch like chat, then alla pronounced like Allah but not quite the same.
ख, छ or च ?

It's soo hard to find Devanagari on the internet in a copy-and-paste-able form!

Do you speak Hindi, then? Help like this would be appreciated
 

Dr. wonderful

New member
Dec 31, 2009
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GrinningManiac said:
Dr. wonderful said:
GrinningManiac said:
*sigh*

The problem with me, is that I'm naturally an English speaker

This puts me at a disadvantage BECAUSE:

1. Most of the world speaks enough English that I would be too willing to be lazy and give up. If I spoke, say, German, or French, I would learn other languages, as I would be in contact with other continentals more than I am as an Englishman

2. English is a very complex, confusing language (apparantly), and when I was learning Spanish, I kept trying to insert all the English grammar into Spanish structures.

It is, for example, is just 'es' in Espana, but so is 'is' and so on. I kept asking people for the words for English grammar, but I kept forgetting they don't exist in Spanish

I suppose the real benefit of a basis in Spanish is that the entire of centeral/southern America is open to me, and so is Italy, because they're quite similar on a basic level
I agree, it's get hard when you have to remember the grammar, terminology etc etc and to always remember the diffrent gender base names.

It's so confusing T.T

but...I'm getting good and could maybe have a basic converstaion.
Do you know what the difference is between "Que Tal" and "Como Estas" ? Cus I sure as hell don't
Que tal, is the informal way of saying Como Etas.

Que tal - What's up bubblegum?
Como Estas- How are you doing?
 

GrinningManiac

New member
Jun 11, 2009
4,087
0
0
Dr. wonderful said:
GrinningManiac said:
Dr. wonderful said:
GrinningManiac said:
*sigh*

The problem with me, is that I'm naturally an English speaker

This puts me at a disadvantage BECAUSE:

1. Most of the world speaks enough English that I would be too willing to be lazy and give up. If I spoke, say, German, or French, I would learn other languages, as I would be in contact with other continentals more than I am as an Englishman

2. English is a very complex, confusing language (apparantly), and when I was learning Spanish, I kept trying to insert all the English grammar into Spanish structures.

It is, for example, is just 'es' in Espana, but so is 'is' and so on. I kept asking people for the words for English grammar, but I kept forgetting they don't exist in Spanish

I suppose the real benefit of a basis in Spanish is that the entire of centeral/southern America is open to me, and so is Italy, because they're quite similar on a basic level
I agree, it's get hard when you have to remember the grammar, terminology etc etc and to always remember the diffrent gender base names.

It's so confusing T.T

but...I'm getting good and could maybe have a basic converstaion.
Do you know what the difference is between "Que Tal" and "Como Estas" ? Cus I sure as hell don't
Que tal, is the informal way of saying Como Etas.

Que tal - What's up bubblegum?
Como Estas- How are you doing?
I had a feeling it would be something like that, but I didn't know which way round

many thanks!
 

monkey_man

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Jul 5, 2009
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you can learn languages by staying in school. and study. and study. and study. and .. well you get it right?
and if you want to say CH, try talking dutch (As in Netherlandic)
my language is pretty buggy though, the grammar doesn't make sence. but netherlandic qua words ar pretty much alike
(table = tafel
(lamp is lamp
and we took a lot of english words, and made them our own
goal, toast etc.
 

monkey_man

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Jul 5, 2009
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Nickolai77 said:
Ich sprechen bisschen Deutsch welches ich habe in schule gelearnt.
Ich spreche ein Beetchen Deutch, Das habe ich in die Schule gelernt.

top that!
 

Dyme

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Nov 18, 2009
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Nickolai77 said:
Ich sprechen bisschen Deutsch welches ich habe in schule gelearnt.
Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch, welches ich in der Schule gelernt habe.

That would be correct.
I learned English in school, and by playing games with Finnish people (and talking to them in Skype, their "r" sounds weird).

And if you like that CH sound, learn Netherlandish(?) it's a mix of German and English with extra CH in nearly every word.
 

Hollock

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Jun 26, 2009
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I don't know any second languages but I think that learning multiple ones are fascinating. I have a friend who speaks about 5 languages (3 fluently, 2 sort of). I think a class would be a good bet for learning one (or live in a country where you're FORCED to learn it [if you're hardcore]). Good luck.
 

Veleste

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Mar 27, 2010
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In my line of work I have to be able to read and understand a great variety of languages, doesn't mean I need to speak them but I wish I could.

I find French and German the most fun to speak, I dislike Spanish intensely though I've never been able to figure out why. I love listening to Finnish be spoken but I find speaking it a uphill battle as I am always getting words, endings and contexts wrong and when it's spoken quickly my brain just bluescreens - tbh I only really understand my boyfriend or his father when they speak it :p

Best languages to learn are Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Arabic. These are the ones most in demand at the moment for translators etc.

My fav language to speak will always be German, it just makes me feel sexy and confident when I speak it, dunno why. Fav language to listen to is Finnish, the way they speak is so unique. Check out some Don Huonot songs to hear some.
 

Player 2

New member
Feb 20, 2009
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GrinningManiac said:
jedstopher said:
GrinningManiac said:
jedstopher said:
GrinningManiac said:
I now want to learn a language by myself, and I like languages that let me "Ch" (the noise you get when you pronounce "loch" properly), So I want to learn Hindi and Arabic
Ch'alla means "lets go" in Hindi if you want to "ch".
How do you pronounce that?

Is it: Kkkrkch*-al-lah ?

*the "ch" sound"

...that sounds a lot like the Arabic "Allah!"

The one thing I've learnt about Arabic so far is that if there's a variant on a saying that uses the word GOD, they use that instead

instead of "I hope so", they say "Imshallah" - "God Willing"
Soft ch like chat, then alla pronounced like Allah but not quite the same.
ख, छ or च ?

It's soo hard to find Devanagari on the internet in a copy-and-paste-able form!

Do you speak Hindi, then? Help like this would be appreciated
Not much really, I've just got a friend who speaks it so I pick up the odd word here and there(can't read it though).