Denis Hard

It depends on the language. There are some languages which no matter how hard you try to learn the accent you certainly just can't because of the way the consonants are spoken. Most people who learn French as a second language for instance find it hard to pronounce some words. That would make it impossible to learn say, a French accent of a Francophone country that has it's own unique accent.

Flirting in a foreign language especially when your interlocutor recognizes that you're learning a language can be great. They could play along, just to make fun of you and for your part you won't have self-consciousness impede you flirtations because he, you learn by speaking. If someone turns you away, you could always proceed straight to the next person you see and get on with the game. . .

This is what will kill languages: However the writer did make some specious statements. In sub-saharan Africa for example, there are not a few thousand speakers who have yet to get online but millions . . . and those who do, still speak their native languages. (I did some voluntary aid work in Sudan so I know a bit about Africa). But considering the fact that French people are getting to use English words more and more . . . there's that remote possibility that some languages will die off eventually.

I sometimes do but not that often. I still haven't given up on my dream to write a great story one day so I, most of the time, walk around with a note book and a pen. You know . . . just in case something comes up. I suppose that's why I don't write a lot of stuff on my hands. p.s I agree, Memento definitely is one of the best movies I've watched.

Being just like any other language, I know learning English presents challenges to learners which must be overcome to acquire fluency. One of them I hear is . . . English is not fun to learn . . . For those of you who've learned English as a second language would you mind sharing some of the challenges you've had to face?

I've been looking around the net for some language books and discovered that difference in the price of the same books on different web-sites was too great. Half.com had the most wallet-friendly prices so I intend to buy my stuff there in future. Where do you guys buy your language books? Maybe there's a site I overlooked that could be even much cheaper . . .

I can't remember who wrote the book but the title has not escaped me: The Bristol Murder. It's either that or Peter Pan. I got both as birthday gifts that's why I at least remember which novels I first held in my hands.

The reason we may hate some words is because in our unconscious we may have gone through a bad experiences and would therefore associate those words [whether they were used then or conjure up memories of what happened]. IMO, that's why most people have an aversion towards certain words. In my case I hate the words victor and ex. Anytime someone uses those words, I feel rage starting to burn hot inside me.

It doesn't matter. If something didn't happen, we can still speculate. . .mull over what could have happened if. . . So: "What could have happened" is correct.

Sometimes mispronunciation of words is hilarious so yeah, mimicking accents can be funny to the native speaker but those whom you're mimicking may not think so because you're making fun of them. So I kind of sit on the fence on this one. I don't mind mimicking regional dialects [of English, amongst native speakers] but attempting to mimick the accents of others who've had to learn the language is unfair and insulting.

Just two more. Once I'm fluent in Spanish, I'll learn Hebrew and Greek then I'll hang up my sword. I can't be studying all my life.

Pointing I agree is universal but waving definitely isn't. I read a story about a missionary in a foreign country who when she waved at one of the locals, he dashed over, supposing that she was in danger and was using that gesture, to call for help. That's how they did it. . . So I don't think body language does translate between cultures. In some countries, when you shrug it means "no."

Some more: Feather one's bed - [mis]use your position for gain. Chicken and egg situation - which came first? Yep. It's used to explain situations that are difficult to tell which of them caused the other because both lead to the other. Kind of cyclic. Chicken feed - very small amount of cash. Sleep with the chickens - go to bed early especially just when the sun is setting. (not to be mistaken with "sleep with the fish" which I don't believe is an idiom per se) Pecking order - used to refer to how people, say, in some institution, are ranked in relation to each each other.

I've experienced a slight loss of language because at one time in my life I had to practically use the same 1,000 or so words repetitively albeit in their different forms. Before I realized it, common words which I didn't use frequently started to escape me. The only solution to losing a language is constant usage.

Not all. I've been reading some interesting stuff about Zimbabwe. Colonized by Britain, they learned English but when relations between them over the seizure of land that belonged to white settlers got strained, the Zimbabwean government decided they didn't need English anymore and presently they're teaching Chinese in their schools. If more African countries decide that East is the way to go. . .

French was IMO the hardest language I've ever had to learn [or attempted to, TBH]. The reason I found it difficult was that I had a negative attitude and since it was mandatory to learn French in the school I studied in, you just submit to the rules even if you hated what you were doing. . . Attitude has more to do with how difficult a language appears to be [to you].

Come to think of it. . .the essay was kind of racist. Actually, the writer of the essay was trying to persuade Asian writers to write stories that dealt more with stuff that affected Asians or Asian-American community in general. Seeing that he'd discriminated against [he claimed so] I can't help symphathizing with him. . .

Each to his own I guess. . . Good grammar means nothing to me. If I get my point across regardless of how many grammar rules I break, who cares? I used to be a grammar puritan but what made me change was that no matter how well I could write, the stories I submitted for publication consistently got rejected. So I kicked the grammar rule-book out the window and started blogging. . . Good thing is my readers like my casual writing style.

I live in a small town that is home to people from a number of different ethnicities. Most people here, for that reason speak at least three languages. That's the norm. It's not uncommon however for more outgoing people to speak more than six languages fluently. In fact it's so normal that anyone can speak to you in their native language and expect a response because. . .well, that's how things are here.

I don't know where I'd place myself because I prefer audio-based learning. I'm not saying it's the best only that. . .it works for me.

So you've spent two years learning a new language and you get started on a new one. It's possible that if you don't use the language you'd learned frequently, you'll, before you know it, start forgetting some words and eventually you won't be able to speak it as fluently as you could originally. How do you avoid this?

It depends on what you like to read. By saying "advanced English Speaker" I'm supposing you're referring to near-Native proficiency in speaking, writing, etc of the English language. I'm not a fan of "literature" so I'll recommend books that aren't classified in that genre. You could try this ones: The Adventures of Huck Finn - Mark Twain [a true master of the written word]. Where The Red Fern Grows. The Road - Ian McCormack.

In a way I think learning a new language is an investment. For those who wish to work in a place where people speak more than one language, your chances of getting hired increase if in addition to the 'national' or 'standard' language, you can speak the local patois. In that case, learning the language would have been an investment.

The victor writes history? So, if China displaces the U.S and takes it's place as the Super-Power then it'll follow that since the Chinese will feel superior, they won't bother learning any other languages. As a matter of fact, since other nations will need to buy stuff from them, they'll have to learn Chinese. IMO, if China does become a super-power then the dominance of English will be cease and Chinese will take over. . .but that's like half a century from now.

Actually, I don't think you can learn a language from gaming. When I was an avid gamer a long time ago [5 or so years ago] I played some "non-English" games and I couldn't even figure out what which menu button stood for what. It was only through trial and error that I would get the game going. . .so unless you already know the language, games won't help.