Things to consider when knowing a new language or two

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Greatshield17
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Location: Columbia-Kootenay Region, British Columbia

17 Feb 2019, 2:13 am

Is there anything an Aspie should consider when learning a new language?

I want to learn both French and Spanish. French, because I want to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape, Patroness of Canada, in Trois Rivieres, Quebec. Spanish, first and foremost because I want to visit my grandparents in Chile one day, and maybe even spend some time there to support them in their old age; secondly because last Sunday my parish priest recommended I accompany him to next year's World Youth Day in Portugal, and while the two Iberian Languages aren't completely mutually intelligible, it is better than a complete language barrier.

I have been trying to learn both, but I do struggle, mostly with trying to set aside the time to study and practice, as I often get pre-occupied with other things. Anything I should know, and/or tips to help me learn and practice?


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oscarinthewild
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18 Feb 2019, 2:28 am

Im not sure abt others, but for me ive learnt to just read the grammar book first as a novel and get the gist, .. then fill in the details like vocabs and usage etc.. get a collins pocket dictionary to carry it with you.. get pdf textbooks on ur phone.. and find a forum in that language , find an online tv (visual association) and radio (when ur cooking or sonething) in that language, go to a news or magazine site in that language and have a highlight-and-check-up dictionary , get a novel with line to line side by side translation or watch movies with subtitles in that language, mangolanguages app + italki app , get a pal or girlfriends in those language


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oscarinthewild
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18 Feb 2019, 9:34 pm

U know what, jovenes ..


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Zinnia86
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19 Feb 2019, 12:39 am

I've attempted to learn French, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and American Sign Language with varying levels of success. I took French and Chinese in school and learned them well enough to "get by" when I traveled to parts of the world where those languages are spoken (though my skill has faded over time since I hardly use them any more).

My suggestion is to make a habit out of learning the language: set aside the same time each day, preferably linking it with another habit that you already have. For example, in the morning I used to get up, get coffee, do some reading, then do my Spanish immediately afterward. Reading and watching movies is really helpful to improve your comprehension. If you have a "special interest" that you really enjoy learning about, get materials in the foreign language that related to your interest so that you have more than one motivation to look at them. Also, if you want to speak the language well it is absolutely essential that you find somebody to practice with (preferably someone who is fluent and patient enough to speak slowly).