sidney

I think it's just appropriate for fast and slow learners to be divided so that the teachers can be guided accordingly  regarding how they teach, right? Slow and fast learners have different needs to be fulfilled, like slow learners need more attention than the fast learners, so I think that the language level system is just right.

I haven't done that yet, but I would do it. But only when I'm fluent enough to speak as fast as I think. I think speaking a foreign language also helps you to assess your command of the certain language by asking the person on the other end of the line to assess your command of the language and correct any mistakes in grammar and pronunciation that you have made, if there's any.

I can only imagine how time consuming that would be if you would still try to learn the roots of a particular language, considering that it is already hard and time consuming enough to learn one language fluently. I'm sure there are lots of people who are willing to do that, but it's not my cup of tea. I like to learn only the language that I'm interested in, and all the more if I can use that language for practical purposes, like getting to land a better job, for example.

I have made foreign friends and acquaintances who speak English, but none as of yet that speaks my local language. Wait, I did have a British friend that speaks Tagalog, but she was born here, so that doesn't count. I do have one friend that speaks Spanish, and I can conveniently ask her if I want to know the meaning of something in Spanish. Language barriers can indeed pose a problem for friendships and communication in general, but with diligent studying and practice, it can be overcome.

hmm. there's no one-word translation of the word 'slander' in Filipino/Tagalog

Lies - Kasinungalingan

And - At

Slander - Siraan ng Puri

Slander can also be called "paninirang-puri", right? So it can also be translated as "kasinungalingan at paninirang-puri".

Yeah, I think we really need a native Japanese speaker in here to be able to accurately figure out the meaning of that catchy Japanese song. It's hard to find that song translated in English!

I think as soon as the kid starts going to pre-school, then I guess that is the perfect time for the kid to start learning another language. I got to learn English as soon as I hit nursery, so learning it has been pretty easy for me, not to mention that English is widely used over here.

I wish I had a chance to learn German or Spanish, but I'm leaning more towards Spanish, because a lot of countries use that language.

I don't really have that much time to study another language nowadays, but whenever I do have time to spare, then just use the internet to translate certain words to another language, since I'm pretty much a beginner. I just casually study for fun, so I don't have any textbooks aside from a translation dictionary.

I think if the person is already too old to be "malleable" to change their accent, then I think they will always have their native accent apparent whenever they try to speak English. Because I have heard a lot of Indians who speak English very fluently, but their accent is still really thick and apparent.

The case would be different if the person learned the foreign language at a very young age, because the accent can easily be learned when the kid is around 10 years old or below through immersion.

English is also the 2nd language over here, but I am also more comfortable arguing with people using my native tongue. It just "hits the spot" when you express your anger in your native language. Forget about trying to be eloquent when arguing with someone, curse and insult them in your local language instead! :grin:

I think that anything can be improved with practice, so I'm not really concerned with the pronunciations as much as trying to memorize symbols, like the Chinese alphabet for example. But if I were to study French, then for sure I would also have a hard time pronouncing it. The French brands that I come across are always hard to pronounce because how it's spelled is different from the pronunciation of the word.

Reading and watching movies in Spanish should not be neglected either

I agree, because this is how I'm unintentionally learning Spanish, thru watching movies that have Spanish dialogues in them and by reading the subtitle. Sometimes, some English shows that I watch also have some Spanish lines that get translated in English, but I learn better when I repeteadly hear the word and see it's translation, like the word "que" for example. I hear it all the time.

I think trying to form elaborate sentences in Spanish is my weakness. I can form simple ones, but I can't form long and complex ones. I have no problem with the pronounciation though.

No, not at all, because in my country, it is widely used and considered as a 2nd language already, so learning has not been difficult for me, since even as a child I was exposed to it. However, if it was another language that you're asking about, then I don't think it would be that easy to learn, especially as an adult with no immersive environment to be exposed in.

Thanks for sharing, this would be very beneficial for those who would want to learn a new language, since they can save lots of money. I tried to see if my country can offer such a service by looking it up in the site, but it came up with zero search results. And I was expecting that, lol.

That same scenario has happened to me a couple of times, but I really couldn't care less about what they were talking about. As long as they do not inconvenience me in any way, or if I don't have something important to say, then I don't feel a need to start small chats with strangers or foreigners in public.

Yes, I actually think and feel the same, because speaking does not make room to think about what you have to say, while writing gives you more time to think before putting into words what you want to say.

Yes, that is indeed one of the best reasons to want to learn a new language, especially if you are about to migrate to a foreign country. But I guess for me, since I don't plan to do that, the best reason would be if it would improve your skill in a certain career field, like in a call center for example that pays more for foreign speaking agents.

I wouldn't say that my method of learning a new language is "absurd", but I accidentally learn them by watching subtitled tv shows or movies, and by listening to foreign songs that I happen to like and using the internet to find out what they roughly mean, since Google Translate isn't a great translation tool.

It's taken from one of the theme songs in this Japanese program that I loved to watch, it's Shaider. I have always wondered what it meant, so here it goes:

Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Shigi-shigi...

Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Shigi-shigi...

Fushigi-shigi Makafushigi Ruwa

Fushigi-shigi Makafushigi Ruwa

Fushigi-girai wa yowamushi komushi Ruwa

(Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Ruwa)

Zuden to tataite keto-keto-ketobashite

(Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Ruwa)

Koro-koro-koro-korogase

Fukai tanisoko tsukiotose

Fushigi Fushigi Fushigi

Ruwa Ruwa Ruwa

Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Shigi-shigi...

Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Shigi-shigi...

Fushigi-shigi Makafushigi Ruwa

Fushigi-shigi Makafushigi Ruwa

Fushigi-girai wa nakimushi komushi Ruwa

(Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Ruwa)

Tsuite tsunette nage-nage-nagetobashi

(Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Ruwa)

Zuru-zuru-zuru hikizure

Fukai mizuumi hourikome

Fushigi Fushigi Fushigi

Ruwa Ruwa Ruwa

Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Shigi-shigi...

Shigi-shigi Ruwa Shigi-shigi Shigi-shigi...

Thanks in advance to those than can help me with it, because Google Translate can't help me!  :speechless:

I think that between those 2 countries, I'm not really inclined to say that their dialects are confusing, because it still conveys the general message. Like the English people are inclined to say "I reckon" than "I think", which is how the Americans say it.

In my country though, our local dialects are like a different language. You really must take language lessons to be fluent in one.

As for me, I never really had that much of a problem imagining the setting or characters in the story, maybe because I'm naturally imaginative to begin with. So as long as they write it descriptively enough, then for sure my imagination can follow suit.

Yes you are right, but I find it odd that you used a period instead of an exclamation point to end the sentence. Take a look at the examples from this website: http://www.englishlanguageguide.com/grammar/exclamative-sentence.asp

Notice all of the examples have exclamation points instead of a period.

My favorite short story is "The Little Matchstick Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen. It's quite poignant, and it really touched my heart the first time I read it. Most of Hans Christian Andersen's work always has a sad ending.

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