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The brain as an oven

  Tags: Brain
 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
10 messages over 2 pages: 1


meramarina
Diglot
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United States
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1341 posts - 2303 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: German, Italian, French
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 Message 9 of 10
01 February 2010 at 4:20am | IP Logged 
This a a very good insight into the language-learning process, even if the metaphor, maybe, should not be extended. Sure, both language and bread "bake," but you can also say that both will go stale, if you leave them alone for too long.

I'm especially glad to read point #3, as I've just started my third foreign language. I was a little concerned about the others, but I realize that I shouldn't be too worried. I won't let them get old and dry, and if they do, no problem; they can be croutons in a word salad, fun and crunchy!

In my (limited, of course) experience, it seems true that the mind continues to process and consolidate knowledge subconsciously. Often, I understand something only after I've let it rest in the mind for a while. Sometimes when you think and think and just can't seem to solve a problem, the answer only comes to you after you've put the matter aside for a while, and that's the point of the oven comparison, anyway.

But--I wonder--if the mind is an oven . . .

. . why can't it be self-cleaning ?
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mustwander
Triglot
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United States
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8 posts - 9 votes
Speaks: English*, Italian, Spanish

 
 Message 10 of 10
17 February 2010 at 6:56pm | IP Logged 
Very true, when I focus on Italian until I am totally disgusted with it, vice a versa Spanish and then switch to the other language, it almost sounds fresh and I almost see and hear the language I neglected as a natural language due to its absence. It is refreshing as well to liberate myself from the other language that I may have been spending much time on.

I also like to use bilingual dictionary, like my Spanish-Italian, Italian-Napulitano, and randomely flip through them. Often I don't even need to refer to an English reference to figure the words out especially if the dictionary is accompanied with idiomatic phrases. Also studying one target grammer with the other secondary language is a powerful exchange.

When I watch an hour of one language and switch to the other channel it's as if I'm almost listening to my native language like once familier sounds etc...

Edited by mustwander on 17 February 2010 at 8:16pm

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