Learning Foreign Languages

[Phil C]

It is very advantageous to learn a foreign language. It will open up new cultures and experiences for you. It isn't difficult to learn with practice, determination, desire and love for learning it. For example I studied the Chinese Mardarin language just this week on youtube and at the TPCO ceremony today in Portland I was able to say a few phrases to them and was commended for it and they understood what I said.
Let's consider learning Spanish (please bear in mind I am writing this mainly for folks where English is you native tongue as mine is). It is one of the easiest languages to learn and lots of fun and enjoyment. It will open up many chance to enjoy Spanish movies, tv programs and great sporting events on Spanish Chanels. Soccer is carried on many Spanish Stations. Plus you can learn to speak to others that do so.
But bear in mind that it doesn't have to be Spanish. You man want to learn French, German, Chinese, Italian etc. What ever you want and you can learn more than one extra foreign language. I don't care if you were born yesterday or in your 100s you can learn and master languages and the enjoyment you get will be worth it. The Tour de France would have enhanced enjoyment with a knowledge of the French language.
What ever you choose it is yours for the taking. You need to learn the basics but remember the main thing is to have the strong desire, determination and work ethic along with the love for learning it. Good luck and I will continue to offer you encouragement.

[Phil C]

When I was in my twenties I meant an older lady that had mastery of four languages. They were English, Spanish, German and French. It was learned from the influence of their parents. Her father had come from Germany and settled in South Texas. He married a Hispanic lady and they communicated in English. Since his native tongue was German and hers was Spanish they decided to learn each others language better from each other. After mastering the basics they picked one day a week to speak German, Spanish, French and the other 4 days English. French was completely new to them but they got a record player and learned the basics and studied books and included that in their studies and got good in all four languages even though they were older. They had three children and they did that same procedure and learned all four languages. Two of the children became interpreters at in Washington D.C. and later the United Nations while the lady I knew became a Spanish teacher.
The main thing is that in learning a new language you need to practice with others and try to speak it around those that speak it as much as possible.
Good luck!

[FB-fanatic]

I work for a French company here in the states. I spent 3-4 months studying French via Rosetta Stone. Went o.k., but (maybe due to my age - 48) I didn't pick it up real well. I grew up in a heavily Hispanic populated town in West Texas and consider myself moderate-very fluent in Spanish. The QB of our football team was Hispanic. On the way to weekend rodeos, if I bought the beer, he taught me Spanish. We have vacationed a number of times on the Riviera Maya of Mexico, and we love to head as far away from Cancun as we can; nearly to Belize. I have found that I have no problem communicating with the locals who only speak Spanish. My son, a college senior, took 3 years of Spanish, but spends too much time trying to conjugate verbs and such and struggles to communicate. He worked at a summer camp this past summer at College Station, and was handed all the Texas A&M oriental professor’s kids for the camp – mostly Chinese, who spoke only 3 or 4 words of English. In 3 month’s time he learned a good portion of Chinese. He thinks in today’s economy, Chinese could be very helpful. I assumed he learned only the basic “hi”, “eat”, etc. but quizzed him using an online voice translator, and found he had a *very* wide range of Chinese.

[Phil C]

I work for a French company here in the states. I spent 3-4 months studying French via Rosetta Stone. Went o.k., but (maybe due to my age - 48) I didn't pick it up real well. I grew up in a heavily Hispanic populated town in West Texas and consider myself moderate-very fluent in Spanish. The QB of our football team was Hispanic. On the way to weekend rodeos, if I bought the beer, he taught me Spanish. We have vacationed a number of times on the Riviera Maya of Mexico, and we love to head as far away from Cancun as we can; nearly to Belize. I have found that I have no problem communicating with the locals who only speak Spanish. My son, a college senior, took 3 years of Spanish, but spends too much time trying to conjugate verbs and such and struggles to communicate. He worked at a summer camp this past summer at College Station, and was handed all the Texas A&M oriental professor’s kids for the camp – mostly Chinese, who spoke only 3 or 4 words of English. In 3 month’s time he learned a good portion of Chinese. He thinks in today’s economy, Chinese could be very helpful. I assumed he learned only the basic “hi”, “eat”, etc. but quizzed him using an online voice translator, and found he had a *very* wide range of Chinese.

