Google
 

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 30 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Learn Spanish Quickly - Incredible Ideas Of Fast Learning

There are tons of people who want to start speaking Spanish now. There's one problem...They don't know where to begin. If you fit in this group, you are probably planning on taking lessons - however, you may want to teach yourself how to speak Spanish without lessons!In order to learn Spanish, you have to overcome your second language learning anxiety! This is an emotional problem that hampers the abilities of many potential Spanish speakers around the world! Becoming motivated and overcoming this can, in fact, be the first step for you to be a fluent Spanish speaker!May Believe that The older You Get, the Harder to Learn a Language - There is a common belief that advancement in age may actually hamper the ability to learn Spanish. There is no doubt that you may have to adjust when learning a different language - however, Adults are actually more than capable of learning a language.The reason why children are believed to be better at learning languages is the simple fact that they haven't developed any mono-language habits. Their minds are open, so they are open to change. However, you can easily break these habits and learn the language you need to!People do not believe they are capable - When people do something such as trying to learn Spanish, they have to envision themselves doing it, otherwise, they'll be absolutely discouraged.The simple fact is; most people simply do not believe that they are mentally capable of learning a second language. If people simply believe in themselves - they'll be well on their way to learning how to speak fluent Spanish!Watching Latino TV and listening to radio stations that speak Spanish is something that practically anybody can do. You do not need even the most basic of cable to receive the Spanish speaking stations - all you need is an antenna that can pick up television signals. When you do this, you will be giving yourself the opportunity to grow accustom to the style of the language. This includes the "speed", "pronunciation", and even certain phrases and sayings. You will begin to observe trends, etc.When you perform one of these tasks, you may want to consider sitting down with a dictionary and trying to decipher some words that may come through the radio. When you observe that a specific word is spoken often, you may want to look that word up and translate it using your dictionary. You will be able to put sentences, paragraphs, and even full essays together by practicing on a daily basis. You may also want to combine this method with either a Spanish class, or a commercially available product that teaches you Spanish.Self image is an extremely huge problem when it comes to trying to learn Spanish with many aspiring Spanish speakers. When you are trying to learn Spanish, you may want to consider trying a commercially available product in which you can perform at your own pace.You also want to try to motivate yourself, as the average person has tons of daily tasks to do. You will want to use your free-time to focus on building your self image. Also you want to keep in mind the Spanish is related to other languages as well!If you quickly learn languages such as Spanish, you may have an easier time learning other languages such as Italian and French!
By: Johny Rider

วันเสาร์ที่ 29 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

The German Language - A Languages of the World Primer

German is a West-Germanic language that began to develop around the 6th century AD. At around that time, the southern dialects of old Frankish (including the forerunner of modern German) underwent significant phonetic changes (known as the High German shift). There was, however, little unifying force driving the development of the language until the middle ages and this partly explains the vast array of regional variants of German still found not only in Germany but across Austria and Switzerland.This began to change in the middle ages as writers sought to be understood by as many people as possible. Luther's translation of the Bible in the early 16th century is a perfect example. Whilst using a language that would be likely to be understood by a maximum of people, the Bibles initially came with glossaries translating unknown terms into the regional dialects. Translations by the Roman Catholic Church followed largely similar lines to Luther (despite themselves). It took, however, until the late 18th century before it was possible to say that there was a widely accepted standard. Widely accepted, however, did not mean that people actually spoke standard German in daily life. Indeed, until the 19th century the language remained a largely written one and the development of formal schooling systems undoubtedly helped spur its use in daily life.Related languagesThere are a host of so-called "German" languages and dialects with which standard German has varying degrees of similarity. Distinguishing between dialects and languages is one of the most complicated and politically sensitive areas of linguistics. The case of standard German and German dialects / sister languages is particularly complicated. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that in many instances there is no defined geographic border between one language and its neighbours, with the change between one language and the next being gradual (called a dialect continuum by linguists). In these instances, picking out one dialect and calling it a language can be a rather arbitrary affair.That said, Upper Sorbian, Lower Sorbian, North Frisian, Saterland Frisian and Low German have been officially recognised as separate languages by Germany under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages with the level of mutual intelligibility largely depending on where the speakers come from. In other instances, such as with the Swabian and Swiss German dialects, there has been no such official recognition and yet many of the dialects are scarcely mutually intelligible for standard German speakers.Much has been made of the fact that Dutch and English are "Germanic languages" but then again so are Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and Icelandic. The tag is simply a ("poorly chosen") linguistic term indicating that the languages share a certain ancient ancestry and in many instances various linguistic features. It should in no way be understood to imply any level of mutual intelligibility.Status todayIn addition to being an official language of the European Union, German has official status in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland. It also has varying degrees of national and local protection and recognition in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. With over 100 million native speakers, the bulk of whom are in Europe, it is the leading language of the European Union and the second most widely spoken native language in Europe after Russian.For a range of historic reasons, notably the use of German as a lingua franca in Central and Eastern Europe as a result of the Habsburg empire and the large German diaspora across the Americas (from 18th century immigrants to New England to more recent flows of refugees to Brazil and Argentina), German is also a very popular foreign language. Reckoned to be one of the most widely spoken foreign languages in the EU and the third most widely taught foreign language worldwide, estimates for the number of non-native speakers cannot be established with any real certainty but are certainly in the tens of millions.The only cloud on the horizon, from a purist's perspective, is the growing influence of English. Many academics have argued that German is on the decline even within Germany as the increasing use of English in popular culture and education continues unabated. This view was, however, severely dented by the recent work of Austrian linguist Alexander Onysko. In his Article "Anglicisms in German" (Anglicism he defined as "any instance of an English lexical, structural, and phonological element in German that can be [linguistically traced] to English") Onysko searched through all the articles published in Der Spiegel since 2000. His findings? Under 6 percent of the vocabulary (i.e. list of words not total number of words) were "anglicisms". His conclusion? The German language will continue to bloom.
By: TJ Leary

วันศุกร์ที่ 28 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Do You Want To Learn French Quickly? These Five Tips Will Accelerate The Learning Curve

