Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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did french back school so can kind of remember bits but not much, but i would like to relearn it but im not fussed on the reading side of it and most of the cd's they give just give you the basic question style things i though like wheres the toilet 
but id also like to do another language like italian or spanish or something like that.
anyone got any ideas? would a cd be best to listen to in the car etc.
as i said not fussed on the reading and writing side just the speaking
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Have you got an iPod / mp3 player?
iTunes to podcasts, there's loads you can download off the net to put on a cd / mp3 player.
Really do think the best way to learn another language is to be in that environment. When i worked in Caenarfon (60/40) divide of welsh to english speakers. I had to use welsh a lot more. I'm not fluent, but can hold a convo. Some things I didn't understand, but as i've been out of that environment for over 18 months now, i've not had a need to, so stopped learning.
I remember Matt on here (Drunkenfool) saying to me the best way is to live out there (spain) rather than go through textbooks that you don't understand.
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stubs
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Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
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I'm sure I heard somewere that playing language CD's whilst sleeping is a good way to learn... is this true?
Can't remember where I heard it... perhaps it was whilst I was asleep!
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Kevxx
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Registered: 14th May 08
Location: Forfar, Angus
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the best way to learn to speak a language, is to learn to read and write it.
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richc
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Registered: 24th Mar 07
Location: Ilkeston
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Erm unless you are willing to move away, just take a class or something!
But moving away is the best idea because if you dont learn it, you dont survive!
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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quote:
Originally posted by Whittie
Have you got an iPod / mp3 player?
iTunes to podcasts, there's loads you can download off the net to put on a cd / mp3 player.
Really do think the best way to learn another language is to be in that environment. When i worked in Caenarfon (60/40) divide of welsh to english speakers. I had to use welsh a lot more. I'm not fluent, but can hold a convo. Some things I didn't understand, but as i've been out of that environment for over 18 months now, i've not had a need to, so stopped learning.
I remember Matt on here (Drunkenfool) saying to me the best way is to live out there (spain) rather than go through textbooks that you don't understand.
Yeh I think it would be better to be around people who speak it but i cant see me going over to either of the places just to learn it  .
I may look into the podcasts though/audio cd's.
stubs: some poeple say you can learn things that way depends really.
kevxx: i suppose it is but you cant really learn how to say them as such.
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Fee
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Registered: 16th Nov 05
Location: With AK
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Move away
I was fluent in Italian after 3 months of living there
I studied French for 7 years and my French was still nowhere near as good as my Italian
[Edited on 23-04-2009 by Fee]
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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I would like to do that but i couldnt do it.
Cost too much, got too many things keeping me back here to go over to italy just to learn the language.
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Brett
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Registered: 16th Dec 02
Location: Manchester
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Going multinational, matt?
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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Preparing himself to fuck off to another country when he's earning over £150k and doesn't have to pay half tax iirc.
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Sam
Moderator
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Registered: 24th Dec 99
Location: West Midlands
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Whittie
You don't necessarily have to move to another country to be fluent in the language - you could maybe converse with someone who's mother tongue is the language you wish to learn, on a regular basis.
My mum speaks French and Arabic so that's how I learnt, but obviously as I don't live at home any more I don't speak said languages that often nowadays.
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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brett nah more whitties reason sod off out of the country possibly in a few years.
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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Download the Rosetta stone program and language pack, its supposed to be really good. Listening to average day to day media in the target language isn't really the best way for beginners to learn though as theres such a steep learning curve, it defiantely helps to start with things designed for beginners and then work your way up. Ive been learning spanish for about 13 years now, about to finish my degree with a pretty much certain 1st class mark in spanish language, lived in spain for 10 months last year and I still wouldnt say I was properly fluent. Im fine watching the news and most films etc, but still have trouble picking out some words on certain tv programs etc, and some very strong regional accents too. My reading and writing skills though are both very good, probably cos ive had more practice - like someone else said, its just a case of having as much contact with it as you can!
Im not sure how useful a tip it would be for a beginner, but it may help - I find myself translating pretty much everything to Spanish in my head without even realising, but when theres a word that I dont know how to say I will usually make a note of it somewhere then look it up after.
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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Oh, and for learning new vocabulary, make sure you do it in groups of related things (most text books are set out like this anyway, but if you wanted to teach yourself something then its loads better to learn words with a common theme as the brain is able to remember a lot more of them) 
EDIT - Here's the last essay that I wrote just so you can get an idea of the level that (good lol) final year degree students are at 
http://users.aber.ac.uk/mwp4/Uni%20Work/Final%20Year/Late%2019th%20Century%20Literature/la%20identidad%20perdida%20y%20su%20salvaci%c3%b3n%20en%20su%20%c3%banico%20hijo.doc
[Edited on 23-04-2009 by drunkenfool]
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Ellis
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Registered: 11th Sep 07
Location: Aberdeenshire
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I can speak Doric 
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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I'm doing a Spanish GCSE - didn't do any language at GCSE level in school and I'm OK in that class.
I would imagine most colleges will have evening classes.
If the budget doesn't stretch that far, I can recommend Michel Thomas audio books or 'Spanish Verb Tenses' by Dorothy Richmond. Starts at basic and is full of exercises.
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: Im the real one!
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Rosetta Stone is meant to be amazing.
Cost a fortune though, although I would not suggest to download them for free from torrents
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Ojc
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Registered: 14th Nov 00
Location: Reading: Drives : Clio 197
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GCSE? How do you go about doing that Ian?
I wouldn't mind having another shot at my GCSE German now that I actually want to learn it, and not throw tuna sandwiches at the teacher.
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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quote:
Originally posted by Whittie
the best way is to live out there
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: Im the real one!
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quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
GCSE? How do you go about doing that Ian?
I wouldn't mind having another shot at my GCSE German now that I actually want to learn it, and not throw tuna sandwiches at the teacher.
Most colleges (not sixth forms) will do adult courses such as GCSE languages.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
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quote:
Originally posted by Ojc
GCSE? How do you go about doing that Ian?
They run it where I work, went down to the enrolment thing on the open day and signed up. Three hours per week in the evening.
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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¿Y cómo va todo, Ian? 
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drunkenfool
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Registered: 7th Feb 03
Location: Hereford Drives: Audi R8 V8
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Another amazing point of reference for language students is www.wordreference.com Its an online translation dictionary but they also have all the verb conjugations on there and most importantly, a forum where you can ask 1000s of language experts. Its an indespensible took for doing translations.
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J da Silva
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Registered: 10th Apr 03
Location: The FACTory
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I learnt English very young at school, but Spanish was the one I had to learn quickly because my Dad's work took us everywhere, so like someone said, maybe the best way is to move there but it's not always the best option.
I speak Portuguese, but fluent in English, Japanese and Spanish.
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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Oh good, you speak Japanese?
If I call you tomorrow, can you tell my car to stop fucking up?
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