Language Learning Tips

simu

I though people might like to share their language-learning advice here. What techniques work best for you? Also, tell about any useful sites for language learning you know of!

Just remember that these are tips for language learning in general rather than any one language. If there's enough good information, I'll make a sticky out of this!

Hobbes

Get absorbed in the language. You can spend all your cash on learning a language but if you don't use it day to day then it will die off.

My cousin is a certified English/Spanish teacher. When he was studying Spanish he had problems with it, but after less then a year living in Spain he started to speak like a local.

If you can't travel then get a penfriend. One that can talk to you as well.

Magic Monkey

This site: http://how-to-learn-any-language.com has pretty much everything covered. Really good resource, could spend hours going through it.

Also, download language packs or different language versions for common desktop applications you use frequently: Firefox, Winamp, etc. It's not complete immersion, but it's a step in the right direction.

simu

I'm sure I'm not the only one to make lists of new vocabulary I've come accross in a notebook. I find it's a good idea to take a page from such a vocabulary notebook, google each word one by one and read the first ten examples of that word that come up. Seeing a word like that in diferent and real contexts makes it easier to remember.

smileygal

Watching a foreign film with subtitles is a great way to immerse yourself in the lingo from your armchair . If you're really studious you can take notes and rewind for any juicy phrases.
Good for picking up slang too (up to date usage!)

pickarooney

Watching English-language films with foreign subtitles also helps me a lot. I kind of subconsciously pick up the translations. Mind you, I started my first Dutch-speaking job after a marathon session of The Sopranos, so some of my vocabulary was a little unsuitable

DaDa

Michel Thomas teaches "differently". Basically it's a dialog between him and his students and you get to hear THEM learning, but it in fact is a clever way to force YOU to listen and correct them as you go along. Pretty soon you find yourself getting the answers quicker than the students. I've only done the French one and I would recommend it. He gives you some very simple quidlines and rules that open up much of the language to you.

Of course it's no substitute for living in the place where the language is spoken.

http://www.michelthomas.com/

Eoghan-psych

Something I found to work is find some basic, common phrases [yes, no, numbers - that sort of thing] and find out how native speakers say them. This earns *major* brownie points when you get a chance to use the language.

One example is oui in French - textbook say "wee", French person says "way".

Another is hello how are you in English - textbook says "hello how are you", local says "howya".

Caixa

'Ouais' is the French equivalent of 'yeah', as distinct from 'oui' / 'yes'.

Carbon Peroxide

My advice is just to keep going at it. Learning another language from scratch is no easy task, and it's not something you can do in a few months. You have to keep studying, not giving up and practice at every opportunity. It may seem like a lot of hard work but being able to speak more than one language is a really valuable skill.

I myself speak fluent English, German, French and Spanish, and my teacher at school tells me that if I should ever apply for a job (he knows I'm a lazy git), I'd have an advantage above the rest of the applicants who could only speak English.

It really is worth it, so keep at it.