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Learning languages
July 24th, 2009, 21:56
No, I,m sorry. I'm not talking about programming languages. I'm talking about that other kind of language. The one used to encode messages between human instances. The kind of language JemyM knows about, since he's studying one right now.
Eh…
My question is: When you, as an adlut, learn a new language (like Japanese), do you 1) read a book 2) attend a class 3) buy some language-learning-software-package? Or something completely different!
The thing is, I'd like to learn Russian. Since I'm a leftwing, and the revolution is coming and…. well … not exactly. But honestly, I like the sound of it. I would prefer a software package, if anyone know about a good one (or a good provider of that kind of software).
I know Norwegian, so I don't need any package for that.
Eh…
My question is: When you, as an adlut, learn a new language (like Japanese), do you 1) read a book 2) attend a class 3) buy some language-learning-software-package? Or something completely different!
The thing is, I'd like to learn Russian. Since I'm a leftwing, and the revolution is coming and…. well … not exactly. But honestly, I like the sound of it. I would prefer a software package, if anyone know about a good one (or a good provider of that kind of software).
I know Norwegian, so I don't need any package for that.
Guest
July 25th, 2009, 05:00
Book + girlfriend who speaks the language = best way to learn a new language
Seriously though if you can get to a class and practice it as much as possible. Oh and practice, practice, practice.
Speak as much as possible in your new language. I know it sounds like commons sense, but it is essential you practice what you've just learned. It makes remembering it and speaking it correctly a lot easier.

Seriously though if you can get to a class and practice it as much as possible. Oh and practice, practice, practice.
Speak as much as possible in your new language. I know it sounds like commons sense, but it is essential you practice what you've just learned. It makes remembering it and speaking it correctly a lot easier.
--
Despite all my rage.
I'm still just a rat in a cage.
Despite all my rage.
I'm still just a rat in a cage.
July 25th, 2009, 07:06
Originally Posted by lghartveit1, 2, and something completely different.
My question is: When you, as an adlut, learn a new language (like Japanese), do you 1) read a book 2) attend a class 3) buy some language-learning-software-package? Or something completely different!
The thing is, I'd like to learn Russian. Since I'm a leftwing, and the revolution is coming and…. well … not exactly. But honestly, I like the sound of it. I would prefer a software package, if anyone know about a good one (or a good provider of that kind of software).
Learning languages as an adult is different. On the one hand, your brains are less flexible -- you can't just soak it in organically as you would as a kid. On the other, you have access to techniques of thinking and learning, and you (likely) already know a few languages you can relate things to.
I learned Russian as an adult. Here's how:
(1) I took classes.
(2) I went to St. Petersburg (Russia) to take an intensive language course over one summer.
(3) I got hooked on classic Russian rock -- Akvarium, Kino, DDT, that sort of thing -- and memorized/studied the lyrics.
(4) I went to live in Kiev for a year.
By far the most important bits were 2-4. The classes were there to get the basics in. From there on out it's practice. I've no doubt that a good software package would work as well as classes for step (1), but once past that, you'll have to think of something else. You can learn to read Russian all by yourself, simply by buying a bunch of good dictionaries and a bunch of good books and then digging into them (once past step 1), but if you want to be able to communicate with it, you do need to immerse yourself in it somehow.
RPGCodex' Little BRO
July 25th, 2009, 12:28
Once you start to get the hang of the language, start visiting a discussion board that uses said language.
July 25th, 2009, 18:39
Music CDs (with lyrics, of course) and Newspapers, and books, in my case - and of course internet Forums ! 
In my opinion it isn't that necessary to be able to understand ALL wiords in a book or newspaper - in my personal opinion it is far more important to learn the "speaking floew" or the "language flow" ! Each language has its own kind of melody, tune, tone, sound, or whatever, and that is imho quite important. The "flow" of it.
Reading a book with looking for every second word disrupts most of the fun in my opinion - okay, it's bad if you don't understand a certain joke …
But that can be changed …

