131–140 of 148 posts
Where is the Japanese course on Duolingo ? I can't find it in their language list : https://en.duolingo.com/register ?
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You are correct that it's like learning anything else. If you put the time in and are motivated and go about it the right way you can learn it. But it's still "the most difficult language to learn". So it's worth taking that difficulty into account. For example one can learn Spanish, Swedish and Vietnamese in around the same amount of time it would take to learn Japanese.
For me, and from a mechanical perspective, the only truly difficult part of learning Japanese was kanji. The really annoying part is that Japanese doesn't use spaces and instead relies on transitions between the three writing systems to separate words, so even if you can get a hold of a page all in hiragana, it'll look like a wall of text. I still don't recognize much kanji, so for the most part I can only understand…
I'm not criticizing Duolingo, but I'm wondering if language apps are like gym memberships -- people sign up enthusiastically but after the first month, 90% don't or can't continue. Learning a new language as an adult is an incredibly difficult undertaking; much more so than persevering with the gym. The dropout rate must be huge.
I tried Duolingo for French and Russian, and dropped both after a week. Part of it is that I have nothing invested in either language and was just curious, but I also think Duolingo itself is a bit flawed; it repeats way too much material and makes you jump through too many hoops. I was busy and it was a hassle. I think if you're going to study a language, a textbook + Anki is the way to go. If you tell Anki you know…
If there was an easier way to auto-generate flash cards, I could see Anki being more interesting.
I've been learning japanese (and living in japan) for the past few months, and tried out duolingos new course when they released it yesterday. I've used quite a few different apps and books, and I must say I was pretty unimpressed. Their lessons give very little info on what you're learning, and with things like kanji it only teaches you the sound and not the meaning. I will experiment with it a bit more, but I've al…
Yeahhh get out, it's coming to iOS only you dirtbags
Huh, I've just started learning Japanese after spending several weeks there and looking forward to visiting many more times, and I would never characterize it as especially difficult. There are some challenges, but nothing mind-blowing. The kana and kanji may seem intimidating, but identifying fragments and context through repetition has been more rewarding and entertaining than frustrating. I understand there are ma…
[1] https://en.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Language_Learning_...
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It is worth saying it's an extremely difficult language to learn because most people are not prepared for what awaits them even if they learned another language before . Anyone can pick up how to read kana in a week or so, so it's easy to assume that you're almost there, and you'll be reading manga or whatever in no time. But it's just the beginning. The language is completely different. You must commit a huge amount…
The katakana words are often English, but it still takes some time to realize that to-re is 'toilet'
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I tried Duolingo for French and Russian, and dropped both after a week. Part of it is that I have nothing invested in either language and was just curious, but I also think Duolingo itself is a bit flawed; it repeats way too much material and makes you jump through too many hoops. I was busy and it was a hassle. I think if you're going to study a language, a textbook + Anki is the way to go. If you tell Anki you know…
I tried using Anki, but creating/formatting index cards was a total pain (especially for Mandarin), and I didn't feel like doing a graphic design project for every character I wanted to learn. If there was an easier way to auto-generate flash cards, I could see Anki being more interesting.
The unfortunate truth is that the mental connections that come from building your own deck is a good portion of the benefit that comes from using Anki.
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From what you say in that article about the importance of listening to language used in context, you might be interested in a method of language learning called TPR (Total Physical Response). I've written about it before here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13910080 It's been super effective for me at learning vocabulary and grammar (in context), and I much prefer that method over things like flashcards, Anki,…
TPR has its strengths and weaknesses: 1. It requires a healthy ego. Some people feel like it's childish since it is more like playing games than language learning. Other folks don't like making mistakes all the time. 2. It is great for languages that do not already have documented grammars and/or dictionaries. I believe the Summer Institute of Linguistics uses this method in some areas. 3. It naturally caps out in ut…
I view it just a great way to jump start vocabulary and grammar learning and comprehension. TPR will need to be supplemented with other techniques, especially for production of spoken language, pronunciation, reading, writing, cultural sensitivity, social cues, etc. Also, in my experience, TPR has been most effective in one-on-one sessions with a tutor, while there's something to be said for classroom instruction where the student can interact with other students, and something to be said for interaction with native speakers of the languages outside any kind of formal instruction.
So, yeah, TPR is just another tool. A tool which I've found useful for certain purposes, but not the ultimate be-all-and-end-all of language learning. Is anything?