The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/all/20060422063411/http://www.amerispan.net:80/weblog/archives/language_tools/index.php
Search
 
Recommended
Book
501 Spanish Verbs: Fully Conjugated in All the Tenses in A New Easy-To-Learn Format Alphabetically Arranged
Spanish Complete: The Complete Language Course : 3 Level Set (Learn in Your Car)
Study Away: The Unauthorized Guide to College Abroad
Study Abroad for Dummies
DVD
City of God
Magazine
Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel
Music
Fijacion Oral vol. 1
100% Azucar!: The Best of Celia Cruz con la Sonora Matancera
Travel Edition 1990-2005
Software
Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin America) Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition
Rosetta Stone German Level 1 & 2 Win/Mac Personal Edition
Toy
FLYware: Fly Through Spanish: Translator

« Egypt Facts | Main | Japanese Tea Ceremony »

Languages Spoken in the U.S.

By Elizabeth Gregory

So I'm sure many of you have heard the bad joke that goes - what do you call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language? American.

Of course, I've only heard non-Americans laugh at that joke. Oddly enough, there are millions of Americans (over 46 million actually) who do speak more than one language. Although English is the primary language spoken in the US, head south to Miami or Texas and you may feel like a foreigner with the amount of Spanish you hear on the streets, on the radio, and announced in the airport.

So, I did a little research as to how many Americans speak a foreign language. According to Wikipedia:

"The United States is home to approximately 336 languages (spoken or signed) of which 176 are indigenous to the area. 52 languages formerly spoken in the US territory are now extinct."

Which languages are the most popular? Spanish of course is the 2nd most popular language with almost 30 million speakers (probably not including those who just took a few years of it in school).

Following distantly behind Spanish in numbers of speakers are: Chinese, French, German, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Italian, each with over a million Americans speaking those languages. It was interesting to learn that among the top languages spoken by Americans at home is one that has been spoken in this country long before English and Spanish arrived — Navajo.

Modern Language Association gives a neat layout of what languages are spoken where.

# Posted by michele on Feb 21 | Permalink Comments (0)

« Traveling Abroad With Pets | Main | Budget Travel Abroad »

Learn Spanish Expressions

By Connie Marianacci

I wanted to get together some of the typical sayings found in Spanish. Some can be very funny! I was just talking to a friend from Peru and told him tengo la vena inchada, which is Argentinean for "I am very mad", and he just started laughing and could not stop.

So below I have gathered some sayings from Argentina and Venezuela.

