The TongueTrip

Learn Punjabi

2011-07-23T14:11:00.000-07:00

I have learned that Punjabi is one of the most spoken languages in the world, 12th in fact. This comes as a surprise to me, but considering the massive population of south Asia, I suppose it shouldn't. Anyway, in my quest to add pages for more non-European languages, I have added one for Punjabi. I was not surprised to discover that there aren't many courses for learning Punjabi, but there are enough to get going for the motivated student, and the internet provides the means to keep it going via language exchanges and communities, chats etc.

Holiday Discounts on Language Products

2009-11-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

Holiday gift-giving season is upon us again. The great part about that is the discounts and sales the publishers offer. I remember last year they had some great sales, especially 1-day sales for Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and the official start of the holiday shopping season, and Cyber Monday which, I guess, they just made up. Fine with me. The sales (20% off and more) are great if you are looking to buy a software or audio language product for yourself, but they may also make a great gift for the right person. I have updated the Language Product Coupons page with some of these current and upcoming sales. Keep an eye out for more in December.

Where Are Your Keys

2009-11-07T16:39:00.000-08:00

I read an article or two on this new language learning method. Some are touting it as revolutionary, so I had to check it out a little. It is called Where Are Your Keys and employs a structured set of basic dialogues. It is clearly engaging for the right group of people, but I don't see how it is revolutionary in any way. I have an old Berlitz French book that employs pretty-much the same techniques. Except for the sign language, that is. Sign language? Yeah, they actually employ sign language as a sort of medium or reinforcement of the spoken language. I find it a little distracting. Maybe I have it wrong (I only viewed a few demo videos for a few minutes) but it's not for me.

National French Week

2009-11-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

It is national French Week here in the US. Since I am studying French, I suppose it is important to me, but then again, I'm studying French every day and every week, so I don't think I'll be doing anything different or special. Someday (when I have time, whenever that is) maybe I will do something special.

Why do we have a National French Week in the US? Don't forget that there is a significant population of French speakers in the US. And I don't mean of the visiting variety. Louisiana has a French speaking community in the hundreds of thousands, and there are also a number in New England (near Quebec, of course). It is one of the significant second languages in the US and a very large number of people are of French lineage to some extent (myself included).

Anyway, celebrate the Frenchness and eat lots of croissants. Salut.

Online Language Communities

2009-08-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

In my recent article on language communities I wrote about how easy they are to use, how they are often free and how you can get lots of content and access to a great learning community with the same goals as yourself. What I could only touch on in the short article, however, is just how may of these sites there are on the internet. There really are dozens of them, with such a wide variety of features that virtually anyone can find one (or more) that helps them to achieve their language learning goals. I encourage anyone to investigate a few of them for yourself to see if you can fit them into your learning plan. You may find exactly what you need. See a short list of language communities and other sites.

Learning Turkish

2009-08-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

Turkish is one of those really interesting languages that can draw you in before you realize it. Exotic and foreign with interesting sounds and strange ways, but lots of fun. Unlike more popular languages like French, German or Chinese, people will not believe that you are learning Turkish. They will ask you "why are you learning Turkish?" and whatever answer you give them will keep them wondering or just incite more suspicious questions. Also unlike those more popular languages, there aren't a whole lot of published products to learn Turkish. But, if you're motivated, that won't slow you down one bit. I recently added a page on learning Turkish.

Learning a Language in School

2009-08-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote an article on learning languages in school. The subject is on my mind because I'll be doing exactly that this year. I'm finally going (back) to school to get some kind of degree in languages. I've been studying languages on my own for a number of years, but I thought that since I enjoy it so much I would start to actually put that to use. First, I want the piece of paper (some call a degree or diploma) that says that I know some languages, or have some linguistics experience, (having a website doesn't really count in the academic world). I'm not sure what I'll be doing after that, but I'll be actively adding to the website the whole time.

Top 100 Language Blogs results

2009-08-02T11:30:00.000-07:00

The voting is over, the votes are tallied and the Top 100 Language Blogs results have been posted. This blog is not in the list, it wasn't even nominated :( Actually I doubt it even qualifies. There are too many things I would need to do on this blog for it to qualify, and that time is better spent on my site. Anyway, do check out the list, there are so many good resources there, I'm sure you will find several that would benefit you no matter what your particular language interests are!

Review of Daniel Tammets book Born on a Blue Day

2009-07-26T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned Daniel Tammet in a few blog posts before. He is an autistic savant with some extraordinary abilities with language. Although he has recently released a second book, I realized I haven't posted a proper review of his first one! So here is a review of Daniels first book Born on a Blue Day.

2009-07-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

In his book How to Learn Any Language, Barry Farber calls Indonesian the easiest language in the world. Nothing resembling real grammar, verbs don't change, to make something plural just say it twice etc. I haven't yet had a chance to wade into Indonesian, but I bet I would find it interesting to learn someday. If Indoesian interests you, I have put up a page for learning Indonesian with some possible resources for you to check out.

Voting for Top 100 Language Blogs

2009-07-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Lexiophiles has announced their nominations for the top 100 language blogs for 2009. There are four different categories - Language Teaching, Language Learning, Language Professionals and Language Technology. You can vote for your favorite language blogs until July 27th.

Livemocha Growing

2009-07-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

Livemocha continues to grow. They are up to 3 million members in 220 countries, which shows that language learning is a serious concern for a lot of people around the world. They have added several languages with even more to come.

Interestingly, they have used their own membership to increase the languages available by 'crowdsourcing.' Members can add and verify content in their native languages, thus making more languages available for other learners. It's smart and guarantees that some of the less commonly learned languages will eventually have learning materials available.

For example, they have content to learn Icelandic, Ukrainian and Estonian - three languages that have very little material available for the learner via published courses.

Other languages available to learn with Livemocha include Arabic, Greek, Dutch, Turkish, Polish, Romanian, English, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

I'm Starting Up the Newsletter Again!

2009-07-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

I have some more time available now, so one thing on the site I'd like to work on is the newsetter. I enjoy doing it, and many people have written to me saying that they enjoy it as well. I went back over my notes from the last time I was working on it and I quickly put together a new issue. In case you missed it, you can sign up for the Language Learning Advisor Newsletter here, and you can also find a link to the backissues.

Czech

2009-07-02T19:38:00.000-07:00

Last year, I briefly worked with someone bilingual Czech/English. Of course, I couldn't resist picking up a few words of a new language and getting some insights from a native speaker. Incidentally, I broke out a copy of Pimsleur Czech and listened to the first few lessons to compare what he taught me and to work on my pronunciation. There were a few discrepancies. It is not uncommon to find that Pimsleur (or any other language method) necessarily has to focus on one form of pronunciation or one dialect for a beginning learner of a language. There are often other ways to pronounce something, even as common a word as 'thanks.' Keep this in mind as you learn from various sources - stay flexible, adapt and keep learning.

I've added a new page on learning Czech.

How to Learn Japanese

2009-06-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

I love when someone submits a really detailed review or contribution.
One visitor who is learning Japanese, went into considerable detail on the methods he used and what he found was effective. This kind of insight from someone who has 'done it' is very helpful for those who are just starting out. He includes an outline of what materials he used, links to resources and how he put it all together. If you are learning Japanese and are interested, read his guide to learning Japanese here.

BYKI Review

2009-06-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

BYKI is a flashcard/vocabulary program by Transparent Language. I've used BYKI for Spanish and Swedish (the two languages I've bought the software for) and also for Cornish and Esperanto (using the editing features of the Deluxe version), but also to study for the PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam) for my day job as a Pharmacy Technician.

It's a versatile program that can really help fill in some gaps in your study routine if you use it regularly. Read my recent review of BYKI here.

Spoken Here Review

2009-06-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

I've taken an interest in endangered languages for quite some time now. I've started searching out articles and books on the subject. One such book is Spoke Here - Travels Among Threatened Languages by Mark Abley. I actually found this book a few years ago in Candidas World of Books, an excellent language and travel bookstore in Washington DC that unfortunately is now closed.

Although the book had been on my bookshelf for a long time, I found it again and read it recently. I wrote a review of it here.

Recent Rosetta Stone Upgrades to Version 3

2009-05-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

According to a press release from Rosetta Stone, they have updated Filipino (Tagalog), Latin, Turkish and Vietnamese to Version 3, which means they will have the same amount of material (levels 1,2 and 3) as more popular languages like Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

I think this is a big step forward. These languages have very few published multi-media materials to study with, and I think it's great that they are given the same consideration as more popular languages.

There are still a few that haven't been upgraded yet. Thai, Pashto, and Welsh come to mind.

