• The Guide to Learning a New Language (BIG w/ PICTURES)
    58 replies, posted
[B]JUST UPDATED! Read on...[/B] [IMG]http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/7037/howtolearnalanguagecopy.png[/IMG] [B]EDITS: 8/19 On this one month (and one day) anniversary since my last edit, I have made some huge additions: [/B] [LIST] [*][B]Added new section "Use the Language" on correspondence [/B] [*][B]Added more than 100 links to the index for a dozen languages, following the results of my [URL="http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=987502"]poll from yesterday[/URL]. The full list of languages include: Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, Italian, Japanese, even MORE German links, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish (sorry if your language of choice isn't included! These seemed to be the bigger ones). I have paid careful attention to the Spanish and Russian links. [/B] [*][B] Link contents include: basic stuff, advanced material, vocabulary, grammar, syntax, pronunciation and other facets of the language, culture (food, traditions, customs etc.), texts (e-books and HTML), audio books and television networks I have also added some more miscellaneous general links so be sure to check those out as well. ALL CONTENT IS (or should be) FREE! If I have made any mistake in this regard, let me know. [/B] [*][B]And finally, the highlight of this update: I've made a fully hyperlinked .pdf for you to download. This printable .pdf is a fully revised and re-organized edition of this post. I've added more images and pretty much made it even sexier. It's not beautiful, but it's better than this OP! As a side note, it's been sanitized so you can send copies to your relatives or anyone else who may be interested. If you are unable to download this .pdf, don't worry - all the major content updates (the new section & the new links) have been added to the thread.[/B] [/LIST] [INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][URL="http://www.mediafire.com/?a7kmmaggkl7kd4t"][B][U]---->Download<----[/U][/B][/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][img_thumb] http://a.imageshack.us/img256/183/ss2v.png [/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://a.imageshack.us/img132/8704/ss1ht.png [/img_thumb] [/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][B] Thanks for all the feedback and keep it coming. If I have made any mistakes, please let me know! If there is something that should be in this guide but isn't, let me know. Basically, if you have anything to say about this guide, I'd be happy to hear it. I may add the following languages at a later date: Latin, Finnish, Polish...any other suggestions? Post! [/B][B]7/18 Added section about culture, fixed various mistakes, re-organized some things. The guide is now more or less complete. I suggest you give the entire thing a good once-over if you have read it already. 7/17 Added section of addendum (specific links to Norwegian, Mandarin and Russian resources. Also my opinion on the Pimsleur course.) Also added some map links to index.[/B] [B]7/16 Expanded Table of Contents, [/B][B]added some new links throughout,[/B][B] added index of links, [/B] [B]7/16 Added section on Rosetta Stone [/B][B] TABLE OF CONTENTS (INHALTSVERZEICHNIS) 0. INTRODUCTION (VORSTELLUNG) [/B][INDENT][B] .5 NOTE (VERMERK)[/B][B] .9 I'M JUST GOING ON VACATION WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS BLOCK OF TEXT[/B][B] (for those of you who are traveling and don't want to completely learn a language)[/B] [/INDENT][B] 1. WHERE TO START (WO MAN ANFANGEN[/B][B] KÖNNEN [/B][B]) [/B][INDENT][B] 1.48 random point - LEARNING A GERMANIC LANGUAGE (GERMAN, DUTCH, SWEDISH, NORWEGIAN....)[/B][B] 1.49 USEFUL WEBSITES FOR LEARNING GERMAN + LANGUAGE LEARNING "HUBS" (OTHER LANGUAGES)[/B][B] 1.5 DIGRESSION (DICTIONARIES & VOCABULARY BUILDING)[/B] [/INDENT][B] 2. LEARNING IN CONTEXT (LERNEN IM ZUSAMMENHANG)[/B][INDENT][B]2.1 TELEVISION W/ LINKS TO GERMAN TELEVISION NETWORKS[/B] [B]2.12 LINKS TO RECOMMENDED PROGRAMS (GERMAN)[/B] [B]2.2 NEWS (NACHRICHTEN)[/B] [B] 2.3 AUDIOBOOKS (HÖRBÜCHER)[/B] [B] 2.4 [/B][B]ONLINE [/B][B]TEXTS [/B] [B] 2.5. BOOKS (PHYSICAL) (BÜCHER)[/B] [B] 2.6 "REALIA"[/B] [B]2.7 USE THE LANGUAGE [NEW!][/B] [/INDENT][B]3. LEARN ABOUT THE COUNTRY/CULTURE [JUST ADDED] [/B][INDENT][B]3.1 HISTORY (GESCHICHTE) 3.2 CULTURE, SOCIETY, GEOGRAPHY 3.3 VISIT THE COUNTRY (REIS NACH DAS LAND) SUMMARY (WHAT TO RESEARCH)[/B] [/INDENT][B] 4. ROSETTA STONE - Y/N? 5. LINK INDEX (SORTED BY LANGUAGE & CATEGORY) [JUST UPDATED, HUGE] [/B][B]6. ADDENDUM (MY REPLIES WITH EVEN MORE LINKS - LANGUAGE SPECIFIC!!) ~~~~~~ 0. INTRODUCTION[/B] Trying to learn a new language? Finding it tough? Don't know where to begin? I've been there and I've come out of that stage. Learning a foreign language may be tough, but if you stick with it and learn it correctly, it WILL pay off (hopefully in the form of a vacation or extended stay in another country). First, allow me to share my story with you, so you can see where I'm coming from. I've been meaning to learn German for a few years but I just kept it on the back burner for a long time. Finally, in mid-May this year, I decided to seriously work on learning the language. Now, just two months later, I feel that I have made great strides in my learning. Still, I have a lot to learn (of course!). Regardless, I hope that you all may benefit from what I have learned from studying German.[INDENT][B].5 A NOTE ON THE GUIDE:[/B] I will be making specific examples and references to German resources, simply because that's what I used in learning. So, if you want to learn German, this may be of great help to you. If not, don't worry! Similar resources are sure to exist out there (YOU JUST NEED TO LOOK FOR THEM). Also, almost all the tips I give can be applied to the learning of any language. Perhaps in the future, I will add to this guide and use references in other languages. Most links have accompanying pictures below them (for you lazy arseholes who can't click on a link). At the end of the guide is an index of (nearly) all the links given in the guide. There may also be some new ones that I was too lazy to put into the guide (sorry). Also some stuff on Dutch down there. All the links (well, most of them anyway) you will see throughout the guide are the collective product of two months of scouring the web for information. Furthermore, I have just included a new section with my replies to some posters - I have included language-specific(not German) links to help them - these may also help you! Remember: Google is your friend. [B].9 FOR TRAVELERS[/B] You may wish to get a good guide book if you're planning on touring the entire country. Make sure it suits your needs - some books lean towards more expensive accommodations/restaurants, while others are made for the budget traveler. Do some research on the country - what's the geography like? Where is it on the map? Learn some basic facts about the country. Also, of course, make sure all the legal stuff is in order (visas, passports etc.). Do your research on the food too. [URL="http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page"]Wikitravel[/URL] has travel guides for many countries with information on all of these things and a lot more (w/ information specific to your country, obv.) including info. on languages. [/INDENT][INDENT]Here are some language resources that may have what you're looking for (basic phrases, traveler specific stuff) [URL]http://www.about.com/education/[/URL] [go to language] [URL]http://www.dummies.com/how-to/education-languages/languages-cultures.html[/URL] [URL]http://www.ielanguages.com/languages.html[/URL] [URL]http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Subject:Languages[/URL] [lots of unfinished pages, unfortunately] [/INDENT][INDENT]See if these sites have a section for "essential phrases." [/INDENT][B] 1. Where to start?[/B] Before you begin learning in earnest, you may want to listen to a fluent speaker of the language. Watching a movie in the language (with subtitles, of course) may be the perfect way for you to get an introduction to the language, and you may even pick up a few words (such as "yes", "no", "please", "thanks" and so on).[INDENT] [B]random point[/B]: If you are learning a Germanic language, [URL="http://www.youtube.com/user/ProfASAr#g/u"]ProfASAR has some Youtube videos[/URL] that give a brief overview of several European languages (for example, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch and, though not exactly European, Afrikaans. The video on the latter is an interesting one to watch.) Check out his channel for a full list of videos and see if there's something that interests you. He gives an overview of the history of the language and reads from a text in that language (very interesting to hear!). Most of the useful stuff is towards the end of the list (older). [/INDENT]My first step in actually learning the language was a cursory Google search ("learn German" in the search box). I was surprised by the number of useful links, most of which I still refer to now. I started with the following website: [URL]http://www.ielanguages.com/languages.html[/URL] Languages covered are mostly European, but check out the full list (Turkish, for example is offered). I learned pretty much all the basics from this site. I learned about the cases, declensions, basic greetings, pronunciation, the alphabet, auxiliary verbs (to have, to be, to become), numbers, months, time, colors, some elementary verbs and nouns, etc. Of course, more advanced material is covered! [IMG]http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7020/ielang1.