A very interesting site for language learners

[tacuba]

I found this site a couple of days ago and I think the authors have many interesting things to say to all language learners.

http://www.antimoon.com/

Enjoy

[chileno]

Part of that is what I have been preaching. I guess is yet, another approach to learning a language.

I teach something similar in my classes.

[irmamar]

I have found another one for Spanish students about ELO (ELO means Español como Lengua Extranjera). This is from the Ministerio de Educación español.

http://www.mepsyd.es/redele/revista.shtml

[María José]

Wouldn't it be ELE?

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by María José

Wouldn't it be ELE?

Yes, sorry! Did I say that I am dyslexic?

[Vikingo]

Originally Posted by tacuba

I found this site a couple of days ago and I think the authors have many interesting things to say to all language learners.

http://www.antimoon.com/

Enjoy

I read a few of the things they had to say. To me it's a mix of truisms and personal opinion. Where it's opinion, though, is where they miss the mark completely. Look at these "myths" they are trying to criticise, especially 2, 3 and 4: http://www.antimoon.com/other/myths.htm

They are actually trying to discourage students from trying to speak until they're completely sure of what they're doing, because they believe making mistakes is so terribly harmful to your learning. Pure madness!

I also read through this thread, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry: http://www.antimoon.com/forum/2002/41.htm

Jeff Hook is the only sane one in that thread, and look what a hard time he was having. Hahahahaha..

[irmamar]

Yo tengo guardados en favoritos un par de blogs muy interesantes para aprender y practicar inglés. En el primero hay listening para tres niveles, gramática, ejercicios, ... Bueno, mejor que lo comprobéis vosotros:

http://www.mansioningles.com/

Otro más sencillo pero también interesante es el siguiente:

http://menuaingles.blogspot.com/

[ZeroTX]

I agree that repeatedly speaking incorrectly is very harmful to learning, because you begin to remember the WRONG way. I have a few phrases in Spanish that I have used wrong enough times that it is really hard for me to correct them. I wish I had never started saying things wrong. I'd rather keep my mouth shut until I know how to say it right.

[irmamar]

Maybe if you write them repeteadly, you'll learn them. When I had to study the phrasal verbs I invented some tales with them, in English, of course. And in this way, I learnt them. Maybe I should do it again!

[chileno]

Originally Posted by ZeroTX

I agree that repeatedly speaking incorrectly is very harmful to learning, because you begin to remember the WRONG way. I have a few phrases in Spanish that I have used wrong enough times that it is really hard for me to correct them. I wish I had never started saying things wrong. I'd rather keep my mouth shut until I know how to say it right.

Wait. You are right and you are wrong...

If you constantly speak like you want, and do not pay attention to being corrected, or how other people talk, and hence not even being keen at your own errors, then yes, it is detrimental, but believe me, the person does not care about improving in that language.

Ie:

I go to Burger King and ask: Me want hamburger. I am sure I am going to get a hamburger.

However, if after 20 years of being in the US I still use: me want hamburger, what gives?

How a normal person is not to listen to 20 more people before him/her asking for a hamburger in a 1000 other way?

"I'll have a hamburger", Let me have a hamburger.." etc... It beats me! So I leave that person alone. Simple.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

Wait. You are right and you are wrong...

If you constantly speak like you want, and do not pay attention to being corrected, or how other people talk, and hence not even being keen at your own errors, then yes, it is detrimental, but believe me, the person does not care about improving in that language.

Ie:

I go to Burger King and ask: Me want hamburger. I am sure I am going to get a hamburger.

However, if after 20 years of being in the US I still use: me want hamburger, what gives?

How a normal person is not to listen to 20 more people before him/her asking for a hamburger in a 1000 other way?

"I'll have a hamburger", Let me have a hamburger.." etc... It beats me! So I leave that person alone. Simple.

Chileno. Me and my silly English, I can't overlook your post about it, and you are right, but I believe that the people speak as they wanna do, then, that if you don't keep in mind the hints of other people to speak well, then your language never will get better and never you will be able to speak or talk with anyone the language to way correct, I' liked your answer and your answer is very true in all, but I believe that you was very hard with the guy

[tacuba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Ie:

I go to Burger King and ask: Me want hamburger. I am sure I am going to get a hamburger.

A bit off-topic, but you reminded me of something that always gives me a laugh. Where we live (in Mexico), there are quite a few extranjeros from the US and Canada, and the kids here have picked up on the tradition of Halloween (free candy you know). So when you answer the door on the night of Oct 31st, they all yell "QUEREMOS HALLOWEEN!!!" (instead of "trick or treat") Lots of laughs.

Voy a cambiar el tema un poco. Tu historia me recuerda de algo que siempre me da risa. Donde vivimos en Mexico, hay muchos extranjeros de EE.UU. y Canadá y los chicos han agarrado la onda de la tradición Halloween (dulces gratis por supuesto). Así que cuando abres la puerta en la noche de Octubre 31, todos ellos gritan "QUEREMOS HALLOWEEN!!!" (en vez de "trick or treat"). Mucha risa.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Chileno. Me and my silly English, I can't overlook your post about it, and you are right, but I believe that the people speak as they wanna do, then, that if you don't keep in mind the hints of other people to speak well, then your language never will get better and never you will be able to speak or talk with anyone the language to way correct, I' liked your answer and your answer is very true in all, but I believe that you was very hard with the guy

And let me tell you, your english has improved a lot since I first met you in this forums, last February.

Same thing I can say of laepelba, as far as Spanish is concerned.

Originally Posted by tacuba

A bit off-topic, but you reminded me of something that always gives me a laugh. Where we live (in Mexico), there are quite a few extranjeros from the US and Canada, and the kids here have picked up on the tradition of Halloween (free candy you know). So when you answer the door on the night of Oct 31st, they all yell "QUEREMOS HALLOWEEN!!!" (instead of "trick or treat") Lots of laughs.

Voy a cambiar el tema un poco. Tu historia me recuerda de algo que siempre me da risa. Donde vivimos en Mexico, hay muchos extranjeros de EE.UU. y Canadá y los chicos han agarrado la onda de la tradición Halloween (dulces gratis por supuesto). Así que cuando abres la puerta en la noche de Octubre 31, todos ellos gritan "QUEREMOS HALLOWEEN!!!" (en vez de "trick or treat"). Mucha risa.

Haven't you noticed translation of names of English movies to Spanish?

"In the heat of the night" - TRAMPA MORTAL! (¿qué?)

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Tacuba: when the children started to go out for candy in November 2nd (neither October 28 nor November 1st), they would sing "La calavera tiene hambre, ¿no hay un pancito por a'i?" ("the skull is hungry, isn't there a little piece of bread around?").
There used to be a longer song, but I can't remember it right now.) As the children grew lazy and their parents ignored traditions, they changed it for screaming what you've heard.

Same thing about the expression: they used to say "pedir calavera/calaverita" and now it's "pedir halloween".