Learning Another Language

[Rodt]

I am considering having a go at learning another language (Japanese). I know there are a lot of worldly travellers on here and am wondering if anyone has attempted / done this before and has any tips etc on the best way to get it done (other than moving to Japan). Never expect to be fluent but wouldn't mind being able to have a reasonable conversation.

Thanks in advance

Rod

[achjimmy]

Good luck, admire you Rod. Do you think you might start with an easier language ?

I travel to Japan twice a year i find it a hard language to pick up, although I am hopeless at all languages including my native tounge.

[edz]

Rod learning Mandarin chinese would probably be more beneficial as a it gives you a wider language base . my thoughts .

[duggie]

I do admire those who can master/speak more than one language, I too have learnt a new language since been a member of this great forum , Speewanese. 

[Swannie]

I do admire those who can master/speak more than one language, I too have learnt a new language since been a member of this great forum , Speewanese. 

[Spada]

I do admire those who can master/speak more than one language, I too have learnt a new language since been a member of this great forum , Speewanese. 

after years of intense training, I am fully fluent in drunkaneese   

[Bird]

Im struggling learning Teenager Im not going to go near anything Asian...

[dales133]

Indonesian or malay are by far the easiest SE Asian languages to learn and almost identical.
I'd recommend starting with one of these first even if you get a general understanding of it.the are both phonetic so you pronounce as you read witch is not the way with any other language in the area ...Japanese is a pretty difficult language as is chinese

[Rodt]

Thanks All. We have Japanese ownership at my workplace so thought that might be a good incentive to kick it off. Have considered Chinese in the past but research basically came back with conflict on which one to learn (Mandarin or Chinese). Apparently the country can't talk to each other 

I didn't realise that some were harder than others (I thought they were all hard). Have heard though that English is meant to be one of the hardest and I think I have maybe become reasonable with it

Regardless of which way I go has anyone attempted and are there any tips on best methods?

Used to know drunkeneese and haven't even attempted to learn teenager (I think it is because I don't understand the different grunts or snorts)

Rod

[Rumpig]

Im struggling learning Teenager Im not going to go near anything Asian...

i've been struggling to learn Female myself...it's a strange language where what they say isn't actually what they mean apparently 

[Pog]

i've been struggling to learn Female myself...it's a strange language where what they say isn't actually what they mean apparently 

Its what they DONT say that really matters too....

[chester ver2.0]

The easiest way to learn is if you have a partner that will do it with you. What you then do is say allocate time at home say for 3hrs every night where no matter how frustrating you will only speak in the language you are learning.

It forces you to practice and accelerates the process as you become fluent faster when the translation is completed subconsciously rather than in the processing section of your brain

For example my rudimentary Spanish has improved out of sight now my brother has a Spanish girlfriend so when I visit I try to communicate to her only in spanish

[Bird]

i've been struggling to learn Female myself...it's a strange language where what they say isn't actually what they mean apparently 

gave up on that before I was born...

[scarpsD40]

i've been struggling to learn Female myself...it's a strange language where what they say isn't actually what they mean apparently 

best coupled with study of Body Language. It then tends to be very easy to understand............

[Bird]

best coupled with study of Body Language. It then tends to be very easy to understand............

car ready yet?

[Steffo1]

my brother has a Spanish girlfriend

I wanted one of them to help improve my Spanish when I was in Spain a couple of years ago but the missus didn't understand my need???

I have used the "How to Speak XYZ" cd programs & they're OK for basic stuff, especially if you have a bit of time driving  to & from work et cetera. (& a CD player)
Steve

[zzzaaazzz]

I'd taken two language classes at school, one for about 12 years and learned about 20 words so I was convinced I just couldn't learn languages. I tried pimsleur CDs to learn Spanish on my drive to and from work and it was quite easy. Got up to advanced Spanish and actually used it a few times with success.

They use an innovative approach where they introduce a word, ask you to incorporate it with words you already know and then increase the time before asking you to recall it. The first time you'll use it lots in the lesson, then a few times in the next lesson and then in a few more lessons it will come back.

I also tried Rosetta stone which was ok and a personal tutor. Pimsleur was the most effective of the three.

Pimsleur isn't cheap but they worked for me. My sister has used them to start learning Mandarin with similar results.

Good luck!

[Footy Shorts Shane]

The easiest way to learn is if you have a partner that will do it with you. What you then do is say allocate time at home say for 3hrs every night where no matter how frustrating you will only speak in the language you are learning.

