Multiple Languages

[poli]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Thanks for the corrections.

Although I wanted to say "the last time they came to Spain" .

I passed my last exam by the skin of my teeth, and that's a serious advice (serious advise significa consejo en serio. Es mejor escribir a bad omen) that things are not going well, I must pass this exam if I want to enjoy my holidays, if I don't pass it, I'll have to be studying all the summer or I'll lose this school year.

Yesterday, when I was saying a few things to my little nephew in French, later I said the same sentences inwardly to myself, but in English. I hope it helps.

Los más importante es que sabes comunicar en inglés-por lo menos el inglés escrito. Si fuera un gitano con el don de ver el futuro, vería buenas notas en tu examen.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

My family has just arrived. Some of them speak German, some French and some Italian; some of them speak all three languages and some two. Some of them speak Spanish, too, but some don't. I speak Spanish, Italian and French with them (or a "kind" of Italian and French, better), and I understand a few German words if they speak slowly.

I have an English exam into a couple of weeks and I'm very worried because I'm listening five languages (including Catalonian) in my around, but I'm not listening to English (well, sometimes I'm able to watch some English channel, but I don't have many time). I'm not sure if that can damage my last days of study, since last time they came, somebody asked me something in English and I answered "hot" instead of "high" because I confounded "high" with the French word "haute".

I hope nothing like this is going to happen in my exam.

I hope that you've good luck with your language test.

[irmamar]

Well, I'm really worried about my exam. But thanks you both (and Poli, por levantarme el ánimo, que lo tenía "por los suelos" )

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Well, I'm really worried about my exam. But thanks you both (and Poli, por levantarme el ánimo, que lo tenía "por los suelos" )

Irmamar.

Hey Irmamar.
I know in the most occult of my mind that you will a great gainer answering your test.

Congratulations.

[Tarential]

Sorry to hijack my thread back from the way it wandered, but I had a few thoughts about my experiences so far in studying multiple languages. I'll try to be brief.

1. I didn't find that mixing up words between languages was a big problem (at least, no more than mixing up different words in the same language). In fact, in several cases I found knowing the Spanish word for something (usually verbs) made learning the French version easier, as I associated the words much more closely than I would with the English alternative.

2. Learning multiple languages simultaneously has really given me a better understanding of the abstract principles that make up semantic understanding of language. Specifically, terms and ideas about my own native tongue that I never saw reason for in high school English classes and thus did not pay attention to. Ironically, despite my lack of formal understanding of English grammar my habit of reading a novel per day in high school allowed me to become a professional writer. That is the method by which I intended to learn Spanish grammar. However, I could see it would be unconventional to do it with three languages at once, and as such I undertook a more formal study of the languages in question.

3. My third point is that while I have had a lot of fun doing this, the reason I started is because I was bored of the pace at which I had been studying Spanish (I thought 10-20 words per day was an acceptable amount, and after I was done I would have nothing to do but read the forums, of which I didn't understand more than half). Now, after doing some reading about how many words per day the polyglots learn, I have significantly increased the vocabulary that I am taking in. At this rate I am learning much more vocabulary than I am able to use effectively due to my relatively limited understanding of other aspects of the languages. I could slow down my vocabulary in all three languages and try to spend more time with grammar on all three, but I think it would be a more efficient use of my time to concentrate entirely on Spanish until I have at least basic "fluency". As such, I am going to slow or discontinue my study of both Latin and French for the nonce.

To sum it up I would say this: I feel that studying multiple languages simultaneously is an excellent idea if you have the patience and the time to learn each language at a "normal" pace. For myself, I want to learn Spanish well enough to converse as fast as possible, and the other languages are slowing down my race to the finish.

Thank you all again for posting your ideas about this subject, and I hope perhaps that my experiences may help you all learn more about studying multiple languages simultaneously.

[CrOtALiTo]

You relatively have the experience about the fast learning and you sometimes get confuse with the different languages.
I believe that if you or me together doesn't learn at least language first, therefore we shouldn't to try in learn another language until finish the first one.

[Brandon]

¿Qué lengua debo aprender? Esta discusión me inspira tratar de aprender una otra. Busqué a un sitio web sobre latín y fue fácil. No pienso que yo estare confundido. Creo que si trato de aprender una lengua similar a español, no sería difícil.

What language should I learn. This discussion inspires me to try to learn another. I looked at a website about Latin and it was easy. I don't think I would be confused. I believe that if I try to learn a language similar to Spanish, it would not be difficult.

[irmamar]

Si quieres aprender español, estudia español (¿para qué dar rodeos?).

[Brandon]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Si quieres aprender español, estudia español (¿para qué dar rodeos?).

Las lenguas me fascinan. En el futuro, quereré saber más. Pienso que empezar pronto.

[Esperar]

No puedo aprender español bien. Good luck anyway! I learnt French in high school, and hated it. Never wanted to learn it like I do Spanish.

Leo seis páginas de un libro al día para aprender. I don't know if it's enough or not.