Channa

Is it just me, or are people now days not able to spell very well? Is it because we are all typing so quickly or just a lack of proper education? It's hard to blame it on keyboards when the words that are misspelled have corresponding letters that aren't anywhere near each other on a standard keyboard in the first place.

Spellings, I use to hate it when I was going to school, because some words spell different from how they sounds. It was always difficult for me and even now I still have trouble spelling some words. It was this morning I ask someone to spell Stoop, I was spelling it Stope . So you see I hate spellings.

Hello all.  My first child was born last month and my we've been discussing how and when to start teaching her languages.  Specifically, our plan is to teach her Spanish and German.  I've read that young children can pick up a language more easily than an adult, so we have a good opportunity to help her get started.

So, to parents or teachers, when did you start introducing younger children to a non-native language?  How did you integrate this instruction in day-to-day life?  Any tools or tips we should know about?  Any pitfalls to avoid?

Any thoughts would be great.  Thanks much.

Well to answer that question . I think a child begins to learn from three months up, and even when you are pregnant you can teach that child, it may sound stupid but it true, so I think the best time to teach them is from three months and even earlier. There are many different ways to teach them. You can call the name of the things you use when bathing them or when they are eating , just about anything and see the result. It does work. :grin:

In our country, even if we uses our native language in school, English is still a major part of our curriculum from pre-school to college. In discussing science, mathematics and technical subjects, we also uses English language and that made us know English even at young age.

How about in your country, is English also part of your education?

English is the first language that everyone should learn. And yes it is a major part of our school curriculum. It is also important for everyone across the globe to learn English.

I don't know about you, but I get annoyed when people use short-cuts when chatting and texting. I don't really say anything but I really gets me. They change what to wat, you to u, great to gr8, wait to w8, good morning to G-AM. Knw wat i myn? What do you think about this 21 century trend?

Oh my goodness.. I hate it so much, I always try to spell my word when sending a text and then the when the person reply its a short cut message sometimes I don't even understand what they say I have to read it over and over to get it. I really don't like it . 

Especially for non-native speakers (though all opinions are welcome) what are your favorite books to read in English? Are you comfortable reading in English and is it something that you enjoy?

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Tough time don't last but tough people do. Written by Robert H Schuller. This book is a very inspiring book It have some very interesting points that I really love. I'm not tried of reading this book over and over, that how good it is. I think you should try to get one of this book you will never regret it .

I trip over my tongue a lot. It's not great for when I try to tell witty jokes and I end up botching the punch line. That doesn't stop me from trying though. I'm not really concerned about how people perceive me through my grammar and pronunciation.

In a professional business environment, it would do you well to have great language etiquette. But I don't believe it seriously impacts what people think of you.

I do care because I come from a country that speak Patoise  and even though many people want to learn our language I want to brake away from it, Sometimes it sound terrible when you mix Patoise and English together. So i care about what people thinks about how I speak .

I dont think I would ever want to learn a language that I won't be using at all. Unless plenty of people I know learned it too like anderson said.

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I would like to know more about this fictional language, It the first time hearing about it. I think I will research it.

I mean there are many other websites that are offering this right? And I'm not sure how many people actually enrolls themselves to one of these tutorial sessions but with all the English language resources already available online, do you think online tutorials will still be of big help? I'm thinking of enrolling to one to further improve my English language but I seem to feel the youtube lessons to be okay ha ha! I know, there are many free tutorial videos in youtube and I really love watching them. I don't know about improvement yet but do you think online tutorials can be good for us? Or are we better off just watching tutorials and other materials? Just a thought because I've been seeing a lot of tutorial ads online.

I think it can be effective if you want it to be that way, However I would do it but I would do it live, where i can see the tutor. But whatever you put your mind to then you can achieve great thing.

Do you love reading? Do you think that only persons who love to read do well in English exams and challenges? I know a few people who do remarkably well in writing and speaking English, yet they are not avid readers. I love to read though. It's what accounts for my success with the language so far.

Well, when an individual loves something, he or she will find him/herself spending most of their time doing that something. So, I don't find myself doing a lot of reading, which translates to mean that I don't really love reading. I don't have a problem if I get a reading assignment however. I'm up for it. I still think I do well in my English reading and writing though.

I was in a class of maybe 20 or so people when I decided to become proficient in Spanish. Then, I moved to working alone and with my tutors. What did you do that worked for you?

I learn better with others around me, Going to school with children in my age group was so much fun. And so whenever we get our home work we would do it together. Because if there was something that you don't understand then someone in the group would help you to understand it. So working together with other work for me.

Sometimes when I speak other languages so often and with little to no contact with my native people I tend to have problems with remembering certain words in my own language. It's not exactly that I forget them, they are just on the tip of my tongue but it's easier to find them in other language.

Also, I know many words related to my job that I don't know how to translate to my own language, yet I understand them.

Do you ever have situations like this?

Yes, We are only human and human forget, On the other hand I do forget at times some very simple words. And then some words I just don't even try to use if i don't know the meaning.

