Trellum

I was thinking of this the other day, when I originally replied to this thread I was having in mind only the pronunciation issue, but I had left out the fact that formulating sentences in your mind then speak them can be hard too. I never experienced this before, until I started learning dutch... now I fully understand! With english I had no doubts before saying something, hence I stressed over pronunciation things right, but with dutch... I've to think long and hard about the words and their order.

Do any of you study multiple languages? I am hesitant to begin studying a new language before mastering the current foreign language I am studying. I would like to become fluent in several languages and am frustrated with how long it takes. For those of you who have learned multiple languages at the same time, what did you do to become fluent? How did you allocate your study time?

I've always had that very same mentality with languages and that is why I haven't gotten very far with them   I know people who are learning several languages at once, and I honestly can't understand how they keep motivated and learning.  I personally think I'd get confused if I learnt several languages at once, that is not my cup of tea and some languages are very hard to learn already like for example the weird word order of dutch!

I'd say it depends on the language and how fast you want to learn it.  Right now I'm using the Inburgering course, which isn't good at all because it's so boring and repetitive.  I'm also using a grammar book I found in PDF format, as well as a couple online resources to learn vocabulary and new phrases, one of them is Memrise   I was using Duolingo for a while, but it isn't that useful.

This sounds interesting   I might give this one a try too, I'm so tired of sites like Speaky... a lot people claiming they're looking for language exchange partners, but when it comes to interacting and practicing they fall so short. Maybe this kind of app allows a more direct approach to language exchange...

I just checked it out... it looks great, it reminds me of Fiverr, but free   I bookmarked it,  just in case, I like the fact you can post what you are in need of and just get offers of help Who knows, I might need help with something that is not related to languages, this sounds like the right place for this.

I think you will have to wait a bit longer   Because as far as  I know they are not working on a japanese course yet   They just released Vietnamese, I think?  If that is true,then there surely is hope for more asiatic countries to be released in the future   Meanwhile it's good you are working with Pimsleur Japanese, I've been thinking of doing the same with dutch. 

I guess Duolingo it's more popular than other apps because it often feels as if you were playing a game instead of learning something.  It also helps it allows you to follow and be followed by other people... so you can compete to see who gets the most XP each week or month.  I mean, it can be very fun if you make bets to see who gets the most XP I bet a lot people do that. I know I would if I knew someone close to me learning dutch.

Yes, anything with the ''th'' sound, because in my mother language we don't have that sound. As a matter of a fact... I still have such a huge problem pronouncing ''teeth''.  I just don't seem capable to get that word right, I try to avoid it as much as possible, because sometimes it feels as if I was saying ''tit''.  I started to feel that way when a friend of mine  made fun of the way I pronounce that word

I've recently met a lot 15's and 18's year old interested in learning as many languages as possible. I find that funny, because they remind me so much of myself when I was a teen.  Actually my interest for languages started when I was 17 or so.  I dreamed of learning as many languages as possible, but sadly I fell short.  I'm amazed to see most of the kids with the same ambitions (I've met lately) already speak more than two languages!

I'd like to know how many of you started to feel interested in language learning at an early age? 

I've mentioned I'm trying to learn dutch because I'll have a very important exam this year, I've also mentioned how upset, frustrated and angry I feel about learning this language (the word order is so confusing!).  Well, this is not my only problem, the problem is that the person who is supposed to help me with this language, instead of making me feel more confident and eager to learn it, makes me feel really uneasy and lacking confidence in my skills. I know, I might be sounding like a baby, but this person does that.

I know I should be stronger, but the support and help from this person is something I really need. And no, I can't tell the person not to help me or be involved in this process, because this person is part of this process. After talking to this person on the topic I feel this way. I thought I'd feel better after some days, but no

What should I do?

Hi there, if you need any help with a phrase in particular please let me know.  I'm a native Spanish speaker and I'm more than capable to provide some phonetic transcriptions   Just send me a private message or e-mail and I'll gladly help you out with any difficult phrases.

Right now it would be Dutch for me. I swear this language is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!  The word order is so confusing, most of the time I get confused with ''Het is'' and ''is het''! Jesus!  Sometimes I do type things in the right order, but when that happens I think it's more of a coincidence than actual skill.  i feel bot frustrated and angry at the moment, not knowing if I'll be able to pass the exam   I'm nervous!

I honestly don't love french culture, the only thing I like about France and the french is their baked goods   That and their love for fashion and looking good, taking care of themselves, etc.  I wanted to learn french when I was younger because I liked their folk music, and french is one of the most popular languages.  Their people don't make it easier wanting to learn their language anymore tho, lol, but  speaking french if you go on a holiday to a country like Algeria can be useful.

I have to say, I actually developed anxiety from trying to speak French. I believe it was my bachelor's degree that started it all. I forced myself to get a degree with an extended major in French without a background in French to get a job as a teacher in Canada; which is tough. I remember trying to decipher ancient French thinking, "What am I doing? I can't even read ancient English!"

I found I was afraid to speak French with the french people I new and it didn't help when some of them were rude to me. I remember asking a fellow from France, "D'ou venez-vous?" Which as far as I know means, where are you from. He kept asking me what I was saying over and over until I said, France? He was from France. I guess what I said was wrong but he was very rude and made me feel very stupid.

I wonder, have any of you had a bad experience speaking French?