Rosetta Stone Version 3 is now available in 25 languages including: Arabic, Chinese
(Mandarin), Dutch, English (British), English (American), Filipino (Tagalog), French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Languages on Lost

2009-05-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

Lost is one of the hottest shows on TV now, and it's going into its last season next year. One thing I've found interesting about the show is the use of language. Over the course of the show we have seen numerous languages used, from just a sentence or two, right up to significant amounts of dialogue over several episodes.

There have been bits of German, Russian, Spanish and Latin - the 'secret' language of the Others. It was spoken briefly by young Charles Widmore and Juliet (in a typical modern manner of pronunciation) but also by Richard Alpert in a much more convincing tone. (Does this mean that he, Ricardus, is in fact a Roman?)

There was also the use of an African language in Mister Eko flashback scenes in Nigeria. Was it Yoruba? The actor who plays him, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje speaks Yoruba, although I don't recall him speaking any himself.

There has been more use of French (in the episodes with young Rousseau arriving on the island) but even more Korean. If you are learning Korean you must be overjoyed that episodes with Jin, Sun and her family, have included lots of Korean dialogue.

I just like the show, but find its inclusion of language an interesting and fun sidenote.

Assimil Dutch

2009-04-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

I just ordered Dutch With Ease from Assimil. I am going to try using professor Alexander Arguelles shadowing technique using this course. I have not used Assimil before, and I have wanted to give the shadowing technique a good try for quite a while.

Although I have some decent materials to work with, I have a limited amount of time. I intend to finish up the Michel Thomas Foundation Dutch course, then use the time in the most intense type of studying I can. I think the most intense thing I could do is Assimil with the shadowing technique.

Miccosukee

2009-04-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

I have an interest in endangered languages. So, I've been doing a little research about the endangered languages near to where I live, which limits me to Native American languages in South Florida. The only languages that meet this criteria are the Seminole languages of Creek and Miccosukee, both closely related Muskogean languages that I believe originate from Alabama and Georgia. (Interestingly, there were a number of tribes in Florida before the Seminoles, but were wiped out by disease, slavery and oppression of arriving Europeans, and conquest by other native tribes. The Seminoles arrived later.)

The history of the Native Americans, particularly those in the US southeast, is horrific. Just the fact that these people still exist is inspiring and makes me want to help document their languages, as there are more that have disappeared or died out than now exist. And those that speak them are very few - a few hundred for Miccosukee and not much more for Creek.

Resources to learn these languages are almost non-existent. I found a few texts with audio for Creek and other Muskogean languages. There are a couple of webpages with a few dozen vocabulary words. Not very helpful.

I read an article from 1999 that stated that Rosetta Stone was working with the Miccosukee (as they have with other tribes) to create software to teach their language. I have not heard if that project was ever completed.

I am finishing up a book called Spoken Here - Travels Among Threatened Languages by Mark Abley. It makes me want to contribute in some way and help save or at least document endangered or dying languages. But how can I help?

Rosetta Stone IPO First Day

2009-04-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

Rosetta Stone (RST) had its opening day on the NYSE and it was a big one. One of the best IPOs in a long time. Why?

They are in a good market - the language learning market is fairly hot and it's growing.

It's at the right time - I know, everyone speaks English so there's no need to learn another language. Well ... when the whole crowd is thinking one way, it might be time to start looking in the other direction. You need every edge to compete and having command of at least one other language can help you do that.

Brand recognition - Rosetta Stone has it like nobody else.

Reliable and growing US sales but they are expanding aggressively into the global market. This is where they can see some really good growth for the next few years.

So, long-term prospects for the stock appear to be good. I'm not trying to rewrite history here. I thought they were crazy to do an IPO now and I said as much. I couldn't tell you why it worked so well for them.

Transparent Language Discounts

2009-04-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

Transparent Language is offering 25% off any order for their software language products! If you aren't familiar with them, they make the popular Before You Know It (BYKI) vocabulary flashcard program, as well as the Language Now series for a variety of languages, and the Languages of the World software for a whole slew of uncommon languages.

Transparent Language, Tell Me More and other language product publishers often have discounts or promotions for some or all of their products, but since I have so little time to update the site as I would like, I can't post those coupons in a timely manner. So I am making a coupons page on the site that I can update whenever there is a new discount or promotional offer. I will also post free downloads and product demo links so that visitors have another way to find out about new products. If you are looking to buy some additional learning tools, check this new page of language product coupons and discounts to see if you can take advantage of an offer.

I wanted to post these discounts as soon as possible. This page is brand new and needs some work done, so bear with me as I finish working on it!

Michel Thomas Courses

2009-04-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Several visitors to the site have commented that I haven't used or reviewed Michel Thomas courses. I have in recent months worked through Michel Thomas Foundation Spanish, Advanced Spanish and a little of the Language Builder course.

I will include a full review of these courses and the Michel Thomas method in general in the upcoming months.

I also mentioned in my last post that I was currently working my way (slowly) through Michel Thomas Foundation Dutch. This is a better test of the course because I am a beginner in Dutch. I have been studing Spanish in small doses for a few years, so Spanish is not the best test of the methods effects for me. I will review the Dutch course as well when I am finished.

Update on my Dutch Progress

2009-04-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

I'm not really that motivated to learn Dutch, so I'm taking my time. I have been able to do something with it everyday, but as far as a concerted and systematic effort, there has not been much real progress.

I am about 10 chapters into Teach Yourself Dutch (an old version) and about half way (4 cds) into Michel Thomas Dutch Foundation. Vocabulary and some sentences go into Anki, which is the one thing I have been able to use every day, other than listen to music or an audiobook. I have Anki set for 3 minute reviews, so I can guarantee I have at least some exposure to Dutch everyday when I can't do some of the Teach Yourself or Michel Thomas.

One site I just checked out that might be helpful for learning Dutch is www.fluency.nl It is for text-to-speech in Dutch.

Simply type or paste in some Dutch text, choose one of the male or female speakers and it will read the text! It is not perfect, of course, but the words are pretty clear and recognizable, even to a Dutch beginner like me. I think this is good for getting an idea what a particular vocabulary word or sentence might sound like if you don't have any audio for it.

The page is in Dutch, but there is a link for it in English.

PS - You can save the audio file it creates as an mp3!

Bot Colony Conversation Game

2009-03-29T07:21:00.000-07:00

We are now only a short way from having a true conversation partner with a virtual person. Imagine the effect it would have on internet language learning worldwide if anyone could practice conversation and learn any language from a native-sounding virtual speaker!

In this article, a company has produced a game that features real spoken interaction with the characters - that is, you speak and they understand, respond to and learn from what you say. So far it is only in English (which would be great practice for someone learning English) but once it is perfected, it could be adapted to other languages. At that point, it is easy to imagine a publisher of language products developing it specifically for learning a language or practicing conversation.

Years from now, it will probably even be free for everyone to learn any language!

Its Greek to Me Chart

2009-03-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

I've made comments on this topic before. I find the phrase "it's Greek to me" interesting, because in other languages, Greek isn't always the gibberish of choice. Sometimes it's Arabic or Chinese or some other language. Those phrases tell a little about the language and what it considers gibberish or hard to understand. I came across this link to a chart showing languages and their equivalent of 'Greek' for the same phrase. It's very interesting.

Tammett Learns German

2009-03-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

He's doing it again.

Daniel Tammett, the autistic savant who not only has an uncanny ability with numbers, also has an equal affinity for languages. He once learned Icelandic in a week and then appeared on a television show to talk about it. In Icelandic, in Iceland!

Now, he is doing it with German with the same goal. In a week and appear on a TV show. I wish I had one tenth of his learning ability.

I ordered and just received his book Born on a Blue Day. I will post some thoughts on it when I get around to reading it (it's kind of far down on the list at the moment), especially the parts about his language learning ability. Some other books on my reading list are When Languages Die by K. David Harrison and The Way of the Linguist by Steve Kaufmann.

Some New Resources

2009-03-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

While looking for more resources to add, I found a very helpful forum for learners of Japanese.

http://kanji.koohii.com/

It is a very active and useful forum, especially for studying the written forms of Japanese. It seems that the members have tried every conceivable method and resource to study it and they can offer some great advice on the subject. I am adding some new resources for Irish, Arabic, and Portuguese as well.

Bengali

2009-02-27T11:42:00.000-08:00

The Language Martyrs of International Mother Language Day led me to do a page on learning Bengali I didn't realize what can of worms I would be opening when I did!

I knew the Indian subcontinent had a large number of spoken languages. What I didn't realize was how many of them are quite literally spoken by tens of millions of speakers!

While researching Bengali and the relationships between it and a number of other Asian languages, I was astounded by how many languages there are, how many speakers there are of some of them and what an amazing literary tradition some of them have. With the growth and increasing importance of this part of the world,these languages will become more important to learn and study in coming years.

International Mother Language Day and the Language Martyrs

2009-02-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

February 21st is International Mother Language Day. But in Bangladesh, it is celebrated as Language Martyrs Day.

