Comments for Language Mastery http://l2mastery.com How to Learn Any Language through Self-Guided Immersion Thu, 17 May 2012 13:30:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by Timea http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2521 Timea Thu, 17 May 2012 13:30:07 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2521 I think that this absolutely varies from person to person. Living just by grammar rules is of course wrong, but there are people like me who feel more confident 'knowing' that the grammar is right. I might still make mistakes but when I start learning a language, I 'like' to focus on grammar. I just 'love' to take it apart and put it together by pieces. I 'like' to 'understand' why thing work a certain way. I could never learn a language by repeating words and saying set expressions without knowing why I am saying them in that way. I speak 4 languages, learning my 5th now, Korean, and I am really frustrated at the lessons that the teacher is just not willing to tell me difference between two noun endings, that are supposed to mean the same but when I try making my own sentence using either of them, she always corrects me, saying no, you have to use the other one here. But why? What's the reason this ending is OK here and the other is not when they are supposed to mean the same? In order to be able to make my own sentences and develop, I need to understand the reasons, I need to be able to figure out why I use a term here and not there. That is when the whole puzzle falls into place. being able to converse following imitation of what you hear is nice but that's just a monkey job. You acquire a language when you actually understand the structure. native tongue is different, acquired languages are different as well, because you will inevitably compare stuff to your native tongue, you cannot just absorb the new language like you did with the native tongue, as then you had no set of rules to abide by. But once you mastered the native tongue you will think like your native tongue set your minds to, so you won't be able to just take in a language and learn it as if it were your own. Impossible in my opinion. Anyways, deal with grammar first works out pretty well for me but of course speaking is very important too, if people have a chance to practice :) I think that this absolutely varies from person to person. Living just by grammar rules is of course wrong, but there are people like me who feel more confident ‘knowing’ that the grammar is right. I might still make mistakes but when I start learning a language, I ‘like’ to focus on grammar. I just ‘love’ to take it apart and put it together by pieces. I ‘like’ to ‘understand’ why thing work a certain way. I could never learn a language by repeating words and saying set expressions without knowing why I am saying them in that way. I speak 4 languages, learning my 5th now, Korean, and I am really frustrated at the lessons that the teacher is just not willing to tell me difference between two noun endings, that are supposed to mean the same but when I try making my own sentence using either of them, she always corrects me, saying no, you have to use the other one here. But why? What’s the reason this ending is OK here and the other is not when they are supposed to mean the same? In order to be able to make my own sentences and develop, I need to understand the reasons, I need to be able to figure out why I use a term here and not there. That is when the whole puzzle falls into place. being able to converse following imitation of what you hear is nice but that’s just a monkey job. You acquire a language when you actually understand the structure. native tongue is different, acquired languages are different as well, because you will inevitably compare stuff to your native tongue, you cannot just absorb the new language like you did with the native tongue, as then you had no set of rules to abide by. But once you mastered the native tongue you will think like your native tongue set your minds to, so you won’t be able to just take in a language and learn it as if it were your own. Impossible in my opinion.

Anyways, deal with grammar first works out pretty well for me but of course speaking is very important too, if people have a chance to practice :)

]]> Comment on Review of Rosetta Stone by John Fotheringham http://l2mastery.com/blog/product-reviews/review-of-rosetta-stone-language-learning-products#comment-2191 John Fotheringham Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:49:02 +0000 http://www.l2mastery.com/?p=93#comment-2191 Yes, I understand from a cost perspective that they of course need to recycle photos, but they could at least spend some time localizing the content for each language (Lord knows they have the money and the staff for it). Yes, I understand from a cost perspective that they of course need to recycle photos, but they could at least spend some time localizing the content for each language (Lord knows they have the money and the staff for it).

