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LivetoErr

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Posts posted by LivetoErr

  1. I know this topic wasn't geared towards native English speakers, but how do you not think in your native language?

    I would love to be able to think in Spanish. It would be so much easier to think what I want to say when I'm not trying to translate it from English. Also, when I hear something in Spanish, my brain tries to translate it back to English before, I can think of what to say in Spanish. By the time my brain has done all the translating, I've forgotten what was said and what I need to say.

    If I could think in Spanish, I feel, I would be able to converse better. Right now, trying to converse is so slow. Especially since, not everything translates straight across the two languages.

    I'm jealous of those of you who can think in their non-native language.

  2. Should parents teach their toddlers a second language? Absolutely.

    I grew up in Canada, which has two official languages. When I was in elementary school I had to take French classes up until Grade 6. After Grade 6, you were allowed to choose whether, or not, you wanted to continue learning French, choose another language or not learn another language at all.

    I chose not to learn another language until I was in high school. Boy, was that a mistake. If I had continued to learn French, learning Spanish would have been that much easier. I don't believe I'd be struggling with Spanish like I am now, at age 34.

    Younger children pick up on languages so much easier than adults. If the opportunity is there, for a toddler to learn another language definitely teach them it! A person with a second language has, so, many more opportunities later in life. Being able to teach a child when they are young, while they are sponges, is ideal. I wish I was wasn't so naive when I was younger.

  3. Even if you're only going on a short break, knowing a little bit of the language helps. It's far more polite to, at least, say please and thank you in the language of the country you are visiting. At least, the locals know you're trying.

    I'll have lived in Mexico for four years this coming August. My Spanish is far from fluent but I can get by. I can get what I need and understand directions. For me, it isn't enough and I'm doing what I can to master the language. However, we speak English at home and, more often than not, local people speak English to us. Once someone says something to me in English it's like my brain can't function in Spanish. I automatically speak English back. That doesn't help, at all, when you're trying to learn the language.

    I think how long you have to stay before you learn the language depends on how much you're actually speaking it. Immersion is the best way to learn but you have to immerse yourself. My family keeps saying we're going to start talking to each other in Spanish but, we never do. If you're like us, and only speaking Spanish occasionally, you never learn more than the basic stuff. If you're immersing yourself, you'll learn more than some of the language fast.

  4. Also, when introducing yourself, you don't need to include "es". When saying my name is Mike (Me llamo Mike), the es is redundant.

    When you say "Me llamo Mike" you're actually saying "I call myself Mike" so, the "es" doesn't make any sense there. Even in English, you wouldn't say "I call myself is Mike". However, if you, are supposed to, omit the "es" when saying "Mi nombre es Mike", I'd find that difficult to remember.

  5. When doing Duolingo, tonight, it accepted my, "¿Por qué tú no tocas la tortuga?", but suggested it should be, "¿Por qué no tocas a la tortuga?" when it asked me to write, "Why don't you touch the turtle?"

    Which one is better or more commonly spoken in Mexico? The latter one, right?

  6. I'm sure, the fact that I'm quite introverted plays a, huge, role in how difficult, I'm finding, it is to learn Spanish. I don't, particularly, care to speak to people in my own language, let alone my second language. How much I talk, directly depends on how comfortable I am. If I'm not comfortable, I don't speak a lot, in either language. I'm, definitely, not comfortable speaking in Spanish so, I don't talk, to native speakers, as much as I should.  If I wasn't so shy, I wouldn't be so nervous when talking to people. If I spoke Spanish to people, more, I'm sure I would grasp the language a whole lot better. However, I don't so, I'm really struggling.

  7. What's the difference between to, too and two?

    The difference between to, too and two has got to be one of the most problematic areas of English grammar. Even native English speakers often use the incorrect form when they're writing.

    So, let me explain the difference between the three.

    To

    Use this when using to as a preposition before a noun OR a verb in its infinitive.

    Take me to the doctor, please.

    We don't need to read the book, right now.

    Too

    Use this when you can replace too with also or as well and the sentence still makes sense.

    I too, like to read sports magazines.

    You also use too when you mean something is excessive.

    I ate way too much food.

    Two

    This is the easiest one to understand. You use two when you are referring to the number 2.

