Comments for Blog ESL languages http://blog.esl-languages.com/en Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:53:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 Comment on Why you should learn a language on your gap year by Tom http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/learn-language-gap-year/comment-page-1/#comment-6608 Tom Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:53:24 +0000 http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/?p=1224#comment-6608 Learning Spanish made a big difference to my gap year in South America. I spent the first month in Buenos Aires taking Spanish classes and then traveled all over the continent. When you can understand what everyone else is saying and join in the conversation you can enjoy it more and those border guards aren't as scary! Learning Spanish made a big difference to my gap year in South America. I spent the first month in Buenos Aires taking Spanish classes and then traveled all over the continent. When you can understand what everyone else is saying and join in the conversation you can enjoy it more and those border guards aren’t as scary!

]]> Comment on Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache… is German a “hard” language to learn? by Andrew http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/is-german-a-hard-language-to-learn/comment-page-1/#comment-6522 Andrew Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:47:06 +0000 http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/?p=1088#comment-6522 I have been learning German for the last three years and definitely found it easier when I spent time living in Germany. I also found it useful to read newspapers in German. I found that people were generally very forgiving if you made small grammatical mistakes with the cases and even sympathized! I have been learning German for the last three years and definitely found it easier when I spent time living in Germany. I also found it useful to read newspapers in German. I found that people were generally very forgiving if you made small grammatical mistakes with the cases and even sympathized!

]]> Comment on The contributions of French to English by Charity Dell http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/contributions-of-the-french-language-to-english/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Charity Dell Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:52:52 +0000 http://blog.esl.ch/a-way-with-words/contributions-of-the-french-language-to-english/#comment-130 Every now and then, we get to read about the latest "need" to "defend" one's language against "foreign invasion." Since all languages change and evolve, borrow from and lend words to languages, and shift pronunciation and grammar along the way--why is there any need to "worry" about "linguistic purity"? It is this very characteristic of human language--its fluidity and its dynamic ability to adapt, change, meld, blend words in myriads of ways--that makes the study of any/all languages so fascinating! If we spent less time worrying about "keeping the language pure" and more time learning/teaching the earth's 6900+ languages, life would be better on this lovely blue planet that God has given us! Linguistic diversity--including diversity WITHIN one's language or a related "family" of languages--need not "threaten" any language. Living languages are produced by living speakers, and as long as humans produce goods, trade, or travel, their languages can and will absorb "foreign" words and phrases which serve to enrich those languages that absorb them and the speakers who utilize them. Since all languages contain "borrowed" words taken from languages in antiquity and from modern times, why should this be a cause for "alarm?" Every now and then, we get to read about the latest “need” to “defend” one’s language against “foreign invasion.” Since all languages change and evolve, borrow from and lend words to languages, and shift pronunciation and grammar along the way–why is there any need to “worry” about “linguistic purity”?

It is this very characteristic of human language–its fluidity and its dynamic ability to adapt, change, meld, blend words in myriads of ways–that makes the study of any/all languages so fascinating! If we spent less time worrying about “keeping the language pure” and more time learning/teaching the earth’s 6900+ languages, life would be better on this lovely blue planet that God has given us!

Linguistic diversity–including diversity WITHIN one’s language or a related “family” of languages–need not “threaten” any language.
Living languages are produced by living speakers, and as long as humans produce goods, trade, or travel, their languages can and will absorb “foreign” words and phrases which serve to enrich those languages that absorb them and the speakers who utilize them.

Since all languages contain “borrowed” words taken from languages in antiquity and from modern times, why should this be a cause for “alarm?”

]]> Comment on Languages matter! by Juanits http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/languages-matter/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Juanits Fri, 30 May 2008 20:24:44 +0000 http://blog.esl.ch/esl/languages-matter/#comment-33 I really appreciate the positive view that this article offers about the Multilingualism. I know that some people are very reluctant about learning other languages as a way of defending his/her culture. But I do agree with this saying “Quien no sabe nada sobre lenguas extranjeras, no sabe nada acerca de la suya.” Goethe, (1749 – 1832) Multilingualism is a way of enrich our culture and value others as well I really appreciate the positive view that this article offers about the Multilingualism. I know that some people are very reluctant about learning other languages as a way of defending his/her culture. But I do agree with this saying “Quien no sabe nada sobre lenguas extranjeras, no sabe nada acerca de la suya.” Goethe, (1749 – 1832)
Multilingualism is a way of enrich our culture and value others as well

]]> Comment on 8 Reasons to Learn a Non-English Language by Penny http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/8-reasons-to-learn-a-non-english-language/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Penny Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:39:58 +0000 http://blog.esl.ch/?p=93&language=en#comment-32 <p><p><p>I totally agree!! All of these reasons are so true about learning languages. Personally, i think it is very important to know at least one langauge other than your mother-tongue( although i may be biassed because i like them very much). It is great because there are so many fun simple ways of learning a langague like by travelling and its a great tool to have when your in a foreign country.</p></p></p> <p><p>I totally agree!! All of these reasons are so true about learning languages. Personally, i think it is very important to know at least one langauge other than your mother-tongue( although i may be biassed because i like them very much). It is great because there are so many fun simple ways of learning a langague like by travelling and its a great tool to have when your in a foreign country.</p></p>

