#second language learning

[fuckyeahchinesefashion]

It's not what I expected by 我是阿彪叻

[choccy-milky]

seb about to learn every language there is 📚📚

[cap-sweet-and-salty-sadness]

For my non native english speakers, how did you learn the language?

[poeticmindfulness]

disproof the perquisites for CPH to become a theory

disproof the perquisites for CPH to become a theory

The following discussion addresses the disproof corresponding to the six aspects of the perquisites for CPH to become a theory. Once the individual development phase passes the critical period, the resulting learning achievement almost cannot show the same effectiveness of learning as that before the critical period.Birdsong and Molis (2001) repeated the research of Johnson and Newport but could…

[nonranghaes]

it's weird that you don't call out to jun when he comes into your apartment. jun knows that you know he was coming over at some point to spend time with you, and usually you greet him in some way when you hear the apartment door unlock. he's a little earlier than he planned, but you told him to 'come over whenever' and now he's a little worried that you didn't mean it. he quietly slips into the pair of slippers that stays here at your place, and makes his way further into your apartment to set down the bag of groceries he brought on your kitchen counter. your bedroom door is open, but the tiny room you use as a home office is open just a sliver.

he makes his way over, leaning in to listen for a moment... only to hear your voice. there's a little strain to it as you struggle through a sentence, and it clicks all at once: you're speaking chinese. albeit not very well (it's clear to jun that this is one-hundred percent new to you), but you're still trying. your pronunciation is a bit clumsy, but he can hear the way you try to use the right tone with what you're saying...

when did you start learning this much? jun had taught you little things in the past--the absolute basics, really, plus a few other little phrases that veer into his own cheesy need to hear you say sweet things--but this...? he steps back from the door. why hadn't you told him? you could have told him and he'd happily help you learn. but he trusts you: you must have your reasons to keep this a secret, so he won't push. he steps away, deciding to busy himself with getting ingredients put away--or set up for the two of you to cook together, in case you're hungry now.

then he knocks a cup into the sink, and immediately he hears you coming out of your office. relief crosses your face when you see it's just jun, and you lean against the open doorway.

"i didn't know you were here." you pause, and then he sees you get hit with realization. "... how long were you here?"

"i just got here," he says. it's technically the truth, isn't it? he's only been here for a few minutes. "were you working?"

you nod. "yeah. just had to answer a phone call," you lie to him, but he just nods and acts like he doesn't know that. you come up to his side, wrapping an arm around him. "is this for lunch?"

he leans over to you and presses a kiss against your cheek. "are you hungry?"

"mhm," you just snuggle in for a moment, enjoying his presence. "you should teach me more recipes you learned from your mom sometime."

jun finds himself smiling already. was that what this all was...? an attempt for you to understand him better? to show that you care for him so much that you want to know his culture, too? "i'd love to," he says softly, and wraps an arm around you to tug you closer to his side. "only if you teach me things you learned from your family, too."

then he'll make more efforts to understand you and your background, too. just to show you that he loves you as much as you love him.

[caramelcuppaccino]

learning japanese update: i’ve been practicing writing down sentences and trying to understand the sentence structure. linguistically, japanese and turkish have similarities, so i can say that it’s been going well and i’m having sooo much fun!!

[canisalbus]

In portuguese there are no neutral pronouns at all... Even objects, species and verbs have gender!

Some random examples: Tree, house, lamp, wall, clothing, capybara, walk... all female

Paper, floor, soap, dog, cat, shoe, smell... all male

This confused me a lot as a kid when in translated media the animal characters that were referred to as one gender due to the species was actually another. Some words can be slightly altered to be the opposite gender though.

.

[shalom-iamcominghome]

What I love and what's heartbreaking about Diasporic languages (e.g., Ladino, Yiddish, ect. ect.) is that I see them as languages of survival. Survival of jewish culture and communities, survival of people in lands that were too often opposed to their very existence. These languages are beautiful to me because I know it's am yisrael chai is irrevocably true, heartbreaking because the Diaspora can be such a hostile environment.

And I don't think this is what many people (non-jews especially, when we're talking about jewish diasporic languages) get. Languages such as diasporic languages exist in context of survival. It's such a complex feeling I have, because I love these languages, and at the same time know why they often had to exist.

[languageboutique]

[bicycleboyblog]

Gabriel asks about Isaac's newfound "bilingualism".

[melikes-reads]

To German speakers

Serious question: how do you think, before you talk?

I've been watching German tv series and reading German fics, so my reading and listening comprehension is improving.

But.

German syntax is puzzling. Extremely so.

I know the grammar rules, I do! But my mind automatically goes subject + verb + object + conjunction + subject + verb + object when I want to speak.

When I write, I have time to reflect about the correct order of each word (and pieces of a word!), but trying to speak and remember where every part of the speech goes, and the right declensions… Impossible.

So, any advice?

[pygmi-cygni]

writing tips pt idk - swearing in a second language.

ok ok ok. here's the thing - i am by no means asking you to learn the language you wanna use for the character. that is way too much work and makes no friggin sense. I totally understand using google translate.

but.

There are some linguistic differences that you need to be sooooooo aware of when you write in that language.

The mistake i see the most is swearing. profanity.

profanity is not universal. 'fuck' in one language does not always mean the same thing as it does in English/your language.

keep in mind, when you use google translate, it translates it literally. the literal translation of 'fuck' is sexual intercourse. so the word you get will mean 'sex.'

Also - some words are taboo in different cultures. In Australia/Britain, 'cunt' is used liberally and doesn't mean anything terrible. If you used 'cunt' casually in America, it would cause a huge scene. So, don't assume that 'fuck, shit, damn' all work the same across languages.

I'm not asking you to do a huge research project, but look up 'common swears in [x] language' or 'surprised phrases in [x] language'.

Especially because your readers might actually know the language you're writing in. I know firsthand how irritating it is to read something so incorrect it's offensive. Seriously, if you don't pay attention to the consequences of your phrasing, you might offend someone. I know you can't please everybody, but this isn't that hard to fix.

I speak Russian as my first language (I apologize for the country's actions, I feel no affiliations towards Russia and Putin is a disgusting pig) and insulting someone's mother is a huge offense. Massive. In English, it can be a casual joke. Never in Russian. "son of a bitch" will get you stabbed. I'm serious.

English is pretty unique in the casual way swear words are used. Most of the time, there are substitute words used for a joke, and the real deal is only uttered in dire circumstances. (like 'frick' versus 'fuck'.) Assuming all languages will react the same way is not true.

again - don't devote your life to learning the language, but put in the work to make your writing authentic. offending someone because you were slacking isn't cool.

Swearing is pretty important. Pay attention, give it a little bit of effort.

xox love you, keep writing

[corvid-language-library]

Start the morning reviewing kanji I often forget. Get frustrated because I just cannot remember 福（ふく=blessing, fortune, luck, health) and there's only one word on my N3 vocab list containing that kanji. "Why do I even have to learn this for N3 when there's only one word with it anyway?" I grumble. "I've never even seen the word 幸福 used in context!"

Watch Kiriko's Crime Diary and she sees a display of strawberry daifuku in the supermarket underneath the sign: いちご大福, which she reads aloud. Suddenly I have no trouble remembering the kanji or the meaning.

And this is why we do fun things that are meaningful to us personally when we learn a language and don't just look at word lists/flash cards!

[sherdnerd]

My number one classics ick is when a scholar will just insert untranslated passages of Greek and Latin into their paper. good job on the artificial inaccessibility you guys, glad you were able to gatekeep the field so none of those dirty peasants may learn stuff. its just for us cool guys who speak Greek or Latin