Denis Hard

I also need to add a recommendation. I read and liked Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes comics. Not only did the characters use 'proper' English most of the time but it appears like Calvin's vocabulary [for his age] was rather advanced. Here's a dialog quote from the comic strip:

A few more: Fine tune - make changes to improve something. Music to one's ear - of [something] pleasing to hear. [something] rings a bell - to be familiar [to one] Sing a different tune - change one's opinion [unexpectedly].

My worst language habit is writing as if I was talking to someone on the street. It's not a great habit considering the fact that in a few months I might be getting a job as blogger somewhere. Hopefully, I am going to change that, observe the grammar rules and use 'proper' English.

Grammar is not my strong point but I gave the 'correction' a shot. It's a not a correction per se. It's more like cutting out superfluous words and making a slight change somewhere. Hopefully someone better will fix whatever needs fixing. Here's my attempt:

Kate, you shouldn't let 'speech problems' influence your linguistic development. I've known people who could speak a language quite well but couldn't read it at all because the way the words are written and the way they're spoken is different. The primary goal of learning a new language for most people is an ability to speak it. So regardless of how the words of a language are pronounced, learning to speak it shouldn't be too hard. So if you have a desire to learn a language, just go right ahead and give it a shot.

I wonder what's there to like in 50 Shades of Grey. I tried reading the first book and couldn't even go beyond the second chapter. While I must admit the twilight saga isn't the best trilogy I've read, it's not so bad . . . for teenagers [whom it's written for].

A few more: Dice with death - do something dangerous Till one's dying day - lasting for a lifetime. Cheat death - narrowly avoid getting killed/getting into serious problems. Ghost town - one of those 'have-been' towns. It's now on the decline, people are moving out . . . it's literary dead.

Again: In the same league - to be as good as someone at something/be at the same level. Drop the ball - make a mistake Game plan - a tactic/strategy/etc,. Level playing field - when a situation does not favor anyone.

The Sage. I don't think it's that popular but is definitely one of the best digital dictionaries. Actually, I found it when I was searching a thesaurus. It's a combo: dictionary and thesaurus. It's free so if you any of you guys want to see for yourselves if it's any good, you can download it here: http://www.sequencepublishing.com/thesage.html

Indirectly maybe. If, for example, you're watch a TV show that you like but don't understand what's being said or you get just a little bit [enough to pique your interest in the show] then to fully enjoy the show and others like it, you could, for the satisfaction of your craving, want to learn the language . . .

No I wouldn't teach my kids any languages that I've learned. From experience I know it doesn't work for the best. I was forced to learn three languages as a kid and do you know what happened? I lost my communications skills entirely even though I could speak all the three languages fluently because then, I wasn't sure I could speak as well as the native speakers of the languages I'd learned. It's best to let the kids decide for themselves when the time is right, if they want to learn other languages.

I don't how this works but I hear it's an effective way of learning language. Anyone care to enlighten me and others who may want to use this strategy?

Teach a baby a foreign language? How do you go about it? Having grown up in a place where the people speak several languages, the best way for a child to learn more than one language simply is by hearing that language spoken. It doesn't matter to what extent. Just as long as you speak it, the kid will learn it, without having to be taught. p.s The way babies learn languages is amazing.

Unless you're a religious zealot, I don't think it's necessary to learn a language like Latin. No one speaks it any more so there's no point in learning unless you want to read some old writings [mostly religious or outdated philosophy] which isn't that helpful because most of those writings have been translated to modern languages.

The main disadvantage of having ONE global language is that it'll create a feeling of 'oneness' which IMO is pretty bad. If the divisions that make us strive to be better than others are gone, then another problem would arise. The wealthy would literally take over the world and we'd have a repeat of what happened in France. A bloody revolution on a global scale. I think it's better - - the lack of a global language should keep people from working together.