Why Should You Learn Foreign Language

If you want to be able to travel in different countries, to meet people of different cultures, or you only need to make your life more interesting, knowing foreign language is the solution. Knowing the language of other cultures is a satisfaction, but in the latest years, it is also a necessity.

If you learn new languages, you will have the capacity to express yourself in any situation, feeling wonderful and having an immense satisfaction with every conversation you have.

Using new conquests in science and technology, and also the researches on the learning techniques for foreign language, you will be able to be a speaker of Spanish or French language in a short period. Using the method of Lozanov, you will reduce the necessary time to learn another language with more than 75 %.

You can try the foreign language courses of 90 days. You have nothing to lose if you try, and if by one reason or another, you don't like it, or you were expecting something else, you will only need to return the package, paying only the transport expenses. Some of those courses are so effective that you will be able to learn another language only in 20 days.

The main reasons for learning foreign language are traveling, interviews for new jobs, improving your current knowledge, or only because you like to be a polyglot.

Learning foreign words is not necessarily an annoying process. You can learn it using a CD with 20-25 lessons, with duration of 5-8 hours. If you wish, you can have the lessons in an .mp3 format, so you could listen to them wherever you want: in the car, at work, at the gym, while you cook, or before sleeping. However, you will also need the lessons in a .pdf format, as this aspect is essential for accelerated learning.

According to the studies of Lozanov, the person that changed the learning and teaching methods completely, anybody could learn foreign language in a short period, if the person reads, hears, sees, and spokes the words and the new expressions.

What types of lessons must be contained in an effective course?

- Vocabulary and pronouncement - contains the communication themes and exercises for fixing the problems
- Grammatical exercises - grammatical problems with the corresponding exercises
- Recapitulation - repeating the learned words and implementing the teaching methods.

The best courses of this kind will also include free electronic books written in the respective language. You will also need a small dictionary, in a.pdf format, so you could translate using the search feature of Acrobat Reader. However, you must also have a handbook dictionary to use during your travels.

The perfect guide must be more like a package containing all the useful resources needed. The easiest method to learn a new language is to surround yourself with those resources: take the dictionary with you, listen to the lessons, and read the books. You should also try to speak in front of the mirror every night to recapitulate.

Here we offer the helpful and professional language studying soft: Rosetta Stone, so if you're troublesome now as a result of a new and unfamiliar language, welcome to have a look at the Rosetta Stone Spanish.

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Attending a Spanish School in Buenos Aires? Learn About Jorge Borges

Oftentimes students who attend Spanish school in Buenos Aires don't take time out ahead of time to learn about all the famous writers and artists of the region. However, if you do learn about these impressive figures, not only will this motivate you to master the language during the period in which you learn Spanish in Argentina, but also you will gain additional cultural and historical knowledge about the region. One famous figure that you will no doubt look forward to learning about is Jorge Luis Borges.

Born in Buenos Aires in 1899, Borges is one of the most famous Argentine writers of all time. As a boy, he and his family lived in the suburb of Palermo. Of course, if you attend Spanish school in Buenos Aires, Palermo is an area that you can easily visit firsthand. His father, Jorge Guillermo Borges, who was a lawyer, teacher and also an anarchist, heavily influenced Borges' ideas and beliefs. When Jorge Guillermo Borges began to lose his eyesight, he looked to his son to take over his own plans to be a writer.

One of the reasons Jorge Borges is so renowned is due to his tremendous versatility. He was an essayist and also a poet. When he was in his early twenties, Borges had already started publishing his work in surrealist literary journals. Two of his most famous books were compilations of short stories that incorporated magical realism and explored existential questions. Ficciones, published in 1944, and The Aleph, published in 1949. Much of Borges work has been translated into English. For example, Ficciones and Labyrinths have both been published in English by New York press.

Like many Latin American writers, Jorge Borges was involved in politics. Borges was considered a political conservative and he labeled himself as a Spencerian anarchist. He declared that he was opposed to Marxism and Communism. He even said that the famous poet Pablo Neruda was a "very mean man" for supporting the Soviet Union. Borges also let his opinions be well known that he was very much opposed to Peronism.

