Hardest thing for you learning a new language?

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

I'm sorry, I made a bit mistake about it.


In this moment I can't to enter to the website because in my job there is a proxy and well the some website is prohibited.

But when I arrive to my home I can be free to check them.

Yes..., the proxy, I know him...

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Yes..., the proxy, I know him...

Yes the great software named proxy, I heat him, jijiji, although I'm informatic, I don't like the softwares that prohibited some website, you know, I'm an angel when I do my job, but when I have to apply the politics inside of the company I have activate the proxy jijiji.


The job is the job.

My boss is my father, because if I do something bad about my work, I can be sure that he will tell me something about it.

[AutumnBreeze]

I study as much as I can and I'm making progress but I'm nowhere near functional fluency. Man, will that be great to achieve! I know it's a mental block but I just feel so ridiculous trying to communicate what I'm trying to say with a native Spanish speaker using my, choppy at best, Spanish at this point.

I've been told that once you learn a second language, learning others is not as hard. I guess that may depend on the next language you choose as well.

[Rusty]

Learning a second language usually means taking some time to learn the grammar of your mother tongue in the process. When you delve into a third language, that part of the process has already forged. This usually means you can assimilate the next language in less time.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Learning a second language usually means taking some time to learn the grammar of your mother tongue in the process. When you delve into a third language, that part of the process has already forged. This usually means you can assimilate the next language in less time.

Yes, you are right, I guess that the person who learns three or more languages has more ability in learn the languages but I believe that if you learn the four language that there are people who know five languages they study the majority of the time in the school with the languages, although I don't know How do they do it?, Because for me the learn this language in my case the English sometimes is very hard for me to learn it, then I can't imagine learn or try to learn five languages or more.

[irmamar]

I've learnt almost five languages (not really well, as you can see ): Spanish, Catalonian, English, Italian and "un peu de française" (that's because I said "almost" before). When you are learning several languages, you're always relating one language to another. For instance, if I've been learning English and Italian, when I learn the Italian word "strada" I think of the English word "street". The worst happens when you mix the languages. Once a man asked me for an address in English; these days I had been talking a lot French with a relative, I asked him: Can you see that "hot" building? (my mind was thinking on the French word "haute", that means "high"). I've immediately realized that I was wrong, but I couldn't remember the English word for "alto". The man understood me, but I felt really embarrassed"

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I've learnt almost five languages (not really well, as you can see ): Spanish, Catalonian, English, Italian and "un peu de française" (that's because I said "almost" before). When you are learning several languages, you're always relating one language to another. For instance, if I've been learning English and Italian, when I learn the Italian word "strada" I think of the English word "street". The worst happens when you mix the languages. Once a man asked me for an address in English; these days I had been talking a lot French with a relative, I asked him: Can you see that "hot" building? (my mind was thinking on the French word "haute", that means "high"). I've immediately realized that I was wrong, but I couldn't remember the English word for "alto". The man understood me, but I felt really embarrassed"

Wow, you know speak at least five languages, then you must to be a person very studied and you must to felling you very proud of your knowledges in the languages, I'd like to be as you, but for my bad luck, only I know two languages and my tongue native that is Spanish and my prefer second language that is English although this second one I don't know speaking well with the people to oral way, I'd like to learn more languages as Portugués, italian and French, and of course I'd like to learn so well the English, but only I have one year and a few months studying him, and I know that am that practice much about it and improve my English with more fluency, but the worst in my situation is that I haven't with who practice the English.


I will do someday something very well.

[deborahj]

Hello Bob,

I couldnt agree with you more, l have exactly the same problem. The good thing is
that after reading some of the replies to this thread, we are not alone.

I listen to spanish music, watch spanish films (when i can) and listen to cd's of spanish
speaking people, hoping that it will eventually become easier. I'm sure if we keep on
trying we will get there eventually.

Goodluck!