Argentinean Expressions
cogotado = asfixiado // endrogado // apremiado por un préstamo usurero.
Afanar = robar, volar.
Alcahuete = soplón, chiva.
Amarrete = codo, avaro.
Andá a cantarle a Gardel! = clásica expresión argentina para indicar que se deben llevar quejas a otra parte.
Andar a los pedos = conducir un carro u otro vehículo a alta velocidad.
Andar a pata = a pié, a golpe de calcetín.
Andar de joda = andar de parranda, de juerga.
Bajoneado = deprimido, achicopalado.
Bárbaro! = chévere! chido! de cajeta!
Berreta = objeto chafa, chaqueto, chairo. Una "berretada" es una birria // persona falsa. "Esta vieja es muy berreta".
Bolonqui = "quilombo", relajo, borlote.
Bondi = camión de pasajeros.
Canchero = águila, colmilludo, trinchón.
Capo = jefe de jefes, el mero mero // cacique.
Che = modo informal de llamar a cualquier persona en la Argentina."Che pibe, traeme un café".
Copado = chido, agradable, a todo dar.
Dar masa o darle masa = golpear, madrear a alguien.
Dar una biaba = dar una paliza, madrear a alguien // ganar en el fútbol por una gran diferencia de goles.
De cuarta! = de baja categoría, chafa.
De diez! = expresión de beneplácito, de cajeta!
De prepo! = a huevo!, a la brava!, a como dé lugar!, a lo cabrón!
Embalarse = salir hecho la madre, correr // entusiasmarse con alguna cosa.
Enquilombado = del cocol, difícil, complicado
Estar pila = poner entusiasmo en algo.
Facha = traza, apariencia o vestimenta de alguien. "Mirá la facha que trae" // cara, rostro // mujer de ideología derechista, fascista.
Feca = café.
Fulero = feo, gacho, chueco. "Esto está fulero" se dice advirtiendo sobre alguna cosa chueca.
Gambas = piernas, sobre todo las de mujer, chamorros "Que buenas gambas tiene esa mina" // "ser gamba" es ser reata, ser buen amigo. "Hacerle gamba a alguien" es acompañarlo en alguna tarea o situación.
Hacerse drama = hacerse problemas.
Jabón (un) = susto.
Laburo = chamba.
Lenteja = persona lenta, de pocas luces.
Macana = mentira, cábula
Meterle pata = apurarse. "Métanle pata que no llegamos" o "Metele pata que se hace tarde para el cine".
Muzzarella = nombre del tipo de pizza más popular en la Argentina. "Quedarse muzzarella" es quedarse en silencio, no hablar de alguna cosa.
Nabo = menso, tarugo, fulastre // pene.
Negra = es común llamar así a cualquier mujer de pelo prieto, aunque su piel sea clara // "cerveza negra" es la cerveza oscura.
Ojete = culo, nachas, petaca.
Olor a chivo = es el que despide por las axilas quien suda mucho.
Orto = culo, nachas, petacas.
Palmó = murió // desmayó de cansancio.
Pasarla bomba = estar a todo dar, a toda madre.
Pasarla joya = estar a todo dar, a toda madre.
Pesada (la) = ambiente de asesinos o delincuentes muy violentos.
Pesado (un) = individuo peligroso, que "está en la pesada" // delincuente famoso // también se llama así a las personas molestas, encimosas. "Este tipo es un pesado" se dice de un molón, una lapa.
Pilcha = ropa, vestimenta.
Piola = una piola es una reata // Ser "un tipo piola" es ser un buen bato // Ser "un piola" es ser muy abusado. Ser "un piola bárbaro" es ser avispa, buzo, caimán, un colmilludo.
Ponerse las pilas = decidirse a resolver algo.
Quedarse en el molde = no llamar la atención // no poner en evidencia algo que se conoce, hacerse pendejo.
Rajar/ se = huír/escaparse, pelar gallo // cortarse de una reunión.
Recontra = retacha. Decir "que te recontra" es retachar un insulto.
Revoque = maquillaje. "Darse un revoque".
Sacarse la espina = quitarse una duda.
Sanata = mentira, cotorreo.
Ser Gardel = es ser lo máximo!
Tener polenta = estar fuerte, tener mucha galleta, tener fibra.
Toco = dinero u objeto robado // un chorro, mucho de algo "un toco de guita, o de merca" es un titipuchal de lana o de droga.
Turro = personaje peligroso, de mala entraña // individuo cabrón.
Una bocha! = mucho de algo, un chingo! un titipuchal!
Una masa! = expresión de beneplácito, de poca madre!, de diez! "Esto es una masa" significa que es muy bueno, que es algo chido.
Ya fue! = ya estuvo.
Zafado = lépero.
Zafar = reunir dinero suficiente para no preocuparse por el futuro. Es la ilusión de buena parte de la sociedad actual.
Zapán = panza.
Zarparse = excederse o propasarse con algo. "Se zarpó" se dice de quien habló leperadas en un lugar inadecuado.


