Humbleman

It depends on the situation. I think slang spices things up in informal settings. It is inappropriate in formal settings though. I also think formal and informal settings are found both in written and spoken form so slang in written form can be acceptable in some instances. For example, when blogging or writing to a friend, those can be considered informal settings so I think slang should be acceptable for those occasions.

Yea...I agree with you. A locational situation. If I were in an office meeting with fellow co-workers, I could never use words like "yow", "zeen", "Kool"...highly inappropriate. Mannn....I could get fired for that. Santa Claus aint gonna higher me if I get fired.  :santa:

I have to admit that I like everything to be proper, but I still find some slang words to be hilarious and entertaining, and most of the time, very creative. If only at the very least, I appreciate slang words and phrases for their creativity, albeit sometimes crass. There are some that don't appeal to me, though, for some reason. I'd love to know why this is, but I guess it just all boils down to taste. I've heard of and met people who absolutely hate it completely though, but they were mostly older folks, and I doubt there are still people in the current generation who are as conventional. Any of you out there who are still 100% proper? Would you like to be? Or do you prefer to use colloquial terms more?

It would be an absolute boring world for me to communicate without using slang. Agreeably, it's the older folks that disdain this modern culture, but it's appealing to me and am sure to others who are just coming up. Yup. I do not use some forms of slang though, because they are highly inappropriate.

I would like to learn Italian and German at the moment. 

I also like Italian. At the moment I'm studying Spanish of the Spaniards; and what I've come to realize is that both of the languages are very similar. There are different variations, but it will make it easier for me to study Italian.

I'm working on learning French at the moment. My girl friend loves French, and you know you have to please the woman in whatever way you can. I downloaded the babbel app on my tablet and I'm thinking of purchasing Rosetta Stone.

If you were going to start trying to learn a new language now which one would it be and why?

I would definitely want to try Croatian.  My family is there and I am visiting in a few weeks so it would be really useful to me!

I understand exactly what you mean. Your family being Croation would make communication and share less meaningful should you try to relate to them in your native tongue. The good thing about my family members is that, even though they live in England, France, and Panama, most of them understand my creole and they also speak English (which is one of the languages I am proficient in). The younger generation in my family are also learning English, even in Panama.

So there are a couple of well developed fictional languages out there, I think the two most famous ones would be Klingon from Star Trek and the Elvish langue from Lord of the Rings. I'm personally quite a big Star Trek fan and a keen linguist so I tried my hand at Klingon but I found it rather difficult to learn. Marc Orkrand the man that created the language specifically said that he wanted to create a unique language so he took the most difficult rules from all kinds of languages and mashed them together. The language is definitely speakable, I know a lady that likes to translate poems into Klingon, but for me it's more of a hobby or novelty rather than anything serious.

Did anyone else here every try their hand at fictional languages? If so, how did it go?

I know there are quite a few folks who take fictional languages serious. Like the lady who you said translates poems into a fictional language. I however, am not a fan of them languages...I don't really see how learning it will enhance my worth on a wider scale.

If I were an English teacher, I'll go mostly with discussions to get the students to speak more. Speaking is an integral part to mastering a language. Most of my friends struggled in the language because they were reluctant to speak English. Topics that are of interest to them should get them to open their mouths. Of course this can only be done when they already have some knowledge of English.

Essentially yes...getting the basics of the language. The basics represents the foundation. Without the foundation there can be no stable construction.

I'm no teacher and I have no experience in teaching a language to someone, but if I were to, I would definitely have the student learn the basics of the language. I would teach them basic phrases and how to pronounce important words.

Afterwards, I'd have this person hang out with another person who speaks that certain language. The student would then learn to have conversations and proper pronunciation.

This too is very important. What better way to learn a language that to converse in the language with someone who is already proficient in speaking the language. I've always graved this situation in real life, but I guess am not seeking hard enough to find a Spanish pal. Interaction forces the mind to think in the foreign language.

I taught English to children who spoke only Spanish.  I was told by my supervisors to have them read an sound out the English words. As I tried this, I realized that there was really no comprehension as they were struggling to read.  I started taking them outside and on walks around the school yard.  They learned everyday words like grass, slide, swing, flower etc.  This boosted their learning tremendously.  What is your preferred way to teach a new language?

Your strategy was very smart and effective. People learn best by doing. This is exactly what I would do. I can't think of a better way to teach. I would also incorporate the watching of videos and audio-visual programs.

