Thread

1. globular-toast · 1789832889 · focus · HN ↗

   I don't think it's really possible to learn a new language unless you have to. Sure, you can learn some words and grammar from books and games like Duolingo, but you'll never really learn the language if you don't use it, and you'll only use it if you have to. This is why it's hard for English natives to learn another language: too many people speak our language already. And now people won't be learning computer languages any more either.

   1. NorthSouthNorth · 1789903138 · focus · HN ↗

      You can absolutely learn a language even if you don't need to. But it's just a lot harder.

      I have done it and know many people who have done so too. It's frustrating and slow, but if you figure out a system that works for you, you can do it.

      1. globular-toast · 1789922579 · focus · HN ↗

         How do you stop people speaking to you in your native language?

         1. NorthSouthNorth · 1790010438 · focus · HN ↗

            English is my native language too. Eventually they stop assuming haha.

            You can pay for an online tutor which I found got me rather far. After like A2 they wont speak English with you anymore (if you ask em too).

            You do not need to speak to progress, you can get really, really, really far without speaking much, if at all. You'll need to eventually speak of course to get through things like proper pronunciation and just general confidence, but most of my progress came from watching tv, anime, listening to audio books and reading books in the target language (German). I found Audio books by far got me the furthest just due to being able to listen to them on my commute or during sport rather easily but they were limiting in German due to their funny Präteritum case.

            It's slow and frustrating but things like kindle and lang reactor help a lot. I am only at a point where I feel good about my languages skills after 4 years (2 of which I spent mucking about, and the 3rd was where I got serious).

            And if it's low stakes, you can lie and say "no english" which works. But I've only done this a few times and felt kinda icky about doing it.

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