Questions tagged [self-learning]
For questions regarding teaching oneself a language with minimal or no prior experience with it
106
questions
42
votes
6answers
1k views
How can I verify my pronunciation without a native speaker?
I've been learning Japanese for a short while, and it uses some sounds that aren't in my native language (English). (For example, the "r" sound, which has been described to me as a combination of "d", ...
6
votes
1answer
89 views
How does language learning in a classroom affect self-learning?
Circumstances require me to take a ~3 month break from my formal/classroom/directed language studies soon. Prior to studying my L2* under a teacher I was learning independently. How will my classroom ...
1
vote
2answers
76 views
When studying Japanese, how much should I be able to retain at the end of a Genki textbook chapter (Self-study concerns)?
I've been studying Japanese since about January using the Genki second edition workbook and textbook. I try to get in an hour session each day but I have been a little on and off with it; I think its ...
3
votes
1answer
46 views
Can Speak Chinese; Need Learning Resources to Bring Reading Skill to Same Level (HSK4)
Good Day!
I have an interesting conundrum - I can speak Chinese just fine (in fact I just took an HSK placement exam at the local Confucius Centre and was ranked at 4 for listening and speaking). I ...
2
votes
0answers
25 views
How can I efficiently find lists of chance correspondences?
Where can I find such compilations or lists systematically?
This Japanese-English example is from
John McWhorter PhD Linguistics (Stanford)'s The Power of Babel (2003), pp. 226-227.
I'm aware of r/...
3
votes
0answers
44 views
Good text-to-speech resource for learning Hebrew
So I was sent here to ask my question from here.
I'm currently into my third month of learning Hebrew. I have been using the very limited text-to-speech dictionary from hebrewpod101.com to look up ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
How did Cardinal Mezzofanti learn foreign languages?
Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti (1774-1849) was an Italian cardinal who also became famous for his language skills. According to his biographer Charles William Russell, he spoke at least 30 languages very ...
5
votes
4answers
94 views
Is it possible to learn a language without translation?
Let's assume I have no knowledge in a language I want to learn. I know only some basic alphabet, but don't know any words. Is it possible to learn a language just by watching videos and reading books ...
7
votes
2answers
75 views
Should I correct my grammar mistakes or just ignore them while practice speaking?
While practice speaking a foreign language, I often find myself make a mistake during the speech and correct it immediately. The mistakes usually come from grammar, which I rarely do in writing. For ...
0
votes
0answers
29 views
Do most language learners use a tutor/teacher?
I had a language tutor for a number of years and did not progress to fluency.
I've seen that many language learners, once they get convinced that they can learn a new language, go on to learn ...
5
votes
1answer
61 views
How can I avoid the huge gap between paper and oral skills?
I learned four foreign languages but all of them have one thing in common; reading is the best and writing follows it, and then after the huge gap come listening and speaking. My reading and speaking ...
2
votes
0answers
47 views
How to learn Malayalam without any resources
I've been interested in learning a language called Malayalam. The problem is though, there is a complete absence of any well-written comprehensive Malayalam textbooks or grammar guides for English-...
4
votes
1answer
53 views
How can you understand the pronunciation differences if you don't understand them even on minimal pairs training?
The minimal pair training seems to be the best way for adults to distinguish the sound difference on a foreign language that doesn't exist in his/her native language. According to Fluent:
But it’s ...
2
votes
1answer
19 views
How can I add an audio to my SRS if it is missing on Forvo?
I like to have an audio file play automatically on my SRS. In fact I found out that most words I have trouble in memorizing lack the audio file, and thus I always add the audio file which I download ...
3
votes
0answers
38 views
How can I find an appropriate image for a word on SRS?
I'm writing a script that converts my list of bookmarked words into SRS, with audio and image on it. Now, I'm writing a script to fetch an image from Google Image, but the images I got are mostly ...
4
votes
1answer
64 views
How can I make sure my pronunciation based on IPA is correct?
I have read this question and answers titled "How can I learn IPA?" and now start to (finally) learn IPA and phonetics.
However, while the question asks about the way to learn the IPA, which focuses ...