Spanish is a favorite language of mine. I'm currently in the process of learning the language (formative stages); so to be honest, I don't really know how to flirt or be romantic. I guess it comes with time...and situation as well. If I find myself with a Spanish girl, I may have to think up something quick por la chica

I'm not sure if there is a thread about this somewhere on this forum. But I'm interested in getting some responses now...so amo post this. I believe scientists don't affirm that animals have a language, if I'm correct. It seems to me that they do communicate with each other though. So, what would we refer to their communication as?  :speechless:

Hello guys!  Everyone seems to be talking about resolutions and so on, well, instead of doing that and since we are on a language forum, I thought it would be nice to create a thread focused on our language goals for 2014.  So let's get this started, shall we?

I don't have a lot language goals for 2014, I think I will just focus on Dutch next year, since I might be moving there in the future.  I guess I'll try to finish the Pimsleur course (30 lessons if I recall right), then I might start checking ''Dutch for dummies'' or something like that.  I'm still not sure if I should start creating vocabulary lists or if it is too soon.  I guess I'll let thigs flow smoothly

I might work on improving my english if I have the time.

So those are my only language goal for 2014. What about you guys?

I don't have much either. There's really just one language that I'm focusing on next year -and it's Spanish. I plan to enroll in an online school. Spanish is already a study of mine, but I'm planning to take it to a master's degree level.

I know of some people who went abroad (US, Canada, Australia) and stayed there for many years. When they returned here, they were already unable (or did not want to) speak our native language. What they do is just speak in English and try to imitate an accent. It's kind of annoying. But, if you go to another country and stay there for a long time, will you eventually forget about your native language?

I don't think you can ever forget your native language. Somehow, somewhere, locked up deep in the chambers and tunnels of your brain, that language is lying their asleep, waiting to be aroused. Well, I think it also has to do with how long you grew up into your native language. If you left your homeland as a mere toddler, you are more likely to forget your native language. What do you say about that?

What are some of the weirdest things you've done to help you learn a language?

I'm sure a few of you have done the sticky note method.  You know, you write down vocabulary for household objects on sticky notes and stick them on the appropriate thing, right?

I took that a step farther.  When I wanted to memorize body parts, I would just write down the words on the corresponding parts of my body.  Yes, I was bored the day I did that.

Interesting, I'm not too fund of putting markings on my skin...though sometimes I find myself writing in the middle of my hand. Writing is helpful...but you asked about silly things done? Well, I've tried speaking to my invisible friend in the foreign language. Well, it worked...my invisible friend's voice could be heard in my head as she replied to my questions and statements in the foreign language.

Tongue exercises (movements to make your tongue more flexible) are said to help people communicate better.  If effective, the doer can speak his native tongue with more ease as well as a foreign one.  I have never prescribed to tongue exercises, I feel they aren't necessary. 

Am I wrong?

If this is indeed something that is legit and real...how can one get enrolled. I've never heard of this before, and so it kind of sounds outlandish...but I know it could very well be possible. If I can indeed do exercises to improve my speech, then why not?  :amazed:

Where did you come upon this story?

As I talked about in my introduction post, I have a seven-year-old son that is enrolled in a Spanish Immersion Program at his school. What this means for him is that he spends half of his day in a classroom where they speak only Spanish and half of the day in a classroom where they speak English. I really do think that this is a great program because it gives the children the opportunity to learn more and be challenged more.

However, his being enrolled in Spanish Immersion has become an issue within the family because my husband's family doesn't feel like it is right to start a child learning a second language when they are very young because they really haven't had the opportunity to master their first language.

I know that everyone here is like me and learning second languages and beyond and therefore I thought this would be the perfect place to find out what other people think about a child learning a second language when they are very young.

I will point out that my son in a year and a half knows almost as much Spanish as I learned in school, taking classes from 7th through 10th grade and a little bit in college as well. He really is like a little sponge with it.

You're paving the way for a brilliant linguist or translator. Let him continue his Spanish studies. He will thank you later for the help and push you gave him in the earlier years of his life. You are not only investing in him, you are investing in you. I don't believe anything is wrong if he learns all he can now. He won't mad unless you push him too much.  :grin:

Telepathic powers I believe is one of the highest form of communication not all people possess. Since it it used to transmit an unspoken message through the mind, it is also a kind of language in one of the highest form.

Your response is one of the best I have read. Telepathy for me is a language. Once people are able to communicate and understand one another correctly, then they have developed a language for themselves. Now, to be able to communicate with one's spirit or mind, that is indeed something divine, spiritual and supernatural; and therefore must rank as the highest form of language/communication. I believe it happens in real life.