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/6176/ielang2.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8378/ielang3.png[/IMG] (3 different images from different parts of site) The best way to go about learning this material is simple memorization (see section 4 for "Rosetta Stone"). If you are truly interested in learning the language, this will be no problem. Yes it may be tedious at times, but it'll get you learning the basics. I can't quite remember how long it took me to get a firm grip on the aforementioned basic information (I think it was 2-3 weeks), but it can take from 2 weeks if you're a fast and diligent learner to a month (or more). [B] REMEMBER[/B]: Take your time if you need to and make sure you get these basics down! Much of the information you learn now will be used to help you learn more complex material later! You don't want to just RECOGNIZE these concepts, you want to PRODUCE them. In other words, you want to SAY or WRITE what you've learned. The best way to go about this is to use what you've learned in everyday life. It's the simplest thing you can do, and it works really well in solidifying what you have learned. For example, if your lunch at school is $1.50, try translating that into the language you're learning. If you're watching your school's track team run the track, just make a simple sentence out of it ("The boys and girls run", or something of that nature). See a guy wearing a red jacket? Translate it! Also, (this is what I did frequently to master numbers, times and dates) you can just try to translate the current date and time into the language you're learning. Whenever I was bored in class, I would just look at my watch and say the time and date in German (not aloud, in fear of sounding like an idiot). Bought something from the store? Translate it's price and the change you received. Simple things like these work amazingly well and you can do them almost anywhere at anytime. Pronunciation may be extremely difficult at first, and often times confusing (in German, for example, the letter "w" sounds like the English "v", and the German "v" sounds like the English "f"). Get used to seeing certain letter combinations and pairing them with the sounds they form. This will be very important if you do any dictation practice (hearing something then writing it down). Some of the following websites have pronunciation guides (ielanguages also has some pronunciation tips) to help you. The most important thing, though, is to PRACTICE saying stuff out loud. [B]1.49 Here are some other sites I used to start out (German specific in no particular order. Students of other languages, there are some links to general language learning "hubs" a little further on): [/B] [URL="http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/gg/gr/index.html"]Grimm Grammar[/URL] VERY content-rich site made for Texas University students (open to the public). Designed around fairy tales. All grammatical concepts are covered from nouns to verbs to tenses to prepositions etc. Lots of examples + audio (GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE LANGUAGE). I have printed out pages and pages from this site to read in school (during my physics class :sigh:) [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/9890/grimmb.png[/IMG] [URL="http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/dib/index.php"]Deutsch im Blick[/URL] The sister site of Grimm Grammar. Videos + vocabulary lists. Covers just about everything. [IMG]http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/7726/imblick.png[/IMG] [URL="http://deutschkurse.dw-world.de/KursPlattform/WebObjects/KursPlattform.woa/wo/3.1"]Deutsche Welle[/URL] Comprehensive course. Videos, audio. Excellent for beginners! (requires registration, but it's free. also your progress will be saved) [IMG]http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/9997/dwelle.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/german/"]BBC Languages - German[/URL] Lots of information here with audio and video. [IMG]http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/1415/bbcgerm.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.deutschseite.de/inhalt.html"]Toms Deutschseite [/URL]content rich, lots of info on grammar. also stuff on vocab. Also under the time table section, Tom suggests what you should learn in what order. [IMG]http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/3586/tomdeutsch.png[/IMG] [B]FOR THOSE WHO ARE LEARNING OTHER LANGUAGES:[/B] Remember, a simple Google search will net you a LOT of resources(that's how I found the sites listed above, after all). Just find what works for you and use it in conjunction with other websites. Here are a few general links I found (may have your language): [URL]http://www.about.com/education/[/URL] [go to language] [URL]http://www.dummies.com/how-to/education-languages/languages-cultures.html[/URL] [URL]http://www.ielanguages.com/languages.html[/URL] (mentioned previously) [URL]http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Subject:Languages[/URL] [lots of unfinished pages, unfortunately] [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/[/URL] [B]***There are some links in the index for learners of Dutch. Norwegian, Mandarin and Russian stuff can be found in addendum section (last).***[/B] [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8203/bbclangs.png[/IMG][INDENT][B]Digression: Dictionaries & learning vocabulary[/B] If (read: when) you plan on reading texts and watching the news/television/movies in in your desired language, you may wish to buy a good dictionary. Sometime last month I bought the [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Collins-Concise-Dictionary-HarperCollins-Dictionaries/dp/0061141836/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279295739&sr=1-2"]Collins German Concise Dictionary[/URL]. I found this to be a highly useful dictionary, as in addition to the standard definition, useful expressions and phrases are also given for almost every entry. There is a great grammar section in the back of the book that I have referred to often, and I think it would have been possible for me to learn German solely through this book! [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Collins-Concise-Dictionary-HarperCollins-Dictionaries/dp/0061141836/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279295739&sr=1-2"][IMG]http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/8264/collinsgerm.jpg[/IMG][/URL] For students of other languages, here is an Amazon search of[URL="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_1?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A21%2Ck%3Acollins+%2Cn%3A11773%2Cn%3A11495&bbn=11773&keywords=collins+&ie=UTF8&qid=1279295978&rnid=21"] Collins dictionaries in other languages[/URL]. Of course, you may use any brand you like, but I have found Collins to be excellent. I don't know personally how the Langenscheidt references are, but[URL="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_0?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3ALangenscheidt%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A21&bbn=1000&keywords=Langenscheidt&ie=UTF8&qid=1279328724&rnid=1000"] here is the link[/URL] to an amazon search for Langenheidt books. If you are strapped for cash (or if you're a cheap bastard) there is always the online option. Here are some links to dictionaries online (MULTIPLE LANGUAGES) [URL]http://www.yourdictionary.com/languages.html[/URL] [URL]http://www.wordreference.com/[/URL] AND OF COURSE, [URL]http://translate.google.com/#[/URL] Now, in addition to buying a dictionary (or using one, at least), you should buy a small notebook and write down words that you look up. Why? Because it is entirely possible that a few days after looking up a word, you will forget about it. Writing the word down will help you remember it, and you can just flip to the word any time you want to! In addition, you can write down language-specific notes or make note of websites you've found useful. I suppose you can do all this in a word document, but I think having a physical notebook is great. You can carry it with you anywhere and read it when waiting for the bus or if you're in a waiting room. Still, it's your choice! [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8443/bookf.jpg[/IMG] [I]Cheap little book that I got at CVS[/I] [IMG]http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3002/1stpage.jpg[/IMG] [I]First page of the book. Color coded it based on part of speech. Also I have a chart at the top that has the diacritics and sharfes S (ä,ö,ü,ß) and how I can type it using alt codes.[/I] This book will also come in handy if (when) you read texts in the language you're studying, or when you're listening to the language, or when you're watching TV or movies in the language etc. [B] This is what I do when I encounter a new word or phrase in context:[/B] 1. Write it down on an index card, to the best of my ability, with any contextual notes. [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/7759/indexfront.jpg[/IMG] [I]Yes it's sloppy as fuck.