sidney

I guess if you don't have the budget for it currently, then that would be fine. I suggest downloading songs of the artists that sing the language that you are trying to learn, play it repeatedly, and look up the meaning or translation online. That's how I unintentionally learn foreign words, and the constant repetition helps, so choose songs that you like the beat so that you will play it often.

You also forgot to mention to learn the slang language of the country that you plan to stay in or the slang words of the particular language itself. Some slang words are widely used and can be confusing for foreign people.

I have an English to Spanish dictionary, but it's just a small book. I haven't thought of making my own self-made dictionary yet since I don't have time to do it. Sure it would help you to learn more words and you can memorize them easily, but I would just prefer remembering them by constant repetition.

Good thing that you didn't force her to, since my mom also tried to force me to attend certain activities in school when I didn't feel like it. She even signed me up when I was 7 years old to attend a girl scout meeting. The first time I did, it bored me to death. She is not with me when I go to school, so she can't yank me to attend their meeting. Let her take the course on her own initiative, when that time comes then you'll now she really is interested in it.

@ VNtomboy, I guess it's also because we were colonized by Spain for 300 years, so the preferred "look" over here are the "mestizo" and "mestiza" looks and features (meaning fair skinned) so even if they don't look like it, at least they try to act like one! Whitening creams and soaps are also popular here since most dark skinned women want to lighten their skin. @ lushlala, When speaking to such people, why don't you pretend to not understand them and only respond in your native language? For sure they will be forced to speak it, then they will stop trying to impress people who won't buy into their act, lol.

I think that it can help you with learning some words or phrases, since I now know a couple of various words through constant repetition by looking at the subtitles. But for thorough learning, it's not enough. You need to take formal lessons or be immersed enough in the language by being exposed and conversing to the natives.

Yeah, I agree. I guess we should try to stall our speaking to avoid making mistakes by saying "um", "uh" as we think, filter and correct the words that we are about to say.

@ Lushlala, I guess some non-white people like to act one, after all America is the "it country", the worlds superpower, so the people in your country and my country bask in living there and they brag about it and act "white". @ VNtomboy, I don't think they really "forgot" their language, they just act like they forgot and continue to speak in English to be able to brag about their accent and for people to assume and think that they have l lived abroad. Typical 3rd world mentality. @ petrushka, It's because I DON'T buy the fact that those adults genuinely forgot their mother tongue when they left at 18 years old, that's why I say it's common. I think you believe it's possible, but for me, I don't. I think they're just bragging.

Yeah, and you're angry for God's sake, you're not supposed to think about appearing eloquent to your compatriot! Your goal is to express your anger and to retaliate verbally to their tirades. Of course, if the person is foreign and doesn't know your local language, then you have no choice but to speak English when you guys are arguing.

I agree with this method. I remember being able to learn a bunch of phrases and words just by hearing a couple of Japanese and Spanish words being repeated in movies, and the meaning has stuck to my mind because I always encounter the words. So repetition is the most effortless way to go.

Yup, I found one that speaks Spanish, but we normally chat about personal stuff and we don't really talk about language, although I can easily ask her to translate something for me if ever I need anything translated. Our friendship is actually more personal than language-learning related.

In your first post, it said that she struggled with writing the language, so which is which? Anyway, I think that your friend should be placed in the advanced section, but maybe because of her writing or oral skills, she was placed in the slow learning group. I guess to be properly placed in the fast learning group you really would need to be improved 100% in your oral and writing skills. Which part is she having difficulty doing anyway, the written or oral part?

That is quite common here in the Philippines where the people who have lived in another country for quite some time pretend to forget their native tongue and speak with an emphasized English accent to make it seem like they "have arrived". I really doubt that those 18 and 21 year olds really forgot their native language. I think they're just putting on an act to make them look superior since they have lived in another country.

I chose to learn the language that I'm studying which is German and Spanish mainly out of curiosity. I chose German because I like the songs of a German rock band, and when it comes to Spanish, I chose it because Spanish is used by many countries, and Tagalog also has Spanish roots because we were colonized by the Spaniards for 300 years.

I don't know people who are like that that speaks 3 or more languages, but over here in my country, it is quite common to see bilingual families, because here in the Philippines, English is widely used and is even regarded as a 2nd language.

1) I think that depends on the learning ability of the person. A person might be a slow learner, so it might take him several years to learn a new language, but for some who are fast learners, it might take them only several months. 2) Yes, if you want to be very fluent in the language that you are trying to learn. But if you are just a casual learner like me, then I think that it's not really important to reach that level. 3) Yes, as long as you are committed to learning the language that you are trying to learn, then it is not important if you are not being immersed in the language that you want to learn in another country.

E-books have been around for a decade or more, but tangible books are still around and lots more are being published, so I guess that there will always be a market for those tangible books, otherwise they would not be around today and you won't see any more bookstores and libraries. I personally prefer e-books though, since they're free and they don't take up any space.

I don't really get scared of horror films anymore ever since I became an adult, but I noticed that I do get scared if the story was realistic and can happen in real life as compared to fictional based stories. So I think I would be more inclined to be scared of the unknown because it makes you think what exactly is that scary creature, since it is not really described.

That is hard to answer, because I easily cry when the protagonist is dying or has died in movies or books. Even in those poignant short stories like "The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen, I still shed a few tears when the little girl died. So I really can't name just one, because everything I read that is poignant really touches me.

The Tagalog idioms that you have mentioned are the rare ones that are not used anymore. The idioms that came to mind are the more common ones like "Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo", at "balat-sibuyas". They also don't sound too formal or awkward to use in casual conversations as compared to the idioms that you mentioned.

I only know Tagalog, since both of my parents also did not know any other dialect, but it would be really nice if I can be able to learn other dialects too, especially the Visayan dialect. I do know some words and phrases in Cebuano because I hear it on tv and from other people speaking it.

Which year were you born? I never encountered that book all throughout high school, and I even switched schools twice at that. Maybe it was phased out already by the time I reached high school?

I think it should be taught, after all it's commonly used in informal conversations, so it makes sense to teach them to students. But the teacher should categorize it in the "slang" category and not teach it as formal English so that the students won't be confused.

And come to think of it, Latin is already extinct, right? So I don't see any point in exerting lots of effort and time to learn a language where no one speaks anymore. Unless you count the priests or other people who chant or speak Latin words, it's not practical and you can't find someone to converse Latin with in this day and age anymore.

Yeah, in a way I experience that too. When I speak in English it's like I'm also thinking, like I'm also double checking my grammar as compared to speaking in my native language where I just speak and speak and I don't double check. But nowadays I don't seem to do that as often as compared to before, my brain must be getting used to speaking English.