septimus, there actually is something to that plot. Not quite as sinister, but they are more than happy to supply teachers and propaganda. I can take a semester of Chinese here for $129.
I think that some kid going into hvac or other vocational work would be definitely helped by familiarity in Spanish. The problem is that my experience as a young spanish learner and as an english teacher to young children in japan is that early exposure is basically worthless if not done right. The kids I taught learned songs that helped them spell out coconut (for real!) and hickory dickory dock which isn't going to help them at all. We need to figure out how the European countries that teach English so well manage to do it.
It is quite simple and it helped me learned Danish when I lived in Denmark. TV.
Probably 80% of the television programming in Denmark was in English with Danish subtitles. My classmates swear that's how they learned English and it really helped me figure out Danish reading the subtitles.
English TV with foreign subtitles is awesome! Germany is one of the only European countries that doesn't do that and my H swears that's why their accents are the worst.
English TV with foreign subtitles is awesome! Germany is one of the only European countries that doesn't do that and my H swears that's why their accents are the worst.
Really? IME Scandinavians tend to have the slightest accents, followed by the Germans, followed by the native speakers of the romance languages. This is a gross generalization and of course you'll have your excellent speakers from any language background and you'll have the same for people with thick accents. But in general, the fact that the pronunciation and flow of the German language is so much closer to the English one than French or Spanish are that Germans tend to have better pronunciation at a lower functional level.
Also, subtitles (apparently I'm in a pissy mood today, sorry): you can't rely on them because what's being said isn't a literal translation of what is written. There are a lot of idioms, puns, and plays on words that just don't translate so they change them completely. Quite often what's being said is nowhere close to what's actually written.
Didn't mean to overgeneralize. Sorry. I do that sometimes.
I do love the subtitles though. They're not perfect, but neither is dubbing and at least you get to hear original voices and tone.
Post by cookiemdough on Sept 10, 2012 4:36:49 GMT -5
I am fine with learning a language but not okay with requiring it be mandarin. One if the schools we considered for DS has a mandarin immersion program you could choose. They were very excited about the program but cautioned parents that it would require a significant amount of work and support at home. Speaking and writing in mandarin is so different that it is not an easy language to learn especially when compared to something like Spanish.
Remember in the 1980s when everyone said Japanese was THE language to learn because Japan would dominate the world economy in 20 years?
OMG, I was JUST going to post the exact same thing.
And how do they choose Mandarin Chinese over Indian? (I don't know if that's technically correct or not; maybe India has more than one language and they probably have several dialects, but you get my drift.)
Post by basilosaurus on Sept 10, 2012 6:19:25 GMT -5
India has a ton of languages! My brain is telling me that Hindi is the official language, but there are over 30 recognized languages spoken there. Languages, not just dialects. My tired brain may be incorrect on the exact specifics, but India is a country that definitely has a shitton languages, not just "more than one."
India has a ton of languages! My brain is telling me that Hindi is the official language, but there are over 30 recognized languages spoken there. Languages, not just dialects. My tired brain may be incorrect on the exact specifics, but India is a country that definitely has a shitton languages, not just "more than one."
LOL thank you. I saw "Indian language" and I was like whaaaaaaaat? Hindi and English are official and while I can't remember the exact number of separate languages spoken in India, "shitton" is a good word for the number lol.
ETA: Ethnologie lists 415 living languages, but I have a feeling that's an underestimate. 30 of them are spoken by at least 1 million people.
India has a ton of languages! My brain is telling me that Hindi is the official language, but there are over 30 recognized languages spoken there. Languages, not just dialects. My tired brain may be incorrect on the exact specifics, but India is a country that definitely has a shitton languages, not just "more than one."
Also as a former colony I think English is an official language in India. that's one of the reasons they have so many call centers.
I agree that TV plays a huge role with language learning.
In Portugal, the majority of the shows are in English and Spanish. I never had any trouble talking to anybody (young or old) in Spanish or English.
Here, in Spain they have a huge problem with learning a foreign language. Perhaps, it has to do with the fact that the shows are only in Spanish.
Interesting. My workplace is a tourist attraction and I have noticed that Spaniards are the least likely to speak English to workers, but I just assumed it was because Spanish is prevalent here and they might as well speak their native language if they can (kind of like what English-speakers do!).
My friend told me that during her trip to Spain, her Spanish was very necessary in Madrid. But in Barcelona, she would speak Spanish and immediately be replied to in English. Guess Catalonians are more proficient in English (and perhaps other languages) as an FU to Spanish lol.
Post by basilosaurus on Sept 10, 2012 7:16:12 GMT -5
I got almost no English in Barcelona. It's not because my Spanish is awesome. I speak with a Cuban accent apparently, and no one can understand it. Except, of course, Cubans or those of Cuban heritage who live in Miami.