Debbie

[AutumnBreeze]

Originally Posted by Rusty

Learning a second language usually means taking some time to learn the grammar of your mother tongue in the process. When you delve into a third language, that part of the process has already forged. This usually means you can assimilate the next language in less time.

Yes! All these old grammar grooves that have long become second nature (well, most of them ) but you can't really remember the 'why' of the grammar, so you're looking at these rules and going 'Oh yeah, I remember that!'. Or "Huh, well I didn't realize that." I'm absolutely in that place .

[chileno]

Originally Posted by AutumnBreeze

I study as much as I can and I'm making progress but I'm nowhere near functional fluency. Man, will that be great to achieve! I know it's a mental block but I just feel so ridiculous trying to communicate what I'm trying to say with a native Spanish speaker using my, choppy at best, Spanish at this point.

I've been told that once you learn a second language, learning others is not as hard. I guess that may depend on the next language you choose as well.

Realize that your mental block is produced because of what is highlighted in red, above.

Once you solve that problem (by not caring about it), then you won't have to be in the place you describe below. Because you do it well in English, so there should not be a problem doing it in Spanish either.

Just pay attention to your errors, so that you can self correct later and you'll get it in no time!

Originally Posted by AutumnBreeze

Yes! All these old grammar grooves that have long become second nature (well, most of them ) but you can't really remember the 'why' of the grammar, so you're looking at these rules and going 'Oh yeah, I remember that!'. Or "Huh, well I didn't realize that." I'm absolutely in that place .

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

Realize that your mental block is produced because of what is highlighted in red, above.

Once you solve that problem (by not caring about it), then you won't have to be in the place you describe below. Because you do it well in English, so there should not be a problem doing it in Spanish either.

Just pay attention to your errors, so that you can self correct later and you'll get it in no time!

My dear Chilean, I wanna do a question for you, because I have the doubt since time ago, my questions is How do many languages you speak?. Because I have could see that you write the English so well, I guess that you speak the English as well, I'd like speak the English as you, but as I remember you are living inside of the U.S.A when you are from Chile, then When time toke you learn the language? And What was the kind to practice that you had it?

I hope you can answer me of the best to way.

Sincerely yours.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Originally Posted by chileno

Realize that your mental block is produced because of what is highlighted in red, above.

Once you solve that problem (by not caring about it), then you won't have to be in the place you describe below. Because you do it well in English, so there should not be a problem doing it in Spanish either.

Just pay attention to your errors, so that you can self correct later and you'll get it in no time!

Very true. My own personal experience about feeling ridiculous was when I was learning French. My teacher hated me because I couldn't pronounce anything right... the day I felt angry and started "mocking" my teacher, it was the first time she said "très bien".

Paying attention to errors and correcting them by making exercises and practicing as much as one can needs a bit of discipline, but it does work.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Very true. My own personal experience about feeling ridiculous was when I was learning French. My teacher hated me because I couldn't pronounce anything right... the day I felt angry and started "mocking" my teacher, it was the first time she said "très bien".

Paying attention to errors and correcting them by making exercises and practicing as much as one can needs a bit of discipline, but it does work.

Yes, I can give you the reason about it, in the schools sometimes the teachers are very hard with the pupils most when the you don't learn anything of the they are saying in that moment, but that reason, when I was studying in the high school I heated much to my mathematics teacher because I don't like the mathematic never have like me the mathematics and he always was telling me, George if you does not learn the lesson of today, I believe that, I will send you to the direction, and it was the result of that never I learn the mathematics of the best way, then I consider that the teacher must to teach you of the best way if they want that you learn something, although I never went to a languages school, this language I learnt to empiric way, because I like it.

For that reason I have to throw the towel when I was studying the hight school in the mathematics class.


Mad professor.

[Tomisimo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

Do you know that being bilingual makes that the Alzheimer can be delayed (I'm not sure, I wanted to say: puede retrasar la aparición del Alzheimer)?. To be bilingual in this case is enough if you get a minimum in writing, speaking or listening. This is because of the connections made in the brain are good for this. These connections also help to get a better memory and concentration.

