Polyglots and language learners

[BPD Barbie]

Hey guys,

So I've started to pick up learning Chinese and Korean again, I already speak a few languages and can understands bit of others. Learning languages has been a hobby of mine for quite a few years and I find them really interesting, it's something I'm able to get lost in quite easily.

So my question is this for those of you who have learnt other languages; what helped you?
For me, I take some free online courses, try and master the basic grammar quite early on, watch a lot of tv shows in that language, kids shows etc, after a while put my phone into that language that I'm learning also, maybe throw in some apps as well. Does anyone have any other tips?

 

[Deleted member 18655]

Music. As a learner and an immersion teacher, music is the quickest way to "think in the other language" which accelerates the acquisition. Music provides grammar, vocab, conversational colloquialisms and, if you're lucky, earworms.

I had a class of 20 Arabic kinders who had no English. We spent the first 30minutes everyday singing kiddie songs and I played those songs for them as they did their quiet work. I do the same thing they did - begin to mouth the words, pick up familiarities here and there, read the lyrics as I sang along and then gradually pick up the nuances and meanings.

I've got Arabic dance music and French love songs on the go right now to try to get back what I've lost by not practising either language.

Good luck!

 

[Anonymoussn]

Hey guys,

So I've started to pick up learning Chinese and Korean again, I already speak a few languages and can understands bit of others. Learning languages has been a hobby of mine for quite a few years and I find them really interesting, it's something I'm able to get lost in quite easily.

So my question is this for those of you who have learnt other languages; what helped you?
For me, I take some free online courses, try and master the basic grammar quite early on, watch a lot of tv shows in that language, kids shows etc, after a while put my phone into that language that I'm learning also, maybe throw in some apps as well. Does anyone have any other tips?

Duolingo is great and helped me a lot. Sorry if I am stating the obvious with that one, as I know it's quite popular so you may well use it already.

Also I spent a couple of months in another country, and got involved doing some volunteering in a really rural area where people don't speak English as much. Not always feasible as I know Korea/China might be a huge trip for you - but just thought I'd say that doing things away from the norm, and touristy cities is a really great way to improve your language skills if you do ever visit there.

Also, one of my friends who is Spanish was learning Italian, and she met someone online and he would answer in spanish and she in Italian. It sounds to me to be a great way to learn a language because you can correct them and they can correct you, and you are both in similar situations so it might ease your nerves a bit in terms of not worrying about getting things wrong.

 

[Deleted member 18655]

@Anonymoussn I used to translate my Spanish lessons into French in high school because the (Romance) languages are so similar. Except for Romanian which intrigues me... I'm a shameless glottophile. I'd do nothing but study for the rest of my life if I could. (Although I lived in China and Japan and neither language was ever going to happen for me, sadly).

 

[mediocre]

I tried to learn Spanish a few years ago and I found that the main problem was that I wasn't verbally speaking it every day. In order to become fluent you really need to be communicating in it daily and preferably with a native speaker. But I have voice problems too and that's held me back.

I think apps like Duolingo are helpful in picking up words and phrases and learning pronunciation but not for trying to become fluent.

The site italki is good if you want to hire a teacher online. I'm way too shy! Or instead meet somebody in your local area.. in my city we have a language school where people from different countries come to learn English and in turn they teach people their language. I'm pretty sure you are allowed to go there for lessons.

 

[Thinking]

Honestly just hearing people speak it conversationally. Listen to the language being spoken as much as you can: podcasts, music, movies, lectures, anything really

 

[Deleted member 18655]

Pimsleur is a good program and is available for most languages. I found my copies (Greek and French) on piratebay.

 

[BPD Barbie]

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys.

I use some apps like Duolingo, it's good for learning phrases and words but I find some of the pronunciation to be a bit off sometimes. I also take free courses on a website called Coursea, it offers loads of different courses for free.
I use iTalki also, have a lesson booked for Friday, super excited.

 

[mediocre]

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys.

I use some apps like Duolingo, it's good for learning phrases and words but I find some of the pronunciation to be a bit off sometimes. I also take free courses on a website called Coursea, it offers loads of different courses for free.
I use iTalki also, have a lesson booked for Friday, super excited.

How do you find the teachers on italki? Are they good? I suggested it and I've known about it for a while but I've been too afraid to book a lesson:( I'm a bit afraid they wouldn't be able to hear me or that we'd have connection issues..

 

[BPD Barbie]

How do you find the teachers on italki? Are they good? I suggested it and I've know about it for a while but I've been too afraid to book a lesson:( I'm a bit afraid they wouldn't be able to hear me of that we'd have connection issues..

I had around 6 Chinese lessons on there in the past, I stuck with the same teacher. They were actually really good. I was super nervous at first because I felt embarrassed to talk in their language etc, but they made me feel super comfortable. I'd recommend it. Always read reviews though and take a trial lesson if you can. They are only 30 minutes and just a couple of pounds/dollars.

 

[mediocre]

I had around 6 Chinese lessons on there in the past, I stuck with the same teacher. They were actually really good. I was super nervous at first because I felt embarrassed to talk in their language etc, but they made me feel super comfortable. I'd recommend it. Always read reviews though and take a trial lesson if you can. They are only 30 minutes and just a couple of pounds/dollars.

and they had no trouble understanding you or your accent? I have a northern irish accent (horrible!) and I feel like nobody can understand it :/

 

[BPD Barbie]

and they had no trouble understanding you or your accent? I have a northern irish accent (horrible!) and I feel like nobody can understand it :/

No, if anything it was the other way around. But you can just ask them to slow down, repeat things, write it in the chat etc. I went for teachers who had hundreds of reviews so I knew they would be decent.

 

[mediocre]

No, if anything it was the other way around. But you can just ask them to slow down, repeat things, write it in the chat etc. I went for teachers who had hundreds of reviews so I knew they would be decent.

Oh that's good advice thank you. You do it in Skype right? Or has that changed? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions :)

 

[BPD Barbie]

Oh that's good advice thank you. You do it in Skype right? Or has that changed? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions :)

It's no problem! Ask away! You can either do it in Skype or they have a video app on iTalki now apparently but it's in the beta version. If you go for a lesson let me know how it goes lovely.

 

[Life sucks]

Duolingo.

YouTube.

Flash cards.

Patience and spending time with the language is the key. The more time you spend, the more you get used to the language without realizing it. Also repetition is important because vocabulary almost has no shortcut but with flashcards and duolingo, the brain will memorize it way faster (specially flashcards that ensures the memorization, you just have to repeat it at certain times and the memory will be created, both abstract and visual memory).

 

[BPD Barbie]

Flash cards are a great idea. I use something called AnkiApp, it's free flashcards that you can make yourself or you can download packages.