Listen, talk, read and write in French as often as possible. I'm Chinese and I learned English by reading and listening to English materials that interested me (football, entertainment, politics and economics) on a daily basis for years. Actually I didn't purposely learn the language. I simply loved those things and my English was improved at the same time. I didn't get to speak as much as I wanted to but speaking fairly fluently has never been a problem for me.
I learned a little French by myself a few years ago, too. I became interested in French politics and French pop music so I bought two textbooks which were for college students who major in French and studied for a few months in my spare time. In the end I was able to read articles on La Figaro, Le Monde etc. without too many difficulties. (My purpose then wasn't to communicate in French so I didn't spend much time on speaking the language) I must admit I now have forgotten a lot of what I studied then because I haven't read as much French since last year.
What I want to say actually is that it's better to find something you're interested in, whether it's the culture or the people (or other things). Learning a language can be tough and boring but if you love a specific subject it won't be that hard and the chances of you giving up half way will be much lower.
Couldnt imagine learning a non Latin alphabet language like Chinese - must be so tough.
The written language is marks in an imaginary rectangle, as opposed to on an imaginary line. The basic western alphabet has 26 letters, the basic strokes in Chinese is 8. In both cases it is how these things are put together. The written Oriental languages are all the same. It is like if you speak English you can read Italian even if you can't speak it.
I really think that's over simplifying it, id suggest the difference in difficulty is why Chinese students start to learn to write at a later stage than western students.
I'm learning Japanese (slowly!). One thing I do is listen to Japanese pop/rock music. It's really helped me with listening comprehension. Translating lyrics, figuring out the meanings and their context and learning the new words that pop up all help and it doesn't feel like studying. Just listening to music and making the train commute a bit more bearable.
I'm learning Japanese (slowly!). One thing I do is listen to Japanese pop/rock music. It's really helped me with listening comprehension. Translating lyrics, figuring out the meanings and their context and learning the new words that pop up all help and it doesn't feel like studying. Just listening to music and making the train commute a bit more bearable.
The younger generation is fine, but good luck finding someone over 50 who speaks mandarin.....
Even in the office most people just speak kunminghua, unless they're making an effort for me.
That's the same here in my city Wuxi. I suppose it's the same in most places in China, even in Shanghai older people speak in native dialect. And yes I agree it must be a bit annoying for you. Like I said on here some time ago, China is so big it's almost like the whole European continent in terms of languages/dialects, if you know what I mean.
Being an English speaker who can speak Mandarin must make you very marketable over there , Stu?
The more I move away from teaching the more helpful it becomes, sadly I'm nowhere near the level of someone like Siv, unless you can pass exams it's not great.
More than anything it gets me more respect from the locals. You'd be amazed how many people have been here years and can't speak a work.
The younger generation is fine, but good luck finding someone over 50 who speaks mandarin.....
Even in the office most people just speak kunminghua, unless they're making an effort for me.
That's the same here in my city Wuxi. I suppose it's the same in most places in China, even in Shanghai older people speak in native dialect. And yes I agree it must be a bit annoying for you. Like I said on here some time ago, China is so big it's almost like the whole European continent in terms of languages/dialects, if you know what I mean.
I've been to almost every province in China, I'd say Yunnan is one of the worst for it, for example, in sichuan / chengdu, people will speak their dialect but can switch into mandarin, in Kunming a large part of the population just can't speak mandarin
Couldnt imagine learning a non Latin alphabet language like Chinese - must be so tough.
The written language is marks in an imaginary rectangle, as opposed to on an imaginary line. The basic western alphabet has 26 letters, the basic strokes in Chinese is 8. In both cases it is how these things are put together. The written Oriental languages are all the same. It is like if you speak English you can read Italian even if you can't speak it.
I really think that's over simplifying it, id suggest the difference in difficulty is why Chinese students start to learn to write at a later stage than western students.
You are probably right. I posted in an attempt to show that Chinese is not as daunting as people initially think it is.
Being an English speaker who can speak Mandarin must make you very marketable over there , Stu?
The more I move away from teaching the more helpful it becomes, sadly I'm nowhere near the level of someone like Siv, unless you can pass exams it's not great.