Learn French Quickly and EasilyLearning French takes dedication and persistence but there are ways to speed up the process. The people that immerse themselves in the French language are the people that learn French the quickest. We are all busy and find it hard to set time aside to study French. The key to learning French quickly is to incorporate studying into your everyday routine. Once studying French is a part of your daily routine you can set aside less time for study in your free time. When you are actually studying in your free time you want to stay completely focused and have no distractions.Below are five specific ways to accelerate learning the French language.1. Incorporating studying into your daily routine means taking advantage of all the time you spend not working during your busy day. This could be your drive to work, a walk to work, all your breaks, your lunch hour, your bathroom breaks, your morning routine before leaving for work. Take advantage of all the time during your work day you are not actively working. Start by picking up a disc man or I pod of some kind. You want to have your French learning audio CDs and downloads ready for use throughout the day. Calculate all the time during your daily routine where you are not working and write down the number of hours per week. You would be surprised. During this non active working time, plug in and start listening to your French study courses.2. Make sure the materials you are using for study are effective. You can study all you want during your downtime but if the method of study is poor you will not learn a thing. When choosing a good audio course on French you want to make sure it is an audio course that allows you to immerse yourself in the language. This does not mean just learning nouns. Try to stay away from courses that are excessively heavy on teaching nouns. Learning nouns in French is necessary but make sure it has a good mix of nouns, verb conjugation, grammar and conversational French. The immersion method offers the best way to learn the language quickly.3. When learning French words you can always have a stack of index cards and use them when you have some downtime. But when you are learning words be sure to use your imagination. For example you may want to group certain words together and imagine a scenario that is particularly memorable. Be creative and make your own scenarios. This is much more effective than just memorizing words with no creative thought.4. Power studying is important when you study during your free time. So you have had a great day immersing yourself in the French language. To really accelerate the process all you need is 15-30 minutes of power studying in the evening. Power studying means absolutely no distractions with a specific goal in mind. Do not allow yourself to listen to music, watch TV, talk on the phone or get up from your study area. The more disciplined you are with your power studying the less time you will need to master French.5. Language Exchange is the icing on the cake. Once you have immersed yourself in study you need to learn how to use it in conversation. Language exchange is an activity that should be fun! During Language Exchange you spend one hour teaching your language and one hour learning their language. This is what will bring you to fluency without actually moving to France.Remember that consistency and discipline is key. Before you start following any of these steps you should write down your daily schedule. It is also a good idea to have a checklist. The checklist could be a way of tracking your daily activities. This will keep you accountable for your actions.Above all though make sure you have fun with this. Be proud of yourself and take a moment to pat yourself on the back. There will be days where it will seem like a huge pain to study. But with time you will realize you are really starting to absorb the language. During these moments of realization be sure to take a moment and feel good about what you have accomplished to that point.When you are learning French be sure to learn as much as you can about the culture. All of the idiomatic expressions alone can give you tremendous insight into the French culture. The more you study the culture the more interesting the language becomes.
By: Nick C.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language - Why Should You Learn It?American sign language (ASL) is not just spelling out words with hand signals. ASL is a whole unique language, complete with its own grammatical rules and syntax (sentence structure). It is fully as precise, versatile, and subtle as English. In some ways, (considering that it is a three-dimensional language) ASL is even more so.ASL is uniquely American. It has been around in the U.S. for as long as there have been deaf people here. The first standardization and formal teaching began 190 years ago at the first school for the deaf in the U.S. Students from that school then spread the use of ASL to all parts of the U.S. and Canada.Today, about half a million deaf people in the U.S. and Canada speak ASL. It is also spoken by an unknown number of family members, friends, co-workers, employees, employers, merchants and others who regularly interact with deaf people. Many experts say that ASL is the third most-spoken language in the U.S.Why should you learn Sign Language? Do you want to improve your communication with a family member or friend who is deaf? Do you want to be able to communicate with deaf people in general?Do you work with or encounter deaf people in your profession? Are you a "first responder" (firefighter, police officer or paramedic) who wants to be able to communicate with deaf people in emergencies?Would you like to advance in your career by being able to communicate in ASL? Do you want to be a Sign Language interpreter?For whatever reason, many people are many learning ASL... it is not difficult or expensive to learn this unique form of communication. It's even exciting!You can communicate clearly with ASL at distances far beyond the reach of the loudest shout!Underwater divers use sign language to communicate with each other, in an environment where speaking is often impossible.A very small microphone can pick up and eavesdrop on any spoken conversation, even if whispered. But a microphone is useless at recording sign language!Yes, it is true that a video pickup COULD record it. But the recording would have to be continuous (not a sequence of still-shots) and in well-positioned direct line of sight. A video camera would be useless if the person speaking American Sign Language was behind something or had his back to the camera...Learning to "speak" using sign language is only one part of the equation though. For a real conversation to take place you of course need to understand what the person you are talking to is saying. And this is often the more difficult part, as different people vary their gestures slightly and express the signs at different speeds. You will need lots of practice to perfect your skills, but with some free sign language lessons, you can learn ASL and actually have fun doing it.
By: Nick C.

5 Secrets to Learning a New Language

So you've decided that it's time to learn a new language. Whether you want to learn for a business trip or because you're going on the trip of a lifetime, learning a new language can be fun and rewarding. What language do you want to learn? Maybe it's Spanish. Maybe Swahili. It doesn't matter what language you want to learn or why you want to learn it. What does matter is what do you do to best accomplish the feat of learning the new language?There are many different language courses on the market today. I will use the Pimsleur Method courses as an example. Pimsleur is easy to use and very effective. So let's say you have decided to use a Pimsleur Level I CD course to learn your new language. This course has 30 audio lessons. Here are a few suggestions that will help to make learning a new language a successful experience.1. Set a GoalBuy yourself a notebook that you can keep notes in. On the first page set a goal for when you will complete the course. The Pimsleur Level I CD course has 30 one-half hour lessons. If your goal is to complete a lesson each weekday as you commute to work, it will take you 6 weeks to complete the course. Be sure to set a time to start the course and a time to finish. Setting goals is a very important first step in learning a new language.2. Set a TimeJust like all things that are important in your life, you need to set a time to learn your new language. This is part of your goal setting but of equal importance to your success. Don't let other things get in your way of learning a new language. If you don't make this a priority, everything will come in your way and you will not effectively learn your new language.3. Take NotesIn your notebook take notes of the words that may be difficult for you to remember. Spell them out. Write their definition. Write out simple phrases you want to memorize. "How are you?" "What is your address?" "Thank you!" You will be surprised with how much this helps you to remember these words and phrases.4. Articles and PicturesKeep a folder and collect articles and pictures about the country you are learning about. If you want to learn French, you might have pictures of the Eiffel Tower or the Seine River. In your mind, or for real, plan a trip to see and converse with the people you are learning about. Dreams are great motivators.5. Books, Newspapers, MagazinesGo to the library, bookstore or magazine shop and get yourself books, newspapers and magazines that you can look at and try to read things in your new language. You will be amazed at how much you can understand in your new language as you move along on your goals.These 5 ideas will help you to successfully reach your goal and have a much more enjoyable time while you are at it.
By: Jim Ada

วันอาทิตย์ที่ 16 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

5 Tips To Learn Japanese Fast And Easy

There are many reasons you should learn Japanese Today. Japan is the seventh largest country in the world, so leaning Japanese and speak it fluently could open many opportunities for you. You can become Japan experts in a variety of different fields such as tourists, journalism, science, technology, humanities and social sciences.Japanese is probably one of the most popular languages to learn for English speakers. It is a gateway to other Asian languages & cultures and Japanese-speakers are the Internet's 3rd largest language group. It is a cool language to learn, and I'll show you how to make it easy. This language is actually very simple but so unlike English that many English speakers find it difficult to learn.Japanese is quite a visual language and it's great if you want to study kanji. The language consists of Chinese characters (Kanji) and another alphabet, Katakana, which is mainly used for foreign words. The average student in Japan will learn about 2,000 kanji by the time he graduates high schoolHere I will give you some tips to learn Japanese fast and easy. Begin learning the basics of grammar and useful expressions. Complete the vocabulary, content, and grammar quizzes for fun. All of Japanese grammar is built on the dictionary form and the conjugation rules for the polite form are one of the easiest in the language. If you find grammar study boring, it might suit your style of learning better to just expose yourself to a lot of Japanese and pick it up naturally, the way children do. Learn the basics of Japanese grammar, pronunciation and basic phrases for fun, or to help prepare for an upcoming trip to Japan. Some of these phrases can be a little frank so be careful when using them. Take a look at Japanese culture and learn some words and phrases from everyday life in Japan. Of course, you'll hear new words and phrases, but the focus is on connecting the vocabulary and grammar you already know into real Japanese conversation. If you are beginners, you might be breaking out into a sweat but you can learn some new vocabulary and check out the eye candy that is Japanese TV. You can also remember tons of words with any Vocabulary software learning game. These kind of software could lets you add your own extra words and pictures. You can add dozens of words and pictures with ease. Visit many forums about Japanese and discuss with other people learning this beautifull language like you. Use interactive audio course. This is very important because you get to hear conversations that are spoken in real everyday situations in modern Japanese society. You'll learn to pronounce words and phrases by repeating them in context, and then work your way right up to speaking entire sentences on cue. Participating in realistic Japanese conversations is clearly the best way to learn this language.Follow these simple rules and you will learn and speak Japanese fast and easy.
By: Joseph Jordan

