Multiple Languages - Page 2

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.

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

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

Irmamar.

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

Congratulations.

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.

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.

¿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.

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

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

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.

Leo seis páginas de un libro al día para aprender. :)

Es una buena media. Aprenderás pronto. Aunque aprender un idioma es una tarea sin final; yo todavía aprendo español (y lo hablo desde que era pequeñita). :D

No entiendo bien. ¿Puede traduccion para mi, por favor? Entiendo sólo un poco de este.

¿Por que usar "al" en tú sentencia?

You try to translate you alone the post.
You can use the hand dictionary by if you need to help with some words that you don't know them.

Just some corrections. :)

I want to know why some words are used, and sometimes if I translate them myself, it gets lost in translation.

¿Condena (conviction)? :eek: Corrección (correction) :D

Well, I'll try. :thinking:

That's a good average. You'll learn soon. Although learning a language is a never ending work; I'm still learning Spanish (and I speak Spanish since I was a little girl).

Al día = per day. :)

This is what I mean by being lost in translation. I don't like using my dictionary too much, because the wrong word gets used. :D I called myself a "estrella de rock" in my profile for example. LOL.

Why was "un día" wrong by the way? Does it not translate to "a day," or is "a day" not used in Spanish?

By the way, what is the right word for sentence? I can't find it.

I wrote "job" but I think that sould have been "work", so I've just changed it. These are two words that always puzzle me. :thinking: :)

Edit: I didn't see your question. You can say "en un día" instead in some sentences, but "al/a la" is used in averages: al año, al mes, al día, a la semana, a la hora, al minuto. :)

I believe that it is incorrect to use indirect articles as a measurement (5 miles an hour, 6 pages a day etc.)

The best way, that I know of, would be to say:

...seis páginas cada día.

Cada = Each

"Seis páginas al día" is completely correct. Although you can say "cada día", too. But:

Como cada día. :good:
Como al día. :bad:
Como una manzana al día. :good:
Como una manzana cada día.:good:

But "cada día" doesn't have that meaning of average that "al día" has. :)