Venezuelan Expressions
Mono, Orangután, Yordan, Niche = Persona joven de poca educación y con tendencia al malandraje.
Arrechísimo, Orgásmico, De Pinga, Chévere, Brutal, Monstruoso, Bestial, Machete, Nota = Dícese de algo muy bueno ("Esta página está orgásmica").
Segunda = Se utiliza con el verbo hacer y significa pedir un favor ("hazme una segunda").
Gallo, Gallego = Dícese de alguien muy tonto ("Juan es un gallo").
Guama, Piña, Hueso, Ladilla, Roncha = Cosa o persona que fastidia ("Qué ladilla con Freddy").
Pana, Concañero = Amigo(a).
Bojote, Verguero, Full, Burda = Términos que denotan cantidad, abundancia ("Estoy full triste"; "Había burda de gente en la fiesta").
Chimbo, Cagada, Balurdo, Troja, Lora = Dícese de algo que es muy malo ("Esa es una lora de computadora").
Arrecho(2), Pelúo, Jodío = Algo difícil ("El examen estaba pelúo").
Trajín, Arrecharse = Encolerizarse ("Qué trajín con mi mamá, siempre me hace arrechar").
Achantao = Dícese de una persona lenta ("Ese tipo es un achantao").
Bandera = Persona o cosa muy evidente, úsase como adjetivo o sustantivo ("Escóndete, no seas tan bandera").
Cuaima = Dícese de una mujer agresiva, rencorosa, vengativa y celosa, como la culebra venenosa del mismo nombre ("Ariadna es una cuaima").
Paja, Mojón = Mentira ("Esa tipa es una mojonera").
Verde, Gris = Obstinado o hasta el tope de algo o alguien; cansado de ("Dayana me tiene verde").
Curdo, Peo, Prendío = Estar borracho ("Leo está curdo"; "Cargo tremenda pea").
Básico, Primario, Primate = Persona retrógrada ("Yohama es básica").
Pajúo, Cotorrero, Cobero = Persona mentirosa ("José es un cobero").
Chorear, Tumbar, Palear, Choripalear = Robar ("Me tumbé un carro"; "Me choriaron la cartera").
Picao = Persona que se molesta con facilidad ("Leo es un picao").
Chorriado, Cagao, Culilluo, Mami = Persona miedosa.
Raya, Huella = Persona que queda mal ante alguien.
Volao = Persona impulsiva ("Leopoldo es un volao").
Pacotilla = Cosa de baja calidad.
Esmadrarse = Darse un golpe muy fuerte ("Ayer me esmadré").
Culebra = Novela que tiene muchos enredos y es muy mala.
Fundido = Persona que hace un gran esfuerzo mental ("Ayer me fundí estudiando").
Pangola = Algo que es muy fácil ("Ese examen estaba muy pangola").
Sapo, Soplón, Acusaleta = Persona chismosa.
Marimacha = Mujer con actitudes masculinas ("Amparo es una marimacha").
Fresita, Comeflor = Persona que vive en una honda poética estereotipada.
Taco, Huevo, Paloma, Palomúo = Persona que es muy buena en algo.

When learning Spanish abroad, what you learn in class is the official Spanish. On the other hand, teachers normally provide you with an extra vocabulary on the side with typical regional words so you also get to learn the typical language.

# Posted by michele on Feb 3 | Permalink Comments (0)

« Chinese New Year | Main | Review: The Lion King »

German Used In English

By Elizabeth Gregory

OK, so a while back I blogged about French words used in English. Since then, I've been looking into other languages that English has adopted words from. There are a ton of them. Today, I thought I'd share with you what I learned about German words in English. Although there were not nearly as many as French words, there were quite a few surprises.

Believe it or not, quite a few of these are actually named after the German speaking person (some from Austria) who discovered them. Everything from fuel to dogs is on this list. Among the list of names: Farenheit, Doppler (as in effect and radar), Doberman (as in pinscher), diesel, and Alzheimer's disease.

There are also common words not named after people that have been adopted from German. These include: aspirin, angst, blitz (like in football), delicatessen, and fest (like film fest).

I found these German words used in English (and more) with their meanings at about.com.
You may find a lot of interesting words that you have never used.