Speak spanish

Learn to Speak SpanishSpanish is one of the official languages of Spain and most Latin American countries and Equatorial Guinea.. Spanish is also one of the official languages of the United Nations. The Spanish language is a Romance language that was born from the north east area of Spain. In all 21 nations have and use Spanish as their primary language. Spanish language is thus very popular and is the most widely used and spoken from all of the romance languages, - in terms of the number of nations who say that Spanish is their official language and the number of speakers across the globe. There are many institutes that teach quick Spanish speaking courses. There are many free language lessons on the internet. In many countries there are Spanish lessons run by private and government institutes. We can avail of these courses. Among the best courses available are by the Spanish consulates in different countries. The Spanish language courses by the Consulates of Spain are among the best. There are other courses run by other institutes too. These institutes use the actual method of teaching the language in the classroom and the best learning modules are used. In some cases they are published in Spain. Sometimes they are published in the country itself. There are also free and paid online courses that are interactive. Though many people would like to learn the new language the usual way of classroom teaching not everyone has the time. For them the online courses or course modules that are available in the market are welcome. They can use these to learn the language. There are audio lessons with interactive video games and the audio lessons try to make the lessons both interesting and efficient. These lessons are molded in a way to help us to increase our ability to speak the language better. The Computer games make the learning fun and easy. The focus is on building the vocabulary. Some modules contain plenty of information on grammar and are interesting for those who love grammar. For others too the information is interesting. These activity kits and computer games make the Spanish language learning interesting. Some people want to learn the language only for conversation. There are many different requirements. Some people want to learn it for business purposes. There are also other requirements. There are different levels of Spanish. There are usually the beginners, the intermediate and the advanced. Usually the courses that teach spoken Spanish or teach how to speak the language are short courses of usually a few months they teach you Spanish phrase and Spanish dialogues. There is the Pimsleur Spanish Speaking course designed by Dr. Pimsleur and the course takes you to the proficiency level through 100 20 minute exercises. This Spanish course ranks among the best.There are many steps to learning the language and different courses take you to different levels of proficiency. The Spanish courses for conversation equip you for speaking. Other courses may equip you for writing and reading but the courses that equip you for speaking are among the most basic.

By: Mark Ling30 Mark Ling30

Fundamental Principles Of Language Part III

The occasion of all their difficulty originated in an attempt to nvestigate the faculties of the mind without any means of getting at it. They did not content themselves with an adoption of the principles which lay at the foundation of all true philosophy, viz., that the facts to be accounted for, do exist; that truth is eternal, and we are to become acquainted with it by the means employed for its development.They quitted the world of materiality they inhabited, refused to examinethe development of mind as the effect of an existing cause; and at onebold push, entered the world of thought, and made the unhallowed attemptto reason, a priori, concerning things which can only be known by theirmanifestations. But they soon found themselves in a strange land, confused with sights and sounds unknown, in the explanation of which they, of course, choose terms as unintelligible to their readers, as the ideal realities were to them. This course, adopted by Aristotle, has been too closely followed by those who have come after him.[2] But a new era has dawned upon the philosophy of the mind, and a corresponding change in the method of inculcating the principles of language must follow.[3]In all our investigations we must take things as we find them, and account for them as far as we can. It would be a thankless task to attempt a change of principles in any thing. That would be an encroachment of the Creator's rights. It belongs to mortals to use the things they have as not abusing them; and to Deity to regulate the laws by which those things are governed. And that man is the wisest, the truest philosopher, and brightest Christian, who acquaints himself with those laws as they do exist in the regulation of matter and mind, in the promotion of physical and moral enjoyment, and endeavors to conform to them in all his thoughts and actions.From this apparent digression you will at once discover our object. Wemust not endeavor to change the principles of language, but to understand and explain them; to ascertain, as far as possible, the actions of the mind in obtaining ideas, and the use of language in expressing them. We may not be able to make our sentiments understood; but if they are not, the fault will originate in no obscurity in the facts themselves, but in our inability either to understand them or the words employed in their expression. Having been in the habit of using words with either no meaning or a wrong one, it may be difficult to comprehend the subject of which they treat. A man may have a quantity of sulphur, charcoal, and nitre, but it is not until he learns their properties and combinations that he can make gunpowder. Let us then adopt a careful and independent course of reasoning, resolved to meddle with nothing we do not understand, and to use no words until we know their meaning.A complex idea is a combination of several simple ones, as a tree ismade up of roots, a trunk, branches, twigs, and leaves. And these againmay be divided into the wood, the bark, the sap, &c. Or we may employthe botanical terms, and enumerate its external and internal parts andqualities; the whole anatomy and physiology, as well as variety andhistory of trees of that species, and show its characteristicdistinctions; for the mind receives a different impression on looking ata maple, a birch, a poplar, a tamarisk, a sycamore, or hemlock. In thisway complex ideas are formed, distinct in their parts, but blended in acommon whole; and, in conformity with the law regulating language, words, sounds or signs, are employed to express the complex whole, or each distinctive part. The same may be said of all things of like character. But this idea I will illustrate more at large before the close of this lecture.First impressions are produced by a view of material things, as we havealready seen; and the notion of action is obtained from a knowledge ofthe changes these things undergo. The idea of quality and definition isproduced by contrast and comparison. Children soon learn the differencebetween a sweet apple and a sour one, a white rose and a red one, a hardseat and a soft one, harmonious sounds and those that are discordant, apleasant smell and one that is disagreeable. As the mind advances, theapplication is varied, and they speak of a sweet rose, changing fromtaste and sight to smell, of a sweet song, of a hard apple, &c.According to the qualities thus learned, you may talk to them intelligibly of the sweetness of an apple, the color of a rose, the hardness of iron, the harmony of sounds, the smell or scent of things which possess that quality. As these agree or disagree with their comfort, they will call them good or bad, and speak of the qualities of goodness and badness, as if possessed by the thing itself.
By: Godfrey Philander