Bangladesh was once known as East Pakistan, after Pakistan and India gained independence from Britain. When Urdu (spoken in Pakistan) was being forced onto Bangladesh as the only official language, the people protested, demanding that Bengali (also known as Bangla) be included as an official language. On February 21st 1952 police fired on protesters, killing several students. This language revolution ultimately led to the 1971 independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

www.2bdutch.nl/

2009-02-17T22:05:00.000-08:00

I have a co-worker who is Dutch. I only actually work with her once or twice every couple of months, but it's hard for me to pass up an opportunity to pick up some of a language for free. Native speakers are sometimes hard to come by and are a great resource.

I have some interest in Dutch, so I've been trying to include some time to study a little Dutch so I can be better prepared for those rare times when I can try out some Dutch.

I am about 6 chapters into an old copy of Teach Yourself Dutch, and 2 cds into Michel Thomas Dutch Foundation. I've also managed to download a bunch of Dutch music and a half-dozen audiobooks.

So, finding this website now comes along at just the right time.

This site has lots of videos with subtitles in Dutch and your native language side by side. Music, history, culture, humor, Dutch television programs for immigrants, music videos etc. Lots of content to help you learn Dutch. A great resource!

Learn Japanese From Yoda

2009-02-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Well, not exactly. But, let me explain. It should come as no surprise that George Lucas may have been inspired by Japanese culture for many elements of the Star Wars saga. It is loaded with obviously Japanese-influenced names like Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi with their culture and Samurai lifestyle, etc.

And, as it turns out, Yoda speaks in a very Japanese manner.

So, there is this very interesting blog post and video that could be very helpful to beginning Japanese learners. It teaches some basic Japanese word order using Yoda as an example.

http://www.tofugu.com/2009/01/20/learn-japanese-from-yoda/

It's not really an entire site to learn Japanese from Yoda, but there are lots of interesting features on the site for Japanese learners to explore and have fun.

Language Change Occurs in Rapid Bursts

2009-02-10T20:12:00.000-08:00

I seem to be reading a lot of news from New Zealand and Australia lately ...

This article http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20080502-16846-5.html concerns research on change between two languages that have diverged from one. It mentions that much of the vocabulary change occurs rapidly at 'language-splitting events.' It has long been assumed that change happens slowly over time.

The article doesn't go into any detail into what constitutes a 'language-splitting event.' But, since much of the research was done in the Pacific, my first impression was to imagine a group of people packing up and moving to another island, exposing themselves and their language to a new environment and new influences. Another possible 'language-splitting event' the article hints at is when social groups deliberately alter their language in order to distinguish themselves from each other.

This revelation in language evolution seems to parallel findings in Darwinian evolution. It was long thought that evolution occurs slowly over long periods of time, but more recent evidence suggests that significant 'events' force rapid evolutionary changes, followed by long, relatively static periods.

New BYKI Languages

2009-02-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

BYKI has even more languages available. The latest additions to the flashcard and review program from Transparent Language include Castilian Spanish, Scottish Gaelic, Dari, Tajiki, Altai, Bashkir, Buriat and Mirandese.

I like that they've made Latin American Spanish and Castilian Spanish two distinct titles. And I confess I had to look up a couple of those new languages. Thumbs Up to Transparent Language for providing learning materials for some very uncommonly studied languages!

Finnish

2009-02-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

The enigmatic Scandinavian tongue. Inspiration for Tolkiens Quenya and Daniel Tammetts Mänti. With its much-feared grammar and case system, it is considered one of the hardest languages to learn.

I have finally put up a Finnish page. I have had a hard time finding resources to learn it. I know there is very little on the commercial side of things, but there are usually some decent materials by teachers and learners. I'll have to keep digging.

A Language Course is a Tax Write-Off!

2009-02-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

Did you know that a language course may be written off your taxes? It's an educational expense!
If you happen to have used it for your business then there might be even more ways for you to save on your taxes. For example - if you drove to a language class or tutor, you can write off the gas mileage.

Any materials you buy that can fall under the umbrella of 'language learning' could be used as well. Did you buy any books, music or movies in the language you are learning?

Looking to buy more courses or learning materials this year? Keep all of your receipts for the coming year. Keep in mind as you buy any books, courses or website subscriptions that some of these may be applied to your tax deductions next year.

Take a good look at your purchases and think through how you used them. You may find ways to reduce your taxes that you haven't thought of before!

Ground-breaking Language Research

2009-01-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

"The teaching of languages could be revolutionised following ground-breaking research by Victoria University PhD graduate Paul Sulzberger."

This comes from an article on research being done on methods of teaching languages.

"Dr Sulzberger has found that the best way to learn a language is through frequent exposure to its sound patterns—even if you haven't a clue what it all means. "However crazy it might sound, just listening to the language, even though you don't understand it, is critical. A lot of language teachers may not accept that," he says."

The problem I have with this is that it is not so ground-breaking or revolutionary, except to the mainstream media and educational system. To them, 'researchers' are making groundbreaking discoveries, meanwhile people have been using these techniques for years now outside of formal education.

Polyglots like author and radio personality Barry Farber, linguists like Steve Kaufman (Lingq.com), language professors like Alexander Arguelles (ForeignLanguageExpertise.com) and others have been using and touting variations of these techniques for years. It just goes to show how slow to accept change the established educational system is.

Not to take anything away from Dr. Sulzberger, it's important, valuable and necessary work. If this is what it takes to get these techniques into mainstream education then great. Everybody wins.

But these techniques are already proven. I wish that mainstream media wouldn't be so slow to notice, and that the mainstream educational system wouldn't be so slow to put them into use. It would make us all so much better off.

Daniel Tammett Learns Welsh?

2009-01-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

Daniel Tammett might learn Welsh. If he does, he'll do it in a week. Not completely, perhaps, and certainly not with a perfect accent. But he'll have a good handle on it. Something that would take most of us many months, if not years.

He's done it before, you see. He was once challenged to learn Icelandic in a week and prove it on a television show in Iceland. He did. Not with a perfect accent and not completely, but he had a handle on it.

If you have never heard of him before, Daniel Tammett is an autistic savant. He has a supernatural understanding of numbers and mathematics, and a similarly unique feel for languages. I am ordering his book Born on a Blue Day in order to study how he learns language. Hopefully I can learn a little something from him. I'll post a review on the site eventually.

What is the Best Language to Learn?

2009-01-24T07:28:00.000-08:00

The answer is entirely subjective, of course. If you want or need to learn a particular language, then that one is the best to learn. Nobody can tell you otherwise. But, what if you don't need to learn any particular language, and there isn't one that you find outstandingly appealing? Is there a way to put a number on it to determine objectively which one might be 'best'?

Here's one way to break it down. Spanish is the most commonly studied foreign language in the US. But what kind of return does knowing Spanish give you? On average, a college graduate who knows Spanish as a second language has a 1.7% wage boost over a graduate who doesn't have a second language.

In comparison, knowing French would give you an average of 2.7% boost in earnings. But, knowledge of German, Italian, Chinese or Russian would give you a 4% boost!

Why is that? I think it's a combination of how many people are studying (or not studying) a particular language (and therefore how many people are your competition) versus job opportunities with those languages. There are other factors such as what industries are relevant for each language which could skew those numbers one way or the other.

And how would a much less commonly studied language fare in comparison to those above. I would imagine someone knowing Polish, Vietnamese, Korean or Farsi may be highly prized in certain industries.

If earnings are a key factor in determining which language you will study, take a good hard look at the field you are in to find out which languages are most relevant. Then go for the one with the least number of people studying it. You will then have a greater chance of standing out!

Bring Back Greek and Latin

2009-01-22T06:44:00.000-08:00

Up until about a hundred years ago, it was typical for a college-bound student to have already received several years of education (at least 4 if not more) in Greek and Latin, and a modern foreign language or two. This education would continue into college, possibly adding another modern foreign language. This is in addition to history, sciences and other subjects.

Then things started to decline. Here we are today and Latin and Greek are mostly nowhere to be found. Many colleges require 4 years of a foreign language but even that has weakened.
Yes, today we need to put effort into computer science and modern subjects, but overall there seems be a much less complete education than years ago, even though Latin and Greek form such a broad foundation for the other subjects that we study.

This article written by a Columbia College sophomore, is proposing bringing back the requirement to learn Greek and Latin in college rather than (or possibly in addition to) a modern foreign language. He makes a number of great points.

I'm all for it. I regret not having studied Latin and Greek and now I feel like I have to go back and make up for lost time.

Popling for the Unmotivated

2009-01-17T07:12:00.000-08:00

So, let's say that you want to learn another language, but you don't really need to. You don't have a specific goal or time-frame in mind, it's just something interesting you've always wanted to do but never got around to it. You might be the kind of person who thinks about taking a class, getting a tutor or buying a language course, but may never actually take action.