Throughout his career, Borges held a variety of impressive positions. In 1955, Borges became director of the National Public Library in Argentina, and became a Literature professor at the University of Buenos Aires. Borges also has won a variety of prizes over the years including the International Publishers' Prize in 1961 and the Jerusalem Prize in 1971. Unfortunately, in Borges' early thirties, his vision began to decline. As a result, he began lecturing and also writing screenplays.

Jorge Borges was credited for opening the doorway to a variety of Spanish American novelists including Gabriel Garcia Marquez. While you might not be ready to read Jorge Borges' work when you first learn Spanish in Argentina, this is definitely a milestone that you can look forward to as your Spanish becomes better and better.

At the ECELA Spanish school in Buenos Aires you will have plenty of introduction to the country's impressive cultural histoy. The building is located in comfortable Recoleta, an ideal location to learn Spanish in Argentina.

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Learning Korean: 3 Important Differences Between English and Korean Grammar

Korean and English have very different grammar structures, which can make learning Korean challenging for native English speakers. How should you overcome this challenge? The best way is to tackle the problem head on, by directly comparing Korean and English sentence structures. This article will give a very brief review of basic grammar concepts and then discuss the three main grammatical differences between Korean and English.

Quick and Easy Grammar Refresher

To get the most out of this article, you must understand some basic grammatical concepts. Most importantly, you need to understand subjects, objects and verbs. Simply put, a verb is a word that expresses action or being, words like eat, walk, and tell. The subject of a sentence, on the other hand, is the word that takes the action of the verb. Finally, the object in a sentence is the "thing" involved in the action. It often answers the "who," "when," or "where" kinds of questions.

For example, in the sentence "Ryan wrote a letter," the verb is "wrote." Ryan is the one who did the writing, so he is the subject, and the letter is what Ryan wrote, so it is the object. Do you notice the order in which those words were placed?

Word Order: Korean vs. English

The order of the words in the sentence above is subject + verb + object. In Korean, the order of the words in a sentence is subject + object + verb. So, in this case, using Korean grammar, the sentence would read like this:

"Ryan letter wrote." Or, in Romanized Korean, laieon eun pyeonji leul sseoss-eoyo.

Laieon = Ryan (there is no "R" sound in Korean)

pyeonji = letter

sseoss-eoyo = write

This is the most important part of Korean grammar that you need to know. You'll have to fight all of your natural instincts, but you must place the verb at the end of the sentence when speaking Korean.

Korean Subject and object Markers

This is an easy comparison. In English, there are no subject and object markers. In Korean, there are. Take a look at the example sentence I wrote above. Did you notice that there are 5 words in the Korean sentence but that I only translated three of them? The two words I didn't translate are "eun" and "leul." I didn't translate them because there is no direct translation.

Notice that the word "eun" follows the word "Laieon" (Ryan). Laieon is the subject of the sentence; therefore, it is marked with the subject marker "eun."

The word "pyeonji" (letter), on the other hand, is the object, so it is marked with the object marker "leul." These markers can be confusing at first, but don't worry. They come naturally once you begin to use them regularly.

Articles

Articles specify the grammatical definiteness of nouns. In English they are the words "a/an" and "the." Look at the sample sentence above one more time. You may have thought that I made a typo when I wrote the sentence, "Ryan letter wrote?" Actually, however, the sentence is correct when written in the Korean form because in the Korean language there is no use of articles at all.

Summary

Korean and English have very different grammar structures, which can make learning Korean a bit difficult for native English speakers. You can make the process much easier, however, if you understand the difference in word order, the difference in the use of subject and object markers, and the difference in the use of articles.

Best of luck in this and all of your learning endeavors.

Want to learn Korean online? Check out my Rocket Korean Review.

Also, be sure to grab a copy of my FREE (for the time being) new book called "Ordinary Ways to Learn a Language Extraordinarily Fast" at http://www.liveinasiablog.com/learning-a-new-language/

Have a great day.

Ryan Wiley
Founder
The Live in Asia Blog

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Around the World in 100 Words - Five Language Apps for the Business Traveler

If you're a business traveler and a frequent flyer to international destinations, you understand that English can take you many places, but it can't always get the job done. Learning a few phrases in the languages of your foreign business associates can make your experience in their country more pleasant and score you extra credit points.

