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Is there evidence that supports the idea that vocabulary is more important than grammar in conversation? [duplicate]

"Focus on your vocabulary first, then fix your grammar." This is a maxim that has been drilled into my head over several years of my Spanish teachers saying this, but is there really any truth to ...
fi12's user avatar
  • 9,137
4 votes
1 answer
95 views

Are there language textbooks which include an epilogue which is understandable once the textbook's contents are mastered?

In a computer RPG game, the character levels up and begins to effortlessly kill monsters that were once a major challenge. It's a satisfying feeling of progress. I'm studying Chinese, and no textbook ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
86 views

Negative questions in (English language) listening tests

I work for a company that produces ELT materials. We write various kinds of reading and listening passages, followed by comprehension questions. Our staff writers use the "What is NOT true" ...
user9378's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
182 views

Are there any studies on the propaedeutic value of international auxiliary languages other than Esperanto?

One of the reasons why experts recommend learning Esperanto is its propaedeutic value, which has been the subject of several studies. However, Esperanto is not the only (international) auxiliary ...
Tsundoku's user avatar
  • 19.7k
4 votes
1 answer
53 views

What is the impact of Large Language Models on language assessment?

How can the use of large language models like ChatGPT change the assessment of language learning, and what implications does this have for teaching and learning? Considering the impact that computers ...
Lerner Zhang's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
145 views

How to pronounce [ɮˤ]

When attempting to produce it, I move my tongue to the top-left back teeth where I make a sound which resembles a drowned out [d͡z]. If I misplace my tongue here, this devolves into a trilled [r]. ...
murshad's user avatar
  • 91
4 votes
5 answers
757 views

Difference in acquisition of active vs. passive language usage skills

By passive and active, I mean understanding language when used vs. using it yourself, like in the terms active/passive vocabulary. My experience learning languages is that active skills are much ...
HAL's user avatar
  • 174
3 votes
2 answers
267 views

Language learning seems tough and a long process

English is not my mother tongue, but in my country it was compulsory for all the schools to teach their students English right from KinderGarten. I remember we used to have a picture book of English ...
Knight admires Chappo's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
175 views

Can English people understand my English even if I do not use English grammar, but just words, adverbs and context?

I would say English language is way too difficult because of its grammar. For example, we have to conjugate many different tenses. Other languages such as Vietnamese do not conjugate tenses. For ...
Tom's user avatar
  • 39
3 votes
1 answer
853 views

Printable keyboard layout for Ukrainian on a MacBook Pro [closed]

I want to be able to type efficiently in Ukrainian on my MacBook Pro computer. If possible, I want to just print out a piece of paper that's at the same scale as my actual keyboard, and lay it over ...
Golden Cuy's user avatar
  • 2,525
3 votes
3 answers
294 views

Can I learn Spanish and French at the same time?

I am currently in 9th grade, and am taking 1 year of Spanish. I would like to continue my studies in Spanish next year and also start French. Multiple times, I have heard that it could be very ...
Mark Stevenson's user avatar
3 votes
4 answers
8k views

Is there a Persian Transliteration App

The question says it all... I'm looking for a google translate-type app/website, where I can type in english phrases and have them be transliterated from Farsi :) Right now, I can't read the arabic ...
ABIM's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
2 answers
103 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 ...
phil-al-sophy's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
83 views

Learning to read handwriting

What are some ways to learn to read anything handwritten in a new language. There are infinite variations and variables, which makes it different. I’m looking for general information, but ...
Dr. Shmuel's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
79 views

How can I decide when to begin reading short stories? [closed]

I just started learning Spanish, and I want to know what criteria I should employ when deciding if/when to begin reading short stories in my target language.
2dar's user avatar
  • 147
3 votes
2 answers
101 views

Have you any ideas on how I can improve my Russian pronunciation? [duplicate]

I want to practise my speaking skills in Russian but I have no conversation partner knowing Russian pretty well to correct all my mistakes. What should I do?
user555's user avatar
  • 69
3 votes
2 answers
155 views

Can you derive the pronunciation of Hebrew words from their Hebrew spelling?

