Thread: Learning a new language

For those of you who have mastered a new language, what would you say is the best method to accomplish this. Distinguish between learning to speak, read, and write; as they are different skills.
How many years has it taken you do accomplish any of these skills.
How often and how many hours per day did you study?
How much professional help did you use?
Answer this question: If it takes sixteen years of education to master one's native language; why should it take less time to master a new language?
What is the most important element in become fluent in a new language?
Thanks

Again, it depends what you define as "mastering" a language. I can quite easily read, write, speak and hear Russian. I make mistakes all the time, but I can be understood without much misunderstanding. I can watch any Russian movie and understand at least 90% of it. It took me 3-4 years of hard work.

What really helped me was MOVING TO RUSSIA FOR A YEAR. Once you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce. Find some penpals, read Russian newspapers. That will boost your vocab quite fast!

Cheers,

+1

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

Tomorrow I'm going to SPB to meet an aussie who will be living at my place for a month. Heeeeee, ehm, I wonder if it is an opportunity to improve my oral skills.

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

Yes. Maybe not perfect but good enough. I personally know Russians who have done this in less time.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

What really helped me was MOVING TO RUSSIA FOR A YEAR. Once you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce. Find some penpals, read Russian newspapers. That will boost your vocab quite fast!

Cheers,

I lived in Russia also, and "total immersion" helped me very much. But it depends on the person. I already had a language-learning background, and so my progress was faster than someone who's never studied foreign languages.

Then, as K.V. says, it's just practice and time. My ex-wife is Belarussian, and she helped me boost my ability (especially vocabulary and idioms) very fast.

While I lived and taught in Spain, I found that having a Spanish girlfriend also helped me to rapidly improve my Spanish. And this is a fun way to learn another language.

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

Living abroad helps, but it is neither necessary nor sufficient. There are thousands of Russian emigrants who've lived in the US for ~30 years and still speak on the level of "which watch?-six watch".
There is nothing you can't learn at home, although it is important to have speaking practice with people who do not understand Russian (not necessarily with English native speakers).

Originally Posted by laxxy

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

Living abroad helps, but it is neither necessary nor sufficient. There are thousands of Russian emigrants who've lived in the US for ~30 years and still speak on the level of "which watch?-six watch".
There is nothing you can't learn at home, although it is important to have speaking practice with people who do not understand Russian (not necessarily with English native speakers).

That was such a funny scene in Casablanca.

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

You'll improve appreciably with very little effort.

Originally Posted by Siriusly

Answer this question: If it takes sixteen years of education to master one's native language; why should it take less time to master a new language?
What is the most important element in become fluent in a new language?
Thanks

Ты думаешь, что шестнадцатилетние подростки говорят свой родной язык в совершенстве?

Можно, но это зависит от того, что ты считаешь 'mastering a language'. Я когда-то познакомился с некоторыми людьми, которым было околко двадцати лет, кто всегда допускал грамматические ошибки. Например, они не знали, чем 'it's' отличается от 'its' и не могли верно писать слова, но все-таки они вполне свободно говорили на английском.

Во всяком случае, я думаю, что изучение иностранного языка никогда не останавливается. Надо прожить в течение многих лет в стране, где говорится язык, который ты изучаешь для того, чтобы доводить его до совершенства, то есть чтобы говорить на нем как носитель языка. Но можно достичь довольно хорошего уровня после только одного года языкового погружения. Или, в том случае, если тебе невозможно переехать в подходящую страну, надо изучать язык 3-4 года, чтобы достичь уровня, с которого твое умение говорить быстро улучшится. Конечно, это тоже зависит от тебя и от того, настолько сильно ты хочешь улучшаться.

bleh, whatever.

Ты думаешь, что шестнадцатилетние подростки говорят на своём родном языке в совершенстве?

Можно, но это зависит от того, что ты считаешь 'mastering a language'. Я когда-то познакомился с (некоторыми здесь не нужно абсолютно, (это some people, ты хотел сказать, в русском не надо так)) людьми, которым было околко двадцати лет, кто всегда допускал грамматические ошибки. Например, они не знали, чем 'it's' отличается от 'its' и не могли верно писать слова, но все-таки они вполне свободно говорили на английском.

