Language town

[FlagOnce]

Okay, right now, with only the title, you don't really understand what I try to mean. But you will quickly get it, don't worry.

Language towns are more cultural towns than really focused to a language, even if they feature both. For example, there is often a Chinatown in metropolitan cities and bigger, and I think here people talks Chinese as well. I guess it exists for few other languages.

Given what counts for language learning is immersion as well, these towns are the typical and more representative example I can find without paying an airline ticket and going to a country speaking your target language. What do you think of this idea? Does it work? Do you try to get immersed to make your learning more efficient?

[lushlala]

I'm very big on immersion, because I feel that I learn better and much faster this way. I have never come across such towns designed for languages like French and Italian. I'd gladly welcome them, for sure

[FlagOnce]

I think more the language is rare inside your country, more they are concentrated into big cities because they feature more people with the same language inside a same place, even if they are not much in %. The absolute numbers matters more here. But then.

If you really need to find one nearby yourself, I would rather advice you to look out for events or to online communities like this one where people speaks your target languages, even if some focused only on one language works as well. Sometimes you will discover these hidden language town, because they can't be popular even if someone is behind that.

[czarina84]

For those who learn well from immersion, I think that's a good idea.  I like to learn things from others who can speak both my native and target languages.  It helps me, in case I make a mistake.  I then have someone to correct it. 

[sillylucy]

I never thought of Chinatown as an immersive language town. I guess you are right. You do meet more Chinese people that way and you get a taste of the culture. I wish that we had a little French town here in Los Angeles. Anyone know of anything like that? I know there is a huge French population here, but I don't know where.

[foolsgold]

I'm not sure if going to Chinatown or the like would work for proper language learning. Immersion is good but I think it needs to be for a long stretch of time kind of like an exchange program. But it is a unique idea and not only do you learn the language, but the culture as well. It's definitely a good supplement to language learning.

[blikkael]

I think language town is a proper phrase to call places where a certain race is more concentrated than in any other place, like Chinatown in various metropolitan cities around the globe. Here in my country, even though we already have a Chinatown, still, there are literally Chinese people in every corner, being in a business center. Based on my observation, the more you get yourself to work around them, the more you get to understand the language they're using easily, on a day to day basis. Add to that, you'll also learn their culture, without you even knowing it. As for myself, immersion is a better way to learn a certain language. Maybe you're right, we just have to search more closely if they're hidden somewhere. But searching would be difficult for the language I'm currently learning.

[FlagOnce]

I never thought of Chinatown as an immersive language town. I guess you are right. You do meet more Chinese people that way and you get a taste of the culture. I wish that we had a little French town here in Los Angeles. Anyone know of anything like that? I know there is a huge French population here, but I don't know where.

If there's a that huge French community, then there's probably something. Not exactly a city, but an association, a community, a bar (there's sometimes "Canadian" bars I think, so for other countries it might exist as well), I don't know.

I'm not sure if going to Chinatown or the like would work for proper language learning. Immersion is good but I think it needs to be for a long stretch of time kind of like an exchange program. But it is a unique idea and not only do you learn the language, but the culture as well. It's definitely a good supplement to language learning.

Proper language learning is driven by the fact (some) people may talk Chinese here better than you. And if it happens that the retailers and restaurants at Chinatown doesn't, the consumer will probably, since some will meet this town to not forget their home culture.

I think language town is a proper phrase to call places where a certain race is more concentrated than in any other place, like Chinatown in various metropolitan cities around the globe. Here in my country, even though we already have a Chinatown, still, there are literally Chinese people in every corner, being in a business center. Based on my observation, the more you get yourself to work around them, the more you get to understand the language they're using easily, on a day to day basis. Add to that, you'll also learn their culture, without you even knowing it. As for myself, immersion is a better way to learn a certain language. Maybe you're right, we just have to search more closely if they're hidden somewhere. But searching would be difficult for the language I'm currently learning.

It depends of the local population. What's your local population? Is there is Portuguese-speaking people here? How much? And then you can know if it's likely or not. Search for demographics on Internet, you will know.

[Wanda Kaishin]

Okay, right now, with only the title, you don't really understand what I try to mean. But you will quickly get it, don't worry.

Language towns are more cultural towns than really focused to a language, even if they feature both. For example, there is often a Chinatown in metropolitan cities and bigger, and I think here people talks Chinese as well. I guess it exists for few other languages.

This is called an "ethnic enclave", not a language town.

[FlagOnce]

This is called an "ethnic enclave", not a language town.

Nice if you know the word, but that's not the case of everyone and using synonyms explaining clearly what it means (especially in a forum of language learners, remember) is rather a good idea.

Outside of the name to use for that, the ways to get into it, when it's not as popular as "Chinatowns" in popular cities, isn't as easy. I think it is more based on associations or something you have to subscribe in to know the activities, or you have to know well a cities full of building and that's as hard. Much like the needle in the haystack ;p