57
votes
9answers
1k views
How can I prevent myself from forgetting a language?
Many people forget languages entirely after enough time. I've become fluent in Spanish, but I haven't used it in over a year, and most of my family and friends don't speak it fluently. With all the ...
6
votes
0answers
45 views
What is the proper etiquette for a nonnative speaker who wants to practice Mandarin at a Chinese supermarket in the US?
There is a Chinese supermarket in the US I often shop at. I often hear the staff speaking Mandarin or Cantonese, and occasionally Hakka or Fujianese, amongst themselves and to Chinese customers. I can ...
3
votes
2answers
103 views
How can I get over lack of learning resources in “minor languages”
Sometimes I want to learn a language but give up due to the lack of resources available. These languages tend to be the ones that very few people learn using English.
In my opinion, one of the core ...
10
votes
5answers
135 views
Are there learning resources to drill my Dutch?
When I was learning English we used lots of exercises that were referred to as use of English, which help you train some particular grammar.
Now, I am learning Dutch and most of the exercises ...
5
votes
0answers
36 views
Learning the Navajo Language
My colleague is really interested in the Navajo and their language. He is tying to learn the language for some time now and has done all the courses he could find on the internet, only those were only ...
1
vote
0answers
11 views
Should the answers on SRS also be the target language?
I bookmarked words I didn't know while reading texts in a foreign language, and then created my own Anki deck from the list of bookmarked words. Originally I used English as the answer (translation) ...
7
votes
1answer
93 views
How to overcome limitations of memory palace?
I frequently use the loci method (memory palace) to learn vocabulary, but I find that after 150-200 words my house is full with words/images and there is no space left.
I know of people who can ...
20
votes
4answers
705 views
How can I expand my active vocabulary in a foreign language?
I’ve been learning a foreign language for 5 years. Now, I easily understand everything I read, I know lots of words and everything seems to be alright, but I still have a problem. My active vocabulary ...
4
votes
1answer
66 views
Does learning a new language while in the target country instead of learning the current language reach the goal of acquiring both faster in the end?
Here is the situation:
I have now been learning French for two months.
I will start to stay in South Korea for one month.
After staying in Korea, I'll stay in France and attend language school for ...
6
votes
2answers
101 views
kannada learning - beginner's way
I am a native Marathi (Maharashtra, India) speaker and I wish to learn Kannada.
These 2 languages are totally different except for a few words in common.
To start with, I would like to learn basic ...
5
votes
0answers
62 views
Learning Persian with Latin alphabet
Is there any free online resource for learning basic Persian without learning arabic script? I tried several online courses but they all begin with teaching script first. This is very demotivating to ...
6
votes
1answer
133 views
What is the better way for structure the learning of 5 languages in 1 year and 6 months?
It's really this, I have a dream to speak Japanese, Korean, Standard Chinese, French and Russian. I know it is hard and very difficult to learn five language at the same time.
Right now, this is my ...
4
votes
0answers
39 views
Best way to improve your ability in a language post A-Level (Exams at age 18)
It is fairly clear how to get your standard of language up to an A-level standard (exams taken at age 18 in the uk) due to clear syllabi and textbooks up to this standard. However, I find that past ...
6
votes
2answers
80 views
How can an advanced learner in an FL context get rid of grammatical errors?
Imagine someone who learnt foreign language (FL) from the same language family as his native language (L1) for three years at secondary school and then continued studying this language at university. ...
13
votes
3answers
229 views
How to make vocabulary acquisition fun?
I have been learning French for around 2.5 years. I am currently around the B1 level and have attained this by practising reading, writing and speaking and basically immersion. But one of the biggest ...
7
votes
2answers
118 views
Should I start studying Norwegian when living in Denmark and about to move to Norway?
I am, at the present, living in Denmark and actively studying Danish on the state-funded courses, using Duolingo, and other means like reading, following a lecture course and conversations.
I will be ...
2
votes
0answers
42 views
how can I structure my plan learning korean?
I am not a native speaker of Korean and not-native speaker English. I want to make a plan for learning Korean well and maybe arrive to B2 in July 2019.
