What Are You Doing Right Now? (355 Viewers)

[Fred]

The first is subjective. I just don't like it.

As for the second, the sounds in Arabic are so different that after a certain age it becomes difficult to distinguish. As a 28 year old learning Arabic is a monumental task. Possible, but very difficult. French, Italian or German are easier.

For you perhaps. I haven't started yet but learning French does not look easy for me

 

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[Scottish]

I hate when people switch languages mid conversation. The worst is when I'm having a conversation in spanish and then someone interrupts me in english. That would fuck me up everytime, now I stay in spanish.

General wisdom is that living in a country will help you learn their language. However most people jump at the chance to practice English

Luckily I have a couple of friends who don't ever try and speak to me in English although they speak really well. Godsend. How long have you been in Mexico for now?

 

[Seven]

For you perhaps. I haven't started yet but learning French does not look easy for me

Yes, exactly. For me. I bet there are dozens of languages that are easier for you to learn though.

 

[Martin]

The first is subjective. I just don't like it.

As for the second, the sounds in Arabic are so different that after a certain age it becomes difficult to distinguish. As a 28 year old learning Arabic is a monumental task. Possible, but very difficult. French, Italian or German are easier.

I don't really buy that. The fact that most people fail doesn't mean that it's impossible. It's a question of phonetics, understanding the mechanics behind how the sounds are made. And if you're not able to imitate them then that means you can't make them spontaneously. But with a coach and with a lot of effort you can probably train yourself to do it.

edit: thought you wrote "almost impossible". reading on the internet. it's hard.

 

[Scottish]

that's inevitable

Do you have any advice for separating the languages? Do you still get confused?

 

[Seven]

Do you have any advice for separating the languages? Do you still get confused?

Become awesome.

 

[Martin]

Do you have any advice for separating the languages? Do you still get confused?

Unfortunately I don't. I get them mixed up too. Heck even the other day with a Dutch tutor on skype after 45min I realized that it was harder to reach for English words.

I've heard people say that they have their own personal methods for dealing with this. One guy said he likes to think of the geography of the country and keep that in mind to keep languages apart. Another one I heard is trying to think about the culture, the gestures, the mentality. And so if you're speaking French try to be the most French in every way, which means if you suddenly say a Spanish word you will hear that it stands out. But I don't really know how to apply that advice.

 

[Enron]

Unfortunately I don't. I get them mixed up too. Heck even the other day with a Dutch tutor on skype after 45min I realized that it was harder to reach for English words.

I've heard people say that they have their own personal methods for dealing with this. One guy said he likes to think of the geography of the country and keep that in mind to keep languages apart. Another one I heard is trying to think about the culture, the gestures, the mentality. And so if you're speaking French try to be the most French in every way, which means if you suddenly say a Spanish word you will hear that it stands out. But I don't really know how to apply that advice.

I have a friend and his best language (other than english) is french. But here you speak mostly spanish, but because of his heavy french his accent while speaking spanish goes back to the french at times. It can be pretty funny.

 

[GordoDeCentral]

The first is subjective. I just don't like it.

As for the second, the sounds in Arabic are so different that after a certain age it becomes difficult to distinguish. As a 28 year old learning Arabic is a monumental task. Possible, but very difficult. French, Italian or German are easier.

 

[Martin]

you give him a thumbs up for that? that was such an obvious comment

you should read more of Seven, he posts really insightful things sometimes

 

[lgorTudor]

French is so much harder to learn than German or Italien

 

[GordoDeCentral]

you give him a thumbs up for that? that was such an obvious comment

you should read more of Seven, he posts really insightful things sometimes

it hd to be said amid the encouraging posts

unless you are super dedicated and disciplined you should not pick up arabic in your twenties/thirties

 

[Scottish]

it hd to be said amid the encouraging posts

unless you are super dedicated and disciplined you should not pick up arabic in your twenties/thirties

We'll see how I get on in 6 months

 

[GordoDeCentral]

We'll see how I get on in 6 months

ooook

 

[Seven]

you give him a thumbs up for that? that was such an obvious comment

you should read more of Seven, he posts really insightful things sometimes

Thanks?

it hd to be said amid the encouraging posts

unless you are super dedicated and disciplined you should not pick up arabic in your twenties/thirties

I agree. What you see happening all the time is 30 year olds picking up a language class, do some courses and they end up speaking a bit of Spanish. Because Spanish is easy for most Europeans/Americans and is an easy language grammatically.

I have a friend who speaks fluent Arabic (after studying it for five years and living in Egypt for two) and one of my brothers speaks Russian. The amount of work required to speak these languages even marginally well is something else entirely.

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French is so much harder to learn than German or Italien

German is easily the most complex of the three grammatically.

 

[Fred]

Thanks?



I agree. What you see happening all the time is 30 year olds picking up a language class, do some courses and they end up speaking a bit of Spanish. Because Spanish is easy for most Europeans/Americans and is an easy language grammatically.

I have a friend who speaks fluent Arabic (after studying it for five years and living in Egypt for two) and one of my brothers speaks Russian. The amount of work required to speak these languages even marginally well is something else entirely.

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German is easily the most complex of the three grammatically.

Really? and he's still your friend?

 

[Seven]

Really? and he's still your friend?

Sure. Why wouldn't he be?

 

[Fred]

Sure. Why wouldn't he be?

I'm kidding man

I have a British colleague who speaks Arabic perfectly, it's still very awkward and weird whenever I hear a westerner talk in Arabic though

 

[Martin]

I'm kidding man

I have a British colleague who speaks Arabic perfectly, it's still very awkward and weird whenever I hear a westerner talk in Arabic though

you should record something for us
show us how boss it is

 

[Seven]

I'm kidding man

I have a British colleague who speaks Arabic perfectly, it's still very awkward and weird whenever I hear a westerner talk in Arabic though

I can imagine. My friend has dark curly hair and tans very easily. I think he could probably pass for someone from Iran or even Egypt. I guess that might make it less weird.

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you should record something for us
show us how boss it is

It definitely can be. Imo it's like German in that way: sometimes it sounds really beautiful, but then there are times when it's just so hard and 'angry'.