Žinutės: 14
Kalba: English
danielcg (Rodyti profilį) 2011 m. sausis 3 d. 06:01:49
Hi Mathieux and all.
I speak three languages, but of course only one of them (Spanish) is my mothertongue. Some people I know think high of me because of my being trilingual, however here in Lernu I'm miserably below the average.
The best advice I can give you is to try your best to think in the language you're using (either reading, writing, listening to or talking in). That's what I'm doing right now while I write this message, despite the fact that I'm not using my native language. Of course at first it may be a bit difficult, but trust me, practice makes perfect (or at least less imperfect). Even if at first you go slower by thinking in the language rather than mentally translating, in the long run you'll be rewarded.
It is not only a matter of fluency, but also that no language is perfectly translatable into another (specially word by word).
Think of this phrase:
"Between, between, no more, drink a chair."
Utter nonsense, no? Yet it would be the word-by-word translation of the Spanish phrase:
"Entre, entre, no más, tome una silla"
(Believe me, if you take a dictionary and look up these words one by one, you'll have the result I wrote above.)
The correct translation would be: "Come in, come in please, sit down."
I don't recall if there was any time I mentally translated. I remember my English teachers were quite insistent about this think-in-the-language thing.
But of course, I have been using my two non-native languages for more time than you have been living under the sun of this world.
Keep up the good work. Regards,
Daniel
I speak three languages, but of course only one of them (Spanish) is my mothertongue. Some people I know think high of me because of my being trilingual, however here in Lernu I'm miserably below the average.
The best advice I can give you is to try your best to think in the language you're using (either reading, writing, listening to or talking in). That's what I'm doing right now while I write this message, despite the fact that I'm not using my native language. Of course at first it may be a bit difficult, but trust me, practice makes perfect (or at least less imperfect). Even if at first you go slower by thinking in the language rather than mentally translating, in the long run you'll be rewarded.
It is not only a matter of fluency, but also that no language is perfectly translatable into another (specially word by word).
Think of this phrase:
"Between, between, no more, drink a chair."
Utter nonsense, no? Yet it would be the word-by-word translation of the Spanish phrase:
"Entre, entre, no más, tome una silla"
(Believe me, if you take a dictionary and look up these words one by one, you'll have the result I wrote above.)
The correct translation would be: "Come in, come in please, sit down."
I don't recall if there was any time I mentally translated. I remember my English teachers were quite insistent about this think-in-the-language thing.
But of course, I have been using my two non-native languages for more time than you have been living under the sun of this world.
Keep up the good work. Regards,
Daniel
Pk_JoA (Rodyti profilį) 2011 m. sausis 3 d. 08:06:45
Saluton al ĉiuj!
Regarding the topic, I, as danielcg, speak three languages (well, four, counting Esperanto), which are Spanish, English, Esperanto and French (from better to worse) and I've tried to study some others like Toki Pona, Italian and German (although I didn't really liked them or have time for them, so I left them)
Everybody goes through the same thing when learning a new language. It is natural and it is not necessarily bad; I see just as a a part of the learning process, as long as you don't get stuck with it.
It helps a lot to just try to think in Esperanto, while you are doing something else. For example, I found my self eating and wondering how I'd name some of the things or actions that were taking place at the table. Instead of doing just Esperanto --> English, try to do some English --> Esperanto too! It may help!
I think someone already mentioned this, but I can't help but to repeat it: Use twitter! It have helped more than I could think it would! Mine is @Pk_JoA_eo, you can follow me and I'll recommend some other esperantist for you. I my self follow almost 100, and it's a pretty fun thing to use.
And last but not least, make Esperanto a part of your life! I, for example, have the costume of saying some things in Esperanto just for the sake of fun. I say hi to my friends with a Saluton, or thank you with a Dankon. I've put my Facebook on Esperanto (yes, there is a translation!). I've read some articles on the Vikipedio... and well. You get my point.
I'm not nearly fluent in esperanto as I'd wish to be. But I can already think in the language and write simple chip-chat stuff without a dictionary and the thing I've named here helped me a lot. I hope they help you too.
Goodbye, and sorry for any mistakes on my English
Regarding the topic, I, as danielcg, speak three languages (well, four, counting Esperanto), which are Spanish, English, Esperanto and French (from better to worse) and I've tried to study some others like Toki Pona, Italian and German (although I didn't really liked them or have time for them, so I left them)
Everybody goes through the same thing when learning a new language. It is natural and it is not necessarily bad; I see just as a a part of the learning process, as long as you don't get stuck with it.
It helps a lot to just try to think in Esperanto, while you are doing something else. For example, I found my self eating and wondering how I'd name some of the things or actions that were taking place at the table. Instead of doing just Esperanto --> English, try to do some English --> Esperanto too! It may help!
I think someone already mentioned this, but I can't help but to repeat it: Use twitter! It have helped more than I could think it would! Mine is @Pk_JoA_eo, you can follow me and I'll recommend some other esperantist for you. I my self follow almost 100, and it's a pretty fun thing to use.
And last but not least, make Esperanto a part of your life! I, for example, have the costume of saying some things in Esperanto just for the sake of fun. I say hi to my friends with a Saluton, or thank you with a Dankon. I've put my Facebook on Esperanto (yes, there is a translation!). I've read some articles on the Vikipedio... and well. You get my point.
I'm not nearly fluent in esperanto as I'd wish to be. But I can already think in the language and write simple chip-chat stuff without a dictionary and the thing I've named here helped me a lot. I hope they help you too.
Goodbye, and sorry for any mistakes on my English
danielcg (Rodyti profilį) 2011 m. sausis 3 d. 16:01:31
Well, my three languages include Esperanto (why would I not count it as a language?).
So, from better to worse: Spanish, Esperanto, English.
Regards,
Daniel
So, from better to worse: Spanish, Esperanto, English.
Regards,
Daniel
Pk_JoA:Saluton al ĉiuj!
Regarding the topic, I, as danielcg, speak three languages (well, four, counting Esperanto), which are Spanish, English, Esperanto and French (from better to worse)
Pk_JoA (Rodyti profilį) 2011 m. sausis 3 d. 18:58:47
danielcg:Well, my three languages include Esperanto (why would I not count it as a language?).I guess you are right, but I am used to name Esperanto as an "special" language.
So, from better to worse: Spanish, Esperanto, English.
Regards,
Daniel
Pk_JoA:Saluton al ĉiuj!
Regarding the topic, I, as danielcg, speak three languages (well, four, counting Esperanto), which are Spanish, English, Esperanto and French (from better to worse)
Maybe because it didn't took me so long or some much effort to learn or just because many people in my surrounding don't consider it a real language (for them is just like a super communist-weird language used by 5 people over the world
)But anyway, I'm going offtopic.
Best regards,
Joaquin.