BootsnAll Travel Community

I am traveling for 15 months. Staying in 3 different countries for months at a time. My first stop was 6 months in Thailand. I made very little attempt to learn the language because I thought a) it would be impossible and b) since I was only to be there a few months I thought what was the point. Well, much to my suprise I learned probably a 100 or more words without really trying. So, now I am in vietnam, and so I decided to actually take lessons. I found it frustrated in many ways, not the least of which is because my "teacher" was 20 years old, of course inexperienced with teaching anything much less a language. Here is my opinions on learning a language while abroad: Lessons are good but it is best to start out learning the necessities before moving on to "how are you? where are you from?" Starting first with basic pronouncation, then basic words (numbers, foods etc.) then moving on to necessary prhases "where is the..." From there, moving on to the syntax and grammar, and at this point one can do the "how are you, where are you from".

I think rosetta stone's premise is off: that we learn from exposure. That maybe true of small children but adults learn very differently. If this was the case, then we would all be able to learn a language from watching movies, and just living in a country. after many lessons with my teacher I did find it useful to practice, review, and add a few hard earned new words.

For me a necessity was one of those cheap basic language learning pieces of software. It enabled me to practice and memorize over and over and over. I tried making flashcards but I can't hang with them long enough.

Well, that's my two sense worth on learning a language while in a foreign country. Anyone else have any thoughts on the subject?

I love that people think it's impossible to learn Thai if you're a westerner - yet so many Thais seem to be able to learn English - imagine if they didn't.

We are heading off for Thailand in just over a week, we are going to take in 10 plus countries, but we are spending a while in Thailand so the first thing we are doing is spending 6 weeks in a language school.

I think when you learn a new language, you gain a much better understanding of the culture too, often more so than just looking at one temple after another.

As for the exposure method, I think it's more meant to be immersion - which you can only really do when you're in the country of the language you're learning.

I don't think it's about watching the odd movie here and there and then by magic you can learn the language - which isn't how kids learn.

They, and adult (can) learn by hearing nothing but the new language, by trying to pick up new words each day, and trying whenever they can to use the new language.

What's your third country btw?

the third country is India... Have you been?

I haven't no, and it's not high on my list either - funny how some places appeal and some don't.

I think of all the places we plan to visit in the next year or so Borneo is the one I'm most looking forward too.

I love the idea of being somewhere that actually sits on the equator

I may not be a good example....

but I've been in Russia for 4 years. Work with Russians all day. Took Russian for a year. And my Russian is beneath deplorable. It's dreadful. Pitiful, miserable, godawful.

Maybe some people are better at picking up language than others. Clearly I am not one of the good ones.

Language patterns are set down in a childs brain while still in the womb and then up until 6 months.

Then secondary so until the age of around 3.

So those children who are lucky enough to be round several different languages when they are very young, will have these patterns set down.

Which can prove really helpful, especially if you have say, French and English parents - which would mean that you would have a Latin based language and a romance one - having the patterns for these would make it easier to learn other languages.

For everyone else, we just have to try extra hard.

I've got to the point with two new languages now, French and Welsh, where I can do everything I need to do in the language, but I can't really have a conversation.

I'm hoping in Thailand that I'll be able to totally immerse myself in the language and after doing a 60 hour course, to get the basics, actually get to the stage of, being able to have a conversation.

Languages are not that difficult to learn. Some people can pick them up quicker than others just like some people can pick up anything in life quicker than others. So i wouldn't let the quickness of someone else's success at learning a language dishearten me.

The most important factors are dedication, determination and patience. You really have to be focused on learning a new language and be prepared to put the time in.