]]> Comment on 2008… as they say it over there! by fatima http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/2008-as-they-say-it-over-there/comment-page-1/#comment-31 fatima Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:15:40 +0000 http://blog.esl.ch/esl/2008-as-they-say-it-over-there/#comment-31 <p>the right expression in Arabic would be</p> <p> ميلاد مجيد و عام سعيد</p> the right expression in Arabic would be

ميلاد مجيد و عام سعيد

]]> Comment on Language study trip in New Zealand… by Judy http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/reportage/language-study-trip-to-new-zealand/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Judy Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:20:50 +0000 http://blog.esl.ch/reportage/language-study-trip-to-new-zealand/#comment-30 <p>Your blog is great! Very informative! We will be sure to link to you!<br /> <a href="http://language-for-learning.blogspot.com/2008/01/our-1-recommended-language-for-learning.html" rel="nofollow"><br /> Judy and Harold</a></p> Your blog is great! Very informative! We will be sure to link to you!
<a href=”http://language-for-learning.blogspot.com/2008/01/our-1-recommended-language-for-learning.html” rel=”nofollow”>
Judy and Harold</a>

]]> Comment on 8 Reasons to Learn a Non-English Language by Rosemary Lyndall Wemm http://blog.esl-languages.com/en/esl/8-reasons-to-learn-a-non-english-language/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Rosemary Lyndall Wemm Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:43:30 +0000 http://blog.esl.ch/?p=93&language=en#comment-28 <p><p>If you teach ESL or EFL there is another reason to learn a LOTE: it is much easier to teach English to speakers of another language if you also know their language. </p><br /> <p>Learning to use another language well teaches the student that culture and language are interdependent. The more remote the language is to English, the more obvious this becomes. </p><br /> <p>The most common mistake a mono-linguist makes is assuming that they can speak another language by simply translating each word. It never occurs to them that a language custom in one language is rude, funny, embarrassing, unacceptable or even dangerous, when directly translated into another. </p><br /> <p>This is true even across the main English dialects. "Ma'am" is a very polite term in the USA but can cause offense in Australia or Britain. </p><br /> <p>Non-European languages have even more remote socio-linguistic characteristics. For example, in the Indonesian language the words "Mother" and "Father" are polite form of address for adults in authority, regardless of whether they are married or have children .<br /><br /> English learners in that country assume that these terms can be translated as "Miss" or "Mr", but the truth is that such titles are simply left out entirely in polite prestigious English spoken by thier nearest neighbour (Australia). </p><br /> <p>Mono-linguist and uni-cultural Americans who teach English to Indonesians (and anywhere else in the world) can make some unintentional cultural errors. I know one American-Australian who did not understand why she could not get Indonesian girls to learn English using the same techniques that were used to teach American children. These children lived in a culture where it was incredibly impolite for a girl to be verbally assertive, especially in the presence of boys. </p><br /> <p>There are many, many more examples of how culture affects language and vice versa.</p><br /> <p>If you learn the language of another culture you hold a mirror up to your own. The values you took for granted no longer appear universal.</p></p> <p>If you teach ESL or EFL there is another reason to learn a LOTE: it is much easier to teach English to speakers of another language if you also know their language. </p>
<p>Learning to use another language well teaches the student that culture and language are interdependent. The more remote the language is to English, the more obvious this becomes. </p>
<p>The most common mistake a mono-linguist makes is assuming that they can speak another language by simply translating each word. It never occurs to them that a language custom in one language is rude, funny, embarrassing, unacceptable or even dangerous, when directly translated into another. </p>
<p>This is true even across the main English dialects. “Ma’am” is a very polite term in the USA but can cause offense in Australia or Britain. </p>
<p>Non-European languages have even more remote socio-linguistic characteristics. For example, in the Indonesian language the words “Mother” and “Father” are polite form of address for adults in authority, regardless of whether they are married or have children .<br />
English learners in that country assume that these terms can be translated as “Miss” or “Mr”, but the truth is that such titles are simply left out entirely in polite prestigious English spoken by thier nearest neighbour (Australia). </p>
<p>Mono-linguist and uni-cultural Americans who teach English to Indonesians (and anywhere else in the world) can make some unintentional cultural errors. I know one American-Australian who did not understand why she could not get Indonesian girls to learn English using the same techniques that were used to teach American children. These children lived in a culture where it was incredibly impolite for a girl to be verbally assertive, especially in the presence of boys. </p>
<p>There are many, many more examples of how culture affects language and vice versa.</p>
<p>If you learn the language of another culture you hold a mirror up to your own. The values you took for granted no longer appear universal.</p>

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