Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Tuesday Topic: Continued language learning


I was sure that we had recently discussed advice for those in the midst of language learning. Did I imagine that? I can't find it. Maybe that will have to be next week's topic, if someone else doesn't dig it up for me first. (Ah, here it is. Let's make that a topic for next Tuesday, too.)

For now, I wanted to ask this:
If you're beyond the language learning phase, how do you continue learning your language? Or, if you're not there yet, what ideas do you have to share, thoughts for when you get there? Can anyone say that they have learned a language? I mean, I'm fluent, but it seems to me that there's always room for improvement....

(If you have a “Tuesday Topic” question, please email it to me at fylliska@gmail.com. Provide your blog address if you would like to be linked to, or specify if you would like to remain anonymous. Thanks!)

6 comments:

  1. Did you see this post? Went up just yesterday. Shares some personal experience and is similar to what I've done.

    http://www.alifeoverseas.com/language-learning-methods-whatever-it-takes/

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    1. I just saw it in my inbox, and I'll read soon.... Thanks!

      What really helped me for a while was reading along with audio books. I felt a jump forward when I did a lot of that. Since then I've been on a plateau, though. I don't need the audio any more. I read tons, and I think my knowledge is going up, but I don't feel like that is reflected in my speaking ability at all. I mean, I read Anna Karenina in Russian recently; that should do something, right? It was a great pleasure, but that's about it, as far as I can tell.

      Something that is helping me is kind of strange, and probably not very relevant for others. The more Ukrainian I learn, the deeper my Russian goes. So, do I suggest taking on another related language? Like I said, probably not too useful for other situations.

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  2. Even after 6 years, I'm definitely still learning Spanish. I'd call myself proficient... not fluent. 'One of the biggest helps for me now (after finishing up formal language study) is doing indepth Bible studies in Spanish. So, one week, I study the passage in English and then the next in Spanish. I get new insights from studying it in Spanish... and it helps improve my language learning.

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    1. I love studying my Bible in French... for that very same reason. Great observation, Sarah.

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  3. The taking up of a similar language and the Bible advice is great! Love it. A little on the slightly crazy side, in my opinion, is just moving to a place where you will be even more immersed than you currently are. Of course, this is not for everyone and every situation, but we went from using Cambodian sporadically throughout the week to sporadically throughout the day and the jump is vocabulary and pronunciation was amazing. Continually working toward more immersion in the culture and language is so difficult but so worth it. =)

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  4. These are all great ideas, thanks for sharing! I started using Pimsleur, and need to make time for that. For now I talk to Thai people (who are all willing to help out a "farang" with their Thai) everywhere I go; the mall, in the parking lot with my apartment guards, at my school with the students' mothers and the building guards, the local 7/11 stores. I mimic, I mess up, I adjust tones, I forget, occasionally I remember and say it right and then everyone (even the check out clerk at the Family Mart) gets excited, or at least acts so. But I want a more targeted approach, so I plan on audio learning...taking a local class...and I love the Bible idea, so finding a Bible!

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