[/I] 2. AFTER I'm done reading what I'm reading or watching what I'm watching, I'll look up the words in my dictionary and write them down (neatly lol) in my little book, along with any relevant expressions. I emphasize AFTER because it'd be pretty annoying to look up EVERY single word the very second you encounter it. It also detracts from the enjoyment of what you're doing. The only time I would do that is if it's an absolute key word that is being discussed a lot. 3. Study the words when I have a free moment. Yessir, this little book will do you loads of good!!! [IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9043/bookandcollins.jpg[/IMG] [I]Little book & Collins dictionary[/I] Back to the main discussion... [/INDENT][B]2. Learning in-context[/B] This is VERY important!! DO NOT skip this stuff, as you must really experience the language in-context (in the form of texts, movies, podcasts, radio, audiobooks, news programs, ETC.). What does this do for you? 1. You will learn a shit ton of new words (which is why you've got your little book)[INDENT] 1.1 You will learn a shit ton of colloquial expressions (by this, I mean you will learn frequently used phrases and expressions like "catch you later", "I'm broke", "My 'old man' 'freaked out' on me" and so on. These may not always be present in a standard language learning course.) [/INDENT]2. You will improve your recognition/listening skills. 3. You will learn a little about the culture of countries that speak the language 4. You will have fun (probably). [I]Where to start (again)?[/I] [B]2.1 Television/Radio[/B]: Do a simple Google or Wikipedia search of television networks that are in your desired language/country. Then visit their websites and try to find their media player, where you can watch clips of shows, interviews etc. You may also even find complete episodes of shows. Some of the German TV networks also have a "live stream" player on their website so you can plan ahead what you want to watch! Many networks will also play movies (both of native and of foreign origin, dubbed) periodically. For instance, I watched "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in German via live stream. You can find almost anything you want on many network websites. They will also probably have a radio somewhere on the site. To date, I have watched cop shows/crime shows, a soap opera (I could only bear it for so long), cooking shows, shows about travel/lifestyle, many many documentaries and historical features, and several plays. [B]***Before you start your internet journey, it may be a good idea to look up internet terms in the foreign language so you're not COMPLETELY lost (for example homepage, mute, pause, play, stop, sign in, register, back, forward, next, previous, site map, search, help, schedule, print). Also make sure you are searching for pages in all languages, not just pages in English/your native language!!**[/B] [B]LINKS TO GERMAN TV NETWORKS (all with radio):[/B] [URL="http://www3.ndr.de/index.html"]NDR[/URL] Northern Germany's network. Lots of shows about islands, fishing, travel etc. A movie plays almost every day. Also plays crime shows and the occasional play. News. [IMG]http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3770/ndr.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.hr-online.de/website/fernsehen/sendungen/index.jsp"]HR[/URL] Hesse's network. almost daily, a move plays. Lots of serials and crime shows. News. [IMG]http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/9882/hrnet.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.zdf.de/ZDFportal/inhalt/0/0,6751,1600000,00.html?dr=1"]ZDF[/URL] Prominent network. News, LOTS of shows w/ varied themes. Great history programs also. [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/6254/zdf.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.daserste.de/"]DasErste[/URL] First channel. News, lots of programs. Full episodes of soap operas(not any better than American soaps, sadly). Also check out ARD.de (below) [IMG]http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/4691/ard.png[/IMG] [B]2.12 LINKS TO RECOMMENDED SHOWS/PROGRAMS [German] (star denotes MUST-SEE!!): [/B] I. History (ZDF) [URL="http://diedeutschen.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/12/0,1872,7272428,00.html?dr=1"]Die Deutschen[/URL] The Germans. Early history of Germany until Weimar Republic. [URL="http://terra-x.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/18/0,1872,7520210,00.html?dr=1"]Römer in Germanien[/URL] Romans in Germany. History of Romans in Germany (never would've guessed) [URL="http://sternstunden.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/23/0,1872,7600183,00.html?dr=1"]Sternstunden der Deutschen[/URL]* 100 key moments in Germany's history from its beginning all the way to modern times (not a program, but an interactive timeline with videos) [IMG]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/4747/sternstunden.png[/IMG] [URL="http://unsere-geschichte.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/19/0,1872,7112211,00.html?dr=1"]Unsere Geschichte[/URL] * Our Story. Fall of the Berlin Wall. Timeline, videos. Also interviews of people who share their feelings about it. [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8173/unseregeschi.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/19/0,1872,7559187,00.html?dr=1"]60 Jahre Bundesrepublik[/URL] * 60 Years of the Federal Republic. Interactive presentation of Germany's history from 1945-Today. MUST WATCH!!!! Pretty much everything you need to know about post-war Germany! [IMG]http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/2953/bundesre.png[/IMG] [URL="http://dutschke.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/12/0,1872,8049644,00.html?dr=1"]Dutschke[/URL] Story of Rudi Dutschke, revolutionary leader. Complete film + interview with actor. [IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2857/deutschke.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/tsvorzwanzigjahren100.html"]Zeiggeschichte in der Tagesschau[/URL] Historic news reports in 1989-1990 II. Architecture/landscape [URL="http://terra-x.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/4/0,1872,8069252,00.html"]Deutschland von oben[/URL] * Germany from above. 3-part series(city, land and river). Breathtaking views of Germany from above (IN HD!!!!!) You MUST watch this series. One interesting point is covered in part 1. It is described how cities looked before and after they were bombed by the allies and you can see pictures of the destroyed cities. [IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/1340/vonoben.png[/IMG] [URL="http://terra-x.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/22/0,1872,8042742,00.html"]Superbauten[/URL] *three part series on three magnificent buildings in Germany. the link takes you to part one, the other parts are listed on the right side. In addition to the documentaries, you can also check out panoramas of all the buildings and see pictures. III. COP SHOWS (WOO!!) [URL="http://www.daserste.de/revier/default.asp"]Großstadtrevier [/URL]Big city district.This show is fuckin' awesome. NDR and DasErste play it (not sure about hr) [IMG]http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/7880/gro.png[/IMG] [URL="http://notrufhafenkante.zdf.de/ZDFde/inhalt/6/0,1872,4081958,00.html?dr=1"]Notruf Hafenkante [/URL]Emergency response at the harbor's edge. This show is also fuckin' awesome. I have only seen this on ZDF so far [IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/8061/notruf.png[/IMG] [URL="http://www.daserste.de/tatort/"]Tatort [/URL]One of the most popular in Germany. NDR and hr play it, as does DasErste THERE ARE MANY OTHER cop shows, but these are the ones I watch regularly. Check out networks for more. Finally, here's the very first German show that I started watching [URL="http://www.ardmediathek.de/ard/servlet/content/3516914?documentId=5280"]Lindenstraße [/URL]I'm not sure how to describe it, but it describes daily life on a street in Munich (drama I guess). It has been running for around 30 years! The episodes are not self-contained but it is easy to make out who's who and the relationships surrounding the characters. [IMG]http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4313/linden.jpg[/IMG] [B]2.2 News[/B]: Search for newspapers, magazines and news networks in your language and read! It may be a good idea to avoid news that deals with local politics as it may end up confusing you. You can always try, of course. Remember though: news reporters tend to speak quickly and use the passive voice ("A new law [I]was[/I] [I]passed [/I]today that made double-parking illegal.") , and A LOT of indirect speech (" Politician X said [I]that[/I] he would reduce spending blah blah"). It shouldn't pose too much of a problem, but it's good to keep in mind. [U]ALL OF THE NETWORKS I HAVE LISTED FURTHER UP HAVE REGULAR NEWS + RADIO PROGRAMS. [/U] [B]2.3. Audiobooks[/B]: This is cool stuff: Audiobooks of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tales. [URL]http://www.vorleser.net/html/grimm.html[/URL] The main page also has other selections to choose from. These fairy tales use very simple language and are great for beginners. Also a pleasure to listen to. I have downloaded many of these and put 'em on my Walkman for listening on the go! [IMG]http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/8229/vorleser.png[/IMG] [B] 2.4 Texts(online)[/B]: Search for short stories/fairy tales in your language. You may also wish to read about the history of a country that is home to your language...IN that language. [URL]http://www.german-latin-english.com/fairytales.htm[/URL] More fairy tales, in text-form with vocab definitions on the side [URL]http://www.a-language-guide.com/german-short-stories/[/URL] German short stories+poems with translations [URL]http://www.brindin.com/pwpger.htm[/URL] German poetry [URL]http://www.kulturumsonst.com/en/german_poems/index.php[/URL] More poems. You can also listen to them. [B]2.5. Physical books[/B]: A search on amazon may yield you children's books in your desired language, or dual-language books. Also, simple poetry is a good way to continue learning in-context. [B][U]THE LITTLE PRINCE[/U] translated into your language may also be a useful aid (great story in its own right)[/B]. Here are some dual-language books/German books that I have found (I cannot say from personal experience how these are as I haven't bought any yet. But, in the near future I will be purchasing some of them). [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Kleine-Prinz-German-Antoine-Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry/dp/015601386X/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276904637&sr=8-14"][IMG]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/4871/kleinprinze.