Well, here's something for you. Popling.net has a downloadable application for you. It's free. It's effortless.

The program pops up a small window on your screen every once in a while, displaying a flashcard with a fact for whatever you happen to be learning. You can answer it or you can ignore it and it will go away for a little while. Then another will pop up.

They have lots of pre-made sets for different subjects, including for some interesting languages, like Indonesian, and of course the more common languages like Spanish, French and Chinese. An extra feature is the ability to make your own sets, so it is quite flexible and useful for just about anybody.

I just love their tag line - A website + desktop app for people who want to learn, but lack motivation.

Languagelab.com in Secondlife

2009-01-15T18:45:00.000-08:00

A few posts ago, I wrote a little bit about SecondLife. I mentioned a company actively teaching languages in Secondlife. After doing some research, I've found them.

They are called LanguageLab. There are dozens of language community sites that use state-of-the-art internet resources and techniques to help people learn a language. But LanguageLab takes it a step further by creating an immersive 3D environment, or rather using the unique online interactive world of SecondLife. Thus far, they are focusing on teaching English, but they have plans to expand their products and teach other languages. This is grounbreaking stuff, and this may be a glimpse into the classroom of the future.

Hindi Podcasts

2009-01-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of podcasts for language learners because they are free, frequently produced, and are generally loaded with real-life vocabulary and dialogue. I have recently added 2 podcasts for learning Hindi to the Hindi page. There are not many free resources for learning Hindi, so these 2 come in handy.

ISpeakHindi.com
Cuttingchai.com

You may also notice that, although I don't recommend Rosetta Stone in general (at least until I can evaluate the new Version 3), I do recommend it for learning Hindi. There really is nothing else as comprehensive to learn Hindi. Since Rosetta Stone has expanded all of their languages to the full 3-levels, their software is just the most complete solution for learning Hindi for the average self-learner.

Universal Letter-Writing Week

2009-01-08T18:52:00.000-08:00

The week of January 8 - 14 is Universal Letter-Writing Week. I don't know who came up with this idea, but it struck a chord with me. We're not talking about an email letter here but a real hand-written letter, which is a dying breed.

I thought about applying this idea to learning a language. I like actually writing things out when I am learning a language. It somehow sinks in better when I physically write something, rather than type it. Even though we have shiny flash card programs and audio courses, it still works for me to just sit down and study and write sentences in a new language.

Writing a letter to someone, whether to a real person or just as an exercise, seems like good practice to me. You can find penpals to exchange letters with here. Writing to a real person is much more in the spirit of this Universal Letter-Writing Week, but in case you don't have someone to send a letter to, writing one as an exercise is just fine.

Languages in Secondlife

2009-01-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

Secondlife.com is an online interactive world of truly massive proportions. Rendered in 3D environments, people from all over the world perform ordinary internet functions like chat, form social groups, buy and sell things etc. in a completely immersive environment.Virtually anything can be created or built.

For language learners, there are tons of opportunities to meet people or just experience a virtual world immersed in the language you are learning. Just a brief view of Secondlife opens up a world of potential uses for language learners.

I have little knowledge of Secondlife and no real experience with it. But, I suspect that the possibilities just hinted at in most language community sites could be taken to extraordinary new heights in Secondlife. I already know of one company using Secondlife to teach language (I'll go through my notes and find out more about that and post on it later) and I'll bet that others will follow.

Would anyone having any real experience with learning or using a foreign language in
Secondlife care to comment on it and shed some light?

Sentence Mining

2009-01-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

Here is a very interesting article on putting to effective use an SRS program with a technique this blogger calls 'sentence mining.' Glowing Face Man (yes, that's what he calls himself) uses Spaced Repetition software to accumulate and memorize vocabulary, phrases and whole sentences to learn and absorb a new language. It is similar to the 10,000 Sentence method, and is kind of a stripped-down do-it-yourself version of Lingq. I have been using one of these SRS software systems for a little while and find it indispensable. He goes into extensive detail on what an SRS is, what 'sentence mining' is and how to use this concept to learn a new language. His blog also contains lots of other valuable insights into learning a language.

http://www.glowingfaceman.com/2008/12/sentence-mining.html

My New Years Resolution

2008-12-31T18:55:00.000-08:00

I'm usually not one to make a New Years Resolution, but I felt it was right this year. I struggled to come up with a New Years Resolution that I could keep. It needed to be something related to language learning. But what, exactly?

Should I vow to get over the hump and become fluent in Spanish? Bring back my dormant French? Finally commit to learning Swedish? Or Cornish? I came up with a solution that solves all of that (potentially). My New Years Resolution is to go back to school and get a language-related degree. I don't know for sure whether that will be linguistics, comparative philology (I don't even think anyone offers that as a degree anymore) or some other degree, but I've made the vow.

I have my school in mind and a back-up if I need it. I'll be spending much of this year preparing myself financially. I've gone to school before while working and it's no fun. I'd like to have a stronger financial base this time so that working won't interfere with school.

You may not be as interested in languages as I am, but you can make a simple resolution to make a commitment to study your target language(s) at least a little every day. Listen to music, read books, read websites, listen to news, study grammars etc. Apply yourself every day. It's a journey of 10,000 steps and each step brings you that much closer to your goal.

Transparent Language Blogs

2008-12-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

Transparent Language not only publishes language courses for language learners, but they also provide lots of additional free content. They publish BYKI, which is available in a free 'Lite' version, and also offer a Word of the Day feature for many languages. One new feature they offer is a blog for learners of Spanish. I have found this blog to be very useful, as there is often some vocabulary or idiom explained that I have just seemed to have run across. I also subscribe to their Swedish blog, but find that one a little less useful (so far) but more interesting with lots of tidbits on life in Sweden. They also have blogs for Chinese, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian.

New Video for Language Learning Advisor.com!

2008-12-18T16:53:00.000-08:00

I've found a very cool website where you can produce short and full-length videos. I've tried out a few things on it, it's a great tool. I'm sure I'll come up with tons of ideas for videos, but for now, I've only finished two short videos. Both are just a simple promotional video for the website. I'll have to go open a YouTube account, but for now you can see the first one on my site - http://www.language-learning-advisor.com/language-learning-advisor-news.html

A Nice Article on Language Learning

2008-12-13T08:19:00.000-08:00

I know I don't need to promote the learning of foreign languages to readers of this blog or visitors to the website, but I've just read a short article on the subject that sums up a few points beautifully.

I've been dumbfounded by some people actually being proud of the fact that they only speak English and have no desire to learn another language. This is actually 'pride of their ignorance.' In this article, there is one comment that mentions that the understanding of languages "... has always been, for the last 2,000 years or so, the hallmark of the educated person.”

In addition, those same people usually mention that 'everyone speaks English, so why should I waste time learning another language?' Everone doesn't speak English. It is foolish to think that way. Another comment in the article says "Thinking that all communication should be in English is a sort of cultural and linguistic imperialism.”Amen.

The article also mentions the advantages and difficulties in learning a few key languages - French, German, Russian, Japanese and Arabic. Read more http://ocolly.com/2008/12/02/now-you%E2%80%99re-speaking-my-language/

LivingSpanish.com

2008-12-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

One great thing about having a growing website is that people will actually contact me and inform me about websites, services and products that I haven't discovered yet. I was recenty contacted by http://www.livingspanish.com, a site for learning Spanish.

While there are tons of sites to learn Spanish, this one has a few qualities which make it a little unique. They have many of the same features of other language learning sites, but their approach is very practical and includes a real understanding of the everyday needs of the language learner. Their good sense of humor, use of slang and pop culture (like in their Word of the Day feature) stands out a little form other sites. I like their approach and I hope they are successful.

iKnow.com

2008-12-07T08:21:00.000-08:00

iknow.co is a language learning community for learning Japanese (or for Japanese learning English), but has plans to expand to many more languages. Most of the features are fleshed for learning Japanese (courses, wordlists etc) but they claim their learning tools will be helpful in learning 188 languages.

Included in these features are courses, personalized wordlists which can be shared with other users, a vocabulary tool, and a game called Brainspeed to test your vocabulary retention which can actually be played on your Wii!

This is another of a wave of language learning communities that are sweeping the interent and I just read of one more that will be coming out of beta soon.

I don't know how many more of these language communities can co-exist on the internet. There are already so many of them, the market might be getting saturated. We've already seen that Friendsabroad is being absorbed into Babbel, and others are for sale. Which one will be next?

A Few Pimsleur Updates

2008-12-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

Here are just a few updates on Pimsleur. Simon and Schuster has been consistently expanding their product line. Hungarian I (Comprehensive), Romanian I (Comprehensive) and Greek II are all recent additions.