More than anything it gets me more respect from the locals. You'd be amazed how many people have been here years and can't speak a work.
The younger generation is fine, but good luck finding someone over 50 who speaks mandarin.....
Even in the office most people just speak kunminghua, unless they're making an effort for me.
That's the same here in my city Wuxi. I suppose it's the same in most places in China, even in Shanghai older people speak in native dialect. And yes I agree it must be a bit annoying for you. Like I said on here some time ago, China is so big it's almost like the whole European continent in terms of languages/dialects, if you know what I mean.
I've been to almost every province in China, I'd say Yunnan is one of the worst for it, for example, in sichuan / chengdu, people will speak their dialect but can switch into mandarin, in Kunming a large part of the population just can't speak mandarin
Couldnt imagine learning a non Latin alphabet language like Chinese - must be so tough.
The written language is marks in an imaginary rectangle, as opposed to on an imaginary line. The basic western alphabet has 26 letters, the basic strokes in Chinese is 8. In both cases it is how these things are put together. The written Oriental languages are all the same. It is like if you speak English you can read Italian even if you can't speak it.
I really think that's over simplifying it, id suggest the difference in difficulty is why Chinese students start to learn to write at a later stage than western students.
You are probably right. I posted in an attempt to show that Chinese is not as daunting as people initially think it is.
Being an English speaker who can speak Mandarin must make you very marketable over there , Stu?
The more I move away from teaching the more helpful it becomes, sadly I'm nowhere near the level of someone like Siv, unless you can pass exams it's not great.
More than anything it gets me more respect from the locals. You'd be amazed how many people have been here years and can't speak a work.
The younger generation is fine, but good luck finding someone over 50 who speaks mandarin.....
Even in the office most people just speak kunminghua, unless they're making an effort for me.
That's the same here in my city Wuxi. I suppose it's the same in most places in China, even in Shanghai older people speak in native dialect. And yes I agree it must be a bit annoying for you. Like I said on here some time ago, China is so big it's almost like the whole European continent in terms of languages/dialects, if you know what I mean.
I've been to almost every province in China, I'd say Yunnan is one of the worst for it, for example, in sichuan / chengdu, people will speak their dialect but can switch into mandarin, in Kunming a large part of the population just can't speak mandarin
I probably misunderstood your meaning at first. Yes quite many older people in my province can speak some mandarin (not fluently though). They just don't do it.
@jimmymelrose is your man. He is now living permanently in France & speaks it fluently. His job is as a language teacher, but teaching English to foreign students. He's married to an Argentinian & they have 3 children, who can all speak, French, English & Spanish. I find it great that an 8 year old boy can speak French in his native country but as soon as he comes over here (like they did last month) he can speak English just like that.
@jimmymelrose is your man. He is now living permanently in France & speaks it fluently. His job is as a language teacher, but teaching English to foreign students. He's married to an Argentinian & they have 3 children, who can all speak, French, English & Spanish. I find it great that an 8 year old boy can speak French in his native country but as soon as he comes over here (like they did last month) he can speak English just like that.
That's wonderful, its always amazes me here that most Luxembourgeois can speak Luxembourghish,French,English and German fluently, I suppose it helps with Luxembourghish being sorta a German dialect. They just switch between languages like just flicking a switch. My colleague, whose parents come from Italy, speaks English with me, then his parents ring up and he's off talking Italian, then his daughter will call and he's speaking Luxembourghish, and then speaks to his wife in French - all fluently.
One really useful thing about learning Spanish has been how easy it has subsequently been to pick up some other bits of Latin languages like Italian and Romanian. I studied those two to different levels, particularly the latter as I go there quite a bit for work, and found the basis that Spanish gave me was really useful for their grammar and vocabulary.
@jimmymelrose is your man. He is now living permanently in France & speaks it fluently. His job is as a language teacher, but teaching English to foreign students. He's married to an Argentinian & they have 3 children, who can all speak, French, English & Spanish. I find it great that an 8 year old boy can speak French in his native country but as soon as he comes over here (like they did last month) he can speak English just like that.
And there's a secret ...... learn the basics when you're a kid.
