Over the years, I have experimented with a multitude of different ways to learn languages. In the beginning, I used more traditional methods (like group classes and textbooks) but seeing as how ineffective these methods were for me, I have gradually developed my own personalized learning methods that integrate as many natural and (free) resources …
Language Learning through Native-Speaker Communities Read More »
Any traveller wishing to head off to explore China has probably at some point wondered about the issue of the language barrier between themselves and their hosts. Whilst English-speaking people traveling to Germany, France or Latin countries has the benefit of talking to other speakers of Indo-European languages, sharing grammatical rules and often similar words, …
Guest Post by Paul Mains With over 40 million inhabitants each, Spain and Argentina are two of the most populous Spanish-speaking countries in the world. Their capitals — Madrid and Buenos Aires, respectively — are bustling metropolitan hubs, rich in history and tradition. But despite having the same official language, the two cities are quite …
Guest Post by Fernando Saraiva Quick answer: No, they are not the same. And probably the first question of yours after reading this is: Why? Quick answer: Because British English and American English are not the same either. There are basically too main reasons for that event, in addition to, the natural mutation of languages: Geographic …
Brazilian Portuguese and Portuguese from Portugal: Differences and Similarities Read More »
Duolingo’s website carries the claim that, according to an independent study, an average of 34 hours of Duolingo are equivalent to a full university semester of language education. Since a one-semester university course usually takes more than 34 hours of work, this suggests that Duolingo is more effective than an average university language course. Duolingo …
The word ‘polyglot’ has its origins in Greek meaning the ‘ability to speak many languages’. Having reviewed the literature and theories on polyglottism, it seems to me that an intersubjective examination is needed on where the thresholds should be with the polyglot community. So to what level should I speak a language in order for …
Assimil consists of a pocket sized book and 4 audio CDs and promises an intuitive method. I bought it for Romanian and read through a few chapters each day as each chapter is quite short. The book is based on a series of short bilingual dialogues. I bought the French version as there was no …
Guest Post by Jan van der Aa As you read this title you might be thinking, is it really possible to learn a language in one month for a normal person? “Without studying?” What does that mean? My interpretation of “studying” is learning from grammar books, learning wordlists and taking classes. Those are often things …
How to Learn a new Language in 1 month without Studying Read More »
