lushlala

To be honest, @Beatyfulbree.... I wasn't even aware of this fact myself until very recently LOL For some reason, I'd always believed it would be a universal "language". -and I think a lot of people do too. But then it's just silly really, when you consider there are so many nuances, traditions, cultural differences etc that sets us all apart. So yea, there's bound to be differences. But I do still wonder if there ARE some signs that cut across the board, irrespective of where in the world you are?!

I generally like music out of the US, UK and Australia the most, and some South African music can be HOT too. Australian and British artists are seriously exploding all over the music scene at the moment. But my music tastes are very eclectic and as long as the sound's good, I'll listen to it. In the past, I've also enjoyed some French music, although I don't know what genre that would be. The type of French music I heard and loved bordered on very funky jazz. But I'd also like to explore some K-pop. I've heard it can be very good.

Wow, kudos to you and your boyfriend! I have a lot of respect for you both, because you're learning so many diverse languages. I mean, I imagine Spanish, Chinese and English are as diverse as you can get. I wish I had the same kind of aptitude for languages because I wouldn't just stop at Italian and French. Way to go to the both of you, and I hope you get to where you are aiming for over time, and I'm sure you will too

Hehe @Trellum......I never heard that one about the Dutch being so tight LOL Maybe that's where the expression "to go Dutch" came from?! But on a serious note, I'm so glad it all worked out for you guys in the end. Because like I say, this thing can really test you as a couple. Some people have actually been known to simply throw the towel in and just walk away from whole thing, because it's THAT stressful. But hey, it all depends on how much you want to stick it out and make it work. You did it and I did it, so kudos to us LOL

What i find motivates my language learning initially and all through my learning experience is my love of the culture, history, the country and the people. For instance, in the case of Italian, when i was in my mid teens my family and I visited Italy and I fell instantly in love. The experience stayed with me and I never ever forgot Italy, and craved to return as an adult. I did realise that dream and found I appreciated everything Italian even more. Within 3 months of living there, I could hold a conversation in Italian. That stint in Italy didn't actually sate my hunger for all things Italian, and I would really like to one day return with my husband and maybe live there for a few years; just enjoying the stunning views, the people, the food, the culture, the history and go back to speaking Italian in Italy. IDK what it is, but my love for that country is crazy!

I really like your response, @sillylucy! I think this will probably be the case for many people. I know for a fact, that for me there's that element of fun and naughtiness that comes with learning swear words, for sure. There just seems to be a lightness about it as opposed to the seriousness that comes with learning to speak the 'proper language'. Plus for some of us, there's also that desire to shock and watch people's reactions to anything naughty you've said. IDK it's like a bit of a perverted thrill, in a sense LOL

Yes, when I was going for French lessons, even during the very early stages of learning, I found I could sit there watching a movie and understand exactly what was going on. I guess it takes a few factors including context, body language and different situations to convey meaning, not just the actual words uttered. I found too, that I understood better watching without the English sub-titles because those are way too distracting! IDK if it happens to anyone e else, but I then start focusing on the sub-titles as opposed to following the movies. I don't actually know anyone who likes watching movies with sub-titles. i prefer to either watch the movie in a foreign language or one that's dubbed, even though the latter can be annoying when it's all out of sync LOL

I guess this also applies to me, because i grew up speaking both English and my native language, Setswana. Well, it applies to most people in Botswana because we're all in the same boat. We all switch it up and back down again depending on the mood and company. Plus my language tends to go round the house and back to convey very simple concepts. So sometimes we get lazy and choose to converse more in English. If people think English is a difficult language, Setswana is harder LOL Even for us native speakers. So i always have sympathy for those who are new to it, and have a keen interest to learn it.

Does anyone know to what extent different country sign languages differ? Until fairly recently, I actually thought sign language was universal LOL Are there more similarities than not? Has anyone here tried to learn any version of sign language, and how easy is it to pick up?