Very interesting. I have read that Chinese is not that hard to learn but what is difficult is to learn how it is written. Difficult but not impossible. I salute your son in his efforts.

[BaseballUmp]

I am very ashamed of you Phil. Today is gameday and you start a thread with this kind of rubbish. I have never been more upset with you.

[garciap77]

It is very advantageous to learn a foreign language. It will open up new cultures and experiences for you. It isn't difficult to learn with practice, determination, desire and love for learning it. For example I studied the Chinese Mardarin language just this week on youtube and at the TPCO ceremony today in Portland I was able to say a few phrases to them and was commended for it and they understood what I said.
Let's consider learning Spanish (please bear in mind I am writing this mainly for folks where English is you native tongue as mine is). It is one of the easiest languages to learn and lots of fun and enjoyment. It will open up many chance to enjoy Spanish movies, tv programs and great sporting events on Spanish Chanels. Soccer is carried on many Spanish Stations. Plus you can learn to speak to others that do so.
But bear in mind that it doesn't have to be Spanish. You man want to learn French, German, Chinese, Italian etc. What ever you want and you can learn more than one extra foreign language. I don't care if you were born yesterday or in your 100s you can learn and master languages and the enjoyment you get will be worth it. The Tour de France would have enhanced enjoyment with a knowledge of the French language.
What ever you choose it is yours for the taking. You need to learn the basics but remember the main thing is to have the strong desire, determination and work ethic along with the love for learning it. Good luck and I will continue to offer you encouragement.

[OldNavy]

We spent five years in Sicily, Italy. I told my brother that in that time I learned every European language except Greek. He said wow, speak some German, and I said "That's Greek to me!"

[garciap77]

We spent five years in Sicily, Italy. I told my brother that in that time I learned every European language except Greek. He said wow, speak some German, and I said "That's Greek to me!"

[Saggy Aggie]

This is a 3a SPORTS forum. Not a place for discussion of foreign languages. Disgraceful indeed!

[Phil C]

We spent five years in Sicily, Italy. I told my brother that in that time I learned every European language except Greek. He said wow, speak some German, and I said "That's Greek to me!"

[Ranger Mom]

The only "other" language I have mastered is pig latin! And....I found out recently if you don't use it much, you tend to lose it. When we were little, me and my cousins used to talk to each other in pig latin ALL the time. We were together a few weeks ago, and I swear, they must all still use it, because they were just blabbering away.....I could understand them, but I couldn't just spit it out like I used to!!!

[Phil C]

The only "other" language I have mastered is pig latin! And....I found out recently if you don't use it much, you tend to lose it. When we were little, me and my cousins used to talk to each other in pig latin ALL the time. We were together a few weeks ago, and I swear, they must all still use it, because they were just blabbering away.....I could understand them, but I couldn't just spit it out like I used to!!!

That is not a bad language to learn also. It gives you good training. Well done RM!

[Phil C]

Spanish and Mandarin Chinese are two practical languages for Texans to learn. Spanish is widely spoken in the world and in Texas there are many that speak the language so it is very practical and one of the easiest second languages to learn. Mandarin Chinese is widely spoken by a large population and remember they have worked with us to establish much industry in Texas. It has been said that this language is easy to speak and understand but difficult to learn to write. But remember difficult not impossible. In fact they are teaching this Chinese language to several students in Mathis High School. Bravo!

[Phil C]

At one time France had colonies in America, Asia and Africa and was a world wide spoken language. In fact due to that in Great Britain and New England (in America) felt like it was important to learn some French to indicate you were cultured and education. Please also bear in mind that France is just across a small body of water from Great Britain so that would enhance the desire to learn the language. Interesting indeed.

[Phil C]

During WW2 the U.S. Marines recruited native Navajo Indians to communicate with each other in order to confuse the Japanese. It worked because they could communicate and translate the language to the appropriate American leaders. The Japanese were excellent code breakers but after the war they admited they never could figure out the Navajo language. These Native Americans made a big contribution to the war effort and were honored after the war. Interesting indeed.