Fundamental Principles Of Language Part II

It would be absurd and ridiculous to suppose that any person, howevergreat, or learned, or wise, could employ language correctly without aknowledge of the things expressed by that language. No matter how chastehis words, how lofty his phrases, how sweet the intonations, or mellowthe accents. It would avail him nothing if ideas were not representedthereby. It would all be an unknown tongue to the hearer or reader. Itwould not be like the loud rolling thunder, for that tells the wondrouspower of God. It would not be like the soft zephyrs of evening, theradiance of the sun, the twinkling of the stars; for they speak theintelligible language of sublimity itself, and tell of the kindness andprotection of our Father who is in heaven. It would not be like thesweet notes of the choral songsters of the grove, for they warble hymnsof gratitude to God; not like the boding of the distant owl, for thattells the profound solemnity of night; not like the hungry lion roaringfor his prey, for that tells of death and plunder; not like the distantnotes of the clarion, for that tells of blood and carnage, of tears andanguish, of widowhood and orphanage. It can be compared to nothing but aBabel of confusion in which their own folly is worse confounded. Andyet, I am sorry to say it, the languages of all ages and nations havebeen too frequently perverted, and compiled into a heterogeneous massof abstruse, metaphysical volumes, whose only recommendation is theelegant bindings in which they are enclosed.And grammars themselves, whose pretended object is to teach the rules ofspeaking and writing correctly, form but a miserable exception to thissweeping remark. I defy any grammarian, author, or teacher of thenumberless systems, which come, like the frogs of Egypt, all of onegenus, to cover the land, to give a reasonable explanation of even theterms they employ to define their meaning, if indeed, meaning they have.What is meant by an "in-definite article," a dis-junctivecon-junction, an ad-verb which qualifies an adjective, and"sometimes another ad-verb?" Such "parts of speech" have no existencein fact, and their adoption in rules of grammar, have been foundexceedingly mischievous and perplexing. "Adverbs and conjunctions," and"adverbial phrases," and "conjunctive expressions," may serve ascommon sewers for a large and most useful class of words, which theteachers of grammar and lexicographers have been unable to explain; butlearners will gain little information by being told that such is anadverbial phrase, and such, a conjunctive expression. This is aneasy method, I confess, a sort of wholesale traffic, in parsing(passing) language, and may serve to cloak the ignorance of theteachers and makers of grammars. But it will reflect little light on theprinciples of language, or prove very efficient helps to "speak or writewith propriety." Those who think, will demand the meaning of thesewords, and the reason of their use. When that is ascertained, littledifficulty will be found in giving them a place in the company ofrespectable words. But I am digressing. More shall be said upon thispoint in a future lecture, and in its proper place.I was endeavoring to establish the position that all language dependsupon permanent principles; that words are the signs of ideas, and ideasare the impressions of things communicated to the mind thro the mediumof some one of the five senses. I think I have succeeded so far assimple material things are concerned, to the satisfaction of all whohave heard me. It may, perhaps, be more difficult for me to explain thewords employed to express complex ideas, and things of immateriality,such as mind, and its attributes. But the rules previously adopted will,I apprehend, apply with equal ease and correctness in this case; and weshall have cause to admire the simple yet sublime foundation upon whichthe whole superstructure of language is based.In pursuing this investigation I shall endeavor to avoid all abstruseand metaphysical reasoning, present no wild conjectures, or vainhypotheses; but confine myself to plain, common place matter of fact. Wehave reason to rejoice that a wonderful improvement in the science andcultivation of the mind has taken place in these last days; that we areno longer puzzled with the strange phantoms, the wild speculations whichoccupied the giant minds of a Descartes, a Malebranch, a Locke, a Reid,a Stewart, and hosts of others, whose shining talents would havequalified them for the brightest ornaments of literature, realbenefactors of mankind, had not their education lead them into dark andmetaphysical reasonings, a continued tissue of the wildest vagaries, inwhich they became entangled, till, at length, they were entirely lost inthe labyrinth of their own conjectures.Godfrey Philander is the webmaster of a translation website with lots of topics covering href="http://interpret.co.za">language translation language translation, language, languages, online translator, online translation, free translation, free translation services, online translation, free online translation, free online translatorThe occasion of all their difficulty originated in an attempt toinvestigate the faculties of the mind without any means of getting atit. They did not content themselves with an adoption of the principleswhich lay at the foundation of all true philosophy, viz., that thefacts to be accounted for, do exist; that truth is eternal, and we areto become acquainted with it by the means employed for its development.They quitted the world of materiality they inhabited, refused to examinethe development of mind as the effect of an existing cause; and at onebold push, entered the world of thought, and made the unhallowed attemptto reason, a priori, concerning things which can only be known by theirmanifestations. But they soon found themselves in a strange land,confused with sights and sounds unknown, in the explanation of whichthey, of course, choose terms as unintelligible to their readers, as theideal realities were to them. This course, adopted by Aristotle, hasbeen too closely followed by those who have come after him.[2] But a newera has dawned upon the philosophy of the mind, and a correspondingchange in the method of inculcating the principles of language mustfollow.[3]In all our investigations we must take things as we find them, andaccount for them as far as we can. It would be a thankless task toattempt a change of principles in any thing. That would be anencroachment of the Creator's rights. It belongs to mortals to use thethings they have as not abusing them; and to Deity to regulate the lawsby which those things are governed. And that man is the wisest, thetruest philosopher, and brightest Christian, who acquaints himself withthose laws as they do exist in the regulation of matter and mind, in thepromotion of physical and moral enjoyment, and endeavors to conform tothem in all his thoughts and actions.From this apparent digression you will at once discover our object. Wemust not endeavor to change the principles of language, but tounderstand and explain them; to ascertain, as far as possible, theactions of the mind in obtaining ideas, and the use of language inexpressing them. We may not be able to make our sentiments understood;but if they are not, the fault will originate in no obscurity in thefacts themselves, but in our inability either to understand them or thewords employed in their expression. Having been in the habit of usingwords with either no meaning or a wrong one, it may be difficult tocomprehend the subject of which they treat. A man may have a quantity ofsulphur, charcoal, and nitre, but it is not until he learns theirproperties and combinations that he can make gunpowder. Let us thenadopt a careful and independent course of reasoning, resolved to meddlewith nothing we do not understand, and to use no words until we knowtheir meaning.A complex idea is a combination of several simple ones, as a tree ismade up of roots, a trunk, branches, twigs, and leaves. And these againmay be divided into the wood, the bark, the sap, &c. Or we may employthe botanical terms, and enumerate its external and internal parts andqualities; the whole anatomy and physiology, as well as variety andhistory of trees of that species, and show its characteristicdistinctions; for the mind receives a different impression on looking ata maple, a birch, a poplar, a tamarisk, a sycamore, or hemlock. In thisway complex ideas are formed, distinct in their parts, but blended in acommon whole; and, in conformity with the law regulating language,words, sounds or signs, are employed to express the complex whole, oreach distinctive part. The same may be said of all things of likecharacter. But this idea I will illustrate more at large before theclose of this lecture.First impressions are produced by a view of material things, as we havealready seen; and the notion of action is obtained from a knowledge ofthe changes these things undergo. The idea of quality and definition isproduced by contrast and comparison. Children soon learn the differencebetween a sweet apple and a sour one, a white rose and a red one, a hardseat and a soft one, harmonious sounds and those that are discordant, apleasant smell and one that is disagreeable. As the mind advances, theapplication is varied, and they speak of a sweet rose, changing fromtaste and sight to smell, of a sweet song, of a hard apple, &c.According to the qualities thus learned, you may talk to themintelligibly of the sweetness of an apple, the color of a rose, thehardness of iron, the harmony of sounds, the smell or scent ofthings which possess that quality. As these agree or disagree with theircomfort, they will call them good or bad, and speak of the qualitiesof goodness and badness, as if possessed by the thing itself.In this apparently indiscriminate use of words, the ideas remaindistinct; and each sign or object calls them up separately andassociates them together, till, at length, in the single object isassociated all the ideas entertained of its size, qualities, relations,and affinities.In this manner, after long, persevering toil, principles of thought arefixed, and a foundation laid for the whole course of future thinking andspeaking. The ideas become less simple and distinct. Just as fast as themind advances in the knowledge of things, language keeps pace with theideas, and even goes beyond them, so that in process of time a singleterm will not unfrequently represent a complexity of ideas, one of whichwill signify a whole combination of things.On the other hand, there are many instances where the single declarationof a fact may convey to the untutored mind, a single thought or nearlyso, when the better cultivated will take into the account the wholeprocess by which it is effected. To illustrate: a man killed a deer.Here the boy would see and imagine more than he is yet fully able tocomprehend. He will see the obvious fact that the man levels his musket,the gun goes off with a loud report, and the deer falls and dies. Howthis is all produced he does not understand, but knowing the fact heasserts the single truth--the man killed the deer. As the childadvances, he will learn that the sentence conveys to the mind more thanhe at first perceived. He now understands how it was accomplished. Theman had a gun. Then he must go back to the gunsmith and see how it wasmade, thence back to the iron taken from its bed, and wrought into bars;all the processes by which it is brought into the shape of a gun, thetools and machinery employed; the wood for the stock, its quality andproduction; the size, form and color of the lock, the principle uponwhich it moves; the flint, the effect produced by a collision with thesteel, or a percussion cap, and its composition; till he finds a singlegun in the hands of a man. The man is present with this gun. The motiveswhich brought him here; the movements of his limbs, regulated by thedeterminations of the mind, and a thousand other such thoughts, might betaken into the account. Then the deer, his size, form, color, manner ofliving, next may claim a passing thought. But I need not enlarge. Herethey both stand. The man has just seen the deer. As quick as thought hiseye passes over the ground, sees the prey is within proper distance,takes aim, pulls the trigger, that loosens a spring, which forces theflint against the steel; this produces a spark, which ignites thecharcoal, and the sulphur and nitre combined, explode and force the wad,which forces the ball from the gun, and is borne thro the air till itreaches the deer, enters his body by displacing the skin and flesh,deranges the animal functions, and death ensues. The whole and much moreis expressed in the single phrase, "a man killed a deer."It would be needless for me to stop here, and examine all the operationsof the mind in coming at this state of knowledge. That is not the objectof the present work. Such a duty belongs to another treatise, which maysome day be undertaken, on logic and the science of the mind. The hinthere given will enable you to perceive how the mind expands, and howlanguage keeps pace with every advancing step, and, also, howcombinations are made from simple things, as a house is made of timber,boards, shingles, nails, and paints; or of bricks, stone, and mortar; asthe case may be, and when completed, a single term may express theidea, and you speak of a wood, or a brick house. Following thissuggestion, by tracing the operations of the mind in the young child, oryour own, very minutely, in the acquisition of any knowledge beforewholly unknown to you, as a new language, or a new science; botany,mineralogy, chemistry, or phrenology; you will readily discover how themind receives new impressions of things, and a new vocabulary is adoptedto express the ideas formed of plants, minerals, chemical properties,and the development of the capacities of the mind as depending onmaterial organs; how these things are changed and combined; and howtheir existence and qualities, changes and combinations, are expressedby words, to be retained, or conveyed to other minds.But suppose you talk to a person wholly unacquainted with these things,will he understand you? Talk to him of stamens, pistils, calyxes; ofmonandria, diandria, triandria; of gypsum, talc, calcareous spar,quartz, topaz, mica, garnet, pyrites, hornblende, augite, actynolite; ofhexahedral, prismatic, rhomboidal, dodecahedral; of acids and alkalies;of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon; of the configuration of thebrain, and its relative powers; do all this, and what will he know ofyour meaning? So of all science. Words are to be understood from thethings they are employed to represent. You may as well talk to a man inthe hebrew, chinese, or choctaw languages, as in our own, if he does notknow what is signified by the words selected as the medium of thought.Your language may be most pure, perfect, full of meaning, but you cannotmake yourself understood till your hearers can look thro your signs tothe things signified. You may as well present before them a picture ofnothing.
By: Godfrey Philander

