|
 |
Usefulness, Interests, Materials. | ||
Tags: Motivation | Usefulness | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : General discussion |  | |
| Z.J.J Senior Member China Joined 5614 days ago 243 posts - 305 votes  Speaks: Mandarin* | Message 1 of 10 22 July 2009 at 5:49am | IP Logged | |||||
|
When someone plans to learn 1 or more foreign languages, he usually has to take 3 factors into consideration. Usefulness (for a good career & chance), Interest (for personal passion & taste), Learning Materials (abundant or not, such as good dictionary, course book, grammar book, colloquial book). Which of these factors would be of great importance for us to weigh gains and losses, so that we wouldn't regret choosing it someday or give it up halfway. Do you think that Learning Materials is the key point for making the right decision? How would you rank these 3 factors in your list according to priority? Recently, I've always wavered between such options as Persian (Farsi), Arabic (GulfーKhaliji), Turkish, Norwegian (Bokmål), German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Spanish (Castilian). And I've just wanted to learn 2 of them by myself, but almost each language seems to lack necessary learning materials, except German, Italian, and Spanish. Actually, I wouldn't like to spend more time and energy thinking about which 2 languages I should start to learn with heart and soul, unfortunately, even myself, I don't know very clearly about detailed motivation for having to learn them as a mission.
Edited by Z.J.J on 22 July 2009 at 7:15am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Juan M. Senior Member Colombia Joined 5905 days ago 460 posts - 597 votes | Message 2 of 10 22 July 2009 at 4:02pm | IP Logged | |||||
|
For me, the single most important factor is the ability to order books over the Internet; to have access to a thorough and exhaustive selection of the great works of literature and scholarship that have been rendered in that tongue. Otherwise, if I can't obtain the books I wish to read in my new language, what is the point of learning it?
I have an enormous interest in Indian religion and philosophy for example, and would love to learn at least Sanskrit and Hindi, yet I have not been able to find a single good online Indian bookstore so I've resigned myself to not learning them. Each store offers only a very paltry selection, while most expect you to submit your private information over unencrypted pages. I really do not understand why they won't implement secure ordering and log-in. Second, I must be able to access a good amount of streaming Internet TV and radio, and to download TV series and movies. Otherwise, I'll of course never master pronunciation and colloquial speech. The above is of course subordinated to having an interest in the language, its people, culture, literature and thought. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| nissimb Tetraglot Groupie India tenjikuyamato.blogsp Joined 6420 days ago 79 posts - 102 votes Speaks: Marathi*, Hindi, English, Japanese Studies: Korean, Esperanto, Indonesian | Message 3 of 10 23 July 2009 at 5:26am | IP Logged | |||||
|
I have an enormous interest in Indian religion and philosophy for example, and would love to learn at least Sanskrit and Hindi, yet I have not been able to find a single good online Indian bookstore so I've resigned myself to not learning them. Each store offers only a very paltry selection, while most expect you to submit your private information over unencrypted pages. I really do not understand why they won't implement secure ordering and log-in.
Juan, I can understand your problem.Unfortunately, regardless of the advances in IT made in India, it seems the idea of Internet shopping is still not very widespread here. If you can spare the time and the money, perhaps you can consider making a short trip to India and check out the books yourself. For Hindi and Sanskrit I think bookstores in Delhi and Varanasi (formerly Benares) should be sufficient for you. Both these cities have traditionally been cultural centres for Hindi and Sanskrit, so I don't think you need to look elsewhere. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Z.J.J Senior Member China Joined 5614 days ago 243 posts - 305 votes Speaks: Mandarin* | Message 4 of 10 23 July 2009 at 7:20am | IP Logged | |||||
|
Which language sounds more pleasant or appealing to your ears between Persian (Farsi) and Turkish? Which one is of greater value for Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans.
Would you kindly comment on the premise that I don't intend to study or live abroad (either Iran or Turkey). Hopefully you won't be fed up with this stereotypical question. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| GoingGoingGone Newbie United States Joined 5674 days ago 28 posts - 39 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Italian, French, Swedish, Mandarin | Message 5 of 10 24 July 2009 at 4:56pm | IP Logged | |||||
|
After unsuccessfully trying to learn languages so many times with inadequate methods I have to say learning materials is of #1 importance. It doesn't matter how useful a language will be or how much you want to learn it if you either can't learn it or hate learning it because of the learning materials. When I found the learning system that suited my needs perfectly (Fluenz) I decided I was going to learn the languages it supports. And with an open mind, I want to learn each of them and will find all of them useful by travelling. I don't need foreign languages for work so in my case it's just a hobby and for travel.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Ashley_Victrola Senior Member United States Joined 5712 days ago 416 posts - 429 votes Speaks: English* Studies: French, Romanian | Message 6 of 10 24 July 2009 at 6:03pm | IP Logged | |||||
|
For me the number one thing is interest. I don't care how useful or marketable Mandarin might be, for instance. I don't have any passion for it and therefore believe it would be far more work to learn it. Of second importance to me is materials. I think when you really want to learn something, it makes you look harder for quality materials.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6017 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 7 of 10 24 July 2009 at 6:21pm | IP Logged | |||||
|
Which is more important?
Well let's see. I started Basque because I was interested in it, but I was lacking in materials and it wasn't immediately useful, so I never really got past parroting half a dozen memorised sentences. I started German because I had access to good materials, but I never really had a use for it and I wasn't particularly interested. I know a reasonable amount about the verb system, but I know nothing of cases and my vocabulary is negligible. I started Kannada and Hindi because they were moderately useful in my job. Unfortunately there's not much material for Kannada available in the UK, and not all that much more for Hindi. By the time I went to India and had the chance to pick up some more material, I had stopped working with Indians and the usefulness and interest disappeared. I chose to start learning Spanish for its usefulness, but I would have never have really started learning it if I hadn't found good materials, and I would have given up if it wasn't interesting. I reckon all are required. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Juan M. Senior Member Colombia Joined 5905 days ago 460 posts - 597 votes | Message 8 of 10 24 July 2009 at 6:33pm | IP Logged | |||||
Like we say in Spanish: en casa de herrero, cuchara de palo, or "for the blacksmith's home, wooden ladles".
Heh, I have in fact thought about doing this. But as you say, one would need money, which I don't have. There are some Indian sellers in the Amazon Marketplace and AbeBooks from which I've bought some Indian books (in English), but they don't list many books in Sanskrit, Hindi or other Indian languages, and when I've contacted them they have either not been able to locate the book I've requested or simply not replied. Alas, an Amazon.in would be a wish come true for me. 1 person has voted this message useful |
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
