Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Anyone know more than one language?

L

Liquinn

Suspended
Original poster
Apr 10, 2011
3,016
57
Hi, just wonder if anyone here knows two or three languages? How did you go about learning them? I'm learning Spanish (Spain Spanish) and I'm sorta getting there, though it is difficult. What's the best way to learn a language without being in the country? Shall I try and build up my words/phrases day by day/a bit at a time? XD :)
Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Macman45 said:
English as my first language, I also speak Spanish, Italian and Welsh. I can't write in any of them except English though...Welsh is particularly hard to write, but I get by conversationally.
Click to expand...
More people in the world speak Spanish than English apparently.
What's the best way to learn Spanish without being in the country? :)
Any tips? :D
 
Watch Spanish TV such as news or soap operas. That's how i picked up up really quick. I also speak mandarin, Cantonese, chiu-chow, Vietnamese and can get by with Japanese.
 
Liquinn said:
What's the best way to learn a language without being in the country? Shall I try and build up my words/phrases day by day/a bit at a time? XD :)
Thanks.
Click to expand...

I happen to know some foreign languages, some better some worse. Best thing for me was always to get at least the basic structure theoretically straight - learn the basic words and expressions via book and then join lots of natives - if possible. Besides that, I suggest watching movies with foreign subtitles, then proceed switching to foreign spoken language with English (?) subtitles and finally just the original.

Starting with Sesame Street. :)
 
Liquinn said:
More people in the world speak Spanish than English apparently.
What's the best way to learn Spanish without being in the country? :)
Any tips? :D
Click to expand...

It's like you say really I learned because I was in an environment wher the languages were spoken...Some people swear by Rosetta Stone although I can't vouch for it as I've never used the software. Check out the MAS...seem to be quite a few language tutors there.

I don't think there is any real substitute for either having a freind who speaks another language, or actually being in a situation where you have to speak it though..:)
 
Macman45 said:
It's like you say really I learned because I was in an environment wher the languages were spoken...Some people swear by Rosetta Stone although I can't vouch for it as I've never used the software. Check out the MAS...seem to be quite a few language tutors there.

I don't think there is any real substitute for either having a freind who speaks another language, or actually being in a situation where you have to speak it though..:)
Click to expand...
Yeah I guess, I only know one person who speaks Spanish and I see her at college. She speaks the Mexcian Spanish and not the Spanish Spanish but still; it's good to get my written stuff checked by her sometimes. :p

I guess practice makes perfect. :p

I try and use translators, dictonaries, I try and watch Spanish TV and speak Spanish to my dad once a day or 6 times a week. Thoughts? XD
 
I´m speaking Slovak (thanks this I don´t have any problems to understand and communicate with Czech or Poland people). Apparently I know English which I´m also studying, other then that I´m speaking pretty well Spanish.

speaking = ability to write and speak in that language.
 
ericrwalker said:
I know English, I think that's foreign to some people.
Click to expand...

Proper English or what passes for English in America?:D I can't get the handle of proper English; been living in the States for waaaayy too long.:eek:

Anyhow, I find the best way to learn a language is to THINK in that language. I've stuck post-it notes on everyday items as an aid. As always, your mileage may vary.
 
Mousse said:
Proper English or what passes for English in America?:D I can't get the handle of proper English; been living in the States for waaaayy too long.:eek:

Anyhow, I find the best way to learn a language is to THINK in that language. I've stuck post-it notes on everyday items as an aid. As always, your mileage may vary.
Click to expand...


I don't speak "The Queen's" English, but I try to use proper grammar. That's not exactly what I meant by my first post though. What I was trying to imply was that English is a foreign language to people who come from a country that doesn't natively speak English. So if you speak English as a second language, I speak the same foreign language. I know, a lame joke.
 
I only know English (US).

However, I do know more than enough German and Italian that when I was in those countries (or in Poland used German too) to get by.
 
Mousse said:
Proper English or what passes for English in America?:D I can't get the handle of proper English; been living in the States for waaaayy too long.:eek:

Anyhow, I find the best way to learn a language is to THINK in that language. I've stuck post-it notes on everyday items as an aid. As always, your mileage may vary.
Click to expand...

Oh and a follow up, I have dated girls (now married to one) from 3 different Asian countries. They have all said that they think in English often, and even dream in English. The girl that I dated who had the best English grew up speaking Korean and Mandarin and English was her 3rd language.
 
I guess it's just practice, the same with anything else. Still, will be worth spending the time on it now so I can speak it when I go there in 2014. :)
 
As long as you won't go to Catalunya, it'll be fine. There you're actually better off speaking English than Spanish.
 
English and French ( the latter was taken in School and enhanced by living in Québec for a while)

Rosetta branded materials are said to really work for people (not just their own marketing, i have heard it from many)

...oh and also Python...does that count?
 
English and Japanese.

I would suggest that you take a few formal classes, use SRS programs (like Anki) to drill vocab, listen to podcasts/talk radio, watch TV/movies, read as many books as possible, keep a journal, and most importantly, converse with others.

Learning a language, especially in the beginning/intermediate stages, takes a lot of dedication.
 
ericrwalker said:
I don't speak "The Queen's" English, but I try to use proper grammar. That's not exactly what I meant by my first post though.
Click to expand...

Ah...I wasn't referring to English English or American English. I was commenting on the sad state of the language in everyday use in America. Grammar and spelling has taken a back seat. It gets worse when Texting is involved. It's no wonder foreigners speak better English than natives. Seems like the language is devolving back into Olde English; from before they invented spelling. A lot of the text messages I've read reads like Chaucer without the eloquence.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back