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Kleine-Prinz-German-Antoine-Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry/dp/015601386X/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276904637&sr=8-14"]Der Kleine Prinz[/URL] The classic. The Little Prince is a great story, and it is used by foreign language teachers everywhere. Perhaps the first book you should get (in your own language of study of course) [URL="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dus-stripbooks-tree&field-keywords=german+dual-language&x=0&y=0&ih=21_0_1_0_0_0_0_0_0_1.31_104&fsc=-1"]amazon search "German dual-language" in books section[/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dus-stripbooks-tree&field-keywords=german+poetry&x=0&y=0&ih=5_1_0_1_0_0_0_0_0_1.80_87&fsc=-1"]amazon search for German poetry[/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dus-stripbooks-tree&field-keywords=german+children%27s+books&x=0&y=0&ih=11_4_0_1_0_0_0_0_0_1.3_132&fsc=-1"]search for German children's books[/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Dichter-Denker-Erzahler-German-Reader/dp/0881334324/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_2_2"][IMG]http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1162/dichdenk.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Dichter-Denker-Erzahler-German-Reader/dp/0881334324/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_2_2"]Dichter Denker Und Erzähler[/URL] (Poets, Thinkers and Storytellers)This looks to be one of the best so far - starts off with fairy tales, moves up to short stories, then scientific/expository prose, and finally a huge poetry section. Giant vocabulary list in back that has EVERY word defined. Also throughout text, footnotes explaining vocab. Short bios of authors also. [IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/9971/hessec.jpg[/IMG] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Poems-English-German-Hermann-Hesse/dp/0374526419/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278863308&sr=1-1"]Poems of Herman Hesse[/URL] I've read the poems from this one - they are absolutely beautiful. Dual Language book. As for books on the language itself (i.e. workbooks and language learning courses in book form)...that's your call. I personally hate that sort of thing unless it's for reference, but all it takes is a simple search. [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Hammers-German-Grammar-Hodder-Publication/dp/0340742291/ref=pd_sim_b_9"][IMG]http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/6048/hammersp.jpg[/IMG][/URL] A reference I'm planning on buying is [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Hammers-German-Grammar-Hodder-Publication/dp/0340742291/ref=pd_sim_b_9"]Hammer's German Grammar[/URL] not for beginners though, according to what the reviewers are saying [B]2.6 [/B]Finally in this section...remember the ielanguages site from the very beginning of this guide? Well, the site also has something called "[URL="http://www.ielanguages.com/realia.html"]realia[/URL]." From the website: [QUOTE] Realia is the use of objects or resources to teach languages in a "real" setting, i.e. the authentic language that is actually used in everyday life. Every time I travel, I like to collect realia to help with language learning. You will find below many photos, menus, road signs, brochures, receipts, etc. that I have collected from the countries indicated by the flags. [/QUOTE][IMG]http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/5205/ielangreal.png[/IMG] [I]Pretty neat stuff, I'd say.[/I] [B]2.7 Use the Language[/B] What’s the best way to learn learn the idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms of a language and reinforce what you’ve already learned? Why, to talk to native speakers, of course! Find internet forums where you can communicate with people from another country. Facepunch, for example, has several sub-forums dedicated to languages other than English. Find free language exchange programs and use them. If you play games online, see if you can’t make friends with players who speak the language you are learning - I’ve made a few friends this way! I have noticed that players’ names can be quite helpful in identifying their origin. Look for tags that represent the country you are interested in (i.e. de for Germany, nl for Netherlands, pl for Poland) and start up a conversation! Here are links to three language exchange web sites: [URL]http://www.conversationexchange.com/[/URL] [URL]http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/[/URL] [URL]http://lang-8.com/[/URL] The information from a textbook can never beat a native speaker. Finding people to help you practice your language is an excellent way of learning more about countries that speak it and a good way of making new friends! [B]3. Learn about the country(ies)![/B] Learning a language is tons of fun - and learning about the culture and history of the people who speak it is important, especially if you plan on visiting a country where the language is spoken. You should start doing some research on this shortly after you learn the basics, and regularly learn something new about the culture. [B] 3.1 History[/B] Even if you failed all your history classes in high school (or if you just plain hate it), you should still make some effort to know about the key points in the history of your country (the country or countries where the language you are studying is spoken). At the very least, you should know a little about the more modern events (say from the past 50 years onwards). Wikipedia, of course, is a great place to get an overview. You can also go to your local library and see if they have anything to offer. Finally, doing an Amazon/Google search of "[country x] history" may get you some good reading material. [B]For those of you learning German, or would like to learn about German history, there are several links in section 2 (learning in-context -> links to recommended shows) and in the link index at the end that may be of interest to you.[/B] Here are two books that I have found to be good reads. [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Illustrated-History-Germany-Histories/dp/0521794323/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278121238&sr=1-7"][IMG]http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/5636/cambridge.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Illustrated-History-Germany-Histories/dp/0521794323/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278121238&sr=1-7"]The Cambridge Illustrated History of Germany[/URL] As the name suggests, this book is illustrated throughout and is a complete survey of Germany its very beginnings to reunification. Excellent!! [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Travellers-History-Germany-Robert-Cole/dp/1566565324/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278368784&sr=1-1"][IMG]http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3179/travellers.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Travellers-History-Germany-Robert-Cole/dp/1566565324/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278368784&sr=1-1"]A Traveler's History of Germany[/URL] This book is a little more compact, but goes into a lot of detail. Occasionally, a little too much detail (lots of names and dates, which i just gloss over). I found this to be a good companion to the Cambridge history nevertheless. As a final note, you may also wish to learn about the history of the language [QUOTE] Wikipedia [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_linguistics"]Historical linguistics[/URL] or diachronic linguistics, the study of language change over time. [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_geography"]Language geography[/URL], the study of the geographical distribution of languages and linguistic features. [/QUOTE]Wikipedia will probably have an article on the evolution of your selected language. If you are learning a Germanic language, [URL="http://www.youtube.com/user/ProfASAr#g/u"]ProfASAR has some Youtube videos[/URL] that give a brief overview of several European languages (for example, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch and, though not exactly European, Afrikaans.) Also there are some videos about the history of several of these languages, and a few Asian languages, I think. Furthermore, see if there are any region-specific dialects of your language. In Germany, for example, there are [URL="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Continental_West_Germanic_languages.png"]three main dialects. [/URL][B] 3.2 Culture, Society, Geography[/B] As I explained earlier, learning about culture is just as important as learning the language. A Google search for "[country] culture" will give you tons of resources, and you can narrow it down even further ([country] dress, music, food etc.). And, as always, Wikipedia is sure to have something useful. Here is a [URL="http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=ytff1-yff35&p=german%20culture&ei=UTF-8&type="]Yahoo search for German culture[/URL]. In the index, you will find more links on German society and culture (including food). It is also a good idea to learn about the country in a more general perspective (i.e. geographical features, relative place in the world) as well as its specific points (names of important cities, names of states, population). Yet again, Wikipedia will be of much help. Also, check out the government web pages of your country, as it may have some information on this. For students of German, there are many links on society in the index, as well as links to maps. I must especially recommend [URL="http://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/"]"Facts about Germany"[/URL]. Lots of useful information (including an overview of government structure, economy, history, society and more). You should download the .pdf, as it has more charts and pictures than the .html version (it's free to download). If you wish, you can purchase a physical version.