# Posted by michele on Jan 31 | Permalink Comments (0)

« Tips to Learning a Language | Main | Chinese New Year »

Where To Study Spanish Abroad

By Anne-Marie Dingemans

I get this question a lot from prospective participants. They want to learn and/or improve their Spanish and ask which is the best place to go, in terms of accent and vocabulary. The reasons for this question are varied. Some of you use your Spanish mostly in contact with a specific population (for example: social workers working with a predominantly Mexican-descendant population, or someone who lives in a community with many Ecuadorian immigrants), others want to learn the "clearest" Spanish (easiest to understand by other Spanish speakers), and then there is the whole issue regarding Latin American Spanish versus Spanish from Spain. And I don't even want to get into the "Spanish or Castilian" dilemma! You know what I mean by Spanish language, right?

The truth of the matter is that the very vast majority of you will always speak with your own accent (American, German, Arabic, etc.), which will pretty much mask any local accent you may pick up. So you don't have to worry too much about which Spanish accent is "better" as there isn't an answer to that question anyway. Of course, studying in Spain will teach you to lissssp and use vosotros from the get-go, and studying in Argentina will give you vos and the unmistakable sing-songy accent. But this will not limit the amount and type of Spanish speakers who will understand you. Everyone in the Spanish speaking world understands each other. Every country has a vast amount of colloquialisms and expressions that other Spanish speakers don't know or don't use, or -very dangerous- have a completely different meaning! What I usually see is that Spanish speaker switch to a more "standard Spanish" when speaking to someone who is not from their home region, and that includes you.

So, unless it's really of great importance to you that you learn a specific accent, colloquialisms and expressions used in a particular region, I would just pick the location that suits your needs, interests and budget best. If you are a beach person, you'll be much happier in Samara Beach than in Cusco. You'll learn much more in an environment you enjoy! Exceptions to this rule could be people that will have to communicate on an advanced level with a limited group of Spanish speakers from the same background, and in that case not only the accent is important, but also the habits of that group. And in that situation the argument for taking a total immersion course that will not only teach you the language, but also the culture, cuisine and customs of that region, is only stronger!

# Posted by michele on Jan 27 | Permalink Comments (4)

« Review: Anchee Min | Main | Where To Study Spanish Abroad »

Tips to Learning a Language

By Connie Marianacci

Trying to learn a language once you arrive to a new city, meet new people, with a lot of new things to do, a lot of excursions and cultural activities and night life, it gets quite hard to sit down and study everyday, or even do your homework.

But, most likely you are going to have homework and to get most out of this experience you probably want to request homework!

This is why setting up your mind before arriving to the location that you really want to be consistent and study every day at least one hour a day is important. I know now you are thinking "you are crazy" but having been there myself I can honestly tell you that I learned a lot more when I did my homework and studied every day after school than when I didn't.

Once you arrive, make a rule for yourself that you will not speak in your own language at any time, unless you have an emergency of course. At the school, at the host family and even after school you should try to speak in the local language even with those that keep on switching to their native tongue. Everything you read should be local, the TV and even the radio if you listen to one.

You will notice that little by little you will start thinking in the language, you will be thinking in your mind how would I say this, and I am now going here, what would I say? And you would be having all these thoughts in the local language!

Comic books are a great piece of literature if you are starting. They are easy to read and you will learn a lot! If you are more advanced, then you definitely want to get to the newspapers.

If you want to watch a movie, make sure it is in the local language.

And last but not least, when going to the store, speak in the local language! Even if it takes you a while to make yourself understood!

# Posted by michele on Jan 26 | Permalink Comments (9) | TrackBack (14)

« Venezuela Cooking: Arepas Recipe | Main | Reduce Jet Lag when Traveling Abroad »

Coming Soon - Audio Phrase Books

I just learned from the guys at CyraKnow that they're going to be adding some new languages to their Rambler iPod phrase books. They currently offer audio phrase books in Spanish, French, Italian and German, and come March, they will be offering them in Arabic, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin. I'll be checking them out once they're available, and I can't wait.

You all know how crazy I am about my iPod, and I really can't say enough about the Rambler phrase books. I'm learning German slowly but surely, and the German Rambler has been a great way to keep me going without having to carry the book that accompanies my German audio lessons in my already much too heavy schoolbag.