Fundamental Principles Of Language (Part I)

All language depends on two general principles.First. The fixed and unvarying laws of nature which regulate matterand mind. Second. The agreement of those who use it.In accordance with these principles all language must be explained. Itis not only needless but impossible for us to deviate from them. Theyremain the same in all ages and in all countries. It should be theobject of the grammarian, and of all who employ language in theexpression of ideas, to become intimately acquainted with their use.It is the business of grammar to explain, not only verbal language, butalso the sublime principles upon which all written or spoken languagedepends. It forms an important part of physical and mental science,which, correctly explained, is abundantly simple and extensively usefulin its application to the affairs of human life and the promotion ofhuman enjoyment.It will not be contended that we are assuming a position beyond thecapacities of learners, that the course here adopted is too philosophic.Such is not the fact. Children are philosophers by nature. All theirideas are derived from things as presented to their observations. Nomother learns her child to lisp the name of a thing which has no being,but she chooses objects with which it is most familiar, and which aremost constantly before it; such as father, mother, brother, sister.She constantly points to the object named, that a distinct impressionmay be made upon its mind, and the thing signified, the idea of thething, and the name which represents it, are all inseparably associatedtogether. If the father is absent, the child may think of him from theidea or impression which his person and affection has produced in themind. If the mother pronounces his name with which it has becomefamiliar, the child will start, look about for the object, or thingsignified by the name, father, and not being able to discover him,will settle down contented with the idea of him deeply impressed onthe mind, and as distinctly understood as if the father was present inperson. So with every thing else.Again, after the child has become familiar with the name of the beingcalled father; the name, idea and object itself being intimatelyassociated the mother will next begin to teach it another lesson;following most undeviatingly the course which nature and true philosophymark out. The father comes and goes, is present or absent. She says onhis return, father come, and the little one looks round to see thething signified by the word father, the idea of which is distinctlyimpressed on the mind, and which it now sees present before it. But thisloved object has not always been here. It had looked round and calledfor the father. But the mother had told it he was gone. Father gone,father come, is her language, and here the child begins to learn ideasof actions. Of this it had, at first, no notion whatever, and neverthought of the father except when his person was present before it, forno impressions had been distinctly made upon the mind which could becalled up by a sound of which it could have no conceptions whatever. Nowthat it has advanced so far, the idea of the father is retained, eventho he is himself absent, and the child begins to associate the notionof coming and going with his presence or absence. Following out thiscourse the mind becomes acquainted with things and actions, or thechanges which things undergo.Next, the mother begins to learn her offspring the distinction andqualities of things. When the little sister comes to it in innocentplayfulness the mother says, "good sister," and with the descriptiveword good it soon begins to associate the quality expressed by theaffectionate regard, of its sister. But when that sister strikes thechild, or pesters it in any way, the mother says "naughty sister,""bad sister." It soon comprehends the descriptive words, good andbad, and along with them carries the association of ideas which suchconduct produces. In the same way it learns to distinguish thedifference between great and small, cold and hot, hard and soft.In this manner the child becomes acquainted with the use of language. Itfirst becomes acquainted with things, the idea of which is left upon themind, or, more properly, the impression of which, left on the mind,constitutes the idea; and a vocabulary of words are learned, whichrepresent these ideas, from which it may select those best calculatedto express its meaning whenever a conversation is had with another.
By: Godfrey Philander