In my second language? Merry Christmas  because my second language is English.

Feliz Natal! That's how you say it in Portuguese  :grin:

Well, I have learnt something today...thanks to you. 

I realize that Portuguese and Spanish are different in some ways. I always thought they were almost identical. The "Feliz" in Merry Christmas seems to be the same for both languages. However, the "Christmas" is different for both. Thanks

Have you every met upon anything in particular that makes you frustrated when learning languages?  :frozen:For me, it is my inability to understand the spoken words in the particular foreign language (especially when it is spoken fast).

I find it much easier to read and understand, than to listen and understand. What about you?

I think it's quite human and ok to get frustrated. It's just what we allow the frustration to lead us to. When studying a foreign language, I naturally get frustrated at the things that cause me to fumble and itch, however this frustration usually leads me to work harder. What I do is to take a break, and come back again. I sometimes even seek counsel from someone who already knows the language.

What gets me frustrated most times is just the meaning of words. There are some words that you can immediately look on/listen to and connect them to a native English word; whilst there are words that are the exact opposite of this. I usually end up having to repeatedly revise words and this frustrates me. Memorization is my problem.

For me, it was the unique peculiarities of each language. For example, Spanish has the "r" tongue rolls and the "n" wave sounds. These threw me off a lot when I first started learning the language and really deterred me from speaking for quite awhile until I got used to them.

I agree with you about it being easier to read than to listen. Reading you can do at your own pace, and there aren't any local accents that can throw you off. Most native speakers tend to speak relatively fast and make it frustrating, albeit unintentionally, for people trying to learn the language.

That is so true. When reading, you can do it at your own leisure in most cases; and for a word or a phrase that you are not able to immediately grasp, you can also review it. The other thing about it though, is that you have persons who study foreign languages and they are, for some reason, better at quickly understanding a statement by virtue of how it sounds, and are slower at getting what is being said just by the look of things. I don't know if that's what Lin was talking about?

Pretty simple question. My mother language is Croatian, and my second is English. And I'm not sure what to think. I can communicate on both fairly well, but I suck with grammar (as in school for example).

But that's probably because I hate grammar (defining, nondefining, adjectives, nouns, blah, blah), and that's mostly because of my boring school teachers.

What about you?

You sound pretty decent with your English language usage.  :wink:I think I am better at speaking my native patois, but by choice I always address people in English (sometimes without even realizing it). It can be bad sometimes, as some of my native folks can readily tell that I am naive to the fact that the conversation started in patois and should continue so. lol

setting the main language of your mobile phone to Chinese and then you need half an hour to switch it back to English xD

hope you got some funny stories 2.

Tried it with my cell phone too and had to be in and out of the Spanish lexicon and the phone menu trying to reset the language to English.

I'm done setting my phone language to Spanish. I rather read a book in Spanish.  :cry:

Am I the only one who finds some languages more 'beautiful' than others? For example I find English much 'prettier' than my mother language, Croatian.

Not sure the cause of if, but it might be because English has so many words that have different meanings. If you called your partner 'medu' (honey) he would probably die laughing.

And it sounds much better when speaking, in my opinion.

What about you?

My native tongue is patois creole. As a younger lad I despised it, but I've come to realize that a lot of people like to hear when us Jamaicans speak.

I guess I despised patois because I always felt that those who were able to expressed themselves in the Queens language sounded more refine. English does sound like a more beautiful language to me when I compare it with other languages (even the languages that I don't know particularly - but I hear their sounds).

How many native English speakers can't spell words right, construct a grammatically correct sentence or even speak the language right? You could think it's impossible but I've met such people from time to time. In real life and online. The best example of a native speaker who could sound worse than a foreigner learning English is Bush.

:

It's a real eye-opener!

I think we all fumble in our communication at times (whether in writing or speaking). Society has to broaden it's understanding as to the fact that not all of the individuals within a country will have access to the higher levels of education as the minority do (some will even be restricted to a life of destitute poverty); and even for some persons who do, they refuse to make use of their resources in moving toward the higher calling.

I get my spellings wrong sometimes, but I am all about continuous improvements. That's why I read a lot.

I've never experienced this, and I most certainly wouldn't want to. :amazed: We can all agree that life would certainly be different if we couldn't communicate in the fashion in which we were naturally created to communicated.  :bored:What alternatives would you resort to? I think I would settle with writing; am not too much into sign language.