# Posted by michele on Jan 23 | Permalink Comments (18) | TrackBack (2)

« Happy New Year! | Main | International Cell Phones »

Learn a Foreign Language : Language Resource

By Elizabeth Gregory

Every spring I teach a beginner Spanish night class for adults. It's not a formal college course or anything, just something offered by a local school district under their adult education evening classes. I mainly provide handouts for this course; however many times people ask for supplemental texts or reading materials to supplement their study at home. Although I do have 2 recommendations, I also have some advice for choosing self-study language learning materials:

  • Audio materials are great, but it is always good to have a book to supplement it. If the audio course does not come with one, pick out one separately.
  • Borders and Barnes and Noble usually have a decent foreign language section. Spanish is their biggest selection.
  • Take some time and leaf through the materials. Choose ones that match your goals. In other words, there are some books that are very drill heavy, others are more picture dictionary type of learning materials, others include grammar lessons, etc. Sometimes one of each may be appropriate. Two resources that are a must in my opinion are a bilingual dictionary (level appropriate) and a verb book. My personal favorite is 501 Spanish verbs (also made in other languages).
  • You may need to brush up on your English grammar to grasp/understand certain concepts in a foreign language. If this is the case, I highly recommend the book English Grammar for Students of Spanish. I know this book is also available for students of French, German, Italian, Russian and Japanese.
  • For a "pocket-sized" crash course book that includes lessons, exercises and more I recommend Spanish Coursebook by Living Language.
  • The bottom line is to get out there and look through the materials. It's difficult to make your decisions without deciding what your goals are and what materials are good for you. Don't be surprised if you find that some may seem confusing or poorly organized.
Happy language learning!

# Posted by michele on Jan 3 | Permalink Comments (9) | TrackBack (11)

« Mexican Cuisine | Main | Rail Travel Europe »

Update: Living Language

Happy Monday! I've finally finished school for the semester today, so I can fully devote myself to studying German for the next four weeks.

I've been practicing a lesson each week from the German Complete Course by Living Language, and if anything else, my ability to pronounce German words and phrases is remarkably better.

I've also been checking out lots of different phrases using CyraKnow's German Rambler program on my iPod, so I'm getting the best of both worlds: German grammar and fun German phrases.

I'll update sometime next month with my progress again. Have a great day.

# Posted by michele on Dec 19 | Permalink Comments (14) | TrackBack (18)

« Movie: City of God | Main | Review: Russian Music »

Review: Rambler

I should start by saying that I don't know what I ever did without my iPod. From music to podcasts to audiobooks, I spend more time listening to my iPod (Phil) than I do just about anything else...well, aside from homework.

Why am I telling you this? Well, I felt that I should explain my love of all things iPod-related before singing the praises of CyraKnow's Rambler phrase books for iPods. I found CyraKnow's site while searching for new blog ideas, and I was immediately intrigued by this new use of my beloved iPod. Upon purchasing the Rambler programs, you move your target language's Notes folder to your iPod's Notes folder (you have to enable disk use in your iPod's preferences for this to work), then you add the Audio folder to your iTunes library. The files are relatively large in size, so it may take a little time loading everything, but that's really all you have to do. I checked out the French, German and Italian versions, and I cannot think of a more ingenious use of technology.

Studying abroad and don't feel like carrying around clunky phrase books or dictionaries? If you have an iPod, the Rambler programs are an almost endless source of useful words and phrases. If you need the location of a post office in the country you're visiting, just find the phrase "Where is the post office?" in your notes folder and click on it; from your headphones (or speakers), you will hear the phrase in English, followed by the phrase at normal speaking speed in your target language, then at a slower pace. Not only are you learning what to say, you're learning how to say it.

Now, if only somehow my iPod could do my homework...

