justusforus

I too have heard good feed back on Amazon.  It seems that in addition to others I see above, there are others entering the market.  I would suggest you "shop" and decide which you think would give your book the most exposure.

As to Daimashin, there are services that can try and recover a hard drive (assuming you still have it) the technology keeps improving and I have actually used it with a good result.

As a native English speaker, I think it is an interesting question.  When I am "thinking" to speak a foreign language, I would say I am thinking in both.  I guess it is how you define it but when I look at a cat and pronuounce it in the language I am studying, I am still seeing the same object but the words are in both languages in my opinion.

I often think that we speak so quickly that our minds must be working overtime to be able to form sentances, make a joke or even a pun.  Other times to use an idiom we can "put our foot in our mouth: and wonder why our brain didn't stop us before the words came out.

I think sometimes in jest when I am speaking with others who are studying the language we use combination words.  Of course though we realize it is more for fun, and would not want to do so in speaking the foreign language to its native speakers.

Once I consider myself "proficient" I will tell you they are equally "easy".  Perhaps just due to familiarity and length of time, I would feel more confident, say in a debate, to do so in my native tongue.

I really don't think being an introvert or extrovert or in between has anything to do with language or other learning.  Sort of a "chicken and egg" question though.  Could learning a new language increase confidence and help an introvert be more outgoing?  In my opinion, I think I would not want to even imply personality traits could affect learning...if it discouraged someone from trying.

I found this thread and the building of explanations in the responses quite interesting.  I do note a lot of native English speakers do not use whom correctly or for the most part at all.

Part of my everday job is to give advice.  I listen very carefully and ask follow up questions if I am not sure.  Some say learning to listen is as great a skill as learning to speak.  I also think this is a joke amongst the genders...but I won't say which way it goes.

I can  understand a mistake with a smaller company.  I worked in a large corporation and it seemed every decision went through several departments (marketing, accounting, legal, etc.)  Guess some of these slipped under the radar...Funny but sad no one figured it out first.

I appreciate the thread and all of the responses.  Regardless of any individual beliefs, it is fascinating to contemplate this in the context of the evolution of languages.

I never really thought about it.  I see Braille in elevators and on ATM machines (that's what first popped in my mind) but really don't see it that much.

I had to look it up when I first heard it.  I too did not realize it was that old in origin.  The explanation of "work it" when said to a dancer does seem to be a plausible explanation, but even that phrase I would have guessed was of more recent origin.  You learn something new every day!

Oh that video!  The pitch as well as the speed made it grating.  I am used to a lot of fast talkers in the United States and it is often a regional thing.  I will say though that I also find Spanish speakers to keep up a quick space and to the novice it can be disconcerting.

Some great responses on here.  I have to agree that German seems to sound like you are really getting cursed out well.  I do also agree that Italian is another, but it is more musical on the ears even though the message may not be.

In the US I often hear celebrities being interviewed and they will make a mistake.  It is rare a host will point it out.  One word often mispronounced is "nuclear".  A former president pronounced it NUKE-U-Lar and I think it stuck.  Maybe it is also because people abbreviate the word to "nuke" in common speech, but I cringe when I hear it.

In America, I hear irregardless all the time.  It is so often misused I think it keeps getting passed around and it sounds familiar.  It bothers me too each time I hear it.  If you do bring it up, often you will end up in a debate so I usually grit my teeth and ignore it.

When I read the title, I too would have mentioned the "tip of the tongue" problem.  I studied psychology and there is actually something called TOT state (which means "tip of the tongue").  Apparently we sometimes draw something to our short term memory in preparation to speak and it somehow get jangled in the processing.  The best thing I have always heard is move on and don't try to force it out..and usually it does just come back when you are not trying to hard to remember.  If I recall it has something to do with the way our minds process and encode words.

I think words that are superlatives like greatest, incredible, incomparable catch my eye.  I think some writers use tease words like explicit or seductive to draw interest.

Well thanks for posting.  It is fun and I am sure many of us did it before we realized it was for fun.

Most studies I would say I do better alone.  Language though, with the auditory component, makes a study buddy a real plus.  It is also a bit more fun.

I read the title and didn't really know who I would say.  After seeing the comments I have to agree...Shakira is such a great entertainer and I read she is a wonderful real person.  Antonio Banderas seems fun and Gilles Marini..the picture says it all but glad to read he is a decent guy too.  So there is my trifecta, even if I had to borrow some...I certainly agree.

I agree with many who say the two seem very closely related and at times are indistinguishable.  Sure there are some nonsense lyrics in popular songs.  I am a fan of looking up the lyrics to songs and when you see them written out, some rival the most beautiful of prose.

I am not a fan of text, but when I do, I am thorough and do not abbreciate or use short cuts.  If the person doesn't understand a clear message it results in texting back and forth to clarify.  Sort of defeats the purpose of text as a quick and easy mode of communication.

I think it is a combination of both, or sometimes one will overcome the other.  Specifically, a story may interest me but I may tire of the manner it is conveyed.  I may be captivated by the tone and tenor in which an author writes and that may overcome a rather conventional story.  I guess it really depends and I know that is seen as skirting the question.  Bottom line, I know it when a writing grabs me and it is as much a gut reaction as it is being drawn in by the storyline, the story teller or both.

Welcome Samson.  You have quite an ambitious goal to learn so many languages.  I find the forum fascinating, with lots of views and interesting people.  Hope you enjoy participating and I wish you well.