Learning another language

[Bristlebane]

This place is a great reference that I've been a member of for a couple of years:

WordReference Forums

Stay on topic and don't say stupid shit, because the admins don't have a sense of humor.

[Araxen]

I've downloaded the RS software to try and learn japanese and didn't think they were ripping people off by charging $500 for it. $50 is a more than reasonable price for it not $500.

[Darus Grey]

Immersion...Immersion...Immersion. There is no other viable method of learning a language.
Learning a language isn't a hobby, "something to do" , etc. It's a commitment.

First off, Rosetta stone is the "best" language software. That said, it's still shit.
The reason college classes for languages are good is because it gives you an opportunity to connect with people who share the same goal, as well as a teacher who(hopefully) speaks well. Even that can only take you so far.

If you're in a situation where no local schools offer arabic, and you don't know anyone who is arabic, you're in for a tough ride. Even if you dedicate yourself to learning it, if you're not using it in your daily life, you'll lose it. Languages don't just "stay with you", you forget them.

You need to purposefully set yourself up to learn and advance. When I was learning French forever ago, I took French classes, vacationed in Qubec, joined French guilds in MMOs, etc.

Of course it also depends on the level of mastery you want, though having just elementary level knowledge of a language is never as useful as one likes to believe =/. Plus without immersion you don't learn context and slang, when I started Icelandic I didn't have anyone to talk to with. When I went to Iceland a year later the first thing someone said at my hotel was "You speak like a textbook, people don't talk like that". So even with a lot of dedication what you learn can be fairly useless without immersion.

[Jysin-DW]

Well, take it from someone immersed in an Arabic speaking country... living here doesnt exactly help either. I am doing contract work in Qatar and while they estimate the population is somewhere around 1.2 million people, the expatriate community is nearly 3/4 of that. Europeans, Asians, Aussies, Americans, you name it. Needless to say, you can get away with English pretty much everywhere. Most local Qatari's hardly work and they dont really mingle that much with "the labor force", if you get my drift.

Arabic is tough as hell, primarily because of the written language barrier. Without some hefty schooling, you cant just pick it up on the fly. I mean, A-Z is easy to recognise in French or any other language, but this:

الموقع باللغة العربية

I couldnt tell you what that meant after being "immersed" here for years.

Good luck, whatever you go with.

[Darus Grey]

Learning a foreign alphabet is often the easiest part.

[Soriak]

Originally Posted by Jysin-DW

الموقع باللغة العربية

I couldnt tell you what that meant after being "immersed" here for years.

"Arabic language site"

Google Translate wins

[Jysin-DW]

Originally Posted by Soriak

"Arabic language site"

Google Translate wins

Yea, because we all just walk around "jacked-in" like Neo to query google when we are out and about!

[Darus Grey]

Not to rag on you, but Arabic isn't that hard, especially the alphabet. It has 28 characters...we have 26...French, your example, has more than 28. In your post above you basically said you never made any serious effort because you're able to survive speaking English all day. That isn't immersion, that's giving up.

[Dumar]

immersion isn't enough. you can live years in a foreign country and not learn anything except very basics.

i have tons of friends who've lived in japan multiple years and don't speak japanese worth shit. immersion is useless without active learning.

active learning is a fulltime job. because everything unrecognizable you must look up and understand. classwork and self study make this "process" much easier because the classwork and study make you more familiar with the language constructs, and this is necessary. the class and personal study won't teach you a language either. on its own, it's equally as useless as immersion.

you need both. if you pursue active learning on an everyday basis WHILE being immersed in the culture and experiencing the contexts in which the language is used, then you can become fluent.

[Jysin-DW]

Originally Posted by Darus Grey

... In your post above you basically said you never made any serious effort because you're able to survive speaking English all day. That isn't immersion, that's giving up.

No dumbass, its saying that there is not an abundance of Arabic people socializing like you would get in any other normal country ie: Japan, France, etc.

Perhaps its different in other countries. I know UAE (Dubai) is a lot more laid back, but Qataris are a hell of a lot more traditional.

[Darus Grey]

And?

[Ancalagon]

Did you learn Icelandic for work or pleasure? Seems an obscure language to put so much work into.

[Darus Grey]

Did you learn Icelandic for work or pleasure? Seems an obscure language to put so much work into.

I plan to retire there is the only reason, plus as a linguist it's a challenge. Icelandic is considered the hardest living language to master in most circles.

[Arbitrary]

Originally Posted by Hatorade

That whole three wishes thing people talk about, one of them is knowing every language ever. So yeah I can see the appeal.

I'm going with omniscience for wish number 1.

[Hatorade]

Originally Posted by Arbitrary

I'm going with omniscience for wish number 1.

To derail further wouldn't that get boring? That means to know everything and everything to happen. Well if you wish to live forever as your second wish then you would be a "Q" Well further though yeah that would be pretty sweet.