Listening and Language (Improvement)
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Topic: Listening and Language (Improvement)
Posted By: Asyte2c00
Subject: Listening and Language (Improvement)
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 10:43
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As I student of Spanish and Portuguese, I have a genuine interest in the culture and politics of South America. When I study and practice these languages, I find listening to native speakers in real life and in movies the most challenging aspect of language learning.
Simply,
Reading: Good
Writing: Good
Speaking: Good
Listening: Bad
For the polyglots of PA, particularly those who grew up in monolingual families,
Ho do you suggest a student of langauge to improve his listening abilities?
Are there exercises that I can do (spanish movies w/o subtitles, spanish prog, newscasts?
^^For this approach, will this definietly work if done for a long amount of time. if so, I'm willing to put in the effort.
Is it stil possible (I am twenty)?
It's only the listening that challenges me.
Suggestions are greatly appreciated.
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Replies:
Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 11:23
| I'm learning Russian, German and Finnish. I find that one good thing you can do is Google for radio-broadcasts in that language. Talk shows work even better for this. |
Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 17:07
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Listening (and understanding) is basically a matter of practicing and practicing. Anyway, it varies from person to person just like the ability to learn music, something like to 'have ears' as we say here.
To listen to music can help too...  ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 17:56
| If you can, find someone who speaks the languages you want to learn and try to learn and listen to their pronunciation and speech mannerisms. Try to have conversation only in the language you are trying to learn. I'm pretty sure, since you live in the States that you could find a friend, neighbor, teacher etc. that speaks Spanish . Try also to do your exercises out loud and record yourself so you could improve. |
Posted By: Asyte2c00
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 19:06
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Yeah, but is listening enough or do I have to concentrate and listen?
Because If truly understood their words I would not need to translate them, correct? Like for polyglots, they don't listen and translate into their mother tongue, they just understand it and reply, without thinking.Is this true?
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Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 20:07
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The 2 polyglots I had the opportunity to meet in my entire life (they were not translators but real polyglots) were raised in areas where 3-4 languages were spoken: one for Eastern Europe and the other from the Middle East. This kind of environment tends to produce more polyglots than others where a sole language is spoken IMO but I recognize that there are people really gifted in this area just like others are gifted for maths or sports.
However, focusing in one or two foreign languages (instead of 8 or 12) one may reach the polyglossy stage after hard working, training, experimenting, etc. The day you dream in another language you'll be totally ready.  ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |
Posted By: markosherrera
Date Posted: September 27 2008 at 20:32
Ok you ought to practice with portuguese videos with subtitles and dictionary...like the next link http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=KC0on_LpoMM ------------- Hi progmaniacs of all the world |
Asyte2c00 wrote:Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: September 28 2008 at 02:10
| Its just like your favorite album. Listen to it a lot until you can hear it in your head without actually listening to it. |
Posted By: Atkingani
Date Posted: September 28 2008 at 07:57
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For Portuguese lessons I prefer this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAA29Kvnu8k - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAA29Kvnu8k ------------- Guigo ~~~~~~ |
Posted By: Dalezilla
Date Posted: September 28 2008 at 10:45
You're learning Finnish!  Good luck!May I ask why? |
Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: September 28 2008 at 12:47
After school, I'm going to spend a fair bit of time travelling in Finland and Estonia. That, and I just have an interest in all things Finland.
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