Trellum

Actually comics can help advanced students to learn new words and phrases. It depends in the comic you pick tho, can't say I have learnt a lot by reading the walking dead comic. Lol, I have learnt Robert loves using the word f*ck a lot onlyb xD Nope, not recommended for English students.

The only comic I'm currently reading is the walking dead one. I started reading it because I love the genre and it looked like can interesting read. I'd never use it as a learning tool. I truly admire the guy who illustrates Robert Kirman. I really think a lot people fail to realize how hard it is to do that, because the author of the comic must be fully satisfied with how his ideas were translated into images.

I envy you, when I was younger the enjoyment of learning a language was enough, and my success was the thing that fueled all my enthusiasm and pushed me to improve more and more. Not anymore tho, I lost the focus and push linked to most things related to learning and academics. Sad, I know, but that happens when you have very serious and persistent health issues. Once things get better I might go back to enjoying to learn things in general

Indeed. There have been several times I've wished to speak x language, so I could save myself from several difficult situations or at least make things go easier. I guess that's another good motivator to want to be multilingual, hahaah. Like when I watched a film where things could have gone better if the main characters could have spoken the language of the natives. It's amazing how many misunderstandings can take place... even in when speaking to people in our own language.

Indeed, Laura Learning a language because you are moving out to a country where that language you want to learn is spoken is a great motivator, but sadly when you weren't planning to move and it just happens... well, you do lack the passion to learn said language! Specially if the country you are moving to doesn't interest you in any way, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do! That in itself is motivating if you tend to feel guilt often... just like I do Hehehehe!

Some people can't learn with a teacher. I actually had a few English classes at school and couldn't really learn a lot. It wasn't until I tried learning on my own that I was successful. Some people can't learn using books and teachers, some people need to do it on their own, I admit I'm a rare case... given the fact I didn't use material I found online... I just chatted and first observed what others wrote... Not sure if I'd have learnt anything if I had taken a course.

I like human contact most of the time, specially when I am feeling fine, but when I am not... I rather pass. I agree that socializing with people who speak the language we want to learn is a great way to practice and even learn, but isn't realistic for most people out there. Unless you are rich, but if you are not... well, searching for resources online is the way to go. Plus, you can talk to people online as well, practice that way and maybe learn a bit more! It works well too, better than studying completely on your own.

I think most of the folks wanting to learn a new language would do the same if given the chance Sadly not many have the cash to do so, but here in my country I've heard of programs where you can travel to a country where they speak the language you want to learn and you can also work there. Yup, it's possible to do that. I actually read about that, some programs offer you to find a job for you over there, but you have to pay a lot more. Like if the course and the place where to stay wasn't expensive enough!

Oh really? I want to get the Hebrew one as well in the future! How is it going?! Did your husband like it? Is he already learning something? Did it come with a CD? I ask because most of the for dummies language courses come with a CD, at least the ones I have bought, but I know that a few of them don't. Did your husband order the course online?

Foster, what I love of those series is the fact that there seems to be a for dummies book for everything you need to learn! Even the most unlikely topics, like for example raising chickens! I love that. They also have books that show you how to use some of the latest gadgets and some really useful secrets. I love the for dummies series, these are my fav non fiction book series. As for the language courses... I really have liked most of them, but the quality of the material will depend a lot on the author, most of times they're really high quality.

In my language it would be something like ''Soy Tuya'', for females and for males is ''Soy tuyo''. I find it very romantic as well, this thread has inspired me to do something nice for my SO... I will get at it right after I'm done writing this message! It's been a difficult week! Thanks for the reminder... I need to work harder on learning dutch! Love is better expressed with actions and not with words :shy:

Hahahaha!!!! Yeah, this kind of thread is made often, lol. Always with a different selection or words or just a plain different word order. But it's interesting, because most of the old threads on the subject are buried deeply beneath pages and pages, so this way the new forum members get the chance to have a say on this mega popular subject, lol.

My desire to learn English was super random, lol. One day I just started paying attention to the things people on the yahoo chat were typing and saying on the mic. That' how everything started for me. From that point on I just started learning and earning more English without even knowing it or trying it. I just wanted to be able to communicate with others in English! I thought it was so cool. As for dutch... my boyfriend is my main inspiration to learn it. Since we want a life together in the Netherlands, I need to learn the language for that to be possible. So... my desire to learn dutch is more like a need to do so. I feel kinda pressed to do so.

