Dame6089

Sign language is most certainly a real language. I've said this in another thread, language is situational. In order to effectively communicate you need to figure out the appropriate language for every situation. Sometimes, that language is sign language.

In my opinion speaking is the most difficult. But it is worth noting that I actually think that listening may be even harder than reading, writing, and speaking. As a learner, it can be really difficult to understand a naive speaker who speaks in a natural rythm .

I would love to learn Japanese. I am a huge fan of Japanese culture and actually started teaching myself the language in high school. If I was to get serious about learning Japanese again, I would definitely hire a tutor. I find that it is much easier to learn a language when you have someone to speak to in the language.

Google translate is a mixed bag for me. It is perfectly fine when translating a single word. It cannot, however, consistently translate complete sentences with 100% accuracy. I found that in college I would type a sentence into google translate and then correct google's work. It was a way for me to do proof reading in the process of writing a paper.

In general, I don't enjoy bad grammar. It just annoys me. But I will say this, I firmly believe that language is situational. Thus, I find myself being looser with grammar when I am around people with poor grammar. For example, I am not going to be a grammar nazi when I am around a foreign speaker or someone less educated. It is foolish to make a conversation difficult or awkward because you are choosing to use perfect grammar with someone who doesn't speak like that.

The first time I started learning Spanish was in 8th grade. Truthfully though we weren't really learning to speak the language so much as we were learning colors, numbers, and phrases. I can't say I truly started learning until I took my first Spanish class in college. That really opened up my world and I can comfortably say that I learned 10x as much in one class than I learned the previous 5 years.

That is really funny! I have never heard anyone use "irregardless" before. You can be sure that I would call them on it, if I ever heard it. Maybe I'm wrong, but doesn't putting "ir" in front make the word "regardless" not mean anything at all?

Over the years I have gotten into the habit of saying "asi es la vida" on a daily basis. It seemed to me to be the most logical translation for one of my favorite english phrases, "such is life". I've never asked a native spanish speaker if this is right or not. It will be a little embarrassing if I have been saying this wrong for years because some of my friends have even picked it up from my frequent use.

I live in Brooklyn, so I hear Spanish a lot. I mostly use Spanish to eavesdrop on people who aren't aware that I speak Spanish Truthfully though, you never now when Spanish will come in handy. From getting a job to reading a restaurant menu, you never know when being able to speaking Spanish can help you out!

My favorite word has to be "tiquismiquis", which means something along the lines of "trivial" in english. It is just one of the most fun words to say. Seriously, just say it. tiquismiquis!

I really enjoy "El secreto de sus ojos". It is a crime thriller with great writing and acting. It also isn't overly violent, so don't worry about that. "Rudo y Cursi" is another worth checking out. It is a comedic drama about two brothers who are soccer players.

I took 3 years of Spanish in college and was at the top of my class. One of my professors even made it a point to tell me that I was one of the best students he has ever had. Unfortunately, Spanish was not my major and I have not continued studying it. It has been a year and a half since I've last spoken Spanish on a daily basis. Is there anything I can fit into my daily schedule to help me stay sharp with my Spanish?