SELF-STUDY LANGUAGE LEARNING

There are various courses designed for self-study learning. If you want to read and write in a new language without speaking it, a good coursebook, a dictionary or a phrasebook is all you need. A coursebook with accompanying language tapes is probably the most popular self-study learning approach. The coursebook typically contains dialogues, exercises, vocabulary and the language tapes include recordings of what is written in the coursebook. An all-audio course consists purely of language tapes or CDs. Some language courses are also available on CD-ROMs and DVDs. They provide online and/or telephone support. Once you are familiar with the basics of a language, an effective method to improve reading comprehension and increase vocabulary is to subscribe to an audio magazine. Another good self-study programme is to find a language exchange partner. This involves a learner who speaks your second language (L2) and wants to learn your first language (L1). Language exchange works best when both partners are in the intermediate levels of their second language.

ALL-AUDIO LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOL

Language is fundamentally a spoken form of communication. With an all-audio learning tool, you can take your time practicing pronunciation and correct accent vis-�-vis the native speakers you hear on the language tapes. You will also be encouraged to engage the native speakers on the language tapes in conversations thereby advancing your ability to hear and understand the language. Furthermore, you can take language tapes wherever you go provided you have a cassette player. It is truly convenient. However, compared to books, an all-audio learning method will have less vocabulary. There is no sufficient time in an audio format as there is space in a written format.

An all-audio language learning tool is a good way to start learning a language but supplemental materials will make the learning process complete. The all-audio Pimsleur language learning course is touted as the best in the market.

BOOK AND AUDIO LANGUAGE LEARNING TOOL

Of all the various kinds of language learning tool, the book and audio combination is the most prevalent and versatile. It basically combines the well-organised lessons of a coursebook with the ever important audio component. The book and audio combination is very flexible. That means you can use the book when you have free time or use the language tapes while driving, walking, etc. Having the written and audio component will mean that you will not be deficient in most of the language learning process.

Unfortunately, a book and audio combination only have bits and pieces of everything. You will get a basic of grammar, vocabulary, some exercises, some dialogues, some pronunciations but not a lot of each of these aspects. Unless it is comprehensive which can be very expensive, you will still need supplemental tools. But overall, a combination of text and audio is the best kind of language learning method: scuola inglesi dublino.

People who speak English as a second language (ESL) often complain that native English speakers are in fact more difficult to understand than ESL speakers. Why is this so? Native English speakers use a broader vocabulary which is often interspersed with slang expressions. They also often speak too fast and presume others have understood, and even agreed to, ideas that have been missed entirely.

When working with people whose English is different from yours, slow down. It is hard for anyone to comprehend what you are saying if you talk too fast. People from another ethnic group or from another country will find it twice more difficult to understand you.

Do not say, �I need to have a conversation with you at the earliest possible time.� when you simply mean �I want to talk to you today.�

To clarify important points, ask people what they understood you said and also paraphrase what they said to you. There might be a big difference in interpretation.

Do away with jargon, slang and colloquial expressions. If you ask somebody, �Where are you coming from?� you might get answers such as �I just came from the doctor.� He may even tell you the name of his hometown or his last travel destination instead of explaining why he said what he said. Many slang expressions may have ethnic or racial connotations besides being hard to understand.

Jokes more often than not depend on intricate nuances of language. To make sure they do not offend, pre-test them. Try them out beforehand with someone who is familiar with the culture and sensitivities of the audience.

Reactions to what you said from people who are not speaking their native language may take longer than you are used to. This is especially true when speaking to a group or through an interpreter. They take more time to comprehend a joke and will laugh at it only when they feel it safe and polite to do so.

Go easy on acronyms. Many acronyms change in foreign languages. The initials in your own company may not make sense to listeners from another culture. They may even spell out something unpleasant or obscene in another language.

It also helps to use visual aids. Keep pictures and diagrams just simple enough to help the listener see what you are seeing. Make sure the images are not so culture-bound they cause misunderstandings or offense.

As an afterthought, when learning English as a second language (englisch sprachreise), give yourself permission to make mistakes and rely on the good will of others. Let your enthusiasm and interest in people and the topic override worries about getting the words right.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “No man should travel until he has learned the language of the country he visits.” This is reflected in the boom in language learning for business travellers. To bridge the language gap, travellers have taken the time to learn local tongues. Berlitz, Europe’s largest school, has more than doubled its lessons since 1985.

One of the keys to success is to do business in the other person’s language. But unless you can really manage in a language, it is usually best to save it for social tete-a-tete. English is of course the accepted lingua franca for business travellers in most parts of the world. But obliging people to speak it when they are not fluent can lead to grave misunderstandings.

Take the case of a former German chancellor who was presented to the queen during a visit to London. He had practiced his English for the occasion. But when he was introduced to her, he said, “Who are you?” instead of “How are you?” She replied, “I am the queen of England.”

A good trade-off is for both sides to speak their own language. For most people this means speaking through interpreters or using one of those gadgets that offer instant translations on the road. You have to make sure that your message is well-received in a cultural and linguistic sense.

Be careful about using humour on formal occasions. In Britain, if you make an after-dinner speech, you are criticised if you do not crack a joke while in France you will be criticised if you do. It can be quite awkward with simultaneous interpretation. When you make a witty remark, those people listening in English laugh; then the French and Italians laugh; then there is a pause because the Dutch and the Germans are still waiting for the verb at the end of the sentence before they understand it.

In face-to-face meetings or negotiations, everything depends on the skill of the interpreter. For your part, always keep your sentences short but avoid over simplifying and pause frequently. Avoid vague expressions. Look at the person with whom you are talking – not the interpreter and keep eye contact when culturally appropriate.

The Japanese have devised a repertoire of smile, nods and polite noise when listening. The purpose is to keep you talking usually misinterpreted by Westerners as agreement. The Japanese have subtle ways of voicing personal opinions and at the same time manifest superb politeness which can mean they say “yes” when they really mean “no”.

Saving face is important to the Japanese thus they have developed a set of rules to prevent things going awry. So, refrain from saying no or asking questions when the answer might be no.

In Europe, there are also misleading cognates between languages like English or French. When the French says “We demand your latest profit figure…” it means” We are asking for the latest profit figure…” Demander in French means to ask, not to demand.