The Vent and Rant Thread

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Believe it or not, that is the best way to learn a new language, because you are being forced to think in the target language much faster than if you were translating every word or phrase. Give it time and try as much as possible to speak only in French.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

[...]To take a class where your native language is used will NOT do you well in the long run. Total immersion is the ONLY way to quickly learn a language.[...]

yep yep, but I think we should like know at least what the teacher is talking about, not really exactly but should get the gist, huh? It was like listening to a song sung in a language you don't know a thing about. I know using native language in a language class isn't good, but there are times when you can't guess blindly, right?

My first 2 days with Vietnamese teacher went well, she knew what was the best for us and restrictedly used our language once or twice to explain "difficult" words, and never more than a sentence each time. Much more easier for all of us. On the contrary, we, as well as our French teacher, had to struggle hard.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Something that works very well for me is to buy a couple of children's books, the sort they call 'first readers.' Made for 3-4 year olds... Like this: See the ball. See the red ball. See the dog. See the green dog. See the green dog run.

As long as you don't need to discuss quantum physics, these books can really give you a boost into a new language.

Stitchawl

oh right, I'll try those books

Originally Posted by Mortis

This is an excellent method as well, just don't get caught up trying to translate the books [...]

Learning a second language is always hard, but you all ready learned the most difficult second language, English, so French will be a cakewalk

after reading the first page in a book written in English, which in my case was 20000 leagues under the sea, I stopped trying to translate them into my native language altogether isn't reading way too painful when 50% of the used word are alien?

ah no, in my opinion French isn't exactly a "cakewalk". French has some influence on our language, and the fact that it's easily confused with English makes things hard. I'm scared: what if I want to say some words in English and say them in French instead? you know, person - personne...

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Interestingly enough, the average Japanese university English teacher can NOT speak English. They can translate the written language perfectly. They can write and compose with perfect grammar. But they can NOT speak and usually not comprehend spoken English. It's quite sad.

My friend's father told us that when he came to Japan some years back, he needed directions once or twice and couldn't manage to ask anyone but the hotel concierges. Nobody spoke English, except for those who worked in hotels. I myself didn't believe it so, and I thought maybe it was a suburb area. Until you confirmed that.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

My friend's father told us that when he came to Japan some years back, he needed directions once or twice and couldn't manage to ask anyone but the hotel concierges. Nobody spoke English, except for those who worked in hotels. I myself didn't believe it so, and I thought maybe it was a suburb area. Until you confirmed that.

If you want help in English when in Japan, you should ask a college or high school student, or ask a older retired man. The students get 4-6 years of English in school, and if lucky enough, will have had a Native English speaking Assistant Language Teacher so they aren't afraid to try yo speak. The old retired gentleman learned their English from the G.I.s at the end of W.W.II when they were hustling food and cigarettes on the streets trying to stay alive.

20 years ago we needed to write down English questions so that they could answer them. They had no experience with speaking or listening, only translating. But things are changing rapidly here, and most elementary schools have Native English speaking teachers coming in 2-3 days a week to talk with the kids.

Stitchawl

[wyndslash]

got into a small fight again with my mom @_@ she doesn't want me to go to the gym because she says i'll get fat.

really, what else can you say after that? :|

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

got into a small fight again with my mom @_@ she doesn't want me to go to the gym because she says i'll get fat.

really, what else can you say after that? :|

I thought it would have the opposite effect.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by kennyc

I thought it would have the opposite effect.

it typically depends on what type of workout you want. i know some ultra-thin people who go to the gym to get fat (properly), and fat people who go to the gym to slim down. but of course, mom's catch-all is that if i go to the gym, i'll get fat. :|

anyway, according to her, one of her agents (who is older than her, around 70 or so) had that experience.

[Mortis]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

it typically depends on what type of workout you want. i know some ultra-thin people who go to the gym to get fat (properly), and fat people who go to the gym to slim down. but of course, mom's catch-all is that if i go to the gym, i'll get fat. :|

anyway, according to her, one of her agents (who is older than her, around 70 or so) had that experience.

Listen to your mother young'n they are never wrong!

I would have argued with her if she told me that, but I have been wrong before, my mother told me so!

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Mortis

Listen to your mother young'n they are never wrong!

I would have argued with her if she told me that, but I have been wrong before, my mother told me so!

i have a high uric acid, plus my BMI isn't very good, so i'm hoping to cure that somewhat with exercise. i'm not aiming to be a supermodel or anything, i just want to be healthier than i am now

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by wyndslash

i have a high uric acid, plus my BMI isn't very good, so i'm hoping to cure that somewhat with exercise. i'm not aiming to be a supermodel or anything, i just want to be healthier than i am now

Then you have to stop kissing the boys. They have germs.

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Then you have to stop kissing the boys. They have germs.

pft :P

[Freeshadow]

What Mortis said about language learning I can confirm - I learned german being thrown in col water. You have to think in the language you aim to use. Everything else is like walking on crutches.

@kennyc
I think she doesn't kiss em.
She's far too much afraid of the boys :P

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

What Mortis said about language learning I can confirm - I learned german being thrown in col water. You have to think in the language you aim to use. Everything else is like walking on crutches.

@kennyc
I think she doesn't kiss em.
She's far too much afraid of the boys :P

well, i don't "like" being thrown into cold water, but i do think it's more effective in being immersed in the language you're learning. however, in my case, i usually teach the most basic japanese so i start by gestures and pictures. as we work up the ladder, i use what we learn to learn the new stuff. i do try to avoid using any other language but japanese, however. i use a lot of pictures and real objects to get my point across, as well as music and other media.

[SneakySnake]

My big computer has died again. Bloke only just rebuilt it for me and I had one good day out of it. I was going to plug in my reader and load the rest of the Nikola books on because I finished the first one last night, and.....

bugga, it won't go.

Bloke reckons the mother board has whiskers. Now he is pulling it apart behind me.

GTG

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

My big computer has died again. Bloke only just rebuilt it for me and I had one good day out of it. I was going to plug in my reader and load the rest of the Nikola books on because I finished the first one last night, and.....

bugga, it won't go.

Bloke reckons the mother board has whiskers. Now he is pulling it apart behind me.

GTG

Damn!

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by SneakySnake

My big computer has died again. Bloke only just rebuilt it for me and I had one good day out of it. I was going to plug in my reader and load the rest of the Nikola books on because I finished the first one last night, and.....

bugga, it won't go.

Bloke reckons the mother board has whiskers. Now he is pulling it apart behind me.

GTG

That's annoying. Having my PC act up is one of the quickest ways to bring on a headache.

[SneakySnake]

Bloke has fixed it sort of. Not whiskers on the motherboard, but the same problem as the other computer that failed. The bluddy cpu fan lug failed

Anyway posting from the computer now, but the cpu fan is so noisy I am going mad. Bloke has the shits with me, but we will have to buy a new fan that I can tolerate. I am being naughty and leaving the room with this computer on, so he has to listen to it from across the desk.