# Posted by michele on Dec 12 | Permalink Comments (34) | TrackBack (34)

« Italian Cooking : Pizzelles Recipe | Main | Traveling Abroad : Airport Screening »

Language Learning

By Elizabeth Gregory

I have studied 3 foreign languages, taught 2 languages, and have also participated in immersion programs for 2 different languages. For Spanish, I took 6 years of classroom instruction here in the US and spent one semester in Spain in an immersion program. I can honestly say that I learned more in the 4 months I was in country than the 6 years of classroom instruction. However, this does not mean that classroom language instruction is obsolete or unnecessary. I have outlined some of the advantages of each instructional method below as well as where the 2 overlap. Immersion is always a good way for any language student to refine or brush up on their skills in a setting where the language is used everyday in every way. Additionally, absolute beginners can benefit from immersion by getting a solid start without too much translating back to their native language as often happens in the classroom.


    Classroom instruction advantages
  • More emphasis on accurately using grammatical structures
  • Explanations can be given in native language for ease of understanding
  • Textbooks typically include explanations in native language
  • Frequently, more focus on reading and writing
    Immersion instruction advantages
  • Typically much smaller class size
  • Native speakers of the target language
  • Students tend to learn a lot more in a much shorter period of time
  • Frequently, more focus on oral communication
    The same for classroom and immersion
  • Students grouped by language level
  • Same goal of target language learning
# Posted by michele on Dec 6 | Permalink Comments (17) | TrackBack (11)

« The World of Coca-Cola | Main | Travel Portugal - Part Three »

Second Language Acquisition

By Elizabeth Gregory

Just a quick comment about Michele's blog from yesterday...those of you who are unable to travel abroad to try these soft drinks can also try many of them and more at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta. When I was there, I got a tasting cup and could go to a ton of different fountains to drink my Coke product of choice from around the world. This aspect alone was well worth the price of admission.

Anyway...next week I will be writing about classroom language learning versus the immersion experience. So, I thought it might be a good idea for everyone to give a little thought to second language acquisition (SLA) in general. (OK, some of you are yawning). In all honesty though, it is a very fascinating field of study. I will spare you all of the research studies that I know about, but for those of you who know or speak a second language, did you ever stop to think about how you learned that language? I'm not talking about how many years of classes, etc., rather, the actual way you processed that information to learn it. I've given a very brief and partial explanation of some theories and research on second language acquisition below. (Yes, I wrote it). However, there is way too much information in this field to write about in one blog entry. If you're interested in learning more, I highly recommend the following books: Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course by Susan M. Gass & Larry Selinker and The Study of Second Language Acquisition by Rod Ellis. Happy reading!

Many SLA scholars agree that the forms that second language (L2) learners produce are systematic (Corder 1967) and that L2 learners internalize a series of rule systems, which may be separate from both the native language (NL) and the target language (TL) (Selinker 1972). It is now well-known that second language errors cannot be predicted simply from a contrastive analysis of the native and target language features as Lado (1957) proposed. In phonology, syllabification errors have been used to test a competing hypothesis that L2 errors are also influenced by general learning constraints that apply across languages. Final consonants are assumed to be more difficult to acquire than initial consonants although the reason for this is still unclear.

A major focus in SLA studies has been the role that universal factors play in acquisition. Prior to then, the influence of transfer had been well documented, since the early work of Lado (1957). However, in 1971 Nemser reported that Hungarian learners of English used substitutions that occurred in neither native English nor Hungarian; likewise, Johansson (1973) noted that L2 learners of Swedish produced sounds that occurred in neither Swedish nor the native languages. These nontransfer substitutions have been termed universal developmental variants (part of Universal Grammar, UG) because they are similar or identical to those occurring in L1 acquisition. Although these substitutions had been well documented, there was no attempt to describe the interrelationship of transfer and developmental factors until Major (1987) proposed the Ontogeny Model to describe a relationship of these two factors for both chronology and style. This model described a strict hierarchical interrelationship between language-specific transfer factors and non-language specific universal developmental factors (which can be viewed as part of universal grammar). The model claims that transfer processes decrease over time, whereas developmental processes are at first infrequent, then increase, and finally decrease.

