la bala Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 "Total immersion" is meant to be the most effective method for learning a language. It's well named - you either swim or sink! A few years back Mrs Aldivalloch and I were at her sister's place in the south of Spain. It was way out in the country and absolutely not in the touristy area. During our holiday her sister had to go back to Britain for a few days, so we were left to look after the place. Very few of the locals spoke English, so our Spanish was coming on in leaps and bounds - or so we thought. One day Mrs A went into the local shop and successfully bought a fresh chicken! It was very tasty - a bit like British chickens used to be before supermarkets and polystyrene trays... Anyway, buoyed up by her success as a chicken buyer, the next time we were in the shop Mrs A announced, "I'm going to tell them how much we enjoyed that chicken." "I think you're being a bit ambitious," I cautioned her. "Oh, rubbish!" she retorted, turning to the woman behind the counter and letting go a stream of "Spanish". The woman looked baffled. So she let rip again. The woman continued to look baffled. She let fly a third time, but more slowly, carefully pronouncing her words. A smile spread over the woman's face. "Ah, si, si!" she sang - and disappeared into the back shop. She returned with a big, heavy cardboard box which she dumped down on the counter. Mrs A had only gone and managed to buy their entire stock of ice-lollies. There was a hell of a lot of them in that box. "What'll I do???" she squeaked at me. "Pay up - and SHUT UP!!" I replied. "Before you end up buying that ******* zinc bath they've got hanging outside the front door." :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 "Total immersion" is meant to be the most effective method for learning a language. It's well named - you either swim or sink! Is the right answer. Did French at evening class a few years ago and in an hour a week for a year I ashamed to say I learnt almost nothing. It was however exactly like appearing in the old sitcom Mind Your Language, whoever wrote that got is spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psyxologos Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 I think a second (3rd, 4th..) language is a great gift to give a child if you can. Best way to learn of course is go and live somewhere. Precisely. I am fluent in three languages and competent in another two. The joy and pride I feel when I can communicate with people in different countries and make myself clear to them is rather great. My 2 year old daughter is trilingual and will hopefully start a fourth language after she is 6 or 7.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 The best way is to live among the people who speak that language. I'm an ex trooper so I soon became fluent in Anglo Saxon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 To be honest, I struggle reading some of the posts on PW. Some people must be using 'Pidgeon' English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikky Posted October 2, 2012 Report Share Posted October 2, 2012 i can speak irish english scottish and welshis...and swahili and a bit of hausa...... mikky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hafod Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 my nephew and neice both went to welsh school when they were younger and are fluent in welsh , and i,m ashamed to say i couldnt understand a bloody word they said in my mother tongue , they could have been calling me all the ******g ******** going , but saying that i met an italian once whilst out shooting one day , he could not speak a word of english and i certainly couldnt speak italian , but we got on like a house on fire , and managed to get through to one another somehow , he calls me now and then , he speaks english like a native now , he said he learned english durring his national service in the italian army , as for my italian well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted October 3, 2012 Report Share Posted October 3, 2012 Passable German and French and just learning Cantonese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fagus Sylvatica Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 I speak fluent Indonesian and a little Javanese. I married an Indonesian girl and have lived in the country for almost 20 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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