I would like to find and/or create a pronunciation dictionary of Hebrew words. I can find a frequency list of 400,000+ Hebrew words on Wikipedia, but there are no pronunciation guides. Is it possible ...
Lance's user avatar
  • 165
3 votes
2 answers
4k views

Make existing custom Anki cards reversible

I have had a long discussion with the Anki support asking how I can make some of my existing cards reversible but I have still not been able to do exactly what I want. I have an existing deck where I ...
d-b's user avatar
  • 201
3 votes
1 answer
79 views

Is it true that improving the reading skill also enhances the writing skill and improving the listening skill strengthens the speaking skill?

I am new here. Greetings. We ( in Japan ) have 4 major English tests, which are, Eiken ( Japanese original ), TOEFL, TOEIC, and IELTS. The most popular test among those is TOEIC. However, while ...
Kentaro's user avatar
  • 141
3 votes
1 answer
122 views

Resources for autonomous study of Ancient Greek, especially from the Classical period?

Unbeknownst to many, Ancient Greek, spoken roughly from 9th century BCE to the 6th century CE, can be subdivided into several periods, i.e. the Archaic period, the Classical period and the Hellenistic ...
Tsundoku's user avatar
  • 19.7k
3 votes
1 answer
124 views

How to know the frequency of usage of a German word in speaking?

Are there any apps or websites that show how frequently a German word is used in the spoken language and daily use ?
Hussien Chahin's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
624 views

Is it good idea to learn English and German simultaneously?

I'm learning English but considering to improve my German as well. My native language is Ukrainian. I know both languages on the same basic level. Is it good idea to learn English and German ...
Yakiv Kovalskyi's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
129 views

How important is accent for being understood in a given language? [closed]

When I learned English at school (in France), my teachers asked me to make effort to have an "England-like" pronunciation (which was difficult for me). Today, I use the English language for my work (...
Mathieu's user avatar
  • 165
3 votes
1 answer
43 views

Is studying speeches by e.g. Kevin Rudd especially beneficial for improving one's Chinese speaking skills?

On YouTube you can find speeches in Chinese by former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd (Chinese name 陆克文), such as this and this and this. Now I'm tossing up whether or not this (or some similar ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
83 views

Where could I ask questions about the Indonesian language?

Indonesian Language Stack Exchange is not a thing. Do you know any places where learners can ask questions about the Indonesian language?
Константин Ван's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
194 views

What is the maximum number of languages a 16-17-year-old can learn before they are considered ready for entry into the world of professional

What is the maximum number of languages a 16-17-year-old can learn before they are considered ready for entry into the professional world and what are the skills needed to become fluent in those ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
109 views

Should a child acquire a language within 12 years of its birth?

One of the professors of linguistics told us (resource persons) that if a child does not live with humans and acquire at least one language within twelve years of its birth, then the child will ...
Jvlnarasimharao's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
167 views

How quickly do western adults learn Kanji?

Learning kanji has the reputation of being among the hardest parts of learning Japanese for many. In order to find a more objective answer to this common question I would like to frame it more ...
Dr. Doofus's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
135 views

Can I learn a language with a child?

I am living with my brother, his wife, and their one year old daughter (my niece). They are attempting to raise their daughter bilingual in two languages, Language A and Language B. Language A is the ...
Robert Columbia's user avatar
  • 1,244
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Graded readers using traditional Chinese characters?

Graded readers are very useful for practising extensive reading. Extensive reading has several benefits, for example, getting a lot of comprehensible input. I have found several series of graded ...
Tsundoku's user avatar
  • 19.7k
3 votes
1 answer
137 views

At what level of Chinese or Japanese should one start learning the writing system to avoid a plateau?

In my answer to the question Is it necessary to learn the characters of a language that uses logograms?, I pointed out that there are universities that teach Chinese or Japanese where the writing ...
Tsundoku's user avatar
  • 19.7k
3 votes
1 answer
97 views

Are idiom expressions and phrasal verbs systematically taught as part of the American/English school curriculum?

Some background information: I am an EFL(English as a Foreign Language learner). I lived for several years abroad and attended English-only schools when I was little but repatriated to find the ...
economics's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
164 views

Why don't Chinese people who are eager to practice English simply practice with each other?

If you've ever been a "foreigner" in China (especially in major cities), you may have encountered the intensity in which some Chinese people try to practice English with you. I certainly ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
131 views

By what percentage does reading a novel increase reading speed?

Hacking Chinese, Learning to read aloud in Chinese The above plot estimates its author's (Olle Linge) reading aloud speed as he progresses through reading a Chinese novel. He seems to have gone from ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
34 views

Is there justification for the claim that e.g. "3 hours study" ≃ "1 point" on the HSK6 exam?

General rule: it takes approximately 2-3 hours of studying Chinese to earn one point on the HSK 6 test. To make a test preparation schedule, subtract your score on your HSK 6 mock test from your score ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
5 answers
1k views

If I know German, am I able to understand Dutch?

I'm studying German right now, and I heard the German language in Germany is similar to Dutch, which is spoken in the Netherlands and Flanders. I want to know how similar they are? Do I need to learn ...
Saeed M.'s user avatar
  • 139
3 votes
1 answer
939 views

How to evaluate CEFR level of text for L2 learners?

For a language-learning platorm I'm building I need to analyze the difficulty of a foreign-language text for L2 learners in terms of CEFR. However, as CEFR is made up of only Can do? questions, and ...
Destaq's user avatar
  • 153
3 votes
2 answers
300 views

Spanish verb tenses cheat sheet?

This is rather embarrassing, but I lived in Spain for five years from the age 9 to 14, and I also went through their education system, but I still do not know when to use which of los tiempos verbales....
securityauditor's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
187 views

How do I improve my English listening and speaking skills?

I am 17 from Egypt have been learning English for like 15 years so its supposed to be similar to my native spoken language (Arabic-Egyptian dialect). During those 15 years, I've been somewhat good at ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
130 views

Is it worth learning modern conversational Greek to help with learning classical and/or Attic Greek?

I currently have only a small amount of Greek learning and most of it is Homeric Greek with a little bit of Attic from reading the New Testament. Modern Greek is classified as a "Level IV" ...
Tyler Durden's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
176 views

Low frequency words: native language vs second language

It is easy to explain why one has better proficiency in common vocabulary in one's native language than in one's second language. But when it comes to low frequency words, why does the native language ...
Pedant's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
2 answers
259 views

Problems teaching the 'gn' and 'gh' to an English learner

I'm teaching a French girl English (I'm not a qualified teacher, I'm more of a language assistant, I'm an English native, I'm at university at the moment). She is having trouble with pronouncing words ...
Rochelle's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
98 views

Graded watching for Spanish

I'm wondering if there are any resources for "graded watching" in Spanish. I've made a similar post for Korean, my other target language. This is a resource that I saw someone mention ...
Hafsah H's user avatar
  • 294
3 votes
1 answer
609 views

Where can I find example answers to the Chinese HSK6 test composition 书写 (aka 缩写 or "question 101")?

The Chinese HSK6 test has a section called 书写 where you're given an ~1000 character passage and 10 minutes to read it. Here's the introduction: 第101题:缩写。(1)仔细阅读下面这篇文章,时间为10分钟,阅读时不能抄写、记录。(2)10分钟后,...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
212 views

Can you point me to any good resources for learning Sognamål Norwegian?

One of my favorite bands, Windir, are from Sogndal in Norway. For that reason, most of their songs are written in their native dialect, Sognamål. I have heard many Norwegians from other regions say ...
Micah Windsor's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
85 views

Modern Hebrew Morphology Reference Book

I am currently learning Modern Hebrew, but I am still a complete novice. I reckon morphological analysis to be a beneficial exercise, yet the lack of resources where I could check my assumptions up ...
Zhiltsoff Igor's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
32 views

How can I prepare for a discussion involving pre-specified Chinese words with my teacher?

Like a lot of learners, my Chinese reading and writing abilities far exceed my speaking and listening. As a result, my teacher says I should study a certain page (高级口语(I) p.8) in a textbook, and be ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
103 views

Difference between reading text written directly in language X, and reading text written in language Y and translated into language X?

I'm currently reading the Chinese version of Matilda to improve my Chinese reading skills (and partly because I simply enjoy the book). However, as a native-English speaker, I'm concerned that there ...
Rebecca J. Stones's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
185 views

Must we start teaching reading and writing with the Alphabet?

It is common practice to start with the Alphabet of a language while teaching reading and writing. But some linguists I know say that we need not begin with the Alphabet but ...
Jvlnarasimharao's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
100 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 ...
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