Во всяком случае, я думаю, что изучение иностранного языка никогда не прекращается. Надо прожить в течение многих лет в стране, где говорят на этом языке, который ты изучаешь для того, чтобы довести его до совершенства, то есть чтобы говорить на нем как носитель языка. Но можно достичь довольно хорошего уровня после только одного года языкового погружения. Или, в том случае, если _ невозможно переехать в подходящую страну, надо изучать язык 3-4 года, чтобы достичь уровня, на котором твое умение говорить быстро улучшится. Конечно, это тоже зависит от тебя и от того, настолько сильно ты хочешь совершенствоваться.

bleh, whatever.

:P

Originally Posted by basurero

которым было около двадцати лет, которые всегда допускали грамматические ошибки.

Надо прожить в течение многих лет в стране, где говорят на том (not "этом"; or just "на_ языке, который...") языке, который ты изучаешь, для того, чтобы довести его до совершенства...

Originally Posted by adoc

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

You'll improve appreciably with very little effort.

That depends on many things, primarily on what his current level is. If he can't speak now, he will probably learn to speak well enough for other people to understand him in a basic conversation. Other than that, no guarantees. (some people can't even do that, but most of them are Chinese, perhaps it's more difficult for them).
Definitely do not hope for anything to just magically happen simply because of you being there.

Originally Posted by laxxy

Originally Posted by adoc

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

You'll improve appreciably with very little effort.

That depends on many things, primarily on what his current level is. If he can't speak now, he will probably learn to speak well enough for other people to understand him in a basic conversation. Other than that, no guarantees. (some people can't even do that, but most of them are Chinese, perhaps it's more difficult for them).
Definitely do not hope for anything to just magically happen simply because of you being there.

Seeing that Vincent's command of English is already rather good, I'd say his interest in English and aptitude are high enough to justify this particular prediction.

Когда Я жил в Италии шесть месяцев попробовал изучать итальянский язык, но не мог. После слушания слова я не мог помнить никаких слов вообще, на следующем день. Только помнил что моя наставница имел хорошие груди. Я думаю, что в течение этих лет в моей жизни, просто не знал, как учиться. Как все здесь знают, что итальянский язык - легкий.


Я был действительно болван!

Originally Posted by DDT

Когда я жил в Италии шесть месяцев, я попробовал изучать итальянский язык, но не смог. После прослушивания слов_ я на следующий день не мог вспомнить никаких слов вообще. Только помнил, что у моей наставницы была красивая грудь. Я думаю, что в течение этих лет_ моей жизни_ я просто не знал, как учиться. Как все здесь знают,_ итальянский язык - легкий.

Я был действительно болван!

Да, итальянский язык - легкий

Originally Posted by laxxy

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

nce you have the grammar down you don't techincally need to "study", just pracitce.

So do you think if I move to the USA or Australia or England and stay there for a year, I'll master my skills to ehmmmmm.... nearly perfect level?

Living abroad helps, but it is neither necessary nor sufficient. There are thousands of Russian emigrants who've lived in the US for ~30 years and still speak on the level of "which watch?-six watch".
There is nothing you can't learn at home, although it is important to have speaking practice with people who do not understand Russian (not necessarily with English native speakers).

That is entirely and totally different. They didn't move to the US to learn English, did they? They didn't go out of their way to learn English, did they? No, they hung around Russians all the time and only spoke Russian. That is why their English is bad. If you goal is to learn Russian, move to Russia and learn Russian there. Don't hang around your fellow countrymen all the time and speak your language!

It is extremely hard to "master" a language without being constantly around people who speak the language. You can't just sit at home and practice speaking to your teddy bear Bob.

kalinka_vinnie is right.once you have completely learned the grammar and some basic rules,all you need is practice.watch movies in russian,read russian newspaper or magazine etc...,listen to russian radios,find some penpals.

Originally Posted by Орчун

kalinka_vinnie is right.once you have completely learned the grammar and some basic rules,all you need is practice.watch movies in russian,read russian newspaper or magazine etc...,listen to russian radios,find some penpals.

Russian movies helped me very much!

Especially, Russian comedies.