True2marie

Yes - if you're learning a language in order to denigrate another culture, that's a bad reason. Fortunately, most people with type of mindset probably aren't that smart. So, they would not be taking the time to learn the language of a people they hate.

One of the most difficult aspects of learning Spanish for me was mastering the rolling r's. I wasn't used to moving my tongue that way. Only after several months of trying did I get it down. How did you master the rolling r's in Spanish? Here's a great link for help in this area . . . http://www.rollingrs.com/

Yes, I see language as an investment. Anytime you expand your knowledge of a meaningful subject, you grow as an adult. Even if the only thing you learn is how another culture thinks, you're better off. This is why (to me) keeping language arts in school is vital. Also, let's not forget that since society is getting smaller, it's important to understand how to communicate with a variety of people. This ability opens the door for more opportunities career-wise, which is a BIG plus. :ninja:

There are so many mispronounced words. One of them that most people mess up is BARBED WIRE. Folks across the 50 states say BOB WIRE. Thank goodness this material isn't as prevalent as in the past. Maybe, this is the reason why people can't pronounce it. :speechless:

One of the funniest things a friend of mine said (she is an immigrant) is that she understood other foreigners who spoke English more than U.S. natives. Why? They speak slower. With this in mind, what do you think about fast talkers? (See video below.) To me, even if you both share the same tongue, it's hard to understand them. http://youtu.be/0M3MTFlqrIo

:nerd: What is hardest part of learning English? What I have heard is the slang and different dialects of English make this language challenging to learn. Males and females I have met who immigrated to America often complain about this issue. It takes YEARS for them to truly understand English.

You could learn Spanish this way although eventually you'll have to converse with someone. It's the only way to see if you can communicate effectively. Otherwise, you could be wasting your time.

No, I have never tried Rosetta Stone. One of my friends did and she swore it helped her learn Spanish. So, I think it does work for some people. Her Spanish was all right.

Yes - what's taught in text books differs from what's spoken on the streets. That's why I believe people need both in order to be fluent. A TV show I used to enjoy watching was called "King of the Hill". The running joke was how one of the main characters thought she was fluent in Spanish, but really sucked at it. So, when she spoke to anyone who was native, they never understood her.

An ex-boyfriend of mine struggled to learn Spanish. As a matter of fact, he actually flunked the course twice before giving up all together. For whatever reason, he could not grasp this language. Considering we both were living in California around many Latino people, this was shocking to me. He was smart in every other way. However, I know he isn't alone. Why is it that some people can't learn a second language?

For children, I think video games are one way to learn a new language. You already see this in animation. "Dora the Explorer" has aided thousands of kids in learning some Spanish. She set the platform for later acquisition of this tongue.

This is funny. It's a great commentary on the cost of even a beer in some pubs. The first joke, I didn't really get the punch line. So, I didn't think it was funny.

By now, I am sure most people heard about the fiasco at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. The sign language interpreter messed up royally and conveyed gibberish through his signing. This whole event got me thinking. Is there one universal sign language? Maybe he was using a different form of sign language?

More examples . . . Mariah: "Girl, where did you get those boots?" Bella: "I got them at Macy's." Mariah: "They are sick!" The use of a negative word to express something positive is one of he weirdest trends in language today.

I knew there had to be some kind of catch. I just keep running across these Pimsleur ads all over the web. Ten days isn't long enough to learn much in life unless it's how to switch a light bulb on and off.