This is so true, actually. -and that's how I started my 'lessons' in Italian. I'd just sit there listening to people talking, and taking it all in. I'd also watch some TV, even though I didn't understand a word of it. -and you'll be surprised at the amount you actually pick up without even realising it. I see the same thing happening with my husband, who isn't taking any lessons in my language but will pick up bits and pieces here and there through listening into conversations. Then he'll surprise me by dropping a word or phrase here and there out of the blue LOL!

I had this sort of experience when I went to be an au pair for 3 months in Italy. The lady of the house and the kids didn't speak much English, so I was thrown in at the deep end. I made friends, but most of them barely spoke any English. We'd go out and hang out but the language barrier was a bit of a problem. I mean, I still had fun and we found ways of communicating, but it was especially daunting at the start. Then it got better because I started picking up some Italian, and making more of an effort, which the locals really appreciated. I think that in itself accelerated my learning process, and had I stayed maybe 6 months to a year, I strongly believe I would have picked up a lot more.

I've only ever done it with my French. I took a French Minor for my English Linguistics degree, and I had to sit a few different exams including the spoken aspect, written and listening comprehension. I always did well, but I'd be sick with worry, eaten up by nerves in the run-up. It sure would help boost your CV, although I very rarely put my French on there. I guess I have zero confidence, as I've not spoken it in years.

I think I would have to also know why they died out in the first place. I know languages grow and evolve over the years, but I think it's truly tragic when you hear of languages completely dying out. I see it happening before my very eyes, in my own culture, my own country. More and more kids go to private schools, where the main medium of instruction is English. Consequently, more and more of the younger people speak English a lot better than their own language. What's even more worrying is the fact that they're displaying a reluctance to learn, let alone speak it! If my language showed glaring signs of dying I'd be gutted. But I wouldn't know where to start in order to preserve it. I reckon trying to revive a language that's faded out would be a mammoth task, and would probably require a lot of resources, including a huge amount of money.

Wow, Trellum...you guys really went through the wringer compared to us!!! So you really do deserve it, my friend; so you better enjoy every moment of it LOL I can't even begin to imagine the expenses that went into it all! But you're absolutely right on all counts, and thanks so much for the good wishes, which I'm sure you know are reciprocated These relationships are certainly not for the weak of heart hehe But in the end, if you really love each other, you do triumph, -like we both did!!

Oh, for me it's a few different things. I agree, drumming up some enthusiasm to get started can be a huge task. The good thing is, once I've started, you can't stop me! -even though keeping the motivation going can be another beast in its own right! I need to feel that I'm making some inroads, otherwise I get discouraged. Also, I have to say pronunciation can be a big challenge, especially because for me, it's very important to try and speak the language as it was meant to be. I want to get it right and get in all those intonations and words just right. -and then one of my biggest faults is being too hard on myself, while everyone is trying to spur me on and compliment me on my progress, I'm there beating myself up and feeling I ought to progress a lot faster LOL.

OMG OMG Trellum...Congratulations!!! What did I say, have a little faith and it'll happen!! Oh I'm so happy for you I tell you, people who have never gone through this just don't realise how difficult and nerve wracking it can be, waiting for someone to decide your fate. Now you and your husband-to-be can relax and just get on with your lives. Enjoy it, you've earned it and fully deserve it. I'm glad to say my husband also got his a few months ago and the relief is just immeasurable I mean, people were being rejected left, right and centre. So it was a bit of a miracle, really. We can now relax for a few years, too. Sending you many hugs

@Blaveloper....I've never heard of Memrise, so thanks for the heads up. I'll have to check it out because I'm always on the lookout for new sites that offer free learning tools -and I agree, it does help to diversify your learning aids/tools. I find that that way I maintain the momentum of interest and enthusiasm. I really like the Duolingo and iTalki sites, which have both been highly recommended to me by friends. I have had a look around both and liked what I saw, but have yet to actually take the plunge. But I will one of these fine days

I totally agree with a lot of comments here, there's no such thing as an easy language. Not really, because it's all relative. What's easy to me, may be harder for the next person. The language that may be easy to me, may be made easy by the fact that I have a vested interest in learning it, I'm passionate about the country, language, culture, history etc I may have a familial link to it, or maybe I absolutely have to learn it because it affords certain lucrative opportunities. I guess you could say it goes in 'swings and round abouts'. I've heard from a few friends that German is actually an easy language to learn. But when I listen to people speaking it, I always feel like I'd seriously struggle with wrapping my tongue around the pronunciation. It's so far removed from anything I know.

