Learning from a spouse (General discussion) Language Learning Forum

Learning from a spouse
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Language Learning Forum : General discussion

22 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3

newyorkeric
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Message 17 of 22

10 December 2012 at 3:36pm | IP Logged

kujichagulia wrote:

My wife is short-tempered and will get impatient and ANGRY after a while if I try to use Japanese with her, so it's all English.

My suggestion:
Happy Wife > L2 Speaking Practice With Wife

Happy wife = happy life. I don't think truer words have ever been spoken.
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Solfrid Cristin
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Message 18 of 22

10 December 2012 at 4:55pm | IP Logged

Has anyone thought about the fact that the best method in the world to learn languages is through a boyfriend in the target language, and yet it seems not to work once you are married. (Sorry about the lack of question mark - I can't make the airport computer I am using cough it up)
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JohannaNYC
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Message 19 of 22

11 December 2012 at 3:47am | IP Logged

Solfrid Cristin wrote:

Has anyone thought about the fact that the best method in the
world to learn languages is through a boyfriend in the target language, and yet it seems
not to work once you are married. (Sorry about the lack of question mark - I can't make
the airport computer I am using cough it up)

I think having a boyfriend in a target language only works after you've reached a certain
level, otherwise he just becomes a human version of Google Translate. Someone already
mentioned having friends over speaking in the boyfriend's target language and that's
definitely helpful regardless of level. Edited to add: That that's just my personal
experience.

Edited by JohannaNYC on 11 December 2012 at 3:50am
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Serpent
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Message 20 of 22

11 December 2012 at 7:00am | IP Logged

JohannaNYC wrote:

I think having a boyfriend in a target language only works after you've reached a certain level, otherwise he just becomes a human version of Google Translate.

Also works if he doesn't speak your native language/English or, on the other end of the spectrum, if his native language is closely related to yours (e.g. Russian and Croatian).
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Tsopivo
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Message 21 of 22

11 December 2012 at 7:25am | IP Logged

Solfrid Cristin wrote:

I don't really think marriage is the issue here. People always say that having a boyfriend or girlfriend in the TL is the best method but maybe that's working under the assumption that he or she does not speak your language or at least, does not speak it much with you. In a way, in a lot of cases, a bilingual relationship is a great way to improve TL learning... but only for one of the partners.
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Solfrid Cristin
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Message 22 of 22

11 December 2012 at 8:43am | IP Logged

In my experience you don't need much of a level to use that method, but you definitely need him to not speak
any of your other languages. You will always go for the easiest way in a communication situation, and if the
one which is easiest is the TL, then that's what you will use. If both are fluent in English or another common
language it goes without saying that this is what you will use.

So I guess it boils down to people having spouses that are too well educated. :-)

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