I also get very stressed before exams. If I didn't study enough I obviously fear not knowing the answers and getting a low score. But if I studied a lot and feel like I know the subject well, I also get scared that I might confuse or mistake something and get answers wrong. I'm also very competitive, so on tests I always want to take better grades than my friends. So when I get the worse, or one of the worse grades I feel down for quite a long time.

I will do will in learning, but when it comes on to exam it really stresses me out. I always have a terrible head-ache and so nervous, to the fact that I can't concentrate or focus. And then I worry about the result on weather or not I pass. Sounds funny but true.

I think about any foreign (to me) language is sexy when murmured at the right moment, the intimate moment. :wacky:

They say French is the language for love. And that is true. I love you in French is Je t'aime and I love you too is, Moi aussi, Je t'aime.  It sound so sweet.

I don't know about you, but I get annoyed when people use short-cuts when chatting and texting. I don't really say anything but I really gets me. They change what to wat, you to u, great to gr8, wait to w8, good morning to G-AM. Knw wat i myn? What do you think about this 21 century trend?

I am annoyed by it at time, but whenever I get short-cut messages I try not to reply with short-cut. And I realize that even the younger people are doing it. I even heard where someone send an application letter using short-cut. A mean they are getting so use to this thing that they tend to forget not to use it in everything. OMG.

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 would say i want to learn the Chinese Language. Reason been we have a lot of Chinese is our country doing business. And so when the workers do thing that they don't like they use there language to describe them. So I would like to learn Chinese Language.

I don't over use it, at least, I don't think I do. I say "haha" when I'm really laughing at something, and "lol" when something is funny but it doesn't draw as much laughter. Which I guess is ironic given the meaning of the acronym.

Whenever I use "Lol", It does make the conversation more exiting. So I use it a lot. Lol.

In our country, even if we uses our native language in school, English is still a major part of our curriculum from pre-school to college. In discussing science, mathematics and technical subjects, we also uses English language and that made us know English even at young age.

How about in your country, is English also part of your education?

Yes, English is a primary language that everyone should learn even if they speak another language. It is also important because most countries speak English. So if you speak French or Spanish, English should be your second language .

I know google translate is used many times in classroom settings and the professor (fluent speaking), knows that they used the translation site. It is not always correct, I am wondering why.

I personally love that facebook now has a translate feature under posts because many of my friends live in foreign lands and speak non english languages sometimes. It is nice to be able to keep up with them.

Do you think google translate is a good online option for translation?

Yes, I think it good, because it allows you to speak to people who  speak  different languages and we understand what they say and we can respond to what they say. 

:)Life is a !!!!! and then you die!

simple but epic

Not everything glitter is gold. This means that not everything you look at is real .

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?

No! I definitely would not try to even do that, its my Heritage and I would not want to throw away my Heritage. If I live in another country I would try to learn there language, I would never forget mine, Never you try to forget where you come from. I can understand if you were born in your country and you parent move to another country before you were able to talk. But other wise keep your Language. and learn another.

Just curious guys!  I'd really like to know how many of you have been able to get a job thanks to all the effort and time you have invested in learning a new language (proving you're fluent in said language or were at the moment you got that job). 

I was actually able to get my first writing job thanks to the fact I'm bilingual, if it wasn't because of that, I'd not have been able to get that job.  Sadly I couldn't continue working because my boss didn't take a no for an answer (if you know what I mean), and things started to get really ugly, to the point it was personal in the end.  I had to quit, because it was quite obvious he just wanted to make my work and life harder! 

I've found other good oportunities tho and I'm still working online... again; thanks to the fact I speak a second language.  Soon I might speak 3!

What about you?  Have you been able to get a job thanks to the fact you speak a second or maybe a third language?

Yes! Whenever we are seeking for jobs the employer would ask if you do have a second language as it would be an asset. Especially if it a job where you have to deal with all different type of people.

I've always studied alone, but when it gets to practice no doubt we need to have a partner to do it!

When learning a language what works better for you, studying alone or with friends?

I would say studying with friends always help, because then and there you can do practice test. It also help motive you, to want to do your best at what you do. And if there be something that you don't understand they can explain for you. So i think studying with friends really help.

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:

Well they have there own ways of communication. Lets use a Dog, well whenever they don't like you they well growl at you. When its mating season they have a unique scent to signal there mate. :grin:

What languages do you think are used most throughout the world. I believe they are Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish and English. Each language has a large continent linked to it and these tongues are necessary for the purposes of doing business globally.

I think the top three (3) Languages is:English, French and Spanish. English is most widely use Language in the world. Its the easiest Language to catch on to. While Spanish and French is harder, reason been if you are not from a that speak these Language then you would have to go to school to learn them. But they are definitely the top three Language in the world.

Sometimes when I speak other languages so often and with little to no contact with my native people I tend to have problems with remembering certain words in my own language. It's not exactly that I forget them, they are just on the tip of my tongue but it's easier to find them in other language.

Also, I know many words related to my job that I don't know how to translate to my own language, yet I understand them.

Do you ever have situations like this?

Yes it does happen to me, I come from the Caribbean, Jamaica is my country and we speak Patoise. So often times when talking to someone from a different country like: America, when ever they comes to Jamaica we have to try to speak proper English. And so it causes me to speak more Patoise and forget the English words. I hope I answer your question.