Learning a second language

[austrya]

Jay and I are interested in learning to speak spanish and hope to teach the kids at some point also. Has anyone used Rosetta Stone to learn a second language? What about Muzzy for the younger kids? Thoughts?

[yermom]

I haven't used Rosetta Stone, but I've been thinking about it (for Spanish also). I hear a lot of good things about it.

[pillowy star]

My husband used Rosetta Stone when he started learning German. However, the only way to properly learn a foreign language is to actually live in that country. I didn't learn Spanish out of the lessons we had, but only when we started to live in Bolivia. Same with English, I spoke quite well but by far not as nearly mother-tongue-y as I do now (according to Robert) before I started living parttime over there. Same reason why I speak only quite bad French - I never lived there. Rob, on the other hand, speaks quite a good German since he's living here.

[Tweedling]

This is a great thread. I've been thinking about posting something just like this. My wife and I have been seriously considering Rosetta. (Spanish) Since I live in Teaxas I can go almost all day practicing with the people I know and hear at the hospital.

I can't wait to hear some more feedback.

[Good Old Neon]

What

[austrya]

What

[benjamin]

I kind of wish I took Spanish in high school/college because that French minor really isn't useful in Southern California.

[austrya]

I took two years of spanish in high school but it was more translation than it was conversational. I could read it better than I could speak it.

 

I don't remember much of it.

[mountain bed]

What

[bjorn_skurj]

I took five years of French, and can only understand French if an American speaks it to me.

[sweetheart-mine]

I kind of wish I took Spanish in high school/college because that French minor really isn't useful in Southern California.

i REALLY wish i took spanish in high school because most of the places i want to visit are spanish-speaking, i like the sound of it, the people i've met who speak it are down to earth and at the same time kind of humorous, and there are at least three spanish speakers in my state. maybe four.

 

plenty of french speakers live or visit here, and after taking french for five years in school, it's doing me very little good. basically the same hand charades work here with french speakers that work in mexico when i communicate with spanish speakers there. the spanish speakers seem more patient, though. they'll let you throw in the words or phrases you know, even the incomprehensible or hilariously wrong ones, and yet continue to communicate with you via hands (also eyes).

 

several years ago outside of quebec city, after finding a woman standing by her broken-down car on the side of the road, the best i could muster was "votre voiture est mal?" and i mean that's the best, ever, anywhere. goes downhill from there.

 

it's great to find a non-threatening thread to toss a sort of irrelevant post into tonight! it's been a lousy day.