2007-11-27 01:31:28 · 12 answers · asked by pip 34 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
read a lot and hear a lot in the target language.
Get an MP3, record online radio stations, get songs, whatever.
Use study material only as a starter and a reference. It's usually too boring to use it.
Just B/F will not work. A language need to be learned and can not be injected. Living in a foreign country may help, but language is not really contagious.
2007-11-27 01:39:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Some of the above answers are sensible, especially the ones that emphasise immersion in a language, but all miss one thing: learning depends on you, and the style of learning must match your personality or you'll get nowhere.
Basically, a language has:
vocabulary (words & what they mean)
grammar (how the words fit together to make sentences)
pronunciation.
If all you want is to make yourself understood on holiday and you hate study, a small dictionary and a cheap recorded language course will do you fine. Most locals are tolerant, - indeed delighted at a tourist even trying to speak their language.
If you want a serious competence in the language and don't mind some hard work, you have various options. Some people do best swotting from a grammar etc. Some are happier sitting with headphones on for an hour or two a day with a rather better (and inevitably more expensive) course on disc.
Whichever you choose, it always helps to do some immersion. If you have Sky TV, get it enabled for foreign stations & watch films in the target language. Buy newspapers (most big towns have a newsagent specialising in foreign ones) & not only practise reading, but also update yourself on local life & culture.
Contact the local university language dept. They often run schemes where you can converse with a foreign student trying to improve his English while you improve (e.g.) your Japanese.
Good luck.
2007-11-27 01:59:14 · answer #2 · answered by Michael B 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if possible, move to the country and speak the language all the time.
you cd do a summer abroad too as a taste.
listen to tapes, radio, tv etc, even if you don't understand at first.
join/create a conversation group.
get tutoring.
get a penpal.
read bilingual books, eg short stories. penguin etc produce them.
go to movies in the language and follow w/subtitles; dvds are even better as you can replay and/or stop.
do not be afraid to make mistakes. do not give up. do not worry about the grammar at first - make communication your goal.
if the language is german or one of the romance languages, note english words similar to vocab in these langs - haus for house, hound for hund, maison for mansion, ami for amicable,
etc.
i am a language teacher btw - fr & span and also an eng. teacher.
2007-11-27 12:37:17 · answer #3 · answered by Lisa Q 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best way is to move to a country and immerse yourself in their culture, you can pick up a language very quickly if you are forced to learn it . That is what i did and now speak Spanish fluently.
2007-11-27 01:44:22 · answer #4 · answered by Bonnie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Move to a country with your desired language and where nobody speaks English.You will learn in no time.
2007-11-27 01:37:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Word association
2007-11-27 01:40:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Combine two of the above answers:
Move to a country where they speak it and then find a gf/bf from that country!
2007-11-27 01:39:41 · answer #7 · answered by BOOBOO 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
get a bf/gf who speaks the language lol
2007-11-27 01:34:11 · answer #8 · answered by Aiko 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
get the cd-roms, or cassettes or cds and learn the language on your own (try rosetta stone)
2007-11-27 01:38:48 · answer #9 · answered by karma 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
fill yourself with a big interest!
2007-11-27 01:58:58 · answer #10 · answered by oneofthoseboys 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