[INDENT][B]3.29 Go there![/B] Hopefully, you will be able to visit your country of choice and impress the locals with your knowledge of the language, culture/society, and history. As I have not yet visited Germany (may be doing so in Oct. or Nov. ) I cannot offer specific advice, but I may update this soon. One thing that should be kept in mind is that you should challenge yourself to speak ONLY the local language (even if the locals understand and/or speak English/your native language). You may be tempted to slip into English (or your native language), but I think you should resort to it only in emergencies or if you haven't got ANY idea what to say. [/INDENT][B]Summary of things you may want to research: [/B][CODE] [B]History:[/B] [LIST] [*]Complete history of country(ies) that speak language [*]Modern history (50 years) [*]History of the language (linguistics) and dialects [/LIST] [B]Culture/Geography/Society:[/B] [LIST] [*]Fashion, music, food, traditions [*]Names of important cities, states, bodies of water, mountains [*]Geographic features & topography, country's place in the world (relative to other nations) [*]Population, economy, government, societal values, education system [/LIST] [/CODE][B]4. Rosetta Stone [NOTE: EVERYTHING BELOW IS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE DUTCH AND GERMAN, well mostly German, VERSIONS OF RS][/B] [QUOTE]"i dont need to do any hard work or learn about culture. wit rosetta stone i can learn everything in a month!!1!!!1"[/QUOTE]Sorry bud, but that's just not true. Here's teh scoop. Rosetta Stone is indeed EASY to use (and learn from) and results are more or less instantaneous (I was able to use what i learned from the very first lesson that same afternoon). I will let the [URL="http://www.rosettastone.com/personal"]Rosetta Stone website[/URL] tell you all about HOW it works. Here are some screenshots. [IMG]http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9118/rosettastone1.png[/IMG] [I] This is Dutch. Don't know a single word of it? Well, now you know six of them. And it required absolutely no work on your part. Just recognizing pictures. [IMG]http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/5325/rosettastone2.png[/IMG] What the fuck is this shit?! More Dutch From Level 3. [/I](Previous picture was Level 1) [I]Though this stuff looks scary, it is pretty easy to figure out what's going on the pictures (the lessons do build on each other, though).[/I] [IMG]http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/9017/rosettastonekeyboard.png[/IMG] [I]This is the writing module. Notice the circled keys. Those are the characters characteristic of German (and some other European languages). I do believe this is how a German keyboard looks like![/I] [IMG]http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/3152/rosettastonespeakin.png[/IMG] [I] Useful pronunciation tool - you can slow down the speaker and see how the waveform is produced. [/I] Company's description of RS: [QUOTE][B]WHAT WILL I LEARN?[/B] [B]This level will help you:[/B] [LIST] [*]Build your vocabulary and language abilities [*]Read, write, speak and understand German [*]Speak German without a script [*]Retain what you've learned [*]Practice unscripted conversations in German [*]Negotiate complex situations with confidence and accuracy [/LIST] [B]Sample topics include:[/B] [LIST] [*]The basics, such as age and family relations [*]Questions, greetings, introductions [*]Telling time, calendar terms, the weather [*]Directions, locations, dining out [*]Emotions, opinions, ideas [*]Political, media, business terms [*]Arranging home repairs [*]Planning to move abroad [*]Discussing the arts and tourism [*]Careers and conducting interviews [*]Problem-solving and commercial transactions [/LIST] [/QUOTE]I have been using Rosetta Stone for over two months. I am now almost done with Level 3. So what do I think about it? Rosetta Stone is a great and EFFECTIVE learning tool that can get you PRODUCING the language (AND recognizing it) immediately and its method of instruction is probably the most effective and intuitive out of any other learning program. It also comes in a huge selection of languages and so your language will probably be covered (a full list can be found at the RS website). The program builds your vocabulary, grammar, writing, pronunciation, listening, reading and speaking skills - pretty much every facet of the language!! Also the stuff learned is wide-ranging and covers stuff from basic words, colors, types of animals, choices, feelings, decisions, preferences, sports, hobbies, school+work, and LOADS more. BUT alone, Rosetta stone is considerably weaker. I have found it a little difficult to learn grammar from RS, and had I relied solely on it, I would have been lost, ESPECIALLY since German grammar is pretty tough on beginners if you haven't taken Latin, and sadly I haven't (cases are used, declensions, gender is very important, word order may be confusing etc.). Since I use a lot of other resources, however, I never have any problems. If you choose to use RS, you should do the same!! Use it in conjunction with your dictionary, word book, books, websites ETC. for maximum effect. Also, you will find the exercises very repetitive. All the concepts are introduce in the big core lesson (which has like 30-40 "slides"), then each sub lesson (which covers one facet of language learning like speaking, reading, writing etc.) pretty much repeats the same slides from the core lesson. This is good, of course, as it works. But, it may be a little tedious. Also, the writing section could have been fleshed out a lot more. There are less than 10 slides in each writing sub lesson - and writing is NOT covered in the core lesson!!! If you are interested in seeing exactly WHAT you will be learning, check out this page: [URL]http://support.rosettastone.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=14006&task=download[/URL] You can download the course contents .pdf file in English (or whatever language you know best) and see what you will learn. Here are some samples [CODE] Level 1: His bicycle is small. How old is your son? What is this? The men are not cooking I need some plates. Level 2: The children are in line. Where is the restroom? It's the first door on the right. The airplane departs at four o'clock in the afternoon. The oldest girl is reading a book to the younger girls. Doesn't sound too fun, huh? Don't worry, content gets a little more interesting from here on. Level 3: He is going to throw the ball. The boy is climbing onto the fence. Someday I will play guitar like my father does. The boy looks like his father. How long has she been the queen? Level 4: The book says that you need to use a screwdriver. Sometimes it's loud in airports (sometimes i dream about cheese...) I think we're lost! I can't take photos in the museum, so I'll buy postcards instead. I have never broken my arm before today. Level 5: I'll have to cancel my appointment next week. I'll be on vacation. Can you recommend something for lunch? I might buy a shirt, but maybe I'll buy this tie instead. He could not drive because his car has a flat tire. The fire extinguisher isn't working. Call the fire department![/CODE][I]So, in summary:[/I] [B]The Good[/B] +Easy to use, intuitive. IT WORKS! +Almost everything you need to know in order to use the language is covered +Very helpful pronunciation modules (if you're having trouble, you can see the waveform and hear the phrase pronounced slowly, see above image) +Clear and organization of topics (for the most part) +CLEAR AUDIO!!!!! +Some editions also have an accompanying audio CD, but this is nothing more than the same ol' phrase repeated over and over +.[URL="http://support.rosettastone.