When they finally add a comprehensive level product for a language, they also add a Quick and Simple or Basic level product (the first 8 lessons of Comprehensive) and an Instant Conversation (the first 16 lessons of comprehensive). The Instant Conversation is usually for a pretty good price considering for about $50 you get half of the $200+ Comprehensive set. But, if you want that full 30 lessons, you have to pay for it. That's why I think Instant Conversation is a (relatively) cost-effective intro to the language and the Pimsleur method.

Upcoming Comprehensive products include Croatian (Jan 2009), Eastern Arabic III (May 2009) and Hebrew III (July 2009).Here is a link to another reviewers thought son Pimsleur Spanish : http://gearheart.wordpress.com/2008/12/03/learn-spanish-with-pimsleur-a-review/

Rosetta Stone Version 3

2008-12-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

Rosetta Stones new Version 3 has been out for many months already. At first, only the 'major' languages were released in the newer version. But, I see now that many of the other, less commonly learned languages, have also been upgraded.

I was excited to see that Farsi, Dutch and Swedish have been released in Version 3. And I must point out that all languages that are released in V3 are complete to all 3 levels. So that means that Rosetta Stone goes as far for Swedish as it does for German or French! That's a big deal, because all too often language learning products are produced for the major languages that go into intermediate and advanced levels of learning, but for those less commonly spoken languages barely get past the basics, if they make anything at all.

The only reason companies do this is because it is simply not very profitable to invest in developing a product that won't sell as much as another. And Rosetta Stone has been guilty of this as well. I found it infuriating that there was only a level 1 for Swedish, but 2 or 3 levels for other languages. Even now, they have not upgraded their Danish, Thai, Welsh and some other courses. It looks like they will upgrade those as well, but I haven't seen any information on that.

I still don't have a copy of a version 3 Rosetta Stone product. I'd like to get my hands on one in order to spend some time with it and do a proper review. When the opportunity presents itself, I'll share my experience with it.

Give a Language Course for a Holiday Gift!

2008-11-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

Wondering what gifts to give this holiday season? How about the gift of language? We all know someone who could benefit from a language course. Know any students or anyone planning a trip abroad in the next year? You could even find a few things you want yourself and start dropping some hints. I make a list every year!

I have been raving about Tell Me More Performance level products since I first received Tell Me More German Performance earlier this year. For this weekend only Tell Me More is offering an exclusive discount of 15% off all products! Click the link above for more information.

The Hawaiian Language

2008-11-23T07:43:00.000-08:00

I've added a few much-needed resources to the Hawaiian page. The Kulaiwi link is a great resource, especially for a language like Hawaiian that has so few learning resources available. This site has 30 hour-long videos on learning Hawaiian, with pdf transcripts of the first few episodes and even a workbook. All this is available for free.

The state of the Hawaiian language appears quite good. From near-death only a few decades ago, a campaign of rebuilding confidence in the language is really taking root. The effort should be a model for other endangered languages. They have been focusing on teaching children in bilingual and even full immersion settings and it is working wonderfully. The children have really taken the Hawaiian language as their own and it's the parents and adults who are trying to keep up! That bodes well for the future of Hawaiian.

Friendsabroad Acquired by Babbel

2008-11-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

I just read that Friendsabroad.com has been acquired by Babbel.com. It sounds like Friendsabroad will be disappearing, and any accounts should be transferred to Babbel within the next 6 months. Friendsabroad will continue to function during that time.

I have just transferred my account and briefly checked out Babbel for the first time. I find Babbel to be similar to Lingq (I seem to be comparing everything to Lingq these days!) I like Lingq better, especially since it has been recently restructured. Actually I like Friendsabroad as it is, but I guess I'll have to get over it if it is going to be phased out.

I don't know if Babbel will be adopting Friendsabroads features, it doesn't sound like it. Babbel includes support for those learning English, French, Spanish, Italian and German. Friendsabroad mentions that it has members learning 80 languages. What happens to the other 75 languages in Babbel? It is unclear if accomodations are going to be made for people learning those languages.

Computer Problems

2008-11-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

I am having ongoing computer problems with my main work computer which has caused me to completely wipe the hard drive. I archived as much as I could, but there are a whole bunch of things that I will have to recover from sources on the internet or wave goodbye to. I'll also have to reinstall lots of software - Tell Me More, BYKI, Rosetta Stone, a few Transparent Language programs, Ergane. I've lost a downloaded multilingual dictionary program that I can't find the license for. I didn't have time to archive a bunch of podcasts that at least I can get for free, but it will take time getting them back. This, of course, takes away time I could be spending working on my sites or studying something. I'm sure you all know my pain.

Dominant Languages

2008-11-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

I just read a very interesting article on learning 'dominant languages.'

The author talks about two distinctly different definitions of 'dominant languages' but the one which interested me was the linguists definition - languages that demand learners speak them perfectly. He mentions that French and Thai fit that definition and that English and Italian most definitely do not.

It fascinates me that people consider English a hard language to learn. Not that I disagree, but I always like to qualify that with 'hard to learn to a high degree' and yet 'easy to speak badly.' Having grown up in New York, I've heard all manner of bad English spoken by foreigners over the years and my ears are attuned to it. This is what the author means when he says that English is not a dominant language (by this definition) - it doesn't demand much perfection from the learner.

The opposite is French, which demands that people make a real effort to speak French properly and with a correct accent. But is it the language that demands this or the culture behind it? The French have always struggled to define themselves as separate and distinct from everyone else and refuse to allow anyone else to define them.

British and American culture is quite different, much more fluid, changing with different influences over the centuries. And I believe this is reflected in the English language native to those countries.

The culture that defines the language sets the standards for it. The cultures that define the English language require it to be ever-changing and adaptable. And this is what puts English at the top of the heap under the other definition of 'dominant language,' that of the sociologist - a language that supersedes others or drives them to extinction. And that is an apt description of English today.

Read this interesting article at http://brooklynmonk.wordpress.com/2008/11/13/the-trials-of-learning-a-dominant-language/

Wordchamp

2008-11-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

I don't think I have mentioned Wordchamp before, and I'm not even sure if I have checked it out myself before now. Wordchamp is a site for language learners and teachers, with tools to help teachers organize their lessons and track their students progress, and has some features for students as well. There is an SRS flashcard feature, a webreader and extensive analytical tools to track your stats and progress.

I find the site similar to Lingq in some ways, but for the most part, it stands apart. Used in conjunction with other sites or language methods, its features could be very complementary. The webreader is interesting, allowing you to read websites in foreign languages and highlight words for their definitions. An SRS (Spaced Repetition System) Flashcard feature is almost essential for any language learner.

Tell Me More Review

2008-11-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

One thing I like to do before I write a review is actually use the product to get a good feel for how it works. I find that most reviewers only give it a cursory 'once over.' This is not really enough to get familiar with most products. So, as I have been working with Tell Me More German Performance for several months (on and off - unfortunately I can't give it the time it really deserves), I finally have enough experience with it that I feel I can write an adequate review.

I have found it to be the best language learning program available to date! The amount of material for learners (especially at the intermediate level) is outstanding and the extras are great. Tell Me More Performance is far and away the best software solution for learning a language.

The actual program runs beautifully, but will require a newer computer, it's pretty powerful and it's not cheap. The features include lots of audio, grammar, dialogues, pronunciation practice, role-playing, games and excercises, video, assessment tests, online support and more.

Read my Review of Tell Me More.

Changing Pimsleur Affiliates

2008-11-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned about Amazon a few posts ago, I am in the process of revamping the business side of my website. I am changing Pimsleur affiliates (again). While it is my favorite language method, I have had a very hard time as a website owner in finding a reliable Pimsleur merchant to work with. By reliable, I mean not just reliability and good prices for the customer (which hasn't really been a problem), but also ease of working with them for me as a business owner. One seller of Pimsleur that I have known of for a while is Catees Language World. They are completely dedicated to Pimsleur products and provide just about the best prices you can find on the internet. The changeover will be mostly transparent to visitors and I don't anticipate any problems at all for customers.

Spanish in Miami

2008-11-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend and I just took a daytrip to Miami. I was very impressed with the number of people there who speak Spanish, including non-Hispanics. Several times, someone came up to us, assumed we spoke Spanish and just started talking. I responded as best I could, but soon lamented the fact that I get very little practice with 'real live' Spanish, and especially with such a variety. In just one location (around Coral Gables, if you must know) I heard 3 or 4 distinct accents. If I could live in a location like that, my Spanish would be vastly improved in no time. If you ever get a chance to go there, have your Spanish handy and prepare to have it tested!

Scary Languages

2008-10-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

I remember a conversation once centered around 'scary languages.' I think the topic at hand was how some languages sound 'scary' while others don't. The examples I can remember are :

German - perhaps reminds people of the Germany of WWI or WWII. I think German accents were used a lot in older horror movies (think 1940's and 50's).