This helps, but I'm still struggling with it.

#1 Son speaks fluent Mumblearian. I can't understand a fkn word he mumbles.
#1 Daughter speaks "Like some totally diffrunt langwarge, to like enewun alse, evar."

I just smile and nod now.

[Artie01]

I think its a respectful thing to do. I travel a bit and ALWAYS try and learn some basics of the host country's language.

For example Im back onto a plane in October for a few weeks and I'm swatting up now on phrases and words to use in London, but bloody hell its a struggle.......

[Steffo1]

I think its a respectful thing to do. I travel a bit and ALWAYS try and learn some basics of the host country's language.

For example Im back onto a plane in October for a few weeks and I'm swatting up now on phrases and words to use in London, but bloody hell its a struggle.......

Don't they understand 'Strayun?

[Grahame]

You only need to know two sentences in any language:

Where's the toilet?

&

Two beers please and my friend will pay

[dales133]

I think its a respectful thing to do. I travel a bit and ALWAYS try and learn some basics of the host country's language.

For example Im back onto a plane in October for a few weeks and I'm swatting up now on phrases and words to use in London, but bloody hell its a struggle.......

E up guv, owbouta pintah laarguh Anna packet a crisps pleaze

[Barrabart]

Mi tokim long Tok Pisin, liklik tasol!

I talk PNG Pigeon, little bit that's all.

I reckon pigeon english is great, spell it how u say it, or more appropriately how PNG's say it, some words are modified to local interpretation......... some are just full blown own dialect...... again here, there's wantok and there's pigeon, some of the remote dudes only have their wantok language due to low exposure to education/outside world, every pronvince and sometimes villages within provinces have their wantok language. Mostly though pigeon will get you by well enough all over PNG.

And wantok = one talk, we both speak the same so we have wantok and we are wantoks, bro's from same area.


Some examples,

That's all = Tasol

All together = Olgeta

Thinking = Tingting

Smoke = Simuk

Water = Wara (remember to roll the "R")

[dales133]

Mi tokim long Tok Pisin, liklik tasol!

I talk PNG Pigeon, little bit that's all.

I reckon pigeon english is great, spell it how u say it, or more appropriately how PNG's say it, some words are modified to local interpretation......... some are just full blown own dialect...... again here, there's wantok and there's pigeon, some of the remote dudes only have their wantok language due to low exposure to education/outside world, every pronvince and sometimes villages within provinces have their wantok language. Mostly though pigeon will get you by well enough all over PNG.

And wantok = one talk, we both speak the same so we have wantok and we are wantoks, bro's from same area.


Some examples,

That's all = Tasol

All together = Olgeta

Thinking = Tingting

Smoke = Simuk

Water = Wara (remember to roll the "R")

I remember in Vanuatu a sign at this little jetty that went out to a close off shore island it said " ifu wuntum ferry killum gong".
Cracked me up.
Basicly ring the bell or you'll be waiting all day for the boat

[HuskyInAuz]

Immersion....
We've been very fortunate to live in 3 non-english native countries/regions.
Belgium (3 official languages (Flemish, French and German) and most folks in Brussels speak English too).  We choose to live in the Wallonian area as it was central to travel to other parts of Europe (see WWI / WWII German invasion paths) and very few people spoke English, mostly French so one learned French conversational/daily quickly.  Kids hated it, but they were early teenagers BUT we learned a lot without falling back to English.

Then we moved closer to Utrecht, NL, sort of picked up a smitten of Dutch but most Dutch, like 80% speak English.  So it was difficult to not speak English.

Off to Japan, met some of the best English speaking folks there in some of the most remote areas (like where the snow monkeys live).  But when we were on our own (no interpreter) we had to pick up not only parts of the language but also the three written forms, Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakami.

I studied Spanish (4 years)  and German (2)... I have to use Spanish a bit when I return to work the vineyard but my German has faded away, I think I could read a simple menu now.. Bitter, eins Bratwurst und zwie bier.

We traveled to a lot of other countries, the problem is most folks wanted to practice either English on us not the local language.  So having spent the time in SE Belgium where a lot of the locals didn't want to speak English is where I picked up the language the quickest.  My wife OTOH picked up Japanese writing and language quicker (but she's dyslexic) .. go figure.

Immersion IMHO is the best way along with study/flashcards of the conversational language.