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=14006&task=download"]pdf file is included that has all the material inside of it[/URL] (so you can refer back to it later on, or print it out...very useful! [B]The Bad[/B] -Loses some of its efficacy when used alone -Weak with grammar (AT LEAST FOR GERMAN. IT MAY NOT BE SO BAD ON OTHER LANGUAGES!) -Repetitive (if you do all the modules) -Sometimes audio recognition is a little weird (I may say something EXACTLY as the native speaker pronounces it and get it wrong) -This is all the proper stuff. For colloquial expressions and the like, you'll have to turn to somewhere else. [B]--UPDATE--[/B] I have just learned the passive voice in German from Rosetta Stone. I did some more research on the passive voice and discovered that the form Rosetta Stone teaches was used only in formal settings, and that a different form was preferred in informal conversation and writing. Again, this is why one should use other resources with RS! [B]The Ugly[/B] -[URL="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rosetta+stone&x=0&y=0&ih=3_6_3_0_0_0_0_1_0_1.31_48&fsc=-1"]Expensive as fucking nuts[/URL] (on amazon, approx. $200 for ONE level (each level has 4 units which in turn has 4 lessons) For levels 1-3, that's $485, and for 1-5 (only some languages have levels 4 and 5 available) is around $600!!! Goddamn. Unless you..err...ask Santa to get it for you. Oh a note on the Dutch version. The speakers are just weird. They sound like robots. Really! I don't think native speakers sound like this at all... Anyway... If you choose to use Rosetta Stone, here are some tips you can use to enhance your learning 1.[B] DO NOT USE IT ALONE[/B]! Use with other resources, whether they be websites, tv programs, movies, a dictionary, vocabulary lists, reference books or other stuff. 2. Use the course contents pdf!! It's located somewhere on the CDs, I believe. They are also available for download [URL="http://support.rosettastone.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=14006&task=download"]here [/URL] 3. It is best in the beginning to do ALL the modules. When you get to a more experienced level (like when you get to level 2), then you may consider skipping a few (IF YOU ARE A FAST LEARNER!! If you are having trouble, then you should wait until you have better mastery of the language). It is best to ALWAYS complete the vocabulary, grammar, writing and the review modules. If you find yourself having frequent pronunciation/speaking problems, you should add in the corresponding modules. Basically, tailor the program to your needs. I am a fast learner and I retain information quickly, so I have always just done the modules listed above (minus pronunciation/speaking) sinceI completed Level 1. [B]5. INDEX OF LINKS (SORTED BY LANGUAGE & CATEGORY)[/B] [B]General language learning:[/B][INDENT][URL]http://www.about.com/education/[/URL] [go to language] [URL]http://www.dummies.com/how-to/education-languages/languages-cultures.html[/URL] [URL]http://www.ielanguages.com/languages.html[/URL] [URL]http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Subject:Languages[/URL] [lots of unfinished pages, unfortunately] [URL]http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/[/URL] If you are learning a Germanic language, [URL="http://www.youtube.com/user/ProfASAr#g/u"]ProfASAR has some Youtube videos[/URL] that give a brief overview of several European languages [URL]http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page[/URL] Made for travelers, but offers insight nonetheless [B]Dictionaries:[/B] [URL]http://www.yourdictionary.com/languages.html[/URL] [URL]http://www.wordreference.com/[/URL] [URL]http://translate.google.com/#[/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_1?rh=i%3Astripbooks%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A21%2Ck%3Acollins+%2Cn%3A11773%2Cn%3A11495&bbn=11773&keywords=collins+&ie=UTF8&qid=1279295978&rnid=21"]Collins Dictionaries[/URL] [URL="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_0?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3ALangenscheidt%2Cn%3A%211000%2Cn%3A21&bbn=1000&keywords=Langenscheidt&ie=UTF8&qid=1279328724&rnid=1000"]Langenscheidt Reference[/URL]s [B]Books on[/B][B] history (may contain your country(ies):[/B] [URL="http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=971329"]Amazon search for "A Traveller's HIstory of..." series[/URL] [URL="http://www.interlinkbooks.com/index.php?osCsid=6bb30927391868caad14a6bfa300c676"]Interlink Books[/URL] This is the company that makes the travller's history books. They also have lots of other books/series about world histories and travel. Check out the sidebar on the left. You can also browse by country. [/INDENT][B]Arabic[/B][INDENT][B]Audio book (Readings from Qur'an)[/B] [/INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][B][URL="http://www.madressa.net/resources/quran/quranaudio"]Madressa.net - Qur'an MP3[/URL][/B] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.aljazeera.net/portal"]&#1575;&#1604;&#1580;&#1586;&#1610;&#1585;&#1577; &#1606;&#1578;[/URL] [URL="http://www.muslimco.com/iqratv.html"]Iqra TV[/URL] [URL="http://www.adtv.ae/"]ADTV.ae[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][URL="http://www.searchtruth.com/arabic/lessons/unit1_writing.php"]Learn Arabic Online[/URL] [URL="http://www.madinaharabic.com/index.html"]Free Arabic Language Course, Learn Arabic, Arabic Tuition[/URL] [URL="http://i-cias.com/babel/arabic/index.htm"]LookLex / Learn Arabic[/URL] [URL="http://www.arabion.net/learnarabic.html"]Arabic Language Course (Fadi's Free Arabic Language Tutorial) - Introduction[/URL] [B] Chinese[/B][INDENT][B]Mandarin[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.openculture.com/2007/11/learning_mandarin_as_china_ascends.html"]Learning Mandarin (for Free) with Podcasts | Open Culture[/URL] [URL="http://www.minmm.com/minc/classes.php"]Learn Chinese[/URL] [URL="http://www.chinese-tools.com/learn/chinese"]Learn Chinese - Free online mandarin audio courses[/URL] [URL="http://learningchineseonline.net/"]Learning Chinese Online Page[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Cantonese[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.learncantonese.org/"]LearnCantonese.org - Learn Cantonese online with lessons by a native cantonese speaker, audio flashcards, and drills with other cantonese learners.[/URL][URL="http://www.learnchineseez.com/lessons/cantonese/page02.html"]Learn Cantonese the Easy Way - Free Chinese Lessons Online[/URL] [URL="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/"]Chinese (Cantonese) Help sheets[/URL] [URL="http://cantonese.ca/"]Learn Cantonese! &#23416;&#24291;&#26481;&#35441;![/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.pingshu8.com/special/msp_203.htm"]&#32463;&#20856;&#25991;&#23398;,&#26377;&#22768;&#23567;&#35828;&#32593; - &#20813;&#36153;&#19979;&#36733;,&#22312;&#32447;&#25910;&#21548;[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Culture[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.chinatownconnection.com/chinese_culture_articles.htm"]Chinese Culture Articles[/URL] Articles for users to read and learn about Chinese culture. [URL="http://chineseculture.about.com/bl_index.htm"]One-Stop Chinese Culture[/URL] Includes Chinese traditions and cultures, fable stories, festival & holidays, legends and gods, Chinese names, customs, dragons and more. [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Texts[/B] [/INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][URL="http://www.kuwang.com/literature/foreign/"]&#37239;&#32593;->&#20339;&#20316;&#20043;&#23478;[/URL] [URL="http://www.woyouxian.com/index/10index.html"]&#20013; &#22269;&#25991;&#23398;&#21517;&#33879;&#32034;&#24341;&#30446;&#24405; &#22312;&#32447;&#38405;&#35835; &#25105;&#26377;&#38386;&#20070;&#24211; WoYouXian.com[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][B]Dutch[/B][INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.luisterrijk.nl/luisterboeken/pricecat/1/"]Luisterrijk - de download shop voor luisterboeken - MP3-luisterboek goedkoop downloaden[/URL] [/INDENT][INDENT][URL="http://librivox.org/newcatalog/search_advanced.php?title=&author=&cat=&genre=&status=all&type=&language=Dutch&date=&reader=&bc=&mc=&action=Search"]LibriVox: Search Results[/URL] [URL="http://web.me.com/schuffelen/Site/proseread.html"]Readings from my Own Writing - Hear Longer Dutch Texts[/URL] [URL="http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/language/Dutch"]Free Audio Books - Dutch - Download in mp3 and iPod format today![/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.rtl.nl/experience/rtlnl/"]RTL.NL[/URL] [URL="http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/"]Uitzendinggemist.nl[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Texts[/B] [/INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][URL="http://www.e-stories.org/categories.php?&lan=nl&art=s"]Short Stories, poems from e-stories.org - Read Short Stories online[/URL] [URL="http://wess.