    Can you give me two (2) dollars, please?

    There, I hope that helps you understand the difference between to, too, and two!

  8. I'm a native English speaker and I have always thought English was a bit of a backwards language. How many other languages have rules that almost always have exceptions? For example, our spelling rule, I before E except after C except for neighbour, weight, ancient, species, weird, leisure, being, neither, counterfeit, stein, caffeine, height, etc..

    I think English is a hard language to learn as a second language because it has so many nuances. It's not a straightforward language; therefore, I find it a bit backwards.

  9. I think it does, to a point.

    If you're trying to communicate with someone who speaks another language and you're not getting your point across, gestures help a lot. However, some people simply talk with their hands. My mother, talks with her hands and when you watch her hands they don't really follow what she's saying. She's pointing forward when she is talking about something going backwards. It's actually more comical than helpful.

    For me, the amount of body language I use directly relates to how I feel. If I'm not feeling well, I tend to fold my arms and appear closed off. I can still get my point across when I need to though.

  10. I have my certificate to teach English and I have done a few classes with some of the children in my village. I found it hard because the students were more interested in translating Spanish to English. They didn't really want to learn the language, just how to say different things. Also, it was their parents who wanted them to learn English so they would skip class or come a couple hours late. Eventually, I said enough is enough and they stopped coming.

    I would like to do more classes at some point. I'd really love to do online teaching but our internet is very poor here so I'd need to have an office in the city. That's something I'd have to look into next year as I will have my permanent residence card and can legally work without going through a lot of red tape.

  11. I have trouble hearing the separation of words. Does that come with practice?

    Today I was listening to something and she said, .".. es tan..." and I heard "están".

    Everyone says, you know what is being said by the context; however, if I'm not hearing the separation of words how do I know what the context is? This is, definitely, my biggest obstacle when it comes to learning Spanish.

  12. I am the exact opposite when it comes to Spanish.  I can think of what I want to say and put it on paper, with little issue.  When I'm speaking, I have trouble putting the right words together. Someone could ask me a question, that I'd know the answer to, immediately, if I saw it on paper, and not be able to answer it.

    I believe it is because, when writing, I have time to think about what I'm saying. In speech the pace is faster and, rather than stalling the conversation, I just say I don't know. I'm trying to better my speech so this doesn't happen but it taking me some time.

  13. In- changes to Im- when the root word begins with a m or p. So, for example, mobile becomes immobile and possible becomes impossible.

    In- can mean not, with or into. So, for the original posters example of flammable vs. inflammable - inflammable does mean it is not flammable. Flammables can cause a fire, inflammables cannot.

    Basically, when you're adding In- to a word in order to make the word mean 'not' something follow these rules:

    In- changes to Il- when the root word begins with L, i.e, logical/illogical

    In- changes to Ir- when the root word beings with R, i.e, reversible/irreversible

    In- changes to Im- when the root word begins with M or P, i.e, mortal/immortal, personal/impersonal

    There are words, however, that simply have In- in them. For example, interest; the proper way to express the opposite of interest would be by adding the suffix, dis-. His disinterest in the lecture was maddening.

    If you're having trouble with prefixes, use Google. There are lots of search results that can help you.

  14. I can understand people who speak fast in English. I am also aware that I speak fast.

    However, I can understand why people who are learning a language prefer people who speak slower. Speaking too fast, is the sole reason I don't understand spoken Spanish. Spanish audio programs don't speak anywhere near as fast as native speaker's do.

    Normally, if I know I am talking to someone who is learning English, I consciously slow down my speech. Here in Mexico, my Spanish friends speak a bit slower for me. However, I am looking forward to the day I understand hearing Spanish at it's normal speed. 

    As for that video, that's insane. Thankfully, most fast speakers don't speak THAT fast.

  15. I cat  them all the time because I watch a lot of reality shows. By reality I don't mean Survivor and, the likes, but stuff on Investigative Discovery, Biography, Discovery, etc.  One day, my boyfriend and I were watching Mayday and there were quite a few errors. We were like, what? Did they really just say that? We got a good chuckle out of it. Newscasters often make mistakes but, I think that's because they often get ahead of themselves. I know I wouldn't be able to read a TelePrompTer without messing up.

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