I feel for you, it's amazing what a single jerk can do to one's self-esteem and confidence when learning a new language. Just keep working on improving your french, and try to practice with people who aren't from France. French people have an awful rep and it's for a good reason... I had the most awful experience. First i was attacked by a cleaning employee from the airport, then completely ignored by the french employees of my american airline... Yup, answered in french when I asked them about my gate!!! I wasn't in f*cking France because I wanted!!!! I was stuck in their airport because i missed my connection flight in the US.  Horrible place.

I know several people from my country that went to France to study had bad experience with the locals. They were teased (quite rudely) when they try to converse in French. Now, I don't want to paint the same picture to all French people, but everyone that I knew who went there as a student or an expat had to face similar situation. 

I had a similar experience in France.  So far I've heard awful things of french people, as well as Dutch people.  It's fine with the french because I won't be living there, but the dutch? Now that makes me nervous!  But seriously the french are an extremely difficult bunch, feel so bad for your friends. I was humiliated at an airport by a french speaking African immigrant just because i asked something in english. Crazy people.

If you are lucky and if you learn french well enough you will be able to understand those who speak using a dialect.  It's the same with Dutch, so don't worry, just focus on learning french well and the rest will come easily to you   At least it should.  Don't stress yourself. I'm going to live to a place where people speak different dutch dialects, am I worried? Not at all!

It is normal for some people, but for others not so much. It depends on the person, but believe it or not that is how you learn your mother language as a baby.  It's called active listening and every single human that understand and speak a first language learnt it that way, thru active listening.  You did it that way with you mother language.  I did too.  For children is easier... that is why this method is perfect for kids. They put no effort in it, yet they learn to speak fluently.  Us adults learn just a few things, but rarely can learn to speak a language fluently this way, unless we put a conscious effort into it.

The best example I can give you is the language of my people, I'm talking of ''Ladino'', the language spoken by the sephardi jews.  Our language is dying, right now is only spoken in Israel by a few grandmothers, but you can find a few places where you can learn it.  Still, less and less young people are showing interest in it. I honestly think this language is going to die out soon.  It's sad but true, very few living speakers.  When the last ladino speaking grandma in Israel dies... that will surely be it.  Sadly this is something bound to happen.

My favorite quotes can be found in most of H.P. Lovecraft works, but there is one that is definitely my favorite quote:

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far. The sciences, each straining in its own direction, have hitherto harmed us little; but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.”

That is my favorite quote, it was taken from The Call of Cthulhu. One of my fav novels... played the game after reading it too   Awesome...!

Yes! I find it interesting that some literature snobs don't appreciate a different artistic medium. That seems a bit narrow-minded for someone who is supposed to have an active imagination.

Neil Gaiman's Sandman is definitely good, as are Alan Moore's V For Vendetta and Watchmen. If you were a fan of The Dark Knight, also check out The Killing Joke by Alan Moore. That's the story that inspired the movie.

Just like literature, graphic novels can add to one's own cultural awareness. To me, that alone makes them important.

Graphic novels are big thing A lot new movies have and are still pooping out... all based on graphic novels. I love it.  Graphic novels are such a great invention, they have shaped a big part of our pop culture and that says a lot, because not many literary works have done that, at least not in the way some graphic novels have.  I enjoy both the western and japanese graphic works

Of course they are worth reading! Specially if you like a material in particular!  Who cares what the others think or like?  When reading something you should only care about what you think, if you like it you should read it.  Who cares about the trends and what others think? Specially when it comes to something as personal as reading material.  Anyways, that is my answer to your question regarding to graphic novels, that's how I see it. 

I personally like some graphic novels, I don't care if others don't like it or think less of them because they're graphic novels.  I enjoy reading some of them and that is ALL that matters.  That in my opinion make them worth to read.

I love how it is easy to check out an ebook from my library website, but they will never replace printed books for me. I just love to hold and feel them. It is so much easier to flip through a book than to scroll through an ebook.

Same here, but it's amazing how many books you can carry around in electronic format.  I might ask my beau for a kindle next Christmas   The one I want it's only $199, so we will see   I really miss the printed books, the feel of the pages, writing on the pages (when using the workbook of certain language courses), but I guess this new trend will help our world a lot... maybe we will use less trees now?

At first I wanted to resist to the idea of reading an e-book, because in my mind nothing could beat having the book in my hands!  Sadly I had to get used to it, specially now that I've got several grammar books and other courses in PDF format.  The good things is that you can electronically highlight them   You can even write on them if you want!!! So I'm doing all the exercises of the workbook right there.  Pretty cool!  I'd still prefer having a paper copy, but no choice for now.

I guess very soon the printed works will vanish, in a way I think that is great for our planet, specially our trees. I think our forests will appreciate it.

I writing a paper and I'm very confused with being vs been. What is the rule? Can someone help?

Both are different forms of the verb to be, but being  can be used both as a gerund and present participle. Been is just the past participle of to be.  So it's use is a bit more restricted, when in doubt use being, specially with phrases where you are trying to hint an activity is taking place, but when an activity has already taken place and has come to and end you use ''been'.

I learnt about Memrise thanks to a fellow Duolingo buddy   I've heard both good and bad things about the site and the method.  I just signed up today, they offer a lot languages courses, most languages one would want to learn can be found there.  They offer free and premium membership, the premium one really seems to be worth it if you are serious about the language you are learning.  Love how interactive the courses I have tried there are.  I'm really thinking of getting the premium membership