[2009] Whats the fastest way to learn spanish ?

[John Cummings]

Many errors in the translation.

Boca, Your translation of my post into Spanish contains many grammatical errors. In fact it is horrendous. By the way, how would you translate it if spoken rather than written? When speaking Spanish, I do not translate at all but instead think in Spanish.

 

[CalifasGirl]

John, I think Boca used something like Google translator. Its word-for-word translation makes errors since language isn't that simple. Once you stop translating in your head and speak by memorized words that are natural to you, you know that you have attained fluency. I can speak by thinking in Korean, but I lack vocabulary. I could be fluent if I learned all the vocabulary necessary to be a fluent speaker. As for Spanish, I'm not quite there yet. My boyfriend knows colloquial Spanish, while mine is more academic, so when we end up in places where no one speaks English, it's funny how we end up covering knowledge that the other doesn't have. When he struggles, I take over. When I struggle, he takes over. Together we make a good team, although we both need more practice and instruction in Spanish!

PJRose, I'm in favor of students taking over any Ds or Fs to increase their GPAs. Some schools in our area refuse to allow students to make up their Ds, which takes them out of the 4-year college track since their GPAs are so low. Some high schools require a 2.0 in order to receive a diploma, so some students who receive Ds can't even get a diploma by the end of high school.

Learning Chinese characters is tough. Talk about memorization! It's a hieroglyphic alphabet, so you need to memorize each character.

 

[pjrose]

PJRose, I'm in favor of students taking over any Ds or Fs to increase their GPAs. Some schools in our area refuse to allow students to make up their Ds, which takes them out of the 4-year college track since their GPAs are so low. Some high schools require a 2.0 in order to receive a diploma, so some students who receive Ds can't even get a diploma by the end of high school.

DH and I have both been college profs for 20+ years, and often advise students to do this, especially if there's a subsequent course for which they might not be prepared. It's important for the student to eventually learn the material, and if it takes a little longer or some more work, that should be fine. Too bad it often isn't allowed.

 

[Ellis2ca]

Every once in a while there is a disconnect...

I's just every once in a while there is a disconnect over words or phrases.

Sue

Hear them down in Soho square,
Dropping "h's" everywhere.
Speaking English anyway they like.

Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
This verbal class distinction by now should be antique.

An Englishman's way of speaking absolutely classifies him,
The moment he talks he makes some other Englishman despise him.

One common language I'm afraid we'll never get.
Oh, why can't the English learn to... set agood example
To people whose English is painful to your ears?

The Scotch and the Irish leave you close to tears.

There even are places where English completely disappears.

Why, in America they haven't spoken it for years!

Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
Norwegians learn Norwegian
the Greeks have taught their Greek.

In France every Frenchman knows his language fro "A" to "Zed"...

... The French never care what they say, actually,
as long as they pronounce it properly!

Arabians learn Arabian with the speed of summer lightning.

And Hebrews learn it backwards, which is absolutely frightening.

But use proper English you're regarded as a freak.

Why can't the English,

Why can't the English learn to speak?!!

- Ellis Toussier
(from "My Fair Lady..."

 

[CalifasGirl]

DH and I have both been college profs for 20+ years, and often advise students to do this, especially if there's a subsequent course for which they might not be prepared. It's important for the student to eventually learn the material, and if it takes a little longer or some more work, that should be fine. Too bad it often isn't allowed.

I am amazed that schools don't realize the repercussions of not allowing their students to make up D grades. When students can't take a D grade over, they usually end up with an F in the next sequence. If they're lucky, they might end up with a D or a C grade. This is pretty much what I am seeing in the Monterey Bay area.

 

[Helene4]

My DH figures he needs 2 words to get by:
Cerveza
Bano
LOL!

 

[Kagehitokiri2]

total immersion

i had great experience with >
http://www.berlitz.us/Programs-Serv...-Face-Instruction/Berlitz-Total-Immersion/82/

this is the best academic offering im aware of >
http://www.miis.edu/academics/language/custom

 

[DeniseM]

Please note that this is an old thread that was brought out of mothballs by a spammer. That post has been removed.

 

[deedman]

fastest way to learn spanish is to get a job in landscaping.

edit: to make sure noone thinks I was being insulting, I worked in landscaping during college for 4 years and credit my fluency to this and not my required language classes.

 

[easyrider]

The Roseta Stone Spanish program has helped me understand what is being said to me. My ability to speak spanish because of the Roseta Stone Spanish program has improved but only enough to sound like an American.

 

[bjones9942]

I've taken a night class on Mandarin a couple of times lately and did a little research on the 'immersion' language courses.

Here are a few to be had (cover multiple languages):

• Fluenz [http://www.fluenz.com]
• Pimsleur [http://www.pimsleur.com/]
• Rosetta Stone [http://www.rosettastone.com/]
• Foreign Service Institute Language Courses [http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php]

Fluenz and Rosetta Stone are pricey. Fluenz is my favorite as it has a video teacher. Classmates said they liked Pimsleur. FSI courses are free, but dated.

There are also several language learning podcasts and tons of websites - just google 'learn' and the language.

Xai Jian!