PLFXpert 0 #1 June 14, 2006 Anyone ever learned a new language as an adult? I speak fluent basic German and basic Spanish, but I'm trying to get better at Spanish conversationally, rather than just the essentials. It's hilarious! My hunny is, too. We had a 30 minute drive last night and had the CD in both repeating after the instructors over and over. It was seriously more fun than it was homework. We practice at home and our dog always looks so confused So far it's not so tough, though I have yet to attempt an actual conversation with someone other than my hunny. Anyone else?Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boinky 0 #2 June 14, 2006 Actually, I am struggling through trying to learn some Spanish, myself. Like practically everyone else, I learned some basics in school...but not using it, it rapidly falls away. I bought a 4 disc set made by "Pimsleur" and play them in when I'm in the shower. (It sort of traps you...obviously you have nowhere else to go and HAVE to listen). My honey had been teaching me bits and pieces of German (I had hopes of visiting him in Germany). But when I decided to move to Texas last September, I figured out REAL fast that the chances of finding a German speaking latino was really, really slim! I don't necessarily want to be completely fluent, but would like to understand and be understood. As it is right now, I can understand some of a conversation someone is having. Oh...and speaking it? Man...I am SO slow. My mind just doesn't work fast enough to put together and speak a decent sentence very rapidly.Nina Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz) Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #3 June 14, 2006 Starting to teach myself spanish right now. Never took in in school at all. I was that kid who took 6 years of latin.... Guess it was worth something cause the spanish is not hard to pick up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflyimpaired 0 #4 June 14, 2006 I just moved down to Arizona about 6 months ago. I work as a construction contractor and most of the subcontractors are spanish, many speak no english or very poor english. I have learned more in the last 6 months than I did in 3 years of high school spanish. I hated spanish in high school, but I'm having lots of fun learning it out here in the field. I should look into one of those CD's. Recommend any? Joe. "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #5 June 14, 2006 QuoteNever took in in school at all. I was that kid who took 6 years of latin.... Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #6 June 14, 2006 You know, I have no idea what CD brand I have. A friend of ours married a Puerto Rican Seniorita bonita They recently had a baby girl and are speaking Spanish in the house around her so she will learn both Spanish and English. It's HILARIOUS to hear her b/c being so little (she's about 1 1/2 now, maybe 2 years old) she interchanges languages all the time. For example she'll say "Me gusta some more, por favor" But, he gave us 1 through 7, as he's on disc 8 now. While I welcome a melting pot of culture, I DO think anyone who comes to live in America should be required to learn basic English. But, that is wishful thinking and living in Florida, knowing fluent Spanish would help me out a lot. It's especially annoying bringing on a new account in which the client does not speak English and have to go through the whole process with one of our translators. It's takes not twice, but ten times as long for the same commission. Sooooooooo, I'd like to alleviate that problemPaint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marcandalysse 0 #7 June 14, 2006 Without a doubt, the best way to learn a language is going somewhere where you won't be able to speak much english. It is too easy to get lazy and speak english if the chance is there. It is not always an option, but even a couple weeks in such a place will improve your skills immensely. A good example....I took Japanese classes for over a year before I went to Japan. When I got there, most everyone understood me as in the USA they teach a very polite form of Japanese. But everyone there speaks a normal friendly style and I couldn't understand them! Finally, I decided to spend some weeks in a place with no one who spoke english, and my skills really improved, surprising my friends when I got back to the big city. Keep it up, it is worth it to understand what you are hearing on the TV, or reading on signs, or overhearing the conversation of the people on the elevator with you, and especially, understanding if those punks on the corner are talking about YOU when you walk by . A tip: Rent foreign movies on DVD and turn OFF the subtitles! Buy music CDs and use your dictionary to learn the words, then sing along until you have the songs memorized....plus you pick up some of the proper accent for the words. Marc "The reason angels can fly is that they take themselves so lightly." --GK Chesterton Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveStMarys 0 #8 June 14, 2006 Actually my spanish gets better when I drink tequila. BobbiA miracle is not defined by an event. A miracle is defined by gratitude. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #9 June 14, 2006 The music CD is funny b/c in 5th grade I sang with my choir at a United Nations thing at Disney. I had to learn 10 songs in 10 different languages AND the English version of each. Thus, I know how to say "Pale moon. New moon. Crescent moon. Shining brightly over Ki'anting" in Japanese. I also know an African song (though I forget which African language), French, Italian, etc. The Spanish one I know is "De Colores." I remember that one the best---every word in both Spanish and English. I know it so well I say it really fast sometimes when non-Spanish speaking people ask me if I can speak Spanish It's funnier if you're there... Anywho...my Spanish accent is great. I just need more practice on the languagePaint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #10 June 14, 2006 My family speaks spanish but they never taught me. I guess they got lazy. I know most of the basics and I have also taken medical spanish for work. Which I don't think it helped much. I do make people laugh when i try to speak spanish cause they say I talk like Yoda, backwards. If people can understand what I am trying to say then it is all good. TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #11 June 14, 2006 Spanish descendant you are. Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #12 June 14, 2006 QuoteI just moved down to Arizona about 6 months ago. I work as a construction contractor and most of the subcontractors are spanish, many speak no english or very poor english. I have learned more in the last 6 months than I did in 3 years of high school spanish. I hated spanish in high school, but I'm having lots of fun learning it out here in the field. I should look into one of those CD's. Recommend any? Joe. Rosetta Stone. Hands down. Immersion based computer program that teaches you the same way you learned your first language. One of the high schools around here used the English version for its ESL program... the students' test scores went from close to the bottom to the top, and they loved the program so much the school left the lab open late after school, and the kids started bringing in their parents to use the program too! I learned more spanish in one month of RS than I learned french in three years of high school. My subscription ran out, and I need to renew it. www.rosettastone.com You can either flat out buy the program (and then sell it on ebay when you're done for close to what you paid) or you can do a monthly subscription and access it online. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #13 June 14, 2006 QuoteBut when I decided to move to Texas last September, I figured out REAL fast that the chances of finding a German speaking latino was really, really slim! Yeah, I took 3 years of German in high school and 2 years in college. I enjoyed the language and the culture. A damned bit of good that language does me now though!--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #14 June 14, 2006 Oooo, great addtion! I read about that and its fabulous results--haven't used it myself, thoughPaint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boinky 0 #15 June 14, 2006 Well, I haven't COMPLETELY given up on the hopes of getting to go to Germany! So you can teach me any German your heart desires!!! But reality rears it's ugly head and says that you should probably converse with me in Spanish too! Nina Are we called "DAWGs" because we stick our noses up people's butts? (RIP Buzz) Yep, you're a postwhore-billyvance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WrongWay 0 #16 June 14, 2006 I can speak Arabic. Pretty fluently, and I have a year left of study. Edited cuz apparently I can't type in Arabic on dz.com.. Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psipike02 0 #17 June 14, 2006 I'm currently trying to learn Russian which is pretty hard. I took 5 years of spanish in high school and continued in college and am in my 5 year of fluent spanish in college. I've also gone to mexico for spring break for the past 3 years and everytime we're there, i refuse to speak english and nothing but spanish...it definately helps If anyone on here ever wants some practice, I could use some as well, send me a PM and we'll practice back and forth with spanish....I'm sure we can learn from each other....i'm very paranoid about my spanish too I also use the Foro de salto forum on here as well....anotehr great way to practicePuttin' some stank on it. ----Hellfish #707---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sweetness 0 #18 June 14, 2006 Hablo español también Started in September and finished the 1st year with 84% "Ha ! I laugh at danger and drop ice cubes down the vest of fear ..." (Blackadder) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #19 June 14, 2006 Ahhhh, grasshoppa. First, you must teach me how to type the symbol thingies. I don't see them on my keyboard And for the record, the CD does NOT teach you the spelling or how to write it. I hope I did/am doing so correctly. Damn, now I have to worry about my spelling in a whole other language Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #20 June 14, 2006 Quotethe CD does NOT teach you the spelling or how to write it. That I don't care about, its not that important for me beyond some basic reading comp. Being able to speak it would be GREAT. A neat trick I use though, when people tell me they don't speak english is after a couple of seconds I say (without pointing or looking down) "Sir, you're standing in fire ants." Its amazing how many people who "no habla english" habla real quick after that.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psipike02 0 #21 June 14, 2006 Go to your control panel and choose languages and settings. There you can set up another language. If you choose spanish, you will see like 15 different types from different countries. The two I use are Spanish - Mexico and Spanish -Traditional Sort. Once you choose those, you should be able to switch between those two and english on your keyboard depending on the buttons you choose. To type an accent, hit the quotation mark key and then the vowel you want and it'll come up as an accented letter like this - á. The semicolon button produces this symbol: ñ I use left alt and shift to go between languages. Some other buttons. The plus and equal button: ¡ and ¿ when shift is pressed with it.Puttin' some stank on it. ----Hellfish #707---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #22 June 14, 2006 I second Rosetta Stone software. That's what we get issued in special forces to maintain proficiency. It's fantastic stuff. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFXpert 0 #23 June 14, 2006 Ay mio! No, graciasPaint me in a corner, but my color comes back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
d_squared431 0 #24 June 14, 2006 Don't worry about spelling at all. You spell the word as it sounds, that is what I was told. TPM Sister#130ONTIG#1 I love vodka.I love vodka cause it rhymes with Tuaca~LisaH You having a clean thought is like billyvance having a clean post.iluvtofly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #25 June 14, 2006 Quote Go to your control panel and choose languages and settings. There you can set up another language. If you choose spanish, you will see like 15 different types from different countries. The two I use are Spanish - Mexico and Spanish -Traditional Sort. If you are only typing a little bit of another language you can use the ASCII character set for the font you are using by using Alt+####. You learn the numbers by checking the character map in windows. Start->Run->charmap--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