A good friend of mine is married to a French woman and their young 4 year old learned to speak English with his Dad, and French with his mother.
He can effortlessly switch from fluent English to fluent French and back again. And when I make a mistake in French, he'll casually correct me.
I've learned and understood more French conversation from that little lad. He makes it sound simple.
Morale of the story: young kids can make the most natural teachers.
@jimmymelrose is your man. He is now living permanently in France & speaks it fluently. His job is as a language teacher, but teaching English to foreign students. He's married to an Argentinian & they have 3 children, who can all speak, French, English & Spanish. I find it great that an 8 year old boy can speak French in his native country but as soon as he comes over here (like they did last month) he can speak English just like that.
And there's a secret ...... learn the basics when you're a kid.
A good friend of mine is married to a French woman and their young 4 year old learned to speak English with his Dad, and French with his mother.
He can effortlessly switch from fluent English to fluent French and back again. And when I make a mistake in French, he'll casually correct me.
I've learned and understood more French conversation from that little lad. He makes it sound simple.
Morale of the story: young kids can make the most natural teachers.
Definitely true. I think it's proven that the younger you learn, the better, and it stays with you. So my modest French and German seems to return quickly and naturally from somewhere deep inside my brain when I return to those countries, but Czech, it's an absolute bastard to get to grips with. As a Slavic language it has no relation with those I have learnt.
Doesn't really help anyone over 25 or so, we can't wind back the clock...
My granddaughter is 16 months old and can say about 20 words and one of those is hello in French. Her other grandmother is French so talks to her in French all the time. My daughter can speak German and Spanish and her husband French.
"What I want to say actually is that it's better to find something you're interested in, whether it's the culture or the people (or other things). Learning a language can be tough and boring but if you love a specific subject it won't be that hard and the chances of you giving up half way will be much lower."
Looks like French porn may be the way forward then Pres.
Comments
I learned a little French by myself a few years ago, too. I became interested in French politics and French pop music so I bought two textbooks which were for college students who major in French and studied for a few months in my spare time. In the end I was able to read articles on La Figaro, Le Monde etc. without too many difficulties. (My purpose then wasn't to communicate in French so I didn't spend much time on speaking the language) I must admit I now have forgotten a lot of what I studied then because I haven't read as much French since last year.
What I want to say actually is that it's better to find something you're interested in, whether it's the culture or the people (or other things). Learning a language can be tough and boring but if you love a specific subject it won't be that hard and the chances of you giving up half way will be much lower.
Pillow talk is the way forward - until you find she only wants to improve her English!
I live in one of the poorest / least educated provinces in China, a world away from Beijing / Shanghai.
Good luck finding some nice French music though!
Guess you're right about Yunnan but, Kunming is alright I thought?
Even in the office most people just speak kunminghua, unless they're making an effort for me.
More than anything it gets me more respect from the locals. You'd be amazed how many people have been here years and can't speak a work. I've been to almost every province in China, I'd say Yunnan is one of the worst for it, for example, in sichuan / chengdu, people will speak their dialect but can switch into mandarin, in Kunming a large part of the population just can't speak mandarin
i actually do if i am in france or spain for any length of time
I posted in an attempt to show that Chinese is not as daunting as people initially think it is.
My colleague, whose parents come from Italy, speaks English with me, then his parents ring up and he's off talking Italian, then his daughter will call and he's speaking Luxembourghish, and then speaks to his wife in French - all fluently.
Especially as part was written which held no interest.
Understand quite well and can follow a conversation but to express myself in french is challenging
A good friend of mine is married to a French woman and their young 4 year old learned to speak English with his Dad, and French with his mother.
He can effortlessly switch from fluent English to fluent French and back again.
And when I make a mistake in French, he'll casually correct me.
I've learned and understood more French conversation from that little lad.
He makes it sound simple.
Morale of the story: young kids can make the most natural teachers.
Doesn't really help anyone over 25 or so, we can't wind back the clock...
"What I want to say actually is that it's better to find something you're interested in, whether it's the culture or the people (or other things). Learning a language can be tough and boring but if you love a specific subject it won't be that hard and the chances of you giving up half way will be much lower."
Looks like French porn may be the way forward then Pres.