Sonic Youth Gossip - View Single Post - Best way to teach yourself another language?

acousticrock87 · 06.27.2006, 11:24 PM

Hah sorry, I misunderstood you - yes, learning a second Romance language would probably be much easier.

I think the thing about Romance languages is that the vocabulary is generally very easy to pick up. We're all very familiar with the word structures, since we use many of the same words, if not directly, at least in higher vocabulary. Even if we don't know the words, we've taken so many that we have a feel for it. However, their grammar is a bit ridiculous and really hard to learn.

With Japanese it's the complete opposite. Their grammar is insanely easy. There's really nothing to it. No gender, no plural, hardly any voice even (though they have levels of 'politeness' which are really weird, but not necessarily grammatical.) Conjugation is extremely consistent, too. But then there's the vocabulary and word structure, which is so incredibly foreign to our ears and mouths that even mnemonic devices are practically useless. And of course the notoriously screwed up writing system, which you can't really learn just by being there.

So it really depends on the language, I guess, to determine the best way to learn. Different areas will be more effective through experience, others through books.

EDIT: Yes, qprogeny. You do.

06.27.2006, 11:24 PM	#6
acousticrock87 invito al cielo Join Date: May 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,515	Hah sorry, I misunderstood you - yes, learning a second Romance language would probably be much easier. I think the thing about Romance languages is that the vocabulary is generally very easy to pick up. We're all very familiar with the word structures, since we use many of the same words, if not directly, at least in higher vocabulary. Even if we don't know the words, we've taken so many that we have a feel for it. However, their grammar is a bit ridiculous and really hard to learn. With Japanese it's the complete opposite. Their grammar is insanely easy. There's really nothing to it. No gender, no plural, hardly any voice even (though they have levels of 'politeness' which are really weird, but not necessarily grammatical.) Conjugation is extremely consistent, too. But then there's the vocabulary and word structure, which is so incredibly foreign to our ears and mouths that even mnemonic devices are practically useless. And of course the notoriously screwed up writing system, which you can't really learn just by being there. So it really depends on the language, I guess, to determine the best way to learn. Different areas will be more effective through experience, others through books. EDIT: Yes, qprogeny. You do.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|