I do not have a lot time because I get up 6 Am, ...
12
votes
6answers
207 views
Relearning/refreshing language skills
This question is slightly related to an earlier question about studies on language requisition, but is more interested in practical/anecdotal evidence rather than 'scientific study'.
During school ...
3
votes
2answers
56 views
Is learning Attic Greek a good thing at the same as learning Modern Conversational Greek?
I'm currently reading Plato, Homer, and others in their English translations. I also currently am learning how to speak modern conversational Greek. I also want to learn Attic Greek in order to better ...
6
votes
0answers
27 views
Resources for learning the Silbo Gomero (Gomeran Whistle)
Here's a fascinating video on the Silbo Gomero, or whistled tongue of the island of Gomera in the Canary Islands of Spain. Today, it's essentially used as an encoding of Spanish that can be carried ...
4
votes
2answers
61 views
How to look for resources that are available in multiple languages?
In order to efficiently learn multiple foreign languages simultaneously, I noticed that resources provided in multiple languages can act as a big help.
I have been using http://www.goethe-verlag.com/...
-1
votes
1answer
34 views
What are the characteristics of the Macedonian language in this quote referring to? [closed]
I'm trying to learn Macedonian and one if the resources out there was paraphrased as saying the following about the Macedonian language:
Belamaric-Wilsey says that the majority of Macedonian-...
9
votes
2answers
71 views
Collaborative translation
I'd like to improve my language skills by translating, if possible with feedback from others on my translation. Therefore I'd like to know whether there's a community for carrying out collaborative ...
7
votes
1answer
77 views
Learning Indonesian (bahasa Indonesia) on my own
I have decided to try to learn Indonesian on my own, so I have a couple of questions. For starters, what (ideally free) resources are available to one who wants to learn Indonesian to college class ...
5
votes
1answer
85 views
What kind of Arabic is most commonly spoken in Qatar?
I am looking to learn Arabic and have found a wide variety of different versions. I wanted to know what version of Arabic is most commonly spoken in Qatar?
10
votes
2answers
156 views
Are there any free online resources for learning Tamazight?
I'd like to learn Tamazight or any related Berber language by self-learning, in a first step. As far as I know they are similar to some extent therefore I'm not excluding the possibility to use ...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
What are the most effective ways of learning vocabulary of any language? [closed]
Vocabulary is the most important thing to become enriched in a language in my perspective. But for most of the adult learners of a language, memorization process sometimes seems very boring and hard ...
16
votes
4answers
319 views
Through which language can you learn the most other languages online?
Say I'm a native Tagalog speaker wanting to learn German. Seeing as how there's not an abundance of Tagalog --> German language courses online or in person (and that's an understatement!), I would ...
8
votes
1answer
94 views
How to start recognizing tones and accents?
I would like to start recognizing tones, accents and stresses in languages I already know. Are there efficient ways to do this?
For a little more background : I have recently become aware of the ...
5
votes
0answers
20 views
About Inductive-Contextual method [duplicate]
I am currently reading Lingva Latina per se illustrata, by Oerberg. It follows the Inductive-Contextual method, which I find quite pleasant and effective. I have not found, however, books using this ...
9
votes
1answer
143 views
How can I improve the listening and speaking skill as a self-learner?
I learn any languages mostly alone, without any school or tutors (as it is insanely expensive and also quite inflexible). I learn it mostly online, starting wit apps like Rosetta Stone and Memrise as ...
8
votes
1answer
114 views
How can I sound more 'native'?
I'm fluent in French and Russian - by which I mean that I don't have any trouble reading novels and can easily converse in either without making grammatical errors or feeling uncomfortable - and have ...
7
votes
6answers
109 views
Can anyone give me advice on upgrading / learning English?
I recently defended my doctoral thesis in management science and I realize that English is the key to the job market and research field.
During my primary and secondary education, I was good at ...
4
votes
1answer
106 views
Is it truly possible to learn a language on your own?
I've studied many languages over my life, but the only one I ever really got beyond a beginner level at, was German, and that was because I was able to take classes with a teacher who was from Germany....
