[Wakstar]

Thank you.

[BasilSpirit]

Language learning in general:
The first language You have to master, before learning another one, is Your own
m o t h e r _ t o n g u e. The knowledge in Your most liked language will b a r e l y _ e v e r exceed the knowledge in the language You were raised in.

On the topic of German language:

For the native speakers of E n g l i s h it may be helpful to explore the type of speech used in the King James Bible (~1611) or the works of Shakespeare. Watch especially the verbal forms around ‘thou’, and some unusual types of word order. Approaching Middle English previously might be even more helpful.

For the native speakers of ‘ R o m a n c e ‘
(i.e. ‘ I t a l i c ‘) languages, a view through the ‘glasses’ of Latin may help.

Some peculiarities of grammar: Try to learn the forms of the definite and indefinite article first. Adjectives next. Most other things will ‘fall into shape, once You know these numerous forms.
The inflected verb takes a position as close as possible to the beginning of the the sentence, but a participle (past tenses) or infinitive (future tense) may take the last position: “Ich h a b e dich letzten Freitag nach dem Spiel in der Bäckerei
g e s e h e n .” ≈ ‘I saw you last friday after the match/game in the bakery.”
Literally: “I h a v e you … s e e n.”
Please note, that the tenses of the past function differently in German and English.

If You have some questions, feel free to ask.

• This reply was modified 6 months ago by BasilSpirit.

[BasilSpirit]

Regarding the topic of language learning apps, I have to say, that I avoid them in general. Concerning foreign languages, I simply do not trust them. That is due to my experience with said ‘Duolingo’, and I see the same two problems like ‘deckenfarbe'[#23398]:
1. Safety issues with the speech recognition feature, which sometimes messed up the sentence,
2. The lack of proper grammar instruction.

Additionally, 3. Some phrases have a very unusual word order, they even ‘promote’it.
4. Last but not least, it is anti-White, and generally anti-family: Not a single intact family in the stories, pro-lgbt sentences (like a man’s husband etc.) some child and teenage characters with shrill or squeaky voices or an annoying attitude, and much more.
I think, WD has a list somewhere, which anto-White companies and apps are listed on.

I noticed 2. and 3., because I watched the German execises as a native speaker (of German).

So no apps for me. I prefer ‘paper work’. Books, pens, papers. You can take Your examples from digital media though.

[Wakstar]

Thank you @deckenfarbe for your feedback on DuoLingo. I haven’t looked into it but agree privacy trumps being able to make the most use of the product. Thanks

[deckenfarbe]

I am also using DuoLingo, but I have the opposite impression and will most likely not renew my subscription. The app pretty much doesn’t do anything for you in terms of grammar, and I’ve been told their speech recognition is also not great. I’m not using the speech recognition feature due to privacy issues, though.

[Leo]

@Paradoxon, thanks for your willingness to assist @Wakstar in her journey towards learning the German language and/or pronunciations – maybe you’ll have a German friend to refer to her, too, who might be interested in emigrating to Canada to be with her (or vice versa). I am too busy to prioritize something like language acquisition right now; if it weren’t for busyness and a couple other concerns, I would also express interest. That said, all the best to both of you in the culture and language exchange, and search for a partner!

[Wakstar]

Sweet, thank you Paradoxon. I may just take you up on the offer. 🙂

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone.
I am German. I don’t know whether it’s helpful but I would like to help when it gets the right pronunciation. You can contact me.

[Wakstar]

I took German in grade 10. It was a very small class and gave up after the field trip to Germany was cancelled due to not enough parents being able to afford or agree to the class trip. French, Spanish, and maybe Italian was also offered. It was a big high school so we had lots to choose from.
Where I live, there is a large German community but of mixed origin and religion, and certainly not organized. Germans in my area have been shamed and have lost their pride. If they talk, they talk softly as to not to be overheard. The demoralization of western society has added to, and continues to add to the dwindling numbers of Germans and other ethnic Europeans that celebrate their heritage, with the notable exception of Italians.
I went to a Dirndl sale the other day and the lady hosting the event was nearly brought to tears by my interest. At this stage of my life, it is about leaving a legacy to those who wish to embrace love for our forefathers. It’s a big ask as most of my family is more than happy to hate themselves. I can’t wait to sit down at Christmas and surprise my uncle with German conversation. If I had time, I would also learn Norwegian and Danish.
I still really like your idea of finding a Germanic mate…lol. Would be an interesting household.

[Leo]

@Wakstar Supposedly (I do not know this with certainty), Anglo-Saxon and German culture has been suppressed across many parts of North America in recent decades, which may be why we don’t see many English, Scottish, and/or German restaurants. German language is rarely offered in the colleges I’ve enrolled at – oftentimes Spanish is offered as the foreign language. I vaguely recall reading through some historic documents from the 1800s, about the English language being required and the German language being disincentivized and/or diminished, specifically in the northeastern United States. I’m not sufficiently knowledgeable about all that, but I do know that I’m a quarter German by blood, yet am clueless about my German heritage and the German language – which doesn’t seem natural, but forced. Maybe that’s something you can relate to?

I do like your ideas so far, about taking classes at a German club, networking with others who are German, and participating in all those other activities you mentioned. Besides, if there’s something missing from what you (and probably others) want out of life, there’s nothing stopping you from bringing about that change. You absolutely should coordinate a singles dance – and more!

Oh, and nice contribution there, @gojirafanboi! Glad to learn of someone who has benefited from using Duolingo.

[Wakstar]

Thank you @Tony. I will look into Duolingo. Are you planning on visiting a French speaking country or to use the language conversationally?

[Tony]

I have been using duolingo for 2 years now for learning French. I have the paid version…80 bucks a year.

Its good. I have a B1 level in French. However I do feel it rather limited in the sense you can’t choose how or what to learn when you want. You can jump to other units…but if you want to learn specific words or syntax your better off doing that on your own.

Overall is it worth it? Yes. I will renew my sub when it comes up 👍

[Wakstar]

@Leo I would love to date a German. The textbook I mentioned is used in a classroom. I’ll probably end up being the only adult sitting in a little kids chair…lol, but I”m petite so it is all good. I agree, that’s the only way to do it. I’ve been doing a little on my own and am worried I’m already developing bad habits so I found a local school. Taking classes in person at a local German club will serve two purposes: learn my mother tongue and network. You never know, the women there might have a great match for me! There is a surprising number of German and even Austrian clubs in my area, offering different activities such as dance lessons, language instructions, card nights. I am determined and I am seriously considering coordinating a singles dance.

[Leo]

@Wakstar I have not attempted to learn a new language since studying Russian and Spanish throughout my 20s, but I imagine there are numerous resources out there (I heard about Duolingo and Rosetta Stone, but I never used them – I did use Tandem in the past, however). What I noticed was best for learning a new language, in my experience, was to learn the basics/foundations of a language (such as the alphabet, pronunciations, grammar, etc) in classroom setting and/or one-on-one with a tutor, and then travel to a country where that language is spoken, and immerse yourself. Watching films with subtitles, listening to music, reading books, shopping products, or traveling around and looking at traffic signs/advertisements – all helpful. If you really want to learn German, then maybe try dating a German speaker; they’d be inclined to educate you, and you’d be motivated to learn.

[Wakstar]

Hello

I’ve done some research and have found a school that uses Schritte International Neu textbooks for adults. Any advise or experiences to share in regards to learning a new language as an adult?

Wåkstår

[Author]

Posts