Comments on: WOULD YOU LEARN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE BETTER BY EXPOSING YOURSELF TO THE LANGUAGE?

By: Diogenes

Diogenes — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:50:54 +0000

It’s a good way to start, kind of like “getting your foot in the door.”
However, you won’t LEARN it that way. Having your Facebook page in German won’t help if you have to look up every other word in the dictionary.
The best way to learn German is to go to Germany or Austria, hands down.
The next best way is to have at least two German-speaking friends work with you. I say two or more because that way it is more natural. They can talk and you can listen, and then you can ask them to describe what they are talking about. You can ask them to speak slowly. Also, you pick up more vocabulary faster because the conversations are natural.
However, if these options are not possible, do this:
1. Start taking a German class (not Rosetta Stone–those programs are supplementary). THIS IS A MUST IF YOU DON’T HAVE INPUT FROM NATIVE SPEAKERS IN A NATURAL SETTING.
2. Start reading mags, newspapers, and reading the news on Yahoo in German.
3. Try to find a friend or two that you can practice your German with in real life.
4. After you have been in class for a few months, start watching movies with subtitles. Put the subtitles in English first, then German, then progress to no subtitles at all. If you can find any Disney movies that have German, that would be optimal. Watch your favorite movies in German over and over.
5. Try to find events where German speakers attend. For example, maybe a church, or a German restaurant. The best place would be to go to your local university and meet people in the German department. If you make friends with the teaching assistants and others from German-speaking nations, you will be on your way.
However, be aware of the following pitfalls:
1. Many German-speakers also speak English (in the USA and in Europe). Some may not have the patience to help you and they will just speak English to you.
2. Many German-speakers are learning English or trying to improve it, and they want to practice, so there’ll be a lot of give and take in these situations.
3. Even if you do manage to learn a decent amount of German, once you visit Germany or Austria you will be in for yet a learning experience. The accents you will encounter, and the slang you will hear, will be completely different than what you may have picked up in your home country. So you will have to “start all over again” in a sense.

By: Ed Bejarana

Ed Bejarana — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:50:54 +0000

Hi,
My believe is NO. I lived in Germany for two years, spent massive amounts of time with people who did NOT speak English and I only learned a few German words.
Of course, in order to learn a language you need to be exposed to it, but as a student under a skilled teacher. I understand that Rosetta software is a great teacher, but the software is too pricey for my wallet.
Ed Bejarana
http://www.BusinessBlogging.net

By: Mike K

Mike K — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:50:54 +0000

Hello,
It certainly speeds your conversational and comprehension skills but you cannot escape the dedication, discipline class work, grammar drills and exercises needed to become decently proficient in the language.
Cheers,
Michael Kelly

By: Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:50:54 +0000

well speaking it and reading it are 2 different things. I speak mild spanish but i can read that much of spanish. I doubt you will learn it because do you know every word? can you use it as a main language? ( like americans with english )

By: cathalli

cathalli — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:50:54 +0000

I think this is a definite way to help, but, if possible, try to find a place to hear spoken German, as understanding a spoken language is far more important than understanding it written down.