]]> Comment on Review of Rosetta Stone by Pangxiaodi http://l2mastery.com/blog/product-reviews/review-of-rosetta-stone-language-learning-products#comment-2173 Pangxiaodi Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:09:57 +0000 http://www.l2mastery.com/?p=93#comment-2173 oops - teaching on the brain: teacher = speaker oops – teaching on the brain: teacher = speaker

]]> Comment on Review of Rosetta Stone by Pangxiaodi http://l2mastery.com/blog/product-reviews/review-of-rosetta-stone-language-learning-products#comment-2172 Pangxiaodi Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:07:35 +0000 http://www.l2mastery.com/?p=93#comment-2172 Rosetta Stone is good for European languages (if you are a native English teacher) as its graded + 1. It doesn't really work for non-Euro languages such as Chinese. Most frustratingly they keep the same images for all language courses. So you learn how to say knife and fork in the Chinese course but not how to say chopsticks! Rosetta Stone is good for European languages (if you are a native English teacher) as its graded + 1. It doesn’t really work for non-Euro languages such as Chinese. Most frustratingly they keep the same images for all language courses. So you learn how to say knife and fork in the Chinese course but not how to say chopsticks!

]]> Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by John Fotheringham http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2131 John Fotheringham Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:28:34 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2131 Good point. Good point.

]]> Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by John Fotheringham http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2130 John Fotheringham Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:27:56 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2130 True, but you can create your own poor-man's Graduated Interval Recall (or Spaced Repetition) but scheduling when you review a given podcast episode. I like Pimsleur well enough, but the problem is that while the vocabulary they present will indeed be internalized quite well by the end of the program, they only present a very small set of total words. I usually recommend that someone start with something like Pimsleur or Michele Thomas to get their brain, ears, and mouth used to the basics of the language, and then graduate to more interesting content as soon as possible. True, but you can create your own poor-man’s Graduated Interval Recall (or Spaced Repetition) but scheduling when you review a given podcast episode. I like Pimsleur well enough, but the problem is that while the vocabulary they present will indeed be internalized quite well by the end of the program, they only present a very small set of total words. I usually recommend that someone start with something like Pimsleur or Michele Thomas to get their brain, ears, and mouth used to the basics of the language, and then graduate to more interesting content as soon as possible.

]]> Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by Nathan Cain - KneeHowdy.com http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2112 Nathan Cain - KneeHowdy.com Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:53:18 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2112 I don't think podcast accomplish quite the same thing as Pimsleur. What the podcasts don't do is repeat the new words gradually longer and longer intervals. Pimsleur reminds you of the word right when studies have shown that your brain is about to forget. First 15 seconds, then 1 minute, then 5 minutes (or something to that effect). I don’t think podcast accomplish quite the same thing as Pimsleur. What the podcasts don’t do is repeat the new words gradually longer and longer intervals. Pimsleur reminds you of the word right when studies have shown that your brain is about to forget. First 15 seconds, then 1 minute, then 5 minutes (or something to that effect).

]]> Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by Musouka http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2096 Musouka Sat, 21 Apr 2012 06:52:53 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2096 I guess so, but I thought we went beyond this when Apple introduced DRM-free audio purchases on iTunes several years ago. If anything, this failure to adapt is helping piracy. It's a shame it's easier to access pirated stuff. The video is touting how 'easy' it is to use this program. How about making it also easy to get? I would have gladly spent the $10 if they did. I guess so, but I thought we went beyond this when Apple introduced DRM-free audio purchases on iTunes several years ago. If anything, this failure to adapt is helping piracy. It’s a shame it’s easier to access pirated stuff.

The video is touting how ‘easy’ it is to use this program. How about making it also easy to get? I would have gladly spent the $10 if they did.

]]> Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by John Fotheringham http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2091 John Fotheringham Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:45:19 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2091 I completely agree. I suspect they are afraid of piracy, the irony being that CD-based media is actually easier to rip and share than DRM protected audio files. I completely agree. I suspect they are afraid of piracy, the irony being that CD-based media is actually easier to rip and share than DRM protected audio files.

]]> Comment on The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days by Musouka http://l2mastery.com/blog/videos/the-secret-to-learning-a-language-in-10-days#comment-2073 Musouka Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:54:27 +0000 http://l2mastery.com/?p=476#comment-2073 Here is the thing: I rarely use optical media these days; especially for audio. I wonder why they aren't providing downloadable versions as well? This way they could sell to everyone in the world instead of just in the US. Here is the thing: I rarely use optical media these days; especially for audio. I wonder why they aren’t providing downloadable versions as well? This way they could sell to everyone in the world instead of just in the US.

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