In my opinion it isn't that necessary to be able to understand ALL wiords in a book or newspaper - in my personal opinion it is far more important to learn the "speaking floew" or the "language flow" ! Each language has its own kind of melody, tune, tone, sound, or whatever, and that is imho quite important. The "flow" of it.
Reading a book with looking for every second word disrupts most of the fun in my opinion - okay, it's bad if you don't understand a certain joke …
But that can be changed …
--
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
July 25th, 2009, 20:38
Originally Posted by Alrik FassbauerI bought a German crime novel this summer, just to refresh my German.
Music CDs (with lyrics, of course) and Newspapers, and books, in my case - and of course internet Forums !
In my opinion it isn't that necessary to be able to understand ALL wiords in a book or newspaper - in my personal opinion it is far more important to learn the "speaking floew" or the "language flow" ! Each language has its own kind of melody, tune, tone, sound, or whatever, and that is imho quite important. The "flow" of it.
Reading a book with looking for every second word disrupts most of the fun in my opinion - okay, it's bad if you don't understand a certain joke …But that can be changed …
![]()
Guest
July 26th, 2009, 09:34
I would like to advice a good software package called Pimsleur teach yourself russian. This is what FBI/CIA agents used if they want to learn a language and sound like a native… you can put one on your mp3 and listen to it on the bus, keep repating the chapters until you can pass all the questions, after that move on to the next one… repeat.. if you find yourself unable to complete one, go back to the old one and repeat again, an excellent and fast way to learn, and you get good prounonciation too!
July 26th, 2009, 16:35
I agree with PJ - I still speak bits of German and Spanish from learning bits of those and then going to those countries. However, I took some Chinese classes … and can speak a few words of basic greetings and status stuff with a few Chinese friends at work and nothing more …
--
-- Mike
-- Mike
SasqWatch
Guest
July 27th, 2009, 11:38
Originally Posted by lghartveitNever heard of that one. But on the other hand I don't read crimical stories anyway.
Danke.
It's "Tödliches Lachen" by Andreas Franz. I've just read a few pages, but so far things are going well. I remember a lot of things I didn't know I knew.

Of course you could alkso try reading German classics, although Goethe et. al. would be too much outdated in terms of language nowadays.
What you also could try is reading some TDE novels. I'd recommend the ones by Ulrich Kiesow first, because he was the founder of The Dark Eye (together with a few friends, then).
--
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
July 27th, 2009, 17:50
Originally Posted by Alrik FassbauerAt a later stage, maybe.
…
Of course you could alkso try reading German classics, although Goethe et. al. would be too much outdated in terms of language nowadays.
What you also could try is reading some TDE novels. I'd recommend the ones by Ulrich Kiesow first, because he was the founder of The Dark Eye (together with a few friends, then).Now, that's a really good idea. Danke.
Guest
July 28th, 2009, 10:35
A few notes on the TDE novels:
- Some novels (well, most of them, according to the discussions I've witnessed) are non-canon. The ones usually regarded as canon are only those by Ulrich Kiesow.
- Quality is varying vastly. Or at least, a lot.
- In a world like The Dark Eye, where with Rahja there's a goddess of lust and inebritation, some novels are possibly not that appropriate for younger people.
It's not that sex is always there - it hardly is there in the novels - but a few novels have become what I'd call "notorious" in terms of fame.
But since I rarely read TDE novels, I can't judge this.
- Look out for news and reviews for example at www.alveran.org , it's an excellent TDE news-and-everything-else site, where you can find lots of stuff (and train your German language also by reading it
). Alveran is often considered THE fan-made news site.
- Some novels (well, most of them, according to the discussions I've witnessed) are non-canon. The ones usually regarded as canon are only those by Ulrich Kiesow.
- Quality is varying vastly. Or at least, a lot.
- In a world like The Dark Eye, where with Rahja there's a goddess of lust and inebritation, some novels are possibly not that appropriate for younger people.
It's not that sex is always there - it hardly is there in the novels - but a few novels have become what I'd call "notorious" in terms of fame.
But since I rarely read TDE novels, I can't judge this.
- Look out for news and reviews for example at www.alveran.org , it's an excellent TDE news-and-everything-else site, where you can find lots of stuff (and train your German language also by reading it
). Alveran is often considered THE fan-made news site.
--
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." (E.F.Schumacher, Economist, Source)
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