Some Essential Tips For Learning To Speak Japanese

If you are eager in learning to speak Japanese, you may be interested in a strategy known as pictorial learning. Utilizing pictures, you can polish your knowledge to work at a heightened level. Images offer essential clues to work with brain retrieve data. Using imagery can significantly help you for your Japanese language learning. This method helps you to elevate your memorization ability and improve your Japanese VocabularyBelow are tips to help you learn to speak Japanese:1. Using Images or Picture to Learn- by integrating Japanese vocabulary word with pictures allow your brain to form essential associations. Association will help you in recall and memorization. Take advantage of this functions in learning Japanese language.2.Pay Attention to Pronunciation and Verbal Skills-for now, you are concentrating on learning to speak Japanese. The Japanese language has three different alphabets, and learning to write Japanese can be a daunting prospect. For personal or business use, speaking a language is a great medium to begin to immerse yourself in language learning. However, speaking Japanese and expanding your vocabulary can be a quick and easy activity. As you become fluent, you can begin to expand your vocabulary and learn Japanese writing skills.3.Pay attention on Associations- there are two ways to learn a language, through association, or by association. If you need to learn Japanese quickly however, you should focus on associating Japanese words and phrases with English words and phrases, using images as cues. Learning to speak Japanese over time, it would be useful to immerse yourself in the culture, and learn to speak the language as if you were a native speaker through context clues. 4.Polish Vocabulary Memorization-Associate each Japanese word with an English word or concept. Then associate this idea with a picture. Doing so provides your brain with an important path of cues to recall the necessary information. Take for instance, to learn the Japanese word kau: to buy, you would first associate the word with an English word (kau=cow; they sound similar, so this is a fantastic association). Then picture that English word in a memorable image (for example, a cow buying groceries in a supermarket). Utilize that image to aid your brain in quick memorization and recall.By considering these tips in the process of your Japanese Language learning, you will surely be able to learn the language effectively. You will just notice that after using this strategies, you are already knowledgeable enough to understand and speak the language well. Learn to speak Japanese effectively is just a matter of using effective strategies on it. With that, remember the 4 tips above.
By: Stephen Campbell

วันศุกร์ที่ 7 มีนาคม พ.ศ. 2551

Learn to Speak French - How Not to Give Up - Tips for Beginners

Focus on your goal in learning French - maybe you are about to visit a French-speaking country on business, perhaps you need to speak to colleagues in French or have a French-speaking pen friend. Or maybe you're just going on vacation and would like to be able to order food and ask directions.If you have a specific goal in mind which you can focus on you should find learning much easier. Try putting a picture of whatever represents your goal - a photo of your holiday destination etc - somewhere you will see it regularly and be reminded of your goal.I started to learn French when I travelled to fleamarkets there to buy decorative antiques for my shop - being able to speak even basic French helped me enormously in bargaining for better prices and made the whole experience more fun.Try to find a learning package that suits your lifestyle. There are lots of different types of French course - the old-fashioned textbook-only approach has been overtaken by interactive language courses, the best of which may combine CDs, audio, software etc where you are able to listen to the language being spoken and get a chance to speak yourself. Some of the software available really makes it fun to learn by using interactive games. If it's difficult to find time at home you can listen to audio while on your way to work or while you're jogging etc. You might like to think about doing classes at a night school /adult education institute - you will be with people who are at the same level of proficiency as yourself. Speaking French with other people will help overcome any reticence or embarrassment you might feel when you are actually trying to speak when you are abroad or with a French person. And don't worry, everyone in the class will make mistakes and they won't all be better at it than you! Doing a class may also help you to meet people that you could see outside of class to try out your new language skills. Classes can be a useful addition to whatever package you are using at home, and your classmates will help your motivation and stop you from feeling isolated in your learning.Don't try to do several hours a day and then nothing for a week - it will be far easier to absorb what you've learnt if you do, say, 15 or 20 minutes once or twice a day, and far more manageable. Learning in bite-sizes chunks doesn't feel nearly so daunting and you'll feel that you've achieved something every time you've completed a 15 minute session. This will help to give you the motivation to continue. You could try promising yourself a small reward or treat each time you finish a section of the course.It is really important to keep using the skills you are acquiring - if you have no one you can speak French with, you can still say words and phrases out loud.When you're at home you can try to think of the French words for the pieces of furniture and household objects, clothes, food etc that you have around you, and look up those you don't know. You could write the French name for various things on little sticky notes and attach them to everyday items so that each time you look at that item you see the French name for it. This is a good technique to help you remember basic vocabulary.Above all, don't let it become a chore. Keep it fun and you'll keep your enthusiasm for it.
By: Bridget Bonnett

Graduate Programs for teaching English in Korea

Graduate Programs for teaching English in KoreaIn Korea , the demand for native speakers of English or westerners teaching English in Korea is in high demand though it is less than that in other far eastern countries like Japan. The minimum qualifications are fluency in English, a bachelor’s degree, and a positive attitude. Most of the work available is to teach young children and adolescents. So, such jobs do not need a teaching degree or diploma from institutes in the country that run professional programs. Most candidates are graduates and have an enthusiasm for teaching. Other teaching assignments include teaching inPrivate foreign language institutes (hakwons)Corporate in-house language programsUniversity language institutes- university academic departmentsGovernment/private research centersEditing/public relations, advertising company’sPrivate teaching/informal classesThe hakwons (language schools) are mainly found in the Chongro district of Seoul, in Pusan, and in the smaller cities. Teaching a minimum of 120 hours a month fetches a salary of 180,000 to 20,000 won, return airfare, free accommodation, paid holidays, medical insurance, and a bonus on completion of the contract. Recently federal, municipal and provincial governments have started recruiting expatriate teachers for teaching English in the public schools in the country. Language institutes advertise for teachers on a host of websites. And in english language newspapers. In most cases a bachelor’s degree or higher is required but in some case a TESOL/ESL certificate is also acceptable. It is not necessary to know the Korean language, Hangul but it is convenient to know basic nuances like basic words and phrases. The Koretta/Epic Korean Govt. program has recently been introduced and through this program native speakers of English, expatriates and other such people have been introduced into public schools. Teaching hours are generally 20 to 30 hours per week from Monday to Friday and sometimes include Saturday mornings. There are holidays generally of 2 to3 weeks and not more. Contracts are of not more than 1 year with the provision of extension. Students are usually from grade schools, university or are govt. employees.The recruitment process carries on all the year round. Accommodation is a serious issue in a foreign country. But, accommodation is generally provided free of cost, especially outside Seoul. Graduates must provide a current passport and be a native speaker to get a visa. The visa that is generally available is the E-2 visa. In some cases, the candidate goes to Korea on a tourist visa and changes to an E-2 visa within three months of arrival in the country. Many students from the west go to Korea to teach in a gap year before starting on their post graduation. They take this as an opportunity to enjoy an enriching experience to come in contact with a foreign culture and spend some quality time in a foreign land. They make friends in a foreign land and maintain contacts with people in Korea. Many universities also run programs for teaching English in Korea and other far-eastern nations. These programs make the university popular in the countries they conduct these programs.
By: Craig21 White.12

Proper Names Translated into Russian.

