1inamillion

Cool thread! I have recently seen someone posting this kind of thing on facebook and already then I was thinking that it was pretty cool.

I googled it today and I found this homepage here:

http://4pics1word-answers.com/

I guess this is what the fuzz is all about  :wacky: You can play the game online there as well. Some of them are rather difficult if you ask me  :frozen:

cool,  I saw my daughter playing this game and it makes me look twice. It was so cool she and her friends sat and trying to guess what the pictures represent. I would encourage all young person and students to get this game it helps to stimulate the brain and keep it actively working in something that is good.

I think it would take me about one year to learn a whole language. Although some people learn at different paces, I have never met someone who was exceptionally quick at learning languages. How long do you think it would take you to learn a new language?

How long does it take for me to learn a new language? I would say it depends. Most language teacher will tell you that what you put in is what you get out of language studies. Companies that sell language products or software may claim that their method of material will guarantee fluency in a certain period of time. Language experts tends to skeptical of claims that a certain method will guarantee fluency in a short period of time. The fact is that language learning is a complex process that involve communication, grammar, structure, comprehension and language production along with reading, writing, speaking and listening, just a few of simpler aspects of language learning.     

The world we live in is becoming more and more globalized. While this process definitely has its perks (for instance, communicating with someone located on the other side of the world has never been easier than today), I'm very anxious about its effect on languages. This process is favouring the rise of some kind of "language imperialism" which, in my opinion, represents a real threat to language diversity. For instance, over the last few years, many English words have somehow become standards in French (marketing, break, boss, feeling, etc.) even though French equivalents exist. I personally wouldn't want to live in a world dominated by 1 or 2 languages only.

What about you? What is your opinion about globalization? Should we fear its consequences over language diversity?

Yes we should fear its consequences over language diversity. Globalizing is readily increasingly in today's world. This increase have many effects on language both positive and negative, these effects on language in turn  affect the culture of the language in many ways. Language is the substance of culture, without a language people would loose their culture identity. 

We always talk about translation of words.  What about the so called expressions through body language?  Does a shrug of the shoulders have the same meaning in the English speaking countries as in other countries.  What about crossed arms or hands on hips?

Yes I think body language translate between cultures. Body language also known as 'kinesics' is a significant aspect of modern communication and relationships. It is also relevant to management and relationships and to all aspect of work and business where communication can be seen and physically observed among people. Communication includes listening, in terms of  observable body language, non verbal signals are being exchange whether these signals are acompanied by spoken words are not. 

My bachelor degree is an English program, so yea, English is part of the education.

Yes English is definitely part of my education. English develop our language and keep us attentive to both academic and survival English. Knowing English helps you to be fluent and to be a good social communicator. Without English, there will be difficulty with another language that is required for academic purposes. 

I think it's a fun way to learn new words and helps with pronunciation. Although I don't think it's too helpful for sentence structure because a lot of songs are composed of sentence fragments and phrases.

I listened to a lot of J-Pop when I was learning Japanese and I am now able to translate the lyrics as a I listen to them.

I've been trying to listen to K-Pop to get used to the pronunciation of Korean words and I think it's helpful.

Has anyone used music to help them learn languages?

I have used music to help me learn a language and I find it very effective. I find music to be very entertaining, relaxing and makes me focus. Apart from being cool and fun music have many positive effects on our brain. It is said that it has healing power. Music genuinely helps your brain to process  information quicker and better. It also help develop the cognitive capacity of young infant. 

When I first started learning a foreign language at school , there was a lot of emphasis put on getting the right grammar, and it would take up so long that after a couple of lessons you could say one sentence, and you could say it properly in all tenses and so on, but at the end of the day you only knew one sentence. I think that conversational skills are much more important than getting the grammar right the first time. I think that you should learn to talk the language , and then all the pieces will fall in place. I think that this is something of a controversial opinion so I was wondering, what do you guys think about this?

I totally agree with you. Grammar is important because it is the language that makes it possible for us to talk about language. Grammar names the type of words or word group that make up a sentence. As human beings knowing about grammar offers a window into the human mind and into our amazingly complex mental capacity.

So you've spent two years learning a new language and you get started on a new one. It's possible that if you don't use the language you'd learned frequently, you'll, before you know it, start forgetting some words and eventually you won't be able to speak it as fluently as you could originally.

How do you avoid this?

I do this by simply constantly using the language so that it is always fresh in my mind. There are many way in which you can use the language so you don not forget it. You could find native to meet in person like in a social network or you use certain sites to find people to to by Skype, be friendlier to tourists, join clubs and actively monitor your social circle and environment for opportunities to use the language.