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Dutch_Literature_and_Language#Electronic_Literary_Texts"]Dutch Literature and Language - WESSWeb[/URL] [URL="http://www.ielanguages.com/dutch.html"]Dutch Tutorials Index: Basic Phrases, Vocabulary and Grammar[/URL] Simple, comprehensive grammar and vocabulary review of Dutch [URL="http://www.dutchgrammar.com/en/index.php?n=Grammar.DutchGrammar"]Dutch Grammar • Learning Dutch grammar[/URL] Learn Dutch grammar: Spelling and pronunciation, verbs, pronouns, nouns and articles, word order, and more. It includes sound files and exercises, and an active forum to post your questions. [URL="http://www.learndutch.nu/"]Learn Dutch language grammar | Free online courses lessons[/URL] learn to speak Dutch language with grammar courses online, leren Nederlands online. [URL="http://www.forbeginners.info/dutch/basics.htm"]Basic Vocabulary | Dutch for Beginners[/URL] Learn basic Dutch vocabulary: the words that are used over and again. [URL="http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Dutch"]Dutch - Wikibooks, collection of open-content textbooks[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][B]English[/B][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_television"]Television in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/URL][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_over-the-air_television_networks"]List of United States over-the-air television networks - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][URL="http://www.learnenglish.de/"]Learn English Free Online[/URL] [URL="http://www.learn-english.co.il/"]Learn English - with audio and transliterations (for ESL and EFL students)[/URL] [URL="http://learn-english-online.org/"]Learn English Online - Free EFL/ESL English Lessons[/URL] [URL="http://www.englishlanguageguide.com/"]English Language[/URL] [URL="http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramtoc.html"]English Grammar[/URL] [URL="http://www.magickeys.com/books/"]Children's Storybooks Online - Stories for Kids of All Ages[/URL] [B] French[/B][INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://french.about.com/od/audiobooks/French_Audio_Books.htm"]French Audio Books[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Culture[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/france-country-profile.html"]France - Culture, customs, etiquette and business protocol[/URL] [URL="http://www.sprachcaffe.com/english/study_abroad/countries/france/french_culture.htm"]French Culture - French Customs and Traditions[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.tf1.fr/"]TF1 la chaîne de télévision - TF1[/URL] [/INDENT][INDENT][URL="http://www.france2.fr/"]France 2 : site de la chaîne de télévision - France 2[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Texts[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.shortstoryarchive.com/french_stories.html"]French Short Stories[/URL] [URL="http://www.teachnet.ie/clane/leshistoires.html#http://www.coindespetits.com/histoires/chaperonr/chaperon.html"]leshistoires.html[/URL] [URL="http://wess.lib.byu.edu/index.php/French_Literature,_Linguistics_%26_Culture#Electronic_texts"]French Literature, Linguistics & Culture - WESSWeb[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][URL="http://www.ielanguages.com/frenchindex.html"]French Tutorials Index: Basic Phrases, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Pronunciation with MP3s and Exercises[/URL] Comprehensive and free grammar and vocabulary review of French, including slang and informal ways of speaking [URL="http://french.about.com/"]Free French Lessons - Learn French at About - Learn, Speak, Teach French[/URL] [URL="http://frenchassistant.com/default.asp"]Learn French online FREE with French language lessons and unique question generator![/URL] [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/"]BBC - Languages - French[/URL] [URL="http://learnfrench.elanguageschool.net/"]Learn How to Speak the French Language Online Free | e Language School[/URL] [B] Italian[/B][INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2012&PN=1"]Free audiobooks in Italian (Links & Internet Resources) Language Learning Forum[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Culture[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.lifeinitaly.com/culture"]Culture | Italy[/URL] [URL="http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/italy-country-profile.html"]Italy - Italian Language, Culture, Customs and Business Etiquette[/URL] [/INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.mediaset.it/"]Mediaset.it: Stasera in Tv, Mediaset Premium, Tv, News, Sport, Community,Servizi[/URL] [URL="http://www.tv.mediaset.it/italia1/"]Italia 1 - Mediaset - tv news, guida tv e schede dei programmi di Italia 1.[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Texts[/B][INDENT][URL="http://wess.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Italian_Literature#Electronic_Texts"]Italian Literature - WESSWeb[/URL] [URL="http://www.angelfire.com/il2/sito/bambini.html"]Italian Sites for Children[/URL] [URL="http://www.e-stories.org/categories.php?&lan=it&art=s"]Short Stories, poems from e-stories.org - Read Short Stories online[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][URL="http://learnitalian.elanguageschool.net/"]Learn How to Speak the Italian Language Online Free | e Language School[/URL] [URL="http://www.zapitalian.com/"]Learn Italian - Italian Language - ZapItalian[/URL] [URL="http://www.learnitalianguide.com/"]Learn Italian[/URL] [URL="http://www.ielanguages.com/italian.html"]Italian Tutorials Index: Basic Phrases, Vocabulary and Grammar[/URL] Comprehensive and free grammar and vocabulary review of Italian [URL="http://italian.about.com/"]Italian Language - Learn Italian - About Italian Language - Learn to Speak Italian[/URL] [B] Japanese[/B] (no anime or manga, sorry)[INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6241&PN=1&TPN=1"]Japanese Log (Language Learning Log) Language Learning Forum[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Culture[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/culture/culture.html"]JAPANESE CULTURE[/URL] [URL="http://www.nihongo.org/english/culture/"]Japanese Culture (English)[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.tbs.co.jp/"]TBS[/URL] [URL="http://www.fujitv.co.jp/index.html"]&#12501; &#12472;&#12486;&#12524;&#12499;[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Texts[/B][INDENT][URL="http://jclab.wordpress.com/"]Japanese Classical Literature at Bedtime[/URL] [/INDENT][INDENT][URL="http://www.bauddha.net/"]&#12510; &#12523;&#12481;&#12513;&#12487;&#12451;&#12450;&#23550;&#35379;&#29256;&#12391;&#35501;&#12416;&#19990;&#30028;&#12398;&#21517;&#20316;&#12288;&#21407;&#26360;&#12391;&#35501;&#12418;&#12358;&#8213;&#21407;&#26360;&#12392;&#35501;&#12418;&#12358;&#8213;&#32763;&#35379;&#12375;&#12424;&#12358;&#12288;[&#12510;&#12523;&#12481;&#12513;&#12487;&#12451;&#12450;&#23550;&#35379;&#29256;]&#12288;&#65374;&#23550;&#35379;&#65286;&#21508;&#12371;&#12392;&#12400;&#12363;&#12425;Web&#36766;&#26360;&#12408;&#12398;&#12480;&#12452;&#12524;&#12463; &#12488;&#12522;&#12531;&#12463;&#27231;&#33021;&#20184;&#65374;[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][URL="http://www.freejapaneselessons.com/index.cfm"]Free Japanese Lessons - Learn to speak Japanese online for free![/URL] [URL="http://www.learn-japanese.info/"]Nihongo o Narau - Learn Japanese[/URL] [URL="http://japanese.about.com/"]Learn Japanese - Japanese Language[/URL] [URL="http://www.scribd.com/doc/4520696/How-to-Learn-Japanese"]How to Learn Japanese[/URL] [B]Norwegian[/B][INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.apronus.com/norskaudio/samfunnslaere.htm"]Download Free Audio Files for Learning Norwegian - Apronus.com[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Culture[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/norway-country-profile.html"]Norway - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette[/URL] [URL="http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Norway.html"]Culture of Norway - traditional, history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs, family, social, dress, marriage, men, life, immigrants, population, religion, rituals[/URL][URL="http://www.food-links.com/countries/norway/norway.php"]Norwegian Food and Culture[/URL] [URL="http://www.traveldocs.com/no/index.htm"]Norway Visa Application - Tourist Visas, Business Visas, Expedited Visas - Norway Page[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.tv2.no/"]TV2no | Nyheter, sport, underholdning, vær, web-tv og tv-guide[/URL] [URL="http://www.nrk.no/"]Nyheter, tv og radio fra Norge og hele verden - NRK.no[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Texts[/B] [URL="http://wess.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Language_and_Literature_-_Scandinavia#Norwegian_literature"]Language and Literature - Scandinavia - WESSWeb[/URL] [/INDENT][URL="http://www.apronus.com/norsk/norsk_links.htm"]Learning Norwegian: Links for Norwegian Learners - Apronus.com[/URL] [URL="http://www.101languages.net/norwegian/"]Learn Norwegian online for free![/URL] [URL="http://mylittlenorway.com/learn-norwegian/"]Learn Norwegian - My Little Norway[/URL] [URL="http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/norwegian/grammar/grammar.html"]Grammar[/URL] [URL="http://www.ielanguages.com/norwegian1.html"]Norwegian I Tutorial: Basic Phrases, Vocabulary and Grammar[/URL] [URL="http://www.languageonthe.net/norsk/index.htm"]norsk på languageonthe.net[/URL] [B] Russian[/B][INDENT][B]Audiobooks[/B][INDENT][URL="http://beemp3.com/index.php?q=audio+books+russian&st=all"]Audio books russian - MP3 Search & Free Mp3 Downloads[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Culture[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.womenrussia.com/russians.htm"]Russian Culture, Traditions, Holidays, Family and Daily Life[/URL] [URL="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Russian_culture"]Russian culture: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article[/URL] [URL="http://www.auburn.edu/%7Emitrege/russian-culture/internet-resources.html"]Russian Culture: Internet Resources[/URL] [/INDENT][/INDENT][INDENT][B]Television[/B][INDENT][URL="http://www.rutv.ru/?d=0"]&#1058;&#1077;&#1083;&#1077;&#1082;&#1072;&#1085;&#1072;&#1083; "&#1056;&#1054;&#1057;&#1057;&#1048;&#1071;"[/URL] &#1057;&#1072;&#1081;&#1090; &#1090;&#1077;&#1083;&#1077;&#1082;&#1072;&#1085;&#1072;&#1083;&#1072; &#1056;&#1086;&#1089;&#1089;&#1080;&#1103; (&#1056;&#1
Wow! That's one huge op! Good job! I thought this was some advertisement, but it looks like it's actually a really detailed post! Rated informative.
