Every now and then I put the Duolingo app on my phone and pretend to learn Italian. Usually, just before I board the plane for Italy. I have a research trip planned there in September and thought I might get in a little earlier this time. I'm not sure why I think this will be any different from any other time I tried to learn Italian. But Imma confidento!
This time will be different!
I don't need to be fluent or anything like that. I am literally just trying to learn restaurant-Italian, maybe with a little bit of taxidriver-Italian thrown in for good measure. I remember the last time we were there, having dinner in a restaurant in Bologna, when a French couple came in. They couldn’t speak a word of Italian. The waiter didn't speak any French and I had to help them order from the menu. That was weird. I normally assume that everyone in Europe speaks… European. Or something.
I've been doing Duolingo Italian for 1108 days in a row (and counting), and there's no way I'm close to fluent. I can muddle my way through a conversation and make myself understood, but I'd be messing up my questos and my quellos, etc.
Everyone has their learning strengths, but my biggest barrier is having someone to talk to on a regular basis to practice. I feel much more confident on the written side.
I did a few classes a couple of years ago, and I think they help a lot, but they moved too fast for me.
Anyway, from what I've heard, peeps really appreciate any effort you've put in to learn their language.
I found Duolingo helped bolster my Schoolboy French to workable Tourist French. Combined with knowing some actual French folks hereabouts I understand my accent is pretty decent, so much so I had French folks just launching into lengthy diatribes I had little to no hope of understanding. Lucky the French like Aussies!
I've been plugging away at French with Duolingo for the last few years, one lesson a day every day (I'm nothing if not a sucker for that gamified streak maintenance). While I don't think I even have school student French yet, I've had moments this year where I realise that my fluency has come on in leaps and bounds, usually when I read a sentence and realise I know its gist without having to stop and think through each word.
This has also made me realise the value of just plodding away at it consistently, and slowly building up that vocabulary of words through repeat exercises. Regular, tedious practice makes you better at something! WHO KNEW??
I'm native english speaker, and learned a second language later in life, and I found it really helps to know how to shape your tongue and lips, because it makes your words come off your tongue easier. That might be obvious thing or not, as I said, I learned later on in life. This might be sound even stranger, but I did this by first watching native speakers on you tube, then speaking to myself in the mirror. Once the language flows off tongue in a more natural I found it's much easier to learn. Sort of like how learning a song is often easier than memorizing a written speech even if they have same number of words.
I've been doing Duolingo Italian to maintain my tourist-level Italian. It's good, but I do question the utility of phrases such as "My sister is in prison."
Itsa me, insomniac.
I've been doing Duolingo Italian for 1108 days in a row (and counting), and there's no way I'm close to fluent. I can muddle my way through a conversation and make myself understood, but I'd be messing up my questos and my quellos, etc.
Everyone has their learning strengths, but my biggest barrier is having someone to talk to on a regular basis to practice. I feel much more confident on the written side.
I did a few classes a couple of years ago, and I think they help a lot, but they moved too fast for me.
Anyway, from what I've heard, peeps really appreciate any effort you've put in to learn their language.
I found Duolingo helped bolster my Schoolboy French to workable Tourist French. Combined with knowing some actual French folks hereabouts I understand my accent is pretty decent, so much so I had French folks just launching into lengthy diatribes I had little to no hope of understanding. Lucky the French like Aussies!
I'm personally more fond of Chinese, particularly Szechuan
I've been plugging away at French with Duolingo for the last few years, one lesson a day every day (I'm nothing if not a sucker for that gamified streak maintenance). While I don't think I even have school student French yet, I've had moments this year where I realise that my fluency has come on in leaps and bounds, usually when I read a sentence and realise I know its gist without having to stop and think through each word.
This has also made me realise the value of just plodding away at it consistently, and slowly building up that vocabulary of words through repeat exercises. Regular, tedious practice makes you better at something! WHO KNEW??
I did Latin last year, which is great if you want to tell people which god is going to throw a thunderbolt at you, but was a little lacking otherwise.
I literally cracked it open again today to resume my German.
I think Google Translate has a better chance of success ☺️ Welcome to the dark side JB 😂😂😂😂
I'm native english speaker, and learned a second language later in life, and I found it really helps to know how to shape your tongue and lips, because it makes your words come off your tongue easier. That might be obvious thing or not, as I said, I learned later on in life. This might be sound even stranger, but I did this by first watching native speakers on you tube, then speaking to myself in the mirror. Once the language flows off tongue in a more natural I found it's much easier to learn. Sort of like how learning a song is often easier than memorizing a written speech even if they have same number of words.
I've been doing Duolingo Italian to maintain my tourist-level Italian. It's good, but I do question the utility of phrases such as "My sister is in prison."