They are. I actually like this kind of courses, because you can browse thru the pages and just find what you need. The language courses of these series are well organized most of the time, and they always come with an audio CD (almost always). I find that to be really useful and nice I actually have the dutch for dummies course, it comes with a nice audio book. Sadly the contents are not so well organized, not like other courses in the series, but it still is good for the price.

Actually most of those books come with an audio CD! The the for dummies language series are very professional. I think they're fool-proof as the title suggests. I have several books that belong to these series, including language courses and they look like any other language course, sometimes they are even better than some similar language courses. It really depends on the author, but in genera I really like how the contents are organized in these books.

I might start doing something like that. Actually the old method I learn English with might not work as good as it did with dutch. I think this time I'll need to practice as much as possible with dutch native speakers. I first need to learn basics... that will get me going I will just focus on my 30 minutes long Pimsleur lessons and then go practice it with my SO or someone else.

Right now none, but once I get more serious studying dutch I will try to do it on a daily basis for at least 30 minutes. If I don't manage to get myself to do it daily (it's too tough to even do it for 30 minutes 3 days a week!), I'd really like to at least study it 5 times a week, just to feel good about myself and at least grasp the basics. Lately I wonder if I'm doing the right thing and if the effort is worth it...

I first try to focus on learning the basics of the language in written form, learning enough vocabulary and how to form basic sentences, as well as memorizing basic phrases. Right after that I just jump in and start writing the language, via chat or exchanging mails with native speakers. After that I usually start speaking it via Skype or any other chat service.

That's so true! I actually learn English mostly thru the language exchanges I participated in. The people I chatted with and exchanged e-mails with weren't my teachers, but without even knowing it they taught me so much and it's thanks to them than now my English is as good as it is now. Books can't replace the knowledge of a native speaker, plus they can't answer you back either

I'm just curious guys, just wondering if any of you had ever given a try to one of those ''for dummies'' language learning courses? I'm a big fan of the ''for dummies'' series, and I've been knowing for a while they also have a couple of language courses, but haven't given them a try. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then please take a look:

Same here, Cadence! I hate dubbing so much, sadly over here it's becoming more and more popular to dub everything! Now most movies are dubbed to Spanish instead of allowing us to enjoy the original audio!!! I couldn't enjoy the last move I watched because I'm sure a lot interesting cultural differences got lost in the translation. It jut feels wrong! To hear the ''voice'' of that actor in Spanish... when you already know what that actor sounds like in English can be so odd. That' why I've had such a hard time watching anime with the original Japanese audio after listening to the Spanish version.

As many forum members have pointed out already, it could actually take you years to be fluent, but the results highly depends on your interest in the language and how good you are at languages. I've met people who are natural learning languages, they are so good they can get a basic knowledge of a language in just a few months! So it really varies from person to person, some people are good at languages while others not so much, they can still learn. Some people have certain advantages when they start learning a language. Others don't, for example dutch people trying to learn German and visceversa! So it really depends!

I love singing J pop as well and watching anime, but no, I'm not trying to learn japanese right now, not at all! I must admit I've already learnt several words, I sometimes use them with my friend who is actively learning the language and also happens to love watching anime. It's fun, we often talk about the j pop bands we love (we got to know most of them thanks to the anime we watch) and share new songs on Skype So fun! He is already very fluent in japanese! My hero!

Same here, for some reason I find easier to focus on the written words, sometimes I read along the audiobook as well, but that in the end makes the use audio book a bit pointless. I guess some people are not meant to listen to audio books, hehehe! I'm one of those persons, I very much prefer the written word over the spoken one, way easier to focus.

Lol, wow... so Asian writers should make the characters of all their books Asians? That's a very close minded point of view. I'd not like to read the books of the author who thinks like that. It's just so odd of someone to even think about that, because one thing is being an ethical person and another thing is to be extremely biased and close minded. No offense... but what a bigot! If he writes novels... gosh, they must be so predictable and boring, because he surely doesn't offer enough variety of characters and situations. I love to read authors who are daring and not afraid to play with nationalities and situations...