English native speakers don't get a chance to learn languages
English native speakers are not exactly the masters of language learning in Europe - but do they get a chance? Compare two weekly hours at secondary school in Britain to five hours in continental Europe. Whenever English native speakers come to the continent, we are all too happy to make them the victims of our desire to practise our English. It is only too understandable that they feel put off when they ask politely in French or German and then get an answer in English. We continental Europeans should recognise that it's partly our own fault and not moan so much but simply give them a fair chance.One does not only learn a different set of sounds, words and grammar rules when learning a different language - every language has a different outlook on the world and opens up a new universe to the one learning it. Every language has unique concepts and therefore untranslatable words. For example the German word Gemütlichkeit means a mixture of relaxation, sociability, cosiness, feeling-at-home. The Italian adjective rimbambito describes an old man behaving like a little boy.
Sent by: Bettina
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Still being in school, I agree some of the comments on the lack of grammar taught at schools. Up until recently, the only French I knew had been from what the school had taught us. It was only when I started to learn French independently that I realised how little I knew about the language. At school we are given a ton of vocabulary and sentences we can memorise but we aren't taught how the language actually works and how to apply it in various situations. Memorising a language and learning it are two completely different things.
Grammar may not be a requirement of GCSEs any more, but last year, I sure as hell had to buckle down and learn it to pass mine. It is much more of a point when you get to post-16 studies, but, let's be honest, how many students are going to get excited about the grammar of a language and choose to carry on learning it on the basis of that alone?
As for the going to Europe and having continental Europeans speak back to you in English.
The problem is that grammar isn't even a requirement of GCSEs anymore so the only way a pupil will be able to create their own sentences is to learn grammar themselves! It's ridiculous that most pupils don't learn any real grammar until after 16! Language learning in the UK needs a major shake-up!
This website can teach all sorts of things in a flash. Keep up the good work.
When I was at the German intermediate level, many Germans automatically switched to English, but I always replied in German, so the trick is just to knuckle down and not give up!
Languages are really important nowadays with people mixing together in different countries so you can be more acceptable with different cultures. At my school it is pretty much compulsory unless you have a good reason not to learn languages. Languages in Germany for eg, is taught a lot better and for more practical things. We spent ages about learning how to say things in our school bags!! You can learn French, Spanish and/or German at my school or learn Mandarin at lunch time which is quite a good idea.
I completely disagree with you Bettina.I attend an accademically failing school in Gloucestershire, and yes I took French (only French due to the sheer lack of language options). The class is small with 15 students, many of whom not wanting to be there and are hardly interested in any other culture but their own. The lessons are disruptive, but that doesn't mean I can't get an A*. This is what I and any other language learner can do to expose themselves to a language: use the internet. There are so many websites in so many different languages that it is hard to ignore. Take wikipedia, for example, you can find an article in English and simply click on the French hyperlink to expose yourself to an array of new vocabulary and reading exercises! So, anyone can improve their linguistic ability really!
You are so right Lou. Look at the final GCSE exam results for modern languages in the national media today! Although I'm a fluent Esperanto speaker I completely agree that it can be used, to learn other languages, and apparently the corect definition is "propaedeutic"
It's a shame that languages are no longer compulsory in UK, or perhaps just English, schools at GCSE level. They were when I was in school a few years back, but even then they were limited to only French and German. I had to take after school classes to learn the language I was interested in. Some schools, however, are offering "non-traditional" languages such as Mandarin and Japanese - I would've loved to have been able to study languages like those when I was in school. I think it helps to learn a language from a younger age.
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Does anyone have ID problems when switching languages? I was told, that people who use a language other than the one they grew up with ( could be more than one) will suffere ID problems/ crisis. Can anyone relate??
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