Teaching Myself Another Language

[TNC9852002]

I was wondering, for those multilingual individuals here that became fluent in major speaking languages such as Spanish, Chinese, French, Hindi, German, and Russian...etc LATER in life, what was your process?

I'm trying to teach myself Spanish and become fluent in it, but I suppose it's pretty difficult. I'd like to learn and master the language in four or five years tops, but I'm trying to find the most economical and least-time consuming way to do so. I'm not looking to spend a fortune taking college classes. I'd be willing to do so only as a last resort.

For the past few months, I've been taking almost everything that I say throughout a typical day and finding the Spanish equivalent and speaking it occasionally at work and school. I've gone to free online tutor sessions, learning Spanish grammar and verbs and how to speak and understand phrases phonetically. I even have a bunch of old flashcards from high school, where I took Spanish for 2 years (I had a C+ average... ).

So, for those that learned a new language later in life (after adolescence), I was just wondering what process you went through to learn.

-TNC

 

[Ghostvirus]

I have heard that is really hard to learn a new language the older you get. Something about once your brain developes past a certain age. It has trouble obtaining, & keeping that info or something.

 

[Alina]

I have heard that is really hard to learn a new language the older you get. Something about once your brain developes past a certain age. It has trouble obtaining, & keeping that info or something.

It is true. A child for example can learn languages very easy by the age of 6. After that it gets more and more difficult. If you hit maturity it's really hard. But not impossible

 

[black_dust]

I have heard that is really hard to learn a new language the older you get. Something about once your brain developes past a certain age. It has trouble obtaining, & keeping that info or something.

Pfff not my brain, i seem to have a photographic memory it kinda sucks.

anyway! move the country and stay there for 6 months you will soon pick it up

 

[Ghostvirus]

It is true. A child for example can learn languages very easy by the age of 6. After that it gets more and more difficult. If you hit maturity it's really hard. But not impossible

I have known a few people too that can speak the language, but can't read the language. Very fascinating.

 

[Kaleb]

here in south africa we have 11 official languages .

 

[tzarinna]

I have a couple of software that's really good.
One is very elementary and there's lots of pictures and games to help you learn. Like matching games, increases in difficulty but not by much. Lots of audio. Languages of the World.
The other one is much more advance. It tells you if you're pronouncing correctly or not. Has crossword puzzles. It's very interactive.
That one is titled 101 Languages of the World.

 

[Fred_Fury]

I met a guy at the airport that new over 10 languages. He said he had a gift for learning languages, he can learn a new language in 6 months to a year. He said what helped him out the most was writing down all the words.

 

[Shuley]

I love swearing in French,it's like wiping your ass with silk, I love it. - The Matrix Reloaded

 

[knowsbleed]

Has anybody here tried the Rosetta Stone software? I've heard good things...but don't know anybody who's had first hand experience.

 

[A.X.L]

I'm learning Spanish now, using the BBC Learn Spanish program, CD's book and online resources. I also have a few Spanish friends so Im exposed to it alot...

 

[tzarinna]

Has anybody here tried the Rosetta Stone software? I've heard good things...but don't know anybody who's had first hand experience.

A coworker bought it for his wife. She apparently likes it, don't have much detail on the end result. I'm not on that job anymore.

 

[jaguarr]

Has anybody here tried the Rosetta Stone software? I've heard good things...but don't know anybody who's had first hand experience.

Easily the best language learning system out there for people who want to learn on their own. It's dramatically improved my Spanish and I haven't even found all that much time to really sit down and use it.

jag

 

[knowsbleed]

Easily the best language learning system out there for people who want to learn on their own. It's dramatically improved my Spanish and I haven't even found all that much time to really sit down and use it.

jag

But isn't your wife Hispanic? You have a live in Rosetta Stone.

 

[A.X.L]

Which level have you started on? 1 or 2?

 

[jaguarr]

But isn't your wife Hispanic? You have a live in Rosetta Stone.

Yeah, my wife is Latino. She works with me on my Spanish sometimes, but we get so damn busy that it's not something we do as often as we probably should. My mother-in-law doesn't speak much English, though, so it's kind of fun to have my Spanish vocabulary be a little bit bigger when she calls.

jag

 

[knowsbleed]

My mother-in-law doesn't speak much English, though, so it's kind of fun to have my Spanish vocabulary be a little bit bigger when she calls.

jag

oh the innuendo I could play with...its so tempting...

 

[The Original Bamfer]

 

[jaguarr]

oh the innuendo I could play with...its so tempting...

jag

 

[SuperMonkey]

Took French in college. Flunked it. If you don't go to college, I reccomend a rec center class or... something

 

[AndThePickles]

I'm learning Chinese now...it's outrageously hard

 

[The Original Bamfer]

I'm learning Chinese now...it's outrageously hard

That seems like it would be one of the hardest languages to learn.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

I know Russian and French,with a little of English.It's key to have these languages spoken in your home..otherwise you can learn it all you want.Unless you have a place to speak it,it's useless.

 

[TNC9852002]

Rosetta Stone, eh?

-TNC

 

[Kritish]

This is simply the best software out here.

http://www.rosettastone.com/