Oh absolutely, Trellum....keep the faith and I can assure you, you'll be just fine The stress of it can definitely result in a lot of heated arguments, but it soon blows over. We went through it, and most people in the same situation do. It's weird because once we got here, it wasn't as stressful. I guess maybe because we'd done it for many years in England, we kind of knew the level of stress it can bring on. I guess you could say we're now wiser, too LOL I'm glad that things calmed down for you in the end. Fingers crossed for your MVV

I have learnt French through paid for lessons in the past, but to be honest, that was long before i became very IT savvy. Long before I even knew you could learn languages online without ever paying a penny. If I were to return to learning any language in the current situation, I'm not sure I'd be so quick to seek out paid for lesson because I've amassed many free learning tools and aids over the years. I'd probably start out with those, and then if i felt I needed to supplement them, only then would I get paid for lessons. But It wouldn't be like before where it was very involved, Monday-Friday. I'd probably opt for maybe 2 days a week. I can see why those would be a huge motivator, because obviously i'd want to get my money's worth and also not feel as if i was wasting my money. But I think it's really down to how much you want to learn, whether you're paying or not.

For me, the first time I visited and lived in in Italy for a few months, I knew very little Italian. I'd learnt it all through a text book, because there were no lessons locally. So by the time I got there, I could barely understand anything the locals said to me, making it a little awkward at times. But like someone else said, it does get easier. I made friends with this Italian girl whose English wasn't bad, so between my non-existent Italian and her barely-there English, we worked it out. We'd go out and hang out with her non-English speaking friends, and I really credit all of them with the little Italian I did grasp in my time there So really in that sort of situation, you just have to soldier on and keep your eye on the big prize at the end of it all

I have to say, I too think this would be a very good way of learning. It would probably not work for everyone across the board, but I feel it's something worth exploring. -and yes, I'd be very careful not to go too young because the language geared towards the kiddies may be way too basic to be of any real use. I think somewhere around the ages 10-15 would be a good start. I think it would be simple enough and the pace slow enough to accommodate cmplete newbies to the language to people with very basic skills, and would be great for easing you into the whole learning process. I think this could definitely work for me. It doesn't even have to be restricted to TV shows or movies. I'd also want to look at the material geared towards that age range like text books and other learning aids.

Aww i'm really sorry t hear that @Trellum.....although I'm sure by now it's been sorted, right? I can totally relate, because having lived in Englad, I went through a lot of that. -and now living with my English husband here in my country, Botswana, it's the same thing, except the other way round. It's just horrible, but sadly has to be done. I hope the rest of the process is plain sailing for you from hereon in It'll all come together, just keep the faith!

Hehe I know quite a few, among them a Danish uncle. He can never finish a sentence without dropping the f-word LOL When we ask him why he swears so much, he says when he first started learning English, he learnt from a bunch of American sailors who swore all the time LOL Whether it's true or not, i'm not sure. But people always say those who feel the need to swear all the time just want to hide the fact that they have limited vocabulary. But it's not always the case. My uncle is one clear example, he swears a lot but speaks fantastic English

I think it is possible with some people. Those people who are naturally gifted to just be able to pick up bits and pieces and then repeat them back. I'm afraid, I'm sadly not one of those people. I can see it in my husband because, even as he's struggling to learn my language; I believe he's being too hard on himself. he's learning, just not as fast as he'd like. He'll pick up bits of what he hears people saying and then say it back to me when i least expect it, like randomly LOL I think that's quite a feat, and how he actually remembers some of this stuff long after he heard it is beyond me. I've heard of people who've learnt a foreign language solely from watching TV and listening to the radio. I wish I could do that, too.