It is often said that in the text of the Russian translation the proper names are not translated but transliterated. It may even be observed in real life. Still, there are quite a few proper namesthat seem to violate this rule of thumb.An example are word combinations thatare partially made of a proper name and there are also common words. Here we mean eponymous vocabulary. Before we go into this issue of eponymics any deeper, let us look and discover the meaning of the word eponym and its derivatives in linguistics. All words inboth English and Russian can be segmented into two separate chunks: proper names and appellative names. The word "eponim" originates from the Greek language, where it meant "smth. or smb. giving the name". In thepast eponyms came into existence from the names of real people, war heroes or deities to be later employed in the names of towns, tribes, objects and even positions of power. During this time the actual notion of "eponym" expanded, though it meant not only the personal name, but now it could be used to name animals or an objects.Currently, linguists employ the word “eponym” to refer to a word that has stopped working as a proper name and now functions as a simple regular noun. Therefore, we work with 3 individual elements of an eponym:1. being or object2. proper name3. common word.Therefore, the Russian interpreters while translating eponymisms face the problem of developing an instant hypothesis about the background knowledge of users of the English word and the audience of its Russian text. The connotation of eponym arises out of the cultural context. Variations between those implications in the English and Russian tongues predetermine a number of possibilities of appellativization of proper names. The primary question connected with eponymisms is the subject of their out-of-context transparency which is a secret peculiarity that depends on the cultural competence and background knowledge of Russian native audiences. There is a question here: in what way should an interpreter deal with eponyms? A number of eponyms have a common cultural context which makes which makes them easy to translate, for instance “superman” or “Lolita”.The same thing applies also to the eponymisms that have lost their transparency in both English and Russian. (e.g.: Adonis named after a beautiful young man adored by both Aphrodite and Persephone and killed by a boar, or the game of badminton named after Badminton in the South West of England, country seat of the Duke of Beaufort, where it was played). There is a problem only when an eponym is transparent in English, but means absolutely nothing to the Russian audience. However, not every eponimism causes problems. Those which are non-transparent, do not cause any difficulties in Russian translation at all.
By: Mathew Petrenko

Learn To Speak German For Five Reasons

There are many reasons why someone would want or need to speak another language. Let's take German for example--why is German a good language to learn to speak?First, your resume will look more impressive when stating that you speak a second language. Since German is the second most used language in Europe, it will be a great second language to have in your repertoire because you will obviously be able to communicate with more people. Also, many studies have shown that those who are bilingual have higher IQ's, are better at solving problems, and are more creative than their monolingual counterparts. In other words knowing German will make you smarter. Employers love to hire smarter people who can communicate with more people.Second, the number of German websites is 2nd in popularity next to English speaking websites. You will have access to a lot more information online by speaking German. Germany's country domain extension is .de and there are over 10 million websites that use that extension. The internet is bringing everyone closer together and with the growth of social media sites on the internet, you will be able to connect with a lot more people if you learn to speak German. Not to mention the potential for your business if you do any online marketing.Third, over 80,000 new titles are printed in German each year. It is third in number next to English and Chinese. Most of those books are not translated into other languages. Even if a book is translated into your native language, it is always more fulfilling to read something in its original language in my opinion.Fourth, German-speaking countries have rich cultures that you can be a part of more by speaking their language. These cultures have influenced all of society in one way or another. Many famous authors, composers, philosophers, scientists, and athletes have come from this area. And many of their ideas and discoveries have affected the world for better. Seek out some of their works and read them in German and you will gain a wonderful addition to your own culture.Fifth, speaking German will help anyone to enjoy more fully Oktoberfest. This is the world's biggest public festival and is held annually just after the harvest in late September and early October. There are lots of people, lots of food, lots of beer, and therefore, lots of fun!Learning to speak German is a worthwhile cause and has its benefits. Connect yourself to more people begin studying some vocabulary which you can find all over the internet for free.
By:

Learn How To Speak German

It Is Not Difficult To Learn To Speak German. German words, unlike English words, are easy to figure out how to say and how to write because they are spelled phonetically. All you need to do is learn how to pronounce the sounds and you are set.If you speak English, it will be even easier for you because German and English evolved from the Germanic (also known as Proto-Germanic) language. Both English and German make up the largest Germanic languages in the world.Not only are German and English derived from the same base language of Germanic but they are very similar in grammar and vocabulary. Some words are similar in sound and spelling, for example: Mein Hand hat funf Finger (My hand has five fingers) and Mein Name ist Greg (My name is Greg). Just the fact that some words sound and are spelled similar should make German an appealing language to learn.Where is the exit? Over There. (Wo ist der Ausgang? Da druben.) If you've ever heard someone speak German you know what I mean when I say that it would be cool to make those sounds with your mouth and know what they mean too. Below are three good reasons why you should learn the German language. There definitely are some benefits of being fluent in another language and German is a great one to learn. Just keep reading.Reason #1: German Is A Major Language In EuropeWhen you think of the German language you automatically think of Germany. Yes, there are about 82 million people in Germany and the majority of them speak German, but there are also four other countries that claim German as their official language: Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland; not to mention the other areas in Europe that have high concentrations of German speakers: Denmark, eastern France, eastern Belgium, northern Italy, parts of Poland, parts of Russia and Hungary, and the list keeps going; there are even German communities in Argentina where millions of Germans have migrated over the last 200 years.Roughly, there are 180 million people that speak German in the world. Approximately 100 million of them are native German speakers while about 80 million are non-native speakers. About 32% of the European Union (EU) population can speak German. Approximately 18% of the EU population speaks German as their mother tongue.Reason #2: German Will Come In Handy When You Go To Germany and Other European CountriesA trip to Germany or other German-speaking countries or regions will be a lot more enjoyable if you learn to speak German, not to mention that it will help you speak German even better. You would then have the ability to see places and things that most tourists won't because of your newly-developed ability to speak. Imagine how much more fun your shopping experiences will be or even just ordering food at a restaurant. Germans prefer when you speak in their native tongue but don't worry about it if you just can't get your point across in German. You can always ask, "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" (Do you speak English?) and most likely someone will be able to help you out in English. Germans will respect the fact that you have made an effort to learn their language and will be polite. Germans who don't speak fluent English will also be willing to help you out but they might answer your questions in one or two words in English because they don't know full English sentences. Don't think that they are being rude or impolite. That's just the best that they can do in English. You'll for sure make many more new acquaintances and start lifelong friendships because of your German-speaking ability.Reason #3: Speaking German Could Help You Out In the Business WorldA lot of business in the World is done in and by German companies. The Fortune Global 500 (the World's largest stock market assigned companies) is made up of 500 of the largest companies in the World. Thirty seven (37) of those companies are headquartered in Germany. Germany has the third largest economy in the World and is also the top exporter in the World. These facts alone should persuade you that being able to speak German is a smart thing for business. In the U.S. German companies employ about 700,000 people. These companies would rather hire someone who speaks German as opposed to someone who does not.ConclusionGerman is a wonderful language to learn that is easier than others because of its similarities to English. Speaking and understanding German will help you in your travels to Europe, in getting a job, or in doing business. German is spoken by 180 million people in the world. Why don't you make it 180 million and one?
By :

