Have you learned another language? COME IN AND HELP!!!

[Aimeedyan]

I'm attempting to learn a foreign language... I have NEVER completed a language course in my life, and I really really struggle with memorization. Which, of course, is all it's about!

What things did you do in order to learn the voc, especially? I carry the index cards with me all the time, and pull them out and flip through them whenever I can. I write it out and read it aloud over and over again. I try not to overdo it, by only studying in blocks of about 15 min or so... what else can I do? I'm not learning it easily... argh! I have another voc quiz tomorrow and I'm scared!

BTW- The language is Biblical Hebrew, so its just a bunch of lines and dots LOL. I'm not sure if that makes it easier or harder to learn...

THANKS

 

[MHopkins2]

I learned both French and German back in the day, and the best thing you can do is expose yourself to the language as much as possible. My brothers live in Berlin, and one sent me a "care package" with German children's books and children's crossword puzzles -- those were a godsend!! (And the puzzles are harder than you think!) Speak and even think in that language as much as you can - e.g., if I looked outside and thought to myself, "Ugh. It's raining!" I would jump over to "Och. Es regnet."

(Apologies to Viking and any other natives - it's been a LONG time and I probably totally screwed that up. )

For a short term fix, to help you with your quiz, none of the above will help though. I'd say, just keep it up with the flashcards, and maybe see if you can get someone to go through them with you. For some reason, it's harder (and therefore more useful) if someone else is holding the answer.

 

[debster812]

I think your biggest hurdle is that you are dealing with a completely DIFFERENT alphabet. Spanish, French, etc all use the same type of alpahbet, even when you switch over to Russian etc, the Cyrillic alphabet has enough in common.

Biblical Hewbrew--WOW. It is going to be very hard to immerse yourself in it which is one of the best ways to learn.

Maybe check in your area for any local Hebrew Schools that might have supplemental language classes for adults.

Sorry, I know I'm not much help. Good Luck!

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I'm curious, why Biblical Hebrew?

when I was in Hebrew school I had to learn to read, write and pronounce Bibilcal Hebrew in order to be able to read my prayerbook. but we really didn't learn vocabulary.

I tried to learn modern conversational Hebrew in high school. I really didn't pick it up.


I was fairly fluent in Spanish in school.

the difference? not the alphabet. in spanish I met with a teacher every day, practiced my skills every day. for Hebrew, I met with a teacher once a week and never got a chance to practice what I learned in class.


what you need to do is find ways to practice the langugae skills between classes.

 

[outstandinfarmer]

My friend and I when learning a foreign language try to talk to each other as much as possible in that language. Even if we have no idea how to say a word, we figure out a way around it. (For example: if we don't know the word for lotion, we will say, white cream you put on your arm) We also play games in that language, such as Guess Who. It's SOOOO much fun to play Guess Who is Spanish or French.

I don't know how much Biblical Hewbrew music is out there, but if there is any, play it all the time. You wouldn't believe how much it helps. I also watch the Spanish station on TV and read Spanish magazines. I may not know every word, but I can make out what they are saying and I learn SOOOO much in the process.

See, all of this helps if you are learning a common language, but you are not. So, I'm not sure how you will be able to immerse yourself in it. I guess if I'm going to devote my time to a language, I want it to be able to speak it with others. I think it would be VERY interesting to learn biblical Hewbrew, but I don't think it would be my first language I would learn. It would be too easy to get fustrated and stop.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

"biblical hebrew music"

now, why didnt' I think of that?

Cantor Debbie Friedman has put a lot of Bibilical passages to music. http://www.soundswrite.com/swdf.html

come sing the letters after me, then I'll sing after you:

aleph bet vet gimel dalet hay...

 

[debster812]

outstandinfarmer has some good tips. Any kind of immersion is great. Think about it, how do babies acquire language? They can understand what we say to them, long before they can speak for themselves. It's the same type of concept trying to learn a 2nd (or 3rd, or whatever) language. You will understand spoken word before you can speak or read.

Music is a great tool for learning.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Originally posted by Briar Rose 7457
I'm curious, why Biblical Hebrew?

I am working towards my Master of Divinity... it's a required course, along with Greek. I also have to take a reading course in one of them... ARGH. =)

We're learning grammer, and voc. But since most of the voc is just memorization, we speak it in class and learn it at home... class is spent going over grammer issues, and trying to read sentences.

Its hard to immerse yourself in a language no one speaks anymore, LOL! But I'm trying! Thanks for all your tips, keep them coming!!!!!!!!

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

that sounds so interesting!

 

[DawnCt1]

The optimum time for learning a language begins at pre school and sort of wanes from there. I took about 7 years of Spanish and was fairly fluent when I finished high school. I can barely get by now but I think that if I were to immerse myself in it, I would do well. I understand more than I can speak. Just for fun I tried learning some Hawaiian words a few years back. I have a lot of Hawaiian music and we enjoy listening to it. HOWEVER, its tough to learn except for the basic phrases. It may be because the alphabet is so limited or maybe because it is totally foreign (there are spanish sounding words in English and roots as well) and quite possibly because I am THAT much older.

 

[grinningghost]

4 years of high school Spanish here. Learning vocab was really easy for me. Somehow it just sunk in. It was all those verbs and all the different conjugations that drove me over the edge. Writing them down over and over is what worked for me.

 

[debster812]

Oh, I had another idea. Make a tape of yourself, or someone else saying your vocabulary words. Kind of like your own little mini-Berlitz class. Then you can listen over and over and over again. Repetition is the key to vocabulary.

DawnCT1 is right about the best time to learn languages is preschool, but you can still learn at any age. I started Spanish in Grade 5, learned Brazilian Portuguese as a Junior in HS when I spent 4 months in Brazil (there's that whole immersion thing), learned French in College, and have dabbled in German and Russian in college as well.

I admit it, I am a language geek!!!!

 

[RUDisney]

BriarRose, where are you when I'm doing crossword puzzles and it asks for a Hebrew letter?!? The Greek ones are easy. I studied that for 2 years, about 22 years ago and I can still bless myself and recite the first 4 lines of the Odyssey. Greek was the hardest language I ever learned. Granted, I learned the dead language and not modern Greek.

I, like Debster, am a language geek. Latin, Greek, German and Russian.... so far... I really want to take the time to learn Spanish. It would come in so handy when we travel. I once had to ask a policeman if I could park somewhere in Puerto Rico because I couldn't read the sign. He told me I could park there, but I'd probably be ticketed or towed. Then he smiled and told me where the parking garage was.

Sounds like your hardest language will be Biblical Hebrew, Aimee. Greek should be a snap after that!