TIME TO LEARN A LANGUAGE? - HOW QUICKLY CAN I DO IT?
Today I received an email from Babbel asking me if it's possible to learn a language in three weeks - with the results of their survey if I clicked on the link giving the answer. I hesitated. I was supposed to be clearing my inbox of unwanted circular letters and starting my appointments for the day and emails to people I needed to see or contact. What did I do?
Answer
I clicked on the answer. What was it?
Story
As far as I can see you can learn Spanish with their system on fifteen hours, studying one hour a week - or fifteen hours over two days if you devoted your whole weekend. I am learning through Duolingo, five minutes a day.
WHAT'S THE COST?
I clicked on Babbel, assuming that I would have to pay to start the course, or would get only a five minutes lesson before being asked to pay. Never mind. Try the first short lesson.
At the bottom of the page I saw the words: Supported by the European Development Council. That bodes well. I now suspect that at least some of the course will be free if it has a subsidy. Is the subsidy to develop the program, or to offer it free? I shall find out.
I was not asked for an email, only to download a flash drive and say if I wanted it once or every time. I clicked on every time because constantly having to decide is a nuisance.
First, which language? They offered:
French - I already speak French fluently as my second language.
German and Italian - I am already learning those on Duolingo.
Spanish - yes, I want to learn that - but it's too similar to Spanish and will confuse me.
Indonesian - I am less likely to visit - but when in Singapore lots of signs are in Malay, which is the same, so easy to reinforce the language and a constant question in my mind as to what does that Malay word mean.
Whilst I am trying to decide I find I have automatically clicked on Indonesian!
Up comes the Babbel first lesson. The interesting thing was the comparison between Babbel and Duo lingo (no space but I had to insert the space to prevent out correct spelling from changing what I typed without asking). Babbel asked me for the translation of English greeting such as Hello and good morning. I was offered two choices of sets of words. Only two choices to look at. Mostly you can tell by the length of the phrases translated.
Duo lingo offers you three choices, with pictures, so the first pictures are items such as boy and girl.
UPDATE
After the first six words I am asked for my name and email and a password to continue. They say it's free. I find I have already registered.
Then I am told I get (only) one week free.
Does this mean that I have to race through to finish the course in one week?
Does it mean that if I spend more hours I can complete more in the week, or is there a limit so that even if I worked all day on day one (7 hours) I would achieve no more that if I spread my time, over the week, one hour a day for seven days?
Author, Angela Lansbury, teacher of English and other languages. Author and speaker.
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