Jesus, thats a huge op. I'm going to need to subscribe and read this later. Awesome how the pics are showing German, as I'm learning German.
Awesome guide, I'll definitely be looking at this more in-depth later.
Hey. I was planning on learning German for fun at weekend school This should be useful, thanks :buddy:
[QUOTE=Dr. Fishtastic;23411360]Hey. I was planning on learning German for fun at weekend school This should be useful, thanks :buddy:[/QUOTE] weekend school....?
This is a great guide, over the summer I have forgotten alot of the german I learned so maybe I'll go back and learn some more.
Huge OP, great job! rated I, of course!
What's your opinion on Pimsleur, OP? I'm determined to learn Norwegian and all I've been able to find free online are some basic phrases and pronunciation. (Which has been very useful for faking a Norwegian accent while speaking English and pretending I'm from there, I must say)
Huh, I'm learning Polish.
It worked! I am now fluent in English!
By the end of the post I suddenly became quad-lingual
[QUOTE=WebOfTrust;23412232]By the end of the post I suddenly became quad-lingual[/QUOTE] Hurry and use the post's advice and tips, and learn even more languages!
[QUOTE=Zeke129;23411590]What's your opinion on Pimsleur, OP? I'm determined to learn Norwegian and all I've been able to find free online are some basic phrases and pronunciation. (Which has been very useful for faking a Norwegian accent while speaking English and pretending I'm from there, I must say)[/QUOTE] I have tried the first few Pimsleur lessons and it drove me nuts, only because I didn't have a big issue with pronunciation but the same words were repeated over and over and over. But, this is good if you want to get the pronunciation perfect. From what I remember, it was useful in learning phrases. I think I remember the very first conversation on the Pimsleur German tape.. Excuse me, do you speak German? Yes I speak German/No, I don't speak German/I can speak only a little German. ...And that was about it. The words were repeated over and over. Granted, I did learn the verb sprechen (to speak) and nur ein bisschen (only a little) but I didn't find this to be very helpful to me. BUT, since it seems pronunciation is a priority for you, this may be what you're looking for! It also seems that some [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Comprehensive-Understand-Pimsleur-Language/dp/0743566300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279326223&sr=8-1"]reviewers [/URL]have found this course very helpful. I have done some snooping and found these links: [url]http://www.nrk.no/[/url] A news site (good luck navigating lol), that has video and radio. [for more simpler stuff] [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJCK_KYSXMM[/url] Norwegian guy pronounces all the letters of the alphabet (2 parts) [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfvFBGVYWpg[/url] Pretty girl pronounces some basic phrases such as Hei Jeg heter Karin Hva heter du? Hvor gammel er du? Jeg er Jeg kommer fra Norge Hvor er du fra? Hvordan går det? Det går bra! Jeg elsker deg [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syMfLIj2fl4[/url] Overview to the language itself (nynorsk), followed by a reading of norwegian text. This guy also does some other European languages such as German and Dutch (also Afrikaans) and his uploads are worth taking a look. [url]http://www.carla.umn.edu/lctl/VAVA/audio/norwegian/[/url] The audio files here are simply of people talking (one guy talks about facebook in there) [url]http://www.apronus.com/norskaudio/samfunnslaere.htm[/url] Similar to the Brothers Grimm' audiobook website I posted, this link has some children's tales in Norwegian. That's all I could find after 10 minutes of searching...do some more research and you are sure to find more.
Great OP! I know French and German to a pretty much useless GCSE level, but this thread makes me want to learn Icelandic for some reason.
try learning a non-alphabet language. like chinese. or japanese. it's a totally different monster. I wish I still had the youthful nerve to learn a language, but years of grade school hammering has left me with a distate for learning languages. I wish it had'nt been that way. multiple lanaguages are cool. :'(
Would be really neat for people to give a lot of info such as this to help others speak their native language, then added into (or linked from) the OP and it would be a fantastic thread for language reference.
longest op ever. also: learn it when you are young or move to said country or go to school
I love you, OP.
Good thread to motivate me back into learning German. Been trying to teach myself.
hlp i nedd to lern english [editline]10:07AM[/editline] Anyway, great thread! Will read!
But what happens if you want to learn a non-Germanic or non-Romantic language like Russian or Mandarin Chinese?
[QUOTE=DarkendSky;23420642]But what happens if you want to learn a non-Germanic or non-Romantic language like Russian or Mandarin Chinese?[/QUOTE] Probably best to get lessons.
I want to learn a Scandinavian language. I'm thinking Swedish.
You're my hero for the day, OP.
[quote]non-Romantic[/quote] Epic spellingfail, i guess. Anyway, it'd be really, really hard. I'd say lessons, too.
In-depth OP is in-depth. Gonna refer to it in the future, I am somewhat interested in learning German.
Holy fucking shit that's a lot of work. Great job. I think I might adjust this to learn French and Italian.
[QUOTE=DarkendSky;23420642]But what happens if you want to learn a non-Germanic or non-Romantic language like Russian or Mandarin Chinese?[/QUOTE] I spent 5 minutes doing a yahoo search and this is what I found: [B] Mandarin:[/B] [url]http://mandarin.about.com/[/url] Lots of helpful resources here, including pronunciation and reading [url]http://mandarin.about.com/od/writingmandarin/a/writebyhand.htm[/url] This is from the same site - it's about writing the characters [url]http://writeinchinese.com/frontpage[/url] Shows you step by step how to write many characters (includes adj. nouns and verbs) [B]Russian:[/B] [url]http://www.russian-language-for-lovers.com/russian-grammar.html#Step1[/url] This website has all sorts of information on Russian. The link takes you to "Step 1" where you can follow links to learn the alphabet and work on pronunciation [url]http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/russian/[/url] This site isn't that great, but I think the russian keyboard (first bubble on left) was pretty cool. You can hear the letters pronounced as you press the corresponding key [url]http://russian.speak7.com/russian_alphabet.htm[/url] This page is all about the alphabet and pronunciation (on the left you will see a sidebar with more information) Learning a new language, EVEN one that doesn't use the Roman alphabet, is still possible on your own!
German is pretty easy. Deutsche ist fuenfunddreizig percent von die Englischen sprechen.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.