Russian - people think of Cold-War era Soviet Union and spies.

Czech or Romanian - stirs up some vague associations with vampires.

Aha! A possible segue into a Halloween theme! In honor of Halloween and 'scary languages' I added a Romanian page on the site. Go learn some scary language and frighten your neighbors on Halloween.

Sharedtalk

2008-10-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

There are many Language Community sites that have excellent features for motivated language learners. SharedTalk.com is one I have only briefly mentioned before. It is backed by none other than Rosetta Stone. Several other sites in this category also have backers with deep pockets (Mango Languages, Linq, Friendsabroad come to mind). This is to our advantage as language learners.

More sites with great features means competition - they are competing for us. We benefit from this competition! But it also means that eventually, we will probably have to pay for many of these great features. That means we need to take advantage of what these sites have to offer now. Find 1 or 2 that you like and use them as much as possible. I'm sure that in time you will find them indispensible and you will wonder why you never used them before!

Rwanda Drops French, Moves Closer to English

2008-10-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

The nation of Rwanda is dropping the French language from its curriculum and from official use in favor of English. This is a result of some points of contention between Rwandans and France. The French had once trained or armed some of those who ultimately committed acts of genocide in that country. Many Rwandans harbor some ill feelings toward the French and this has resulted in the desire to shed 'all things French' including the French language, which had long been part of Rwandan culture.

More and more countries in Africa have been adopting English as an international language. In some cases (like Nigeria) English is even used as a unifying language where there are dozens of indigenous languages. Ultimately this gives Africans the ability to compete on the international stage. As language learners, there are many Africans in an advantaged position, as they learn their native language (or 2) and 2 or 3 local, regional or international languages.

Amazon Affiliation

2008-10-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

If you are a regular visitor to the site, you may have noticed that I have been adding Amazon links for some books and audio language products. I have always had links to a bookseller on the site (Barnes and Noble, Buy.com) but for one reason or another had to change affiliates. I try my best to link only to reputable merchants with good prices, but they also need to be easy to work with. Amazon offers the widest possible range of products, reliability, a high level of customer service, brand recognition and they are easy for me to work with and integrate into my site. And let's face it, everyone has an Amazon account! So, rest assured that when you click a link on my site to purchase anything or just to learn more about something it is to a safe and reputable site or merchant like Amazon.

Rosetta Stone IPO

2008-10-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

While doing some investment research, I came across a filing by none other than Rosetta Stone. Apparently they are looking to go public. The process could take several months so I don't think a Rosetta Stone stock is imminent just yet. This does shed some light on some of Rosetta Stones actions in recent months - pulling software out of public libraries, high profile projects like the Michael Phelps commercial etc. I guess they are gearing up for their IPO.

But, it seems like a strange time for an IPO. The IPO market is dry as a bone and it's a terrible investing climate. Not to mention strange timing for Rosetta Stone itself. They state right in their filing that a large percentage of their sales come during the holiday season. This is expected to be one of the weakest holiday seasons in decades. It's a little risky right now. They are in the right market and have the right products for long-term growth, but keep a close eye on this before you buy.

A Few French Resources

2008-10-15T09:45:00.000-07:00

I have been looking for more information and opinions on Tell Me More around the internet. Not that I need anyone elses opinion of this great software, but I'm surprised there hasn't been a little more buzz about their new Performance level products. It is underrated and deserving of a lot more attention. I did find this review of Tell Me More French Performance.

Speaking of underrated, RFI (Radio France Internationale) Internationale) has some great resources for intermediate learners of French. They actively promote learning French and produce audio material with the French learner in mind. They have news programs, interviews and lots more in easy French with accompanying transcripts and listening comprehension exercises. It's a great resource after you have mastered the basics and you're ready for some real-world French!

Top 10 Language Podcasts

2008-10-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

Lexiophiles has named a Top 10 Language Podcast list. These guys are great for compiling the best of the bunch in language websites, blogs, podcasts and resources. While it's interesting, the real value here is viewing the complete list that they used as their starting point. It's chock full of great language podcasts, some for less commonly learned languages like Polish or Turkish. Here is the full list of 85 language podcasts:

http://www.lexiophiles.com/language-podcasts-toplist/the-whole-podcast-list

Pimsleur Norwegian

2008-10-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

Pimsleur Norwegian Comprehensive is a more recent addition to the Pimsleur line. I hit some snags, but eventually I was able to add the first lesson of Pimsleur Norwegian on the Learn Norwegian page.

Since I have been talking so much lately about Michel Thomas, I thought I'd point out a homemade Michel Thomas-style course for Norwegian. A frequent visitor and poster on www.How-to-learn-any-language.com started putting together the course. Here is a link to a discussion of the mini-course with links to the audio :
http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11542&PN=2&TPN=1

Michel Thomas Spanish

2008-10-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

After I had written that Michel Thomas update a few days ago, I took out my copy of Michel Thomas Spanish and started uploading to my iPod. After listening to the first two cds (which I have seen sold as an 'Introductory'course) I can now give my initial impressions of the course.

It was as I had remembered it to be a few years ago, when I listened to the first few lessons. I recall not liking having the other two 'students' on the cd perhaps taking up time away from my learning, but I quickly accepted that and got over it. Eventually I found it to be my way of buying time to come up with the answer, rather than hitting the pause button as the introduction suggests you should do. (I listen while driving to and from work, so looking down at the pause and play buttons while driving isn't a good idea!)

At this point, the material being studied is quite easy for me, but I am impressed with the method. He does an excellent job of breaking down the language into simple bite-sized chunks that a beginner can get a hold of. I am quite impressed with the complexity of sentences that complete beginners can make within just a few minutes of listening. He builds an intuitive understanding of word-order and sentence formation that blows away most other methods.

I will keep going with the course and post regular updates. Anyone else try Michel Thomas? I am interested to hear your comments!

Michel Thomas Update

2008-10-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

I talked about the Michel Thomas method a few weeks ago. Since then I have done some more research on his method.

Michel Thomas himself recorded courses for French, Spanish, Italian and German. For each of these languages there is an 8 cd Foundation course, a 5 cd advanced course and a 2 cd language builder course. I believe there is also a vocabulary course as well.

Since Michel Thomas has died, there have been several more languages added. Using his technique, Foundation and Advanced courses for Arabic, Mandarin Chinese and Russian were released, and vocabulary courses are scheduled for release in 2009.

They are now aggressively adding languages and courses. Foundation courses have been released for Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese and Polish, with Advanced courses for each of these languages scheduled for release within the next year, along with a Greek Foundation and Advanced course.

These new additions are exciting. I actually have the courses (all of them I think) for Spanish, Italian, French and German, but have never yet given them a decent listen. I will start with Spanish since it is the language freshest in my mind, so at least I can see how Michel Thomas works in detail.

A reader of the blog actually tipped me off to the release of the Dutch course, which really has me excited about the Michel Thomas method (thanks Alan!), and the recent rapid expansion of Michel Thomas courses. I'll work through the Spanish courses, and if I really like it I'll get the Dutch course. But I have to time it just right - if I finish it too soon before the Dutch Advanced course comes out in January, I'll go nuts for too long waiting for it to be released!

Digital Recorder Time

2008-09-29T19:14:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a handheld digital recorder. I have wanted one for a long time for recording things (I am a musician as well as a language enthusiast) so I went ahead and got it. What mostly prompted me to finally get it was a Dutch-speaking coworker. I only work with her once a month or so, and I can never remember the nuances of the Dutch pronunciation when she teaches me something (and it's always something a little odd - something you won't see in books and published courses!) I also thought how handy it would be in the EPCOT World Showcase that I wrote about a few days ago.

I have heard of people really building up nice libraries of recordings. I have to learn how to get the best quality sound out of it and then I have to remember to take it with me wherever I go. You never know when you could meet up with a native speaker to record!

Livemocha Updates

2008-09-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

Livemocha has been updating their site. In addition to adding features, they have added support for learners of two more languages - Arabic and Korean. They already had an impressive list of languages. In addition to the usual English, French, Spanish, German and Italian, they also have resources for learners of Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian and even Hindi and Icelandic!

300 Pages on language Learning Advisor

2008-09-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

I've passed a milestone I wondered if I would ever see. Language-Learning-Advisor.com now has over 300 pages of material.

A large part of the recent growth has been the participation of visitors, and for that I am very grateful. Thanks to everyone who has added their reviews and opinions to the site. The feedback that I get demonstrates that visitors highly value the opinions of other language learners and their experiences. I will continue to add ways for visitors to contribute.

I have no shortage of potential new material or ideas to add to the site. Enough for 300 pages more. There are dozens (even hundreds!) of languages that deserve their own pages that I have planned, new visitor contribution pages, reviews, featured resources and language learning tools, and even a podcast series!