Too busy to read a foreign-language phrase book or attend a language class before your next trip? Language-learning apps are your solution. Compact and mobile par excellence, these highly engaging applications can accompany you in your travels and help you bolster your language skills at your leisure.

Let's take a look at five free mobile apps that you can combine to acquire foreign language skills on the road and on the fly:

1. Byki

Quick, essential phrases in Danish, Dutch, French, German, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Taglog are at your fingertips with this app. Rather than delving into extensive vocabulary, Byki is strong in teaching everyday greetings across several languages, with the multiple-destination traveler in mind. In three easy steps, you can master everyday cordialities that will take you across Europe and Asia.

The first step involves reviewing the flash cards, which come with images and native speaker audio. In the second step, you see the target language and come up with the English translation. When you've got the gist of the vocabulary, the third step is to translate from English into the foreign language.

Byki has also compiled a database of vocabulary around key themes such as beverages. Want to know how to order a beer in every country you visit? This is the app for you.

2. Busuu

Where Byki offers breadth, Busuu provides depth. Available in Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Italian, French and German, Busuu has a similar interface to Rosetta Stone in terms of exercises and format. Native speaker sound, illustrations, colorful flashcards, dialogues and audiovisual quizzes make for an engaging and active learning experience. Students are rewarded with Busuu berries at the end of each level.

Another great feature is that Busuu allows you to review your mistakes. You can acquire vocabulary pertaining to a variety of themes, including work, sports, days of the week, body parts, telling time, dates and seasons, family members, numbers, colors, meals, directions, pets, geography, clothes, fruits, vegetables and more.

3. Vocabology

This vocabulary-boosting app is designed for the daily language apprentice. It allows you to get a word-of-the-day in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, French and English from a variety of sources. Because repetition is often the secret to retention, Vocabology uses the word of the day in multiple contexts, including an addictive quiz.

4. Flashcards Deluxe

One of the best ways to commit all of this vocabulary to memory is to review it throughout the day. This app allows you to create your own deck of flashcards with words you come across in your studies and to import decks from the shared library. You can personalize the backgrounds of the cards, add photos and sounds from your smartphone or from the app's website, modify font size and colors, set up a slideshow and flag cards for more intensive review.

As you go through your cards, you signal your responses as either correct, incorrect or "strong correct" (meaning no need for further review). The program then schedules the cards in spaced repetition as a function of these responses so that you don't under-study certain words and over-study the ones you have mastered. Using the Leitner card order option, you can also focus solely on the cards you've gotten wrong recently. Spend ten minutes with this app every morning when you wake up and/or at night when you go to bed for optimum retention.

5. Radio/Newspaper apps

As your familiarity with the language increases, you can begin to immerse yourself in the culture of your travel destination by listening to the national radio stations and reading local press articles. If you are traveling to Spain, for example, download the RNE app, Radio Nacional de Espana to listen to any of the six national radio stations, andEl Paisto enrich your vocabulary while reading up on trending topics, current affairs and popular culture. Unlike mobile sites, these radio-streaming and content apps are perfectly adapted to your particular smartphone platform and therefore supply an optimized interface. You don't have to sort through several web pages to get where you want - in one click, you can stream the radio station of your choice, as effortlessly as if you were flipping channels on the highway in Spain. And in one click, you can read news articles in a format carefully tailored to your smartphone screen.

The rapidity of speech may be intimidating at first but if you undertake this exercise regularly, you'll soon be amazed to find yourself deciphering fragments of conversations and recognizing the vocabulary words you have acquired.

There are hundreds of other interesting language apps out there but with these five alone, you can build a comprehensive and personalized program for foreign language acquisition. So how much time do you need to devote to this in order to see any tangible results?

Remember that we are not talking about fluency here (though multilingualism is a fantastic goal), but rather elementary communication in the context of international business. One school of thought makes the argument that you can get by in a foreign country with a lexicon of 100 words. With 100 words at your disposal, you are able to comprehend some of what is said around you, express your essential needs and ask basic questions. A pocketbook vocabulary of 100 words will allow you to order wine for your table at a company lunