Learning a Language

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Ceisiwr
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Learning a Language

Post by Ceisiwr »

Hey


Need some advice, does anyone know any good websites or books that teach these languages


Latin
Thai
German
Japanese



Thanks in advance

metta
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
shjohnk
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Location: Shanghai, China

Re: Learning a Language

Post by shjohnk »

Take a look at these:

Thai: http://www.thai-language.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Lokks pretty user friendly, and there's a forum to meet language partners etc.)
Japanese: http://www.japanese-language.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Anything you wanted to know about Japanese, you'll probably find a link to it here!)
German: http://www.germanlanguageguide.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Pretty comprehensive!)

Happy learning!!!
Individual
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by Individual »

clw_uk wrote:Hey


Need some advice, does anyone know any good websites or books that teach these languages


Latin
Thai
German
Japanese



Thanks in advance

metta
It's expensive, but if you can afford it, Rosetta Stone is very good for virtually any language:
http://www.rosettastone.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's probably about the same or cheaper than language classes, though, and is very efficient.

If you can't afford it, then just about any book or website on foreign language will be about the same and it's simply a matter of devoting the time to memorization.

BTW, do you plan on trying to learn four languages at once? It's best to pick one to focus on and not learn others until you've mastered it. The language also won't stick very well unless you use it frequently (reading foreign media, traveling to a foreign country, etc.).
The best things in life aren't things.

The Diamond Sutra
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tiltbillings
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by tiltbillings »

Individual wrote: if you can afford it, Rosetta Stone is very good for virtually any language:

It's probably about the same or cheaper than language classes, though, and is very efficient.
It is not the same as language classes. The equivalent would be a very good language class with a well done language lab and jettisoning the language class, leaving just the language lab. This approach may work for some, but there is something to be said for knowing the grammatical why and how Ní dhéanfainn mo mhún air dá mbeadh sé le thine! is I wouldn’t piss on him even if he were on fire!, but learning styles vary.

Rosetta Stone, I do not see as a stand alone product. Used in conjunction with a good language course as a language lab, it could be worth the money spent.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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mikenz66
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by mikenz66 »

For Thai see also:
http://www.learningthai.com/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The "Thai for Beginners" book advertised there
and the forum here: http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The learingthai website has an active version of the Thai classic "Read with Manee", which used to be the beginners book in Thai primary schools. I found that very useful in learning the alphabet, because it starts with really simple words...

The other site mentioned above: http://www.thai-language.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is also very useful.

Mike
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by Ceisiwr »

Thanks for the help :smile: , i'll check out those sites and look into what classes are going on in my area



I did look at rossetastone but i cant afford that at the moment

BTW, do you plan on trying to learn four languages at once? It's best to pick one to focus on and not learn others until you've mastered it. The language also won't stick very well unless you use it frequently (reading foreign media, traveling to a foreign country, etc.).

Looking to learn Latin first, i think it takes a very smart person to be able to learn four at once :jumping:
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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appicchato
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by appicchato »

clw_uk wrote:...i cant afford that at the moment

Just a personal observation (and comment), but there's so much out there on the internet (for free), in many different formats...e-books, learning institution websites, mp3's, forums, etc....that it's nuts to pay anyone on the internet to learn a language...
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tiltbillings
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by tiltbillings »

appicchato wrote:
clw_uk wrote:...i cant afford that at the moment

Just a personal observation (and comment), but there's so much out there on the internet (for free), in many different formats...e-books, learning institution websites, mp3's, forums, etc....that it's nuts to pay anyone on the internet to learn a language...
Depends upon the language and its difficulty.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Dan74
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by Dan74 »

I learnt German from the Themen Neu books which I thought were excellent. They were selected by our teacher of course, but he was the best language teacher I've ever had and I've had a few (for three different languages). So I strongly recommend them!

Their latest incarnation:

http://www.hueber.de/themen-aktuell/

Good luck!

_/|\_
_/|\_
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mikenz66
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by mikenz66 »

tiltbillings wrote: Depends upon the language and its difficulty.
Besides, there are quite good, cheap language books. For Thai, Thai For Beginners or Teach Yourself Thai can be purchased for about 30USD including CDs. While you can find the same information on web sites, it's not so easy to put together a coherent self-study plan. I find it's convenient to have a self-contained book, and audio that you can transfer to a portable player... With that as a basis the websites can be a tremendously useful way of extending your vocabulary.

Mike
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Dhammabodhi
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by Dhammabodhi »

I second Dan, Themen Neu books are excellent. You can also look at http://german.about.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for beginner level german.
For Japanese, try searching for "Let's learn japanese" on youtube, they have a series of very nice beginner level japanese.

Hope this helps,
Dhammabodhi
"Take rest, take rest."-S.N.Goenka
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Macavity
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by Macavity »

clw_uk wrote:Looking to learn Latin first,
Which period? And what is your mother tongue? If it's the Golden and Silver Ages of Latin literature, for example, then you should start with a good 19th century British or German textbook. Benjamin D'Ooge's Latin for Beginners, for example. This book's public domain and has been scanned and placed online, so google for it. But if you aim to read, say, the mediaeval Schoolmen or Renaissance humanists, then it would be better to start with some more specialized works. Let me know your interests.

Kind regards,
Ciarán (a teacher of medical Latin to Thai pharmacology students :reading: )
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christopher:::
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by christopher::: »

If you purchase a multiregional DVD player then you can also make use of movies for informal language study and practice. I teach this method to my students, in Japan. Pick up DVDs of a few of your favorite films with multiple language options, then use the different audio and subtitle options for language practice...

DVDs are great cause you can pause, repeat, switch languages. Ideal for reading and listening practice. Also for shadowing, imitation of native speakers modeling intonation and pronunciation in the target language.

My eldest son improved his listening comprehension and picked up a lot of useful English vocabulary this way...

Image
"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."
~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009
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tiltbillings
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by tiltbillings »

Those movies in Latin, they are something.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Learning a Language

Post by Ceisiwr »

Macavity wrote:
clw_uk wrote:Looking to learn Latin first,
Which period? And what is your mother tongue? If it's the Golden and Silver Ages of Latin literature, for example, then you should start with a good 19th century British or German textbook. Benjamin D'Ooge's Latin for Beginners, for example. This book's public domain and has been scanned and placed online, so google for it. But if you aim to read, say, the mediaeval Schoolmen or Renaissance humanists, then it would be better to start with some more specialized works. Let me know your interests.

Kind regards,
Ciarán (a teacher of medical Latin to Thai pharmacology students :reading: )

Im looking more at Classical Latin. My mother tongue is British English, thanks for the resources :smile:
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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