I have many friends who are deaf/ hard of hearing.  I know some sign language, I'm conversational at best... but I love it and I'm eager to learn more!  I'm curious if sign language is considered to be another language.  I think it would be great if people knew it, but I understand you'd only need to use it with someone who is deaf and knows it.

I think sign language is indeed another language. Sign language is a complete, complex language that employs signs that is used by the hands, show facial expression and postures of the body. International sign language have been develop so that people can communicate between nations. Sign languages are composed from vocabulary signs from different sign languages that which deaf people agreed to use at international events and meetings. Sign languages can be used to break down the barriers between the hearing and deaf populations.

Well Italian of course. Anything sounds romantic in Italian even if you're being insulted, so long as you don't understand it. Girls can give you the brush of so romantically in Italian.

I would definitely say Italian. Italy is beyond doubt one of the best place for romantic get away and honeymoon. Take in consideration the breathtaking beauty and romantic views and the Italian life style. Italians love romance, their songs are base on romance and all about love. People love to see couples walking hand in hand or arm in arm. Even just the simple ritual of eating a meal have a romantic feel to it. 

What inspired you?

Learning a new language might not be all that easy, but there are many benefits in it. You will have a lot more culture, this will permit you to travel more and you will know the world better. People would like me because of my knowledge and they will learn from me. I will meet thousands of people thanks to my extra language. I was inspired by the fact that meeting different persons and knowing a whole lot of cultures. Knowing a new language will make my life completely different.

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 Croatian  definitely. I always wanted to speak a different language. Croatian is the official language of the European Union. It is also one of the official language of Bosnia and neighboring countries.

I have a few friends from Bosnia and I find myself interested in the Croatian language.

It's not entirely necessary but I think I will, just in case when the need arise. Most probably I'll need a dictionary when I'm asking for directions only since I agree that no one will wait for you to look up words. These days, Google is easily accessible so I don't think carrying a dictionary is as crucial as it used to.

It is not entirely necessary but having one will not hurt. With today's technology, travel can offer adventure, escape, relaxation and translation. There are the smart phones, pocket translators and instant grammar checker to name a few. They are built to literally act like translators, playing a human voice and recording any phrase aloud in any language you specify.  There is also the electronic dictionary that comes with everything you will need to get started on your journey.

I think that some games are very helpful in expanding the vocabulary. I have learned a lot of new words from the hidden objects games and I still do, so yes, definitely very helpful.

I know for a fact that games are very helpful. Educational games are designed with educational purpose especially for a secondary educational value. These games are designed to teach people about certain subjects, expand concepts, reinforce development, understanding a historical even or culture or assist us in learning a skill as we play. These games are inclusive of board, cards and video games. With the increase of technology devices, there is a shift in board and card games. Video or electronic games has become more widely used in these days.

You might have to ask your parents about this, as you probably won't remember 

I did not yet ask my parents about it but I guess it must have been something like Mum or Dad..hopefully it was something a little bit more interesting xD  I will ask my parents later today and will let you know. I am excited to hear about your first words :=)

It would also be interesting to hear at which age it actually happened.

I do not remember when I spoke my first word but I know most children say their first word at age one (1). In general babies utter their first word at 11 -14 months, when the lips gain dexterity and the brain starts to match up object with names. Every child reaches this milestone at their own pace. At birth from the very start, babies learn the power of communication . At 2 months they start cooing, at 6 to 8 months they start babbling and make vowel sounds. Within months he hears and imitate the sounds he / she hear when you speak. 

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 love to learn Russian. I think every body is capable of mastering a foreign language, no matter their age. Though language abilities  varies a lot from person to person, there is no one that is  incapable of learning a  different language. Russian language is the worlds fourth most spoken language, its the language of the United Nation and NASA. Learning Russian can be intimidating at first, but its not hard if you put your mind to it.   

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?

Many of the languages that are made up for television and books are gibberish. However, a few have been developed into fully functioning living languages. Some by linguistic professionals and professors. From Klingon from the Star Trek Universe to Na'vi from Jame Cameron's Avatar Fiction languages are ever where. Trying at fictional languages you can use pictograph or symbols to represent the language, make up alphabet and or syllabary. You start off by using foundation words first the words that will be using very often.

Langauges obviously have more than a million words. In English for example, it's believed that most speakers on average use only 3,000 of the most common words.

So I'm wondering, if this [theory is] true for all the other languages would someone who concentrated on learning and mastering only the 1,000-3,000 common words used in every day conversation be fluent in the language they're studying?