What I lack is time. I would like to make the site (and my other online ventures) my full-time job, but that isn't possible right now. I just have to make-do with the limited time I have, maintain the site, and add new material as best I can. I hope I have helped language learners in some way achieve their goals a little easier or faster and I hope I can continue to do that in the future.

Thanks again to everyone who listens to my ranting!

Languages in EPCOT

2008-09-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

I want to talk about something I did earlier in the summer that I failed to mention. My girlfriend and I went to Disneys EPCOT Center on my birthday in May this year. We had both been there before and wanted to go back. We needed a day to get away and my birthday seemed like a good enough excuse.

One part of EPCOT is the World Showcase, and this is the main reason we wanted to go. There is a large lake surrounded by a long pathway. Along this path are various 'countries.' In each country there are a few buildings which house a ride or show, a restaurant or cafe and a gift shop or two. All the gifts and food are representative of each country. It's neat, although it hasn't really changed in the 20 + years since I was there last.

So, in Mexico you enter an Aztec-style pyramid and find vendors selling Mexican goods, little shops with books and knick-knacks and a Mexican restaurant. All while looking at a backdrop of a volcano. And of course, all the employees and cooks are from Mexico.

Aha! Now you see where I'm going. Native speakers! Now, here in the US, finding native speakers of Spanish is not hard. But for someone learning a language, you won't find friendlier and more agreeable fodder on whom to practice than Disney employees!

Now, for the language hobbyist or budding polyglot, this World Showcase can be a lot of extra fun. Imagine getting a breakfast snack in Norway, shopping in Germany and Mexico, lunch in China, some more shopping in Italy and France, dinner in Japan, and then a stroll through the bazaars of Morocco. And you will have friendly and helpful native speakers of each language at each step of the way!

There are a few glaring omissions. No India or Russia. Nothing from South America or Sub-Saharan Africa. But there is a great opportunity to practice even a few phrases of any of these languages. If you ever have the opportunity, check this out.

Language Communities

2008-09-18T19:29:00.000-07:00

There are a growing number of language community sites on the internet. I know I've mentioned Lingq and Livemocha before. Mango Languages is another such site that comes highly recommended.

These 'language community' sites have lots of features for language learners. There are tutorials, lots of audio, podcasts, ways to track your progress as you learn and interactions with teachers and other language learners. Most have plenty of free resources and features, but reserve upgraded features for a fee.

The lines can be very blurry as to what constitutes a 'language community' from a 'language exchange' site or even a tutorial, penpal site or forum. Take a close look at as many sites as possible to get a feel for them and what they offer. Choose one or two that most interest you or you can best fit into your study routine. These sites, when used properly and diligently, can form the core of your study for a long time.

French Review

2008-09-14T19:11:00.000-07:00

The Language Reviews page is growing too big. So, I've begun to spin off review pages for specific languages. I already had enough reviews of French for its own page so the first is the French Reviews page. If you haven't already, why not write a review of the languages that interest you!

Language Penpals

2008-09-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

I've made a few changes to the Language Penpal Resources page. There were a few defunkt language penpal sites that I've removed and I'm adding several more. Actually, since there are more and more of these resources all of the time, I may be restructuring all of these links onto several pages. I haven't updated this page in a long time and it's overdue. There are some great penpal and language exchange resources on the internet and I hope you are using a couple of them as part of your language learning strategy.

Standard Cornish Spelling

2008-09-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

A few months ago the leaders of the Cornish community finally adopted a standard written form for the Cornish language. It will allow for a few variations but overall it standardizes a language that up until now had about four different written versions. It will remain in effect and be re-evaluated in 5 years time.

This is a big move forward for the Cornish language. It means the squabbling over spelling differences can be set aside and the community can rally around their common language. They can now have standard street signs, learning materials, newspapers and other publications, etc.

I have found the different spellings difficult and I have been looking forward to this. While researching the new changes I came across this site with news and podcasts in Cornish :

http://www.magakernow.org.uk/

Michel Thomas

2008-09-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

There is a new book out about Michel Thomas and his language learning method. Read this article about him and the book. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/sep/02/languages.schools

His method is interesting. He essentially breaks down a language and then teaches how to construct sentences with its components. By using a lot of 'pattern recognition' the student quickly applies what is learned. He also uses a lot of cognates with English in order to help the student get into the language a bit.

His published audio method gets some flak for a few reasons. One, his audio course is just himself sitting down with two students and teaching them with his method as we listen in and participate as a third student. Some people criticize this technique as slowing things down (as we listen to the other student fumble on something we have no trouble with, for example) or wasting time better suited to focusing on the listener.

Another complaint is the fact that he himself is not a native speaker of any of the languages he teaches. Therefore, his accent (Polish, I believe) muddies up our pronunciation. We are learning a Polish accented French or Spanish!

I think that, like any other language method, I would recommend using a Michel Thomas course supplemented with another course (or two) that would nullify those problems. I think his course can be a very effective way to learn how to be functional in a language.

Michel Thomas himself only made courses for French, Spanish, Italian and German. Recently however, courses have been made using his techniques for Russian, Arabic and Chinese. I would hope that more languages would be coming. I would love to have Swedish or Dutch but I won't hold my breath!

See this BBC video on his fascinating life and teaching method. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3xvL22hLE

Not Learning Foreign Languages

2008-09-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

I keep hearing people actually defending not learning a language besides English. This is a common American trait. The only decent argument I have heard so far in favor of Americans not learning foreign languages went thus : the Dutch (for example) need to learn several languages in order to survive. But at what cost? They are not learning math and science and computers to the degree that Americans are. In that way we maintain our competitive edge.

Is that argument valid? As I look at statistics from around the world, it seems that America is in poor shape on the education front. It falls far behind European and Asian competitors. Granted, American universities are the best in the world overall, but even that is now vulnerable. Americas obsession with halting illegal immigration (which isn't working), is actually taking a terrible toll on legal immigration, particularly on students who want to go to an American university. Attendance at top non-American universities is rising at record rates. The brain drain to the US may be slowing.

The decline of the US education system actually increases the need for us to learn other languages, in order to compete more effectively in the global market. I recently read an article on a similar subject which referred to an environment of 'anti-intellectualism in America.' That is the problem.

Since when is it cool to be stupid?

Rosetta Stone Canceling Agreements With Public Libraries

2008-08-31T08:09:00.000-07:00

Rosetta Stone has begun canceling its licensing agreements with public libraries. From what I understand, they will no longer offer online use of their software through the library system. I believe libraries can still stock the CD-Rom version of the software, for a licensing fee I presume.

Already library systems are turning to alternatives. I have seen several set up shop with Mangolanguages.com and also Livemocha.com. A few have replaced Rosetta Stone completely with TELL ME MORE

I have not seen or heard of any explanation for why Rosetta Stone is doing this.

Language Demos - Try Before You Buy

2008-08-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

'Try before you buy' has become my new mantra lately. So many people buy a language method, particularly a more expensive one, only to discover they don't like it or it's not what they were looking for. So, I've been recommending to people that they try out a few language methods first. Many companies offer a demo to download, or tryout or view online. Transparent Language, Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More, Fluenz and others all have a way for a potential buyer to see their product in action before they purchase, rather than buy blindly. Read more in my article http://www.language-learning-advisor.com/language-learning-demos-try-before-you-buy.html

Veteran Language Learners and Published Language Methods

2008-08-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

When it comes to using a published language learning method, it makes a very big difference whether you are experienced at studying languages or not. A veteran language learner will use those methods in very different ways than a beginner does. Or maybe I should say that a beginner expects a lot more from it than the veteran does.

Most published methods (software, audio courses, etc) are generally made for the beginner. They are designed to lead along beginners by the hand, spoon-feeding them their new language in small effortless doses.

This is great if you are a beginner. But the veteran has already finely honed the skill set required for language learning and can advance quicker than most published methods allow.

Few published methods include much material for intermediate and advanced learners. More experienced language learners seek out those methods that do, or use a lower level program which they know will give them the right foundation to build upon.

But they will also use other sources to learn from. Using their preferred methods as a base, they will smartly fill in the gaps with grammar books, listening to a lot of audio and extensive reading after the initial steps into the language.

Methods have their place, but complete reliance on them is a no-no for the veteran language learner.

What can we learn from this?

Don't rely on one just method. Look beyond it and use complementary materials to study and learn from. Listen to a lot of real-life audio and read a lot. It's not hard to find material and it's free. Don't expect one language method to do everything, and don't expect to sit back and do nothing. You still have to work at it.

Learning a Language at School?

2008-08-18T20:27:00.000-07:00

Several students learning languages on their own reported using a published language method (such as Pimsleur) as a way to get ahead in their classes at school. They always report getting better grades than ever before, and even accelerating ahead of their classmates, where before they had lagged behind.

