Learning a language

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

There's no substitute for simply immersing yourself in the natural environment

 

[cpparrothead]

I am using italki and duolingo to learn Japanese. I take a 45 min lesson every week over skype with a teacher in Japan through italki. I practice listening by watching some of my favorite movies in Japanese, lately it has been Encanto. I tried watching Japanese movies or listening to Japanese podcasts, but it was too fast for me to comprehend. I found Disney movies dubbed in my target language easier to understand, since i knew the plot and dialogue.

 

[LovesTimone]

Yes. In Europe, the expectation is that we(Americans) should put a little effort into learning some of the language. Any effort at all is likely to be repaid 2x in help or assistance from a local. They may ignore you otherwise....

Yes I agree...

I am a firm believer in learning not only some of the language but social etiquette, manners, customs, appropriate clothing... what is expected... For me its about being a guest in someone else home... I would start in French, and apologize for not knowing more, and for the most part they knew anywhere from being fluent to a little English, and I knew a little French.. and with some hand signals and pointing, we were all smiles and laughing, and able to communicate...

I will say first hand that we had some experience with this.... We were in a lovely kitchen shop in the Market area a few blocks from our hotel, and after I started trying to talk and ask questions to the owner in French, and apologized for not knowing more, he spoke with me in English... Another english speaking family came into the store, without speaking or acknowledging the owner, and started speaking english to him, and he pretended not to understand, he was wrapping up our purchase, and he looked up and winked at us. Which my DH thought was so funny... I just smiled and said merci..... au revior...

As well on several occasions while in a shop or restaurants we were asked were are you from, and We would say we are Americans... and every time we were told the same thing... you don't look American or act American... we would ask why... ? , she said you act like a french girl, and you look very french, you don't act American..., in one shop we asked why? and the older couple that owned the shop, she said
you look and act like a french girl, and your man looks like viking, and gave him a very appraising look... I laughed, my DH was very flattered, and winked at her, she said.... seee!!! viking... and we all laughed...

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I grew up speaking French as well as English in the home (French mother) and my kids speak it too. Picked up some Italian and German from my many trips to Switzerland. My oldest DD is fluent in Korean (can speak read and write it) and she plans on moving there to teach after college. She always freaks the servers out when we go out for Korean bbq and she can converse with them. They’re always so surprised that this blonde haired American girl speaks Korean lol.

 

[Moliphino]

Yes. In Europe, the expectation is that we(Americans) should put a little effort into learning some of the language. Any effort at all is likely to be repaid 2x in help or assistance from a local. They may ignore you otherwise....

The French definitely seem to appreciate the effort when you try to speak in French first. But then they don't want to hear me butcher it and gladly switch to English for the rest of the conversation.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

The French definitely seem to appreciate the effort when you try to speak in French first. But then they don't want to hear me butcher it and gladly switch to English for the rest of the conversation.

My French relatives say all the time “only the Americans will go to another country and expect you to speak their language” lol. It’s true though, first thing they usually say is “do you speak English?” Most of them do (they all learn it in school) but unless you put in some kind of effort to speak French many of them will act like they don’t know what you’re talking about.

 

[Moliphino]

My French relatives say all the time “only the Americans will go to another country and expect you to speak their language” lol. It’s true though, first thing they usually say is “do you speak English?” Most of them do (they all learn it in school) but unless you put in some kind of effort to speak French many of them will act like they don’t know what you’re talking about.

Hey now, I think the British do it, too! It was a new experience in Spain when people would be happy to learn we were American and not British (I think Southern Spain gets a lot of the partying/badly behaved British tourists and not a whole lot of Americans).

 

[GAN]

I will say first hand that we had some experience with this.... We were in a lovely kitchen shop in the Market area a few blocks from our hotel, and after I started trying to talk and ask questions to the owner in French, and apologized for not knowing more, he spoke with me in English... Another english speaking family came into the store, without speaking or acknowledging the owner, and started speaking english to him, and he pretended not to understand, he was wrapping up our purchase, and he looked up and winked at us. Which my DH thought was so funny... I just smiled and said merci..... au revior...

This is very true... and always enter a shop with a Bonjour!