Problem
I already speak one other language fluently, French. I would like to keep up my French, and learn another language, Spanish. I would also like to be able to read words in Greek, Hebrew and Russian. (And eventually Arabic and an Indian script for H i n d i, Urdu and Tamil.)
Answers
LEARNING ALPHABETS
I have signed up on Duolingo for Greek, Hebrew and Russian to learn the alphabets. When more become available I shall add more, Arabic and an Indian language.
Wikipedia has long explanations, too long for my purpose. I shall look in the simplified Wipkepedia next.
LEARNING LANGUAGES
I started learning Spanish on Duolingo, but switched to Italian after I went on a holiday to Italy courtesy of the Umbrian tourist board (seeing Perugia and Francis of Assisi sites). Read my previous posts after you've read this one. I thought learning Spanish and Italian at the same time might be confusing, although it might also make it easier to learn similar words.
Stories
I go to two Toastmasters International speaking groups and a book group in London as well as Toastmasters International meetings all over the world from Singapore, Thailand and China to the USA.
At a book group in London, over tea and coffee after discussing books we were discussing learning similar languages and getting confused between Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. One of my friends said, "Isn't d o v e where in Spanish but d o n d e where in Italian?"
One solution would be to learn - and SPEAK Spanish. If you are alone, speak to yourself, reading aloud a card of the day's words displayed on your breakfast table - print it out the night before.
Then switch to Italian as if you have gone out to a restaurant over dinner in the evening. Maybe French or Portuguese at lunch time. Look up the words for the food you are actually eating, because that may be what you want to ask for in a foreign country.
If you are retired or unemployed you could do this more easily. When you go for a job interview and you are asked about your hobbies or successes you can talk about learning languages.
Prepare a couple of sentences ready to speak. Place a phrase book in your pocket ready to pull out and show. Write on the back of your address card, (easy to find instantly in your right hand pocket) with the name of the language website you recommend.)
Holidays and Business Travel
Why learn languages? It is good for going on holiday: French in Canada, France in Europe, French speaking islands (see Wikipedia for a list) and French restaurants worldwide. Spanish in the USA, South America, Spain in Europe. Portuguese in Portugal, Macau, South America. Italian in Italy and Italian restaurants.
Study Latin
Latin - similar to Italian, basis for many other languages such as Spanish Portuguese; Romanian - similar to Italian;
LATIN helps with English - language worldwide. English is the universal language of pilots. See Latin on Roman constructions, ruins worldwide, everywhere from UK, England, Wales (Caerleon museum just across the border, Scotland (Hadrian's Wall), and Italy, and all over the Middle East.
Recognize Greek
Greek, is spoken in Greece, written on road directions signs. See it on Greek planes making the exit looking like Exodus. Notice bible book names (Leviticus is laws) . Greek is used in maths and science. Wartime cemeteries worldwide have Latin inscriptions - pro patria - for the fatherland.
Hear Hebrew
Hebrew, which you hear in Israel and news reports with subtitles. Hebrew is the basis of sentence construction in the English language used in the King James Bible. (For example: Thy god, my God. NB no verb, balanced construction. You also see it on walls of synagogues and gravestones, USA, UK, Jewish tour of Prague, either on visits, tourist websites and videos, or in encyclopaedias.)
Social Reasons
Learning a language is sociable. You can make friends. One friend of mine met his wife through Spanish classes in London, England.
www.duolingo.com
Author
Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Please read my other posts on Romania, Romanian language and other languages. Please share links to posts.
I already speak one other language fluently, French. I would like to keep up my French, and learn another language, Spanish. I would also like to be able to read words in Greek, Hebrew and Russian. (And eventually Arabic and an Indian script for H i n d i, Urdu and Tamil.)
Answers
LEARNING ALPHABETS
I have signed up on Duolingo for Greek, Hebrew and Russian to learn the alphabets. When more become available I shall add more, Arabic and an Indian language.
Wikipedia has long explanations, too long for my purpose. I shall look in the simplified Wipkepedia next.
LEARNING LANGUAGES
I started learning Spanish on Duolingo, but switched to Italian after I went on a holiday to Italy courtesy of the Umbrian tourist board (seeing Perugia and Francis of Assisi sites). Read my previous posts after you've read this one. I thought learning Spanish and Italian at the same time might be confusing, although it might also make it easier to learn similar words.
Stories
I go to two Toastmasters International speaking groups and a book group in London as well as Toastmasters International meetings all over the world from Singapore, Thailand and China to the USA.
At a book group in London, over tea and coffee after discussing books we were discussing learning similar languages and getting confused between Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. One of my friends said, "Isn't d o v e where in Spanish but d o n d e where in Italian?"
One solution would be to learn - and SPEAK Spanish. If you are alone, speak to yourself, reading aloud a card of the day's words displayed on your breakfast table - print it out the night before.
Then switch to Italian as if you have gone out to a restaurant over dinner in the evening. Maybe French or Portuguese at lunch time. Look up the words for the food you are actually eating, because that may be what you want to ask for in a foreign country.
If you are retired or unemployed you could do this more easily. When you go for a job interview and you are asked about your hobbies or successes you can talk about learning languages.
Prepare a couple of sentences ready to speak. Place a phrase book in your pocket ready to pull out and show. Write on the back of your address card, (easy to find instantly in your right hand pocket) with the name of the language website you recommend.)
Holidays and Business Travel
Why learn languages? It is good for going on holiday: French in Canada, France in Europe, French speaking islands (see Wikipedia for a list) and French restaurants worldwide. Spanish in the USA, South America, Spain in Europe. Portuguese in Portugal, Macau, South America. Italian in Italy and Italian restaurants.
Study Latin
Latin - similar to Italian, basis for many other languages such as Spanish Portuguese; Romanian - similar to Italian;
LATIN helps with English - language worldwide. English is the universal language of pilots. See Latin on Roman constructions, ruins worldwide, everywhere from UK, England, Wales (Caerleon museum just across the border, Scotland (Hadrian's Wall), and Italy, and all over the Middle East.
Recognize Greek
Greek, is spoken in Greece, written on road directions signs. See it on Greek planes making the exit looking like Exodus. Notice bible book names (Leviticus is laws) . Greek is used in maths and science. Wartime cemeteries worldwide have Latin inscriptions - pro patria - for the fatherland.
Hear Hebrew
Hebrew, which you hear in Israel and news reports with subtitles. Hebrew is the basis of sentence construction in the English language used in the King James Bible. (For example: Thy god, my God. NB no verb, balanced construction. You also see it on walls of synagogues and gravestones, USA, UK, Jewish tour of Prague, either on visits, tourist websites and videos, or in encyclopaedias.)
Social Reasons
Learning a language is sociable. You can make friends. One friend of mine met his wife through Spanish classes in London, England.
www.duolingo.com
Author
Angela Lansbury, author and speaker. Please read my other posts on Romania, Romanian language and other languages. Please share links to posts.
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