French/English Translation: The Common History of Two Languages

Along with most of the other languages of Western Europe, both French and English are daughter languages of proto-Indo-European. French is a Romance language, derived from proto-Italic via Latin (like Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, and Catalan); English is a Teutonic language, derived from proto-Germanic via West Germanic (like Dutch, German, and Yiddish). French/English translation is made more interesting by the complicated history of English and the part French plays in this history, though the two languages are long-since separated on the Indo-European family tree. English is often described as a German language with a Romance vocabulary. Old English was an amalgam of the languages of several tribes of northern Europe – the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons – who displaced the Celts as rulers of the British Isles. With the 1066 Norman Conquest of England, the language of the court became Norman French, relegating English to the language of the common people. As English was only used for daily affairs in this period, it simplified into Middle English, the language of Chaucer. During the 300 years the Normans ruled England, many French words drifted into English. By the time English came back into favor as the primary language of the Isles, it had transformed into Early Modern English, the language in which Shakespeare composed his sonnets and plays. It is estimated that between one fourth and one third of modern English vocabulary comes from French.In the history of French-English relations, English has not only borrowed from French, but vice versa. With the rise of English as the international lingua franca of business and science, French has borrowed many English neologisms. The watch-dog committee that polices the French language, The French Academy, has tried in vain to limit borrowings; their numbers continue to grow.Over the millennia, significant vocabulary has been borrowed from Latin into English. The Saxons, Angles and Jutes fought and bartered with the Romans before relocating to the British Isles and were thus already using some Latin words before their languages coalesced into Old English. Christian missionaries to England brought with them Latin religious terms and further borrowings occurred at the time of the English Renaissance. During the Industrial Age and up to the modern day, new knowledge and technology is often labeled with names that are either direct Latin borrowings or neologisms created from Latinate roots. Such that an additional one fourth of English words stem from Latin or its derivatives. This has led to the doubles in English that both enrich and complicate the language: a native Germanic noun paired with a Latinate adjective, e.g., spider and arachnidian, eye and ocular/visual.The unusual history of the English language and its exchange with modern-day French makes French/English translation simpler as there is a large body of cognates translators do not have to change, such as direct borrowings from French into English (ballet, moustache); direct borrowings from English into French (weekend, marketing); and Latin derivatives common to both languages (allusion, molecule). Those involved in French/English translation do need, however, to take heed of the many false cognates, known as 'false friends.' Some are homographs that, despite identical spelling, have no linguistic relation, such as chair (a place to sit in English, 'flesh' in French) or coin (a form of money in English, 'neighborhood' in French). More problematic are similar words that have evolved easily mistakable meanings, such as attend/attendre ('to wait' in French), eventually/eventuellement ('possibly') or actually/actuellement ('currently').In short, thanks to the vagaries of history, French/English translation is often more straightforward than translation between other language pairs. Their many cognates and common Indo-European foundation mean that the two languages are more alike than they are different.
By: Armando Riquier

Picking Up Basic Romanian Phrases The Easy Way

Picking Up Basic Romanian Phrases The Easy Way


There are times when you need to learn the basics of a foreign language, well, at least the necessary phrases. It could be a visit to a foreign land, or having some foreigners visit you. You might even fall in love with someone from a different country. Of course, the quickest way to learn a foreign language is to spend some time with a native speaker of that language. If you are inclined towards communicating with Romanians, here are some essential phrases in that language. Most new learners want to learn the exact translations of some basic phrases. We provide you a list of such phrases in Romanian along with English translations.

Romanian - English

Da - Yes

Nu - No

Da,va rog - Yes, please

Nu multzumesc - No, thank you

Domn, Doamna - Sir, Madam

Iata - Here is

Buna - Hello

Buna dimineatza - Good morning

Buna ziua - Good afternoon

Buna seara - Good evening

Noapte buna - Good night

Cu placere - You are welcome

Ce mai faci - How are you

Foarte bine, multzumesc - Very well, thank you

Ma scuzatzi - Excuse me

Ma putetzi ajuta - Can you help me?

Nu intzeleg - I do not understand

Nu shtiu - I do not know

Putetzi sa scrietzi? - Could you please write it down?

Scuze - Leave me alone

Unde - Where

Cand - When

De ce - Why

Cine - Who

Care - Which

Unde este - Where is

Cat costa - How much

Eu vreau - I want

Ce este - What is

Imi place - I like it

Nu imi place - I do not like it

De acord - Agreed

E bine - That is fine

The letter "a" is pronounced just like the English word "sir" in the words "sa", "va", "ma", "buna", and "doamna". Again, in the words "ce", "place", "placere", "faci", "ce" and "ci", the letter c is pronounced "ch", like in the word "teacher". In the words "cat" and "cand", the letter "a" is pronounced like the Russian "you".If you think speaking Romanian is easy, think again. Pronouncing the Romanian words can be tricky, as the alphabet does not always follow letter sounds. Take the letter "r", for example. If you are English-speaking, you might face problems trying to pronounce the Romanian "r", which has a definite sound of its own. Your best try could come out very funny to Romanian ears. To carry on in the same vein someone, whose first language is French, will have a lot of trouble pronouncing the Romanian "h". Most will simply be unable to utter it. Similarly, the sound that the letters "b" or "o" stand for is very difficult to utter for English speaking people. On the other hand, Russian people can find it quite easy as the vowel sound in the Russian equivalent of "you" is basically similar to these sounds. This is not to say you can never pick up the correct rendition of these basic Romanian phrases. All you need is to communicate with native Romanian speakers to avoid a hilarious rendition of the language and learn to speak with accurate pronunciation and fluency. Like with any other language, the teachers of Romanian language need to choose the method of teaching suitable to the learner. This applies even if it is just the essential phrases that are being taught. Some will learn faster if they can relate to the topic. Others learn better with a diagrammatic presentation. Some people pick up a language easily when they practice with a partner or get involved in group activity learning a skill or craft. Therefore, when teaching Romanian to foreigners you must be aware of the way of teaching best suited to every single one of them. Once you have done that, be ready for an exciting and sometimes hilarious journey into the world of a new language.
By: Peter Finch

Learning Spanish Program

Learning Spanish Program
By: Mark45 Ling45
With the Spanish speaking population growing every year, people all over the US have started learning Spanish. The Spanish language has become an integral part of the lives of many Americans, and many universities and organizations have started offering Spanish language classes. If you are currently enrolled for a Spanish language course, here are a few tips to help you make the most of your Spanish language classes:Supplement your learningEven if you are in the embryonic phase of learning, you should spend your leisure time listening to and watching Spanish movies and other Spanish language programs. Remember, learning does not end in the classroom and you should try and supplement your learning by all means possible. The same holds true for the printed materials you are provided; if the content you have been provided does not clarify a concept, don’t hesitate to consult another source. Try and interact with Spanish speaking individualsChances are you will only get an opportunity to interact with people in Spanish in your classroom. If you are serious about learning Spanish, try and interact with Spanish speaking individuals outside the classroom. Chances are there will be a Spanish speaking community in the city you are living in, try and become a part of community activities so that you can learn the language as it is spoken. Learn Spanish in a Spanish speaking countryOne of the most popular holiday/learning activities tourists are pursuing is learning Spanish in a Spanish speaking country. Contrary to popular belief, you will not end up spending thousands of dollars in travel and accommodation expenses and there are numerous Spanish speaking countries other than Spain where you can learn Spanish. Countries like Mexico, Peru and Guetamala are just some of the countries that have started catering to tourists that are looking to learn Spanish in a Spanish speaking country. Ideally, you should learn the basics of the Spanish and then pursue advanced learning in a Spanish speaking country. Don’t make Spanish learning an academic exerciseDon’t treat Spanish language classes like other subjects. Enjoy yourself and try and make each class as interactive and fun as possible. Experts agree that learning a language is not simple if a person makes it a purely academic exercise, and you should try and learn Spanish by concentrating on more than just the pronunciation and usage. Proper pronunciation is importantChances are the Spanish language class you attend will lay emphasis on the way you pronounce Spanish words. What differentiates a good learner from a brilliant student is the dedication and emphasis laid on the pronunciation. Poor pronunciation habits are hard to break and like the English language, Spanish has its own set of silent words and special pronunciations. In conclusion, learning Spanish is an important exercise if your job requires interaction with Spanish speaking people on a regular basis or if you want to expand your language capabilities and social skills. All you need to learn Spanish is keep an open mind and a positive outlook. To learn Spanish online visit www.rocketlanguages.com/spanish