How to learn 30 languages

BBC ^ | 29 May 2015 | David Robson

[beaversmom]

I once chatted briefly with a guy from India. He knew 5 or 6 Indian languages plus English.

[SunkenCiv]

The Swiss have for some time had a rep for learning languages; I recall reading that people who learn a second language before age 12 or so find it easier to learn a third, fourth, etc, later on in life.

[AZLiberty]

If you have a desire (or a need) to learn Spanish, I highly recommend Complete Spanish from LanguageTransfer.org. I originally learned Spanish and a smattering of half a dozen other languages using the Michel Thomas Method. I used to think that the Michel Thomas Method was the best, but the Thinking Method from Language Transfer has surpassed it. And it's completely free!

In 14.5 hours of lessons, Complete Spanish teaches the structure of the language, a significant amount of vocabulary (especially verbs), and the nuances of how the Spanish language causes/requires you to think differently in expressing yourself. Listen carefully to the instructions to gain maximum value from the lessons.

The SoundCloud streaming version is excellent. Install SoundCloud on your phone (iOS or Android) and search for Complete Spanish.

[dfwgator]

One of my favorites:

Kasia Kowalska - A To Co Mam (And What I Have)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6rrym_kasia-kowalska-a-to-co-mam-1995_music

[AZLiberty]

For use from your computer, here's the SoundCloud web version of Complete Spanish.

[beaversmom]

Thanks for posting the Complete Spanish link.

[beaversmom]

Thanks. :)

[beaversmom]

India speaks 780 languages, 220 lost in last 50 years – survey
http://blogs.reuters.com/india/2013/09/07/india-speaks-780-languages-220-lost-in-last-50-years-survey/

[Yaelle]

My dad was bilingual. He got Alzheimers around age 78-79. (He is still alive but I had to use the past tense in the first sentence because he is no longer verbal.). I don’t think any of the “keeping busy” “active mind” stuff is true. It’s all BS. My parents were both extremely active and engaged and they both have been felled by this disease.

The cause is probably environmental, possibly cumulative over a lifetime of exposure to ... I don’t know what. It’s an epidemic and epidemics aren’t genetic.

[beaversmom]

It took me a bit, but I found a video I came across last Spring while taking world history:

The Origin of Old English
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC4QEEU8Td0

[AZLiberty]

Let me know how it works out for you.

Remember that a key part of the Thinking Method is to think in order to respond to each prompt. No memorization is required, but you have to spend the time to think. By the time you hear a given prompt, you have all the knowledge you need to respond. You just have to piece it together.

You remember by understanding, you understand by thinking. Use the appropriate pause button (e.g., the microphone button on your phone headset) to pause so you can get your answer in before the student on the recording.

I repeat: Think, really think, before you respond to each prompt. You’ll get faster with time, but it’s important that you don’t rush through new material.

[beaversmom]

For your possible interest regarding the subjects of language, dialects, and accents:

Shakespeare: Original pronunciation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPlpphT7n9s

Yorkshire Dialect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScELaXMCVis

[beaversmom]

Okay, thanks for the tips. I’m kinda reluctant to learn Spanish...maybe some hostility over illegal immigration holding me back, but I will put that aside and give it a shot. Always good to learn.

[Suz in AZ]

Re: Klingon
True story... friend of friend traveling in China fell asleep on a train and went way past his stop to a place where he couldn’t understand the dialect. A boy saw his Klingon dictionary and the two used Klingon to communicate how to get where he needed to go.

Who says it’s not useful?

[Suz in AZ]

Chinese is simple to speak if you are not tone deaf. Difficult to read and write.

Korean is easy to read and write but difficult to speak.

Japanese is difficult in both regards.

[Cronos]

But, how do you THINK in it?

for me it was interesting changing my mental gymnastics from S-V-O to using declensions and putting the verb at the end

But to me the Chinese way of conversing "me house to go" -- seems like a different way of thinking. How do you do it?

[Cronos]

Oh, Italian is beautiful to my years now, but when I was younger (and to many people even now) it sounded comical with it’s ups and downs

[Fresh Wind]

I don’t remember much of my high school French, but I remember the teacher. Ooh-la-la!

[Cronos]

Can a country be a country if there is no common language?

I think so -- there have been instances in the past where there is an official language at the state level and different local levels

In India there are 2 national level languages - Hindi and English in which all national level communication must be provided

I think they should actually make it Sanskrit instead of Hindi -- Hindi is an over-simplified Indo-European tongue, with only two cases. Sanskrit has the full 8

[Cronos]

The usage of “be” wihout conjugating is similar to what you hear from the West Country in England