# Posted by michele on Nov 29 | Permalink Comments (402) | TrackBack (28)

« Review: Living Language | Main | Travel Safety »

French Used In English

By Elizabeth Gregory

Think you don't know a lick of French? Think again. The English language is chock full of French words and expressions that we all use on a regular basis, often times without a second thought. They have become so commonplace that nobody really questions their meaning...unless someone butchers the spelling of one in writing. Perfect example, my friend made a terrible mistake over email the other day. When I called her on it, she wrote back and said, "Oh, sorry. My fopa." I had to think for a minute...what’s a fopa? Does it rhyme with sopa (Spanish word for soup)? Then I realized that she really meant faux pas.

Of course since France is so well known for cooking and good food (aka cuisine) it shouldn't be a surprise that many of the words are food related. Who hasn’t said bon appetit, ordered the soup du jour, or been to a restaurant where everything is on the menu a la carte? Are you experiencing déjà vu yet?

Maybe you’ve had to RSVP to a soiree and afterwards decide to rendezvous with your friends so they can all meet your fiancé. I could go on and on here, but my point is that there are so many expressions taken/borrowed/adopted from French.

Here's something you may not know...RSVP stands for Répondez, s'il vous plaît, which means that "Please RSVP" is redundant. I found this tidbit of trivia as well as a list of French words used in English with their meanings at about.com. Granted, quite a few of the words on the list I have never used, but it's pretty amazing at how many are used frequently.

# Posted by michele on Nov 15 | Permalink Comments (20) | TrackBack (27)

« This Day in History | Main | French Used In English »

Review: Living Language

To be honest, I have a real love for languages but no real time to learn them. I can say a few things in a few languages, but nothing would really get me by if I found myself in a foreign country. I took Italian in high school, and while I'm not fluent, I can figure out quite a bit of the rest of the Romance languages if I'm reading something...very helpful when I'm trying to enter homestay information!

Within the last few years I developed an obsession with learning German, so I decided to try it on my own. I bought the German Complete Course by Living Language, and I was really pleased with the amount of information I was given for the price. The set comes with three audio CDs, a German coursebook to follow along with the audio and a German-English / English-German dictionary. Because I am on public transportation for long stretches of time, I transferred the CDs to my iPod, and I carried the coursebook with me in my schoolbag.
(iTunes has versions to buy for your iPod. Just check out the audiobooks.)

School sort of got in the way, so I've only gotten through the first disc so far; I have to say, though, that the whole process has been really fun and easy. I looked a little crazy mouthing along to the German speakers on the bus, but I really felt like I was learning German. The "teachers" on the discs have great German accents, and I was able to mimic their pronunciations of words and phrases while reading them in the coursebook.

All in all, I think this set is a great buy. Living Language offers similar sets in lots of other languages, like Arabic, Spanish and Italian, and they also offer versions for learning languages in your car.

It's obviously not the same as learning a language in a country where it's spoken, but I think these sets are great for learning a few basics before heading abroad. You'll definitely feel more confident having learned a few more words / phrases in your target language, and hearing how they speak on the CDs might help prevent any misunderstandings with native speakers.

I'll post again next month with my progress!

# Posted by michele on Nov 14 | Permalink Comments (18) | TrackBack (12)

« Germany Travel : Connie in Koeln | Main | Question of the Week »

Choosing a Foreign Language Dictionary

Many times, language participants ask which is the best dictionary to buy for their target language. With so many choices out there and with everyone having a personal favorite to recommend, how do you know what the best choice is for you?

First, you need to assess your current level in the target language, be it Spanish, Portuguese or any other language. If you are a beginner, there is no reason to purchase a large hardcover dictionary becuase, at least at first, you will not have the need for a dictionary that big; ultimately, buying a dictionary that is too large could hinder your learning. Instead of thinking of ways to say things that you already know, you may become too tempted to look up new ways to say things instead. In the long run, it is much better to start with a smaller dictionary and upgrade to a larger one when you are ready.

Second, dictionaries have different layouts. You need to decide what you are comfortable with so that you don't choose a dictionary whose layout is confusing to you. Go to a large bookstore near you that carries a variety of foreign language dictionaries and flip through a few to decide what layout is easiest for you to use. Try looking up a few words to see how comfortable you are with the dictionary. If you don't like one, try another.