Yes you can be fluent by using 1000 words. You can get by in basis situations with about 500 to 1000 words. Fluency has to do with how well you use what you know. Both quantity and quality are important. A large vocabulary is very important to be able to really enjoy a language. Good pronunciation and proper grammar will carry your far.

Personally I prefer in my house, using on the sofa or at a desk. For some reason I cannot stand learning in the library, or any other public place. I'm not sure why but I generally need solitude. I can learn with 1 or two other people but certainly not with many more in the room. I suppose I've also been an auto math and that's just the way it is.

There are many good places to study, you just have to look for three things when finding a good study place. Comfort, appropriate noise levels and information access. Studying in my room passes all of the qualification  of a good study place. It is quiet because I sleep solo, I studied in my jammies, I go from bed to floor, any area in my room is good for me and I am plugged into the net so my info is top notch. 

What made you decide to start learning a foreign language?

I decided to start learning French because 1. I thought it would make me seem more intelligent and interesting and like a female James Bond 2. I was reading slash Harry Potter fanfiction, and I kept running across stories in French that I couldn't read. I started imagine how many well written french stories must be out there that I would never know about if I didn't learn the language.

So 1. to look cool 2. To read more books. Haha.

et vous?

I agree with you, learning a foreign language does make you look more intelligent and interesting. When you move to a different country or region learning the local language will help you to communicate and integrate with the local community. My partner in laws, relatives and some friends speak a different language, learning that language will help me to communicate with them. It can also give me a better understanding of their culture and way of thinking. My work involve regular contact with persons of different culture and creed, being able to talk to them in their own language will help me to communicate with them. It also helps me to make sales and negotiate with them and secure contact. Knowledge of a foreign language may also increase the chance of finding a new job, get a promotion, transfer over seas or go on foreign business trips.

Sounds simple yes but what of when we add a word that complicates matters? The word is "whom."

Just wondering, is it better to use "who" all the time instead of "whom" wherever it might apply to avoid getting confused?

Both who and whom are pronouns, however, who is used as the subject of a sentence or phrase, to denote who is doing something. (like he or she) Whom is used when referring to the object of a verb.  When trying to decide whether who are whom is correct, simplify the sentence to include just the basic, subject, verb and object. It helps to move the words around in your head to identify the word relationship.

I am pretty sure d) is not a passive sentence. But is d) the only one?  :doubtful:

I agree (d) is not a passive sentence. In  Passive sentence the focus of the sentence is the receiving object of an action and it comes at the start of the sentence; therefore, the object and the subject change position in the sentence. To make a passive sentence you need to start with object first and then  used the be form of the verb depending on the tense and then add a past participle. 

I appreciate the pointers you provided. Your example about Megaplex and NYC is really helpful as I sometimes commit the mistake of using "at" whenever I am referring to a place regardless if it is a specific or general location.

If you don't mind, I may need more help, though I am not even sure if this is even a matter concerning preposition. All I know is it involved "in" or "on", so I guess it is still part of preposition.  :beaten:  How would you say: Seek the guidance from above [should I use in or on (or maybe "for"?)] everything that you do.

A preposition describe a relationship between other words in a sentence. A word like 'in' or 'after' is rather meaningless and hard to define in mere words. When you do try to define a preposition line in or between, you invariable use your hands to show how something is situated in relationship to something else. A proposition is followed by a determiner and an adjective or two, followed by a pronoun or a noun. I have learned that using a preposition to end a sentence can cause serious breach to grammatical etiquette. 

This is a simple grammar rule and it's called the Subject Verb Agreement. When the noun is singular, the verb is plural and vice versa. Lots of non-native speakers always make a mistake when it comes to this.

The subject and verb must agree in number: both must be singular, or both must be plural. In order to find out if your verb and subject agree, you need to able to identify the subject of your sentence. In present tense nouns and verbs form plural in opposite ways. Nouns add an s to its singular form; verbs remover the s from the singular form. The subject agreement rules apply to all personal pronouns except I and you., which, although singular, require plural forms of verbs.

There are some topics where we have discussed about spoken differences between British English and American English.

However I found a quick reference guide that comprises they key points that differentiate one language from the other, one-page guide that you may like to check out.

This is the link, http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/easy/aebe.htm

Speakers of American English generally use the present perfect tense far less than the speaker of British English. In American English it is very common to use the simple past tense as alternative in the situation where the present perfect tense would usually have been used in British English. The difference between American English and British English may not be that great when spoken but when written it is entirely different. People often presume the differences are limited to basic disciplines like the use of 'Z' instead of 'S' occasionally.