[puede retrasar la aparición del Alzheimer]
Being bilingual can reduce your chances of contracting Alzheimer's.
Being bilingual can delay the appearance of Alzhiemer's.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by Tomisimo

[puede retrasar la aparición del Alzheimer]
Being bilingual can reduce your chances of contracting Alzheimer's.
Being bilingual can delay the appearance of Alzhiemer's.

Tomisimo. You are saying the knows three or more language during the rest of your life, it can delay the appear of the Alzhiermer illness, then if you know around of five languages your brain works faster during all your live, it's very interesting because if the people study the languages or the mathematics their brain could work better and so they could develop more knowledge about the education or also they can be smarter although they even so can get the illness anyhow.

What did you say before about the illness is studied for the doctors?

[irmamar]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Tomisimo. You are saying the knows three or more language during the rest of your life, it can delay the appear of the Alzhiermer illness, then if you know around of five languages your brain works faster during all your live, it's very interesting because if the people study the languages or the mathematics their brain could work better and so they could develop more knowledge about the education or also they can be smarter although they even so can get the illness anyhow.

What did you say before about the illness is studied for the doctors?

I'm sorry, but the studies said that there's no difference for the brain if you learn two or more languages, the connections on the brain are the same. The most important thing for the brain is to get such skill when you're a child, but it's good enough although if you're an adult. But a second language is good enough for your brain.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by irmamar

I'm sorry, but the studies said that there's no difference for the brain if you learn two or more languages, the connections on the brain are the same. The most important thing for the brain is to get such skill when you're a child, but it's good enough although if you're an adult. But a second language is good enough for your brain.

The the brain don't get more health if you study two or more languages during your live, although I know that the learn more languages is good enough for your learning anyway, I though that the learn the languages was enough for that your brain worked more and he gets more health, but if that does not.. then I'm not to worrying me for anything if howsoever is the same to learn one, two or more language.


Thank very much for your great information about it.

[irmamar]

You're welcome

[chileno]

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

My dear Chilean, I wanna do a question for you, because I have the doubt since time ago, my questions is How do many languages you speak?. Because I have could see that you write the English so well, I guess that you speak the English as well, I'd like speak the English as you, but as I remember you are living inside of the U.S.A when you are from Chile, then When time toke you learn the language? And What was the kind to practice that you had it?

I hope you can answer me of the best to way.

Sincerely yours.

I speak, read and write english, or so i think.

Just that, and my trusty Spanish.

It took me about a year to be completely functional in English, and about 2 more years to, more or less, have "almost" completely translated what I knew in Spanish to English.

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Very true. My own personal experience about feeling ridiculous was when I was learning French. My teacher hated me because I couldn't pronounce anything right... the day I felt angry and started "mocking" my teacher, it was the first time she said "très bien".

Paying attention to errors and correcting them by making exercises and practicing as much as one can needs a bit of discipline, but it does work.

Yup, and that's exactly what you have to do, concerning "mocking" other people in order to get the intonation of the language. You still have an accent, but the intonation is correct, and that's makes a huge difference.

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by chileno

I speak, read and write english, or so i think.

Just that, and my trusty Spanish.

It took me about a year to be completely functional in English, and about 2 more years to, more or less, have "almost" completely translated what I knew in Spanish to English.



Yup, and that's exactly what you have to do, concerning "mocking" other people in order to get the intonation of the language. You still have an accent, but the intonation is correct, and that's makes a huge difference.

Yes. I can understand you when one language is not your tongue native is very hard to learn it, well in my case I have around of one year and four months leaning the language, but the difference with you is that I can't speak the language with other people, because I haven't practice even, then I need to improve my English with someone who speaks English, I can write the English as you have could to see, but it's not sufficient to me, then well, I don'r know How time more I will take me to learn the language as spoken as written.