They soon 'discovered' that a motivated learner can go farther and faster on their own than they can using the standard classroom techniques. Of course, this is something that veteran language self-learners have known for quite a while. This leads to the student learning additional languages entirely outside of the classroom and the budding polyglot is born!

The additional home-study with an independent method may be the doorway to a whole new outlook on learning languages for many students. If you are going back to school and are studying a language this year, consider adding another language method to your homework assignmment. Something different from "conjugate these verbs for tomorrow ..." At least consider using the vast free internet resources at your disposal to enhance your classroom study. You may be shocked at the progress you and your grades can make!

Top 100 Language Blogs

2008-08-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

There is a Top 100 Language Blogs list on the internet. Actually, I would recommend you look at the whole list of 250 language blogs. You can find a treasure trove of information on language learning between all of the blogs. Some are more academic, some are focused on just one language. It is not a complete list of all language blogs on the internet. There are plenty of blogs that I know of that aren't on it, including this one, but that's not the point. If you look through them, there is something for everyone there.

Rosetta Stone Love it or Hate it

2008-08-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

One thing I've noticed about people and Rosetta Stone is that they either love it or hate it.

The majority of people are in the middle ground somewhere, but with Rosetta Stone, there are an awful lot of people with an extreme opinion. Granted, people are more likely to be vocal about their hatred for a product than they are about their love for it. And these people seem to be very vocal.

Let me compare Rosetta Stone to Pimsleur. Some people love Pimsleur, others don't like it. But the ones who don't like it agree that it has its virtues. Most of the non-positive reviews of Pimsleur concede that Pimsleur is better at building pronunciation and conversation skills than any other method. It's just a clash of learning styles, or they feel it is a little too expensive for the return they may be getting. Fair enough. And that's just it - the negative reviews of Pimsleur are fair.

Back to Rosetta Stone. The positive reviews are absolutely glowing and the negative reviews are scathing. Rosetta Stone must really be rubbing some people the wrong way or the right. It seems like these super-positive reviews and harshly negative reviews are motivated. Smells a little fishy to me, on both sides of the fence. Any thoughts? Care to write your review of Rosetta Stone?

Cheap Pimsleur

2008-08-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, Pimsleur is one of the most popular language learning methods. You may also know that it is my favorite. However, I know perfectly well that Pimsleur has its drawbacks. One of the biggest is the price. It's a little expensive as far as the average person is concerned.

I've mentioned some ways to help lighten the load on the site before, but I have also just written a new article on this subject. If you are interested, you can read my article http://ezinearticles.com/?Cheap-Pimsleur---7-Ways-to-Save-Money-on-the-Pimsleur-Language-Learning-Method&id=1382810

Also, Simon and Schuster continue to add to their lineup, slowly but surely. New products scheduled for release include - Croation Comprehensive Level 1 (October), Greek Comprehensive Level 2 (October), Eastern Arabic Comprehensive Level 3 (November) and Hebrew Comprehensive Level 3 (December).

Free Lessons for 40 Languages

2008-08-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.goethe-verlag.com/ has a text and audio method for 40 languages for free on its website called Book2. Each language has 100 lessons with basic vocabulary and simple phrases and sentences. Enough to survive in-country. Text and audio for all languages can be accessed from the website, but there is also a full download of all 100 lessons for a few languages - French, German, Dutch, Czech, Russian, Polish, Turkish and Romanian. There are also hundreds of vocabulary tests for many of those languages.

Massive Input before you speak

2008-08-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

http://thelinguist.blogs.com/how_to_learn_english_and/2008/08/first-understan.html

This is an article from Steve Kaufmann, the linguist of Lingq. To sum up his approach - massive Input of the language you want to learn. The Output comes later. Basically, he says you won't be able to properly or easily produce original spoken material in the language until you have a large and varied vocabulary, which can only be obtained with lots of input, mostly from reading.

I agree with (and to a certain extent, use) Steves approach with one caveat - if you have the time! You need lots of time to absorb all that material. If you don't have the time, complete immersion is probably the only way to go, but it can be ugly and difficult.

Steves approach is cozy, even enjoyable, something learning a language ought to be. Lingq is a site Steve put together in order to help people use this system of his. It is free to use. Give it a shot, you may find that it suits you.

Spanish in danger in Spain!

2008-08-01T17:11:00.000-07:00

In the US, we are currently debating whether or not to make English the official language. It is, of course, the uncontested unofficial language, but there is always ongoing debate regarding how much resources are put into accomodating people who speak other languages, most notably Spanish.

I recently posted about an African country, Ghana, and their discussion of 'national languages.' I have just found out about an interesting debate going on in Spain.

There is no question that Spanish is the official language of Spain. Or is there? Spain has some other native languages (such as Catalan and Basque) that have significant regional influence and some official status. To the credit of the powers that be, efforts have been made in recent decades to ensure that these languages do not become threatened by an overpowering national language (Spanish). They don't want to see these languages in the same situation as Occitan and Breton in France, or Cornish in Britain.

But there is actually some concern that Spanish itself is in danger! In Spain! Sound a little
crazy? Read this article - http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1419303.php/World_language_Spanish_threatened_in_Spain_campaign_claims__Feature_

What is the Easiest Language to Learn?

2008-07-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

So, what is the easiest language to learn, anyway? This is very subjective, of course, but I recently wrote an article on this based on the results of the Easiest Language To Learn Survey. The survey has been active on my site since June 17th, 2006 with 870 responses. If you have read the results on that page before (which I have updated from time to time), then you already know the answer. If you are interested, you can read the article by clicking on the title in the Ezinearticles widget on the right side of the blog.

Aramaic - A Living Language

2008-07-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I linked to an interesting article on Aramaic and other related biblical languages. I have also read from time to time of Aramaic being spoken regularly in a few churches or monasteries. While this is interesting, I just read this article :

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0803889.htm

It shows that Aramaic is actually a living language. It is spoken as a native language and is regularly taught to children. If you listen to the tone of the article, it is a big contrast when compared to efforts to save most other endangered languages, such as those in the US or perhaps Australia. It sounds as if the natives recognize the importance of their language and that they are the stewards of a tradition.

Aramaic is of great religious, historical and linguistic importance. If more speakers of endangered languages felt this way about their own language and culture, there wouldn't be quite so many languages dying out.

2008-07-25T09:43:00.000-07:00

Pimsleur has added an Italian Plus to their product lineup. Italian Plus is a 10 lesson course to follow Italian Comprehensive Level 3. This brings the total number of half-hour lessons for Italian Pimsleur to 100.

My only experience with a Plus course was Spanish. I used the Spanish Plus course after finishing all three levels of Spanish Comprehensive. I didn't find it particulary unique, it was just 'another 10 lessons of Pimsleur Spanish." I love the Pimsleur Comprehensive courses and I enjoyed the Spanish Plus addition, but there wasn't anything outstandingly different about it. It was simply a matter of not wanting the Pimsleur Comprehensive course to end since I enjoyed
it so much.

I imagine that the Italian Plus course is similar. If you enjoyed Italian Comprehensive, you will continue with the plus course and enjoy that. And if you are anything like me, you will feel a little bummed to be finished with such an enjoyable course, knowing that there is still so much more to learn.

Lingus TV

2008-07-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

There is a great new resource to help you learn Spanish. http://www.lingus.tv is a new site with short video dialogues. Each video has the transcription on the video, plus underneath with or without the translation. There are also notes on grammar and vocabulary or idioms used in each video.

The videos are sorted by level (beginner, intermediate and advanced) and also tagged by topic (like directions or introductions), vocabulary, or specific situations (like being angry or how to apologize).

It is simple, easy to use, full of a sense of humor and more real than most methods or tutorials. These are the kinds of conversations real people have. It is in Castilian Spanish, so it is a little different from Latin American Spanish, but is a very helpful and effective resource. I hope they continue to expand their offering of videos, and maybe even use this new platform to add more languages!

Learn Breton

2008-07-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

Breton is a fascinating language. I like to consider it a Frenchified Celtic language. It is spoken on the Brittany coast of France, across the water from where its close cousin Celtic languages, Cornish and Welsh, are spoken. Interested in learning Breton?

Language Survey Updates

2008-07-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

I have updated the results on the Most Beautiful Language Survey page. There is now a Top 10 List for both the Most Beautiful Spoken Language and the Most Beautiful Written Language. I will update these Top 10 lists from time to time.

I have also changed the Hardest Language to Learn Survey. There are no longer any choices, just a space for write-ins. After more than 1500 responses, there is a good enough number to get a reasonably accurate sampling. But putting a group of choices first may be unintentionally skewing the results in favor of those languages. So, I have removed the choices. I will see how this affects the results. It should be interesting.