The most important thing to remember is not to use your dictionary as a crutch. Rather, your dictionary should be a useful reference tool when it is truly needed. Spanish and Portuguese dictionaries, grammar guides and phrase books are available in our online store.

# Posted by michele on Oct 20 | Permalink Comments (9) | TrackBack (14)

« Study Abroad Blog Launched | Main | Movie: Le Pact des Loups (Brotherhood of The Wolf) »

Arabic Language Learning

In Arabic, the written form is substantially different from the spoken…to the point that it justifies learning it on its own. FusHa is the formal/written medium of Arabic, rarely spoken but commonly used in literature, historical manuscripts, government documentation, and religious or ceremonial contexts. The two types of FusHa are called Classical and Modern Standard (MSA). Modern Standard Arabic is the most commonly taught form of FusHa.

Colloquial Egyptian is the most widely understood Arabic dialect in the Middle East.Egypt’s capital, Cairo, has long been the center of Arab media, films and television programs watched by millions of people across the Arab world. In terms of the number of films produced, Cairo would fall third in line of production after Bollywood (India) and Hollywood (USA). Regardless of the rather dramatic changes in dialect throughout the Arabic speaking countries, Egyptian media has made Egyptian Colloquial Arabic familiar to nearly every household.

Regardless of which Arabic speaking destinations you may find yourself in, Egyptian Arabic is a good dialect to begin learning because Arabic speakers around the world will be able to understand you. You may have difficulty understanding their dialect at first, but they will at least be able to understand you. You can adjust your new colloquial Arabic accordingly from that point.

In general, Arabic courses taught at universities focus on MSA so that are able to read but not communicate in the language very well. Kind of like, learning Latin and then trying to communicate to Italian speakers. You have the basis of the language, but obviously the language has evolved a lot since the days that Latin was spoken. It has similarities, but the language itself is just not spoken any more.

Why Egyptian Colloquial Arabic Arabic?
Egyptian Colloquial Arabic is considered a “lingua franca” – a language that is understood and used across borders” – within the Arab world. Egypt’s capital, Cairo, has long been the center of Arab media, films and television programs watched by millions of people across the Arab world. In terms of the number of films produced, Cairo would fall third in line of production after Bollywood (India) and Hollywood (USA). Regardless of the rather dramatic changes in dialect throughout the Arabic speaking countries, Egyptian media has made Egyptian Colloquial Arabic familiar to nearly every household.

Regardless of which Arabic speaking destinations you may find yourself in, Egyptian Arabic is a good dialect to begin learning because Arabic speakers around the world will be able to understand you. You may have difficulty understanding their dialect at first, but they will at least be able to understand you. You can adjust your new colloquial Arabic accordingly from that point.

# Posted by John on Jul 24 | Permalink Comments (22) | TrackBack (34)
Recent Entries
  • Languages Spoken in the U.S.
  • Learn Spanish Expressions
  • German Used In English
  • Where To Study Spanish Abroad
  • Tips to Learning a Language
  • Coming Soon - Audio Phrase Books
  • Learn a Foreign Language : Language Resource
  • Update: Living Language
  • Review: Rambler
  • Language Learning
  • Second Language Acquisition
  • French Used In English
  • Review: Living Language
  • Choosing a Foreign Language Dictionary
  • Arabic Language Learning
  • Categories
  • Ask AmeriSpan
  • Countries
  • Food & Drink
  • From the Field
  • Holidays & Observances
  • Language Tools
  • Meet AmeriSpan
  • Music/Books/Movies
  • Study Abroad Tips
  • Travel News & Info
  • Advertisements
    117 South 17th Street, STE 1401 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Worldwide: (215) 751-1100 Fax: (215) 751-1986 USA: (800) 879-6640
    Study Abroad Blog | Articles | Interesting Links | Add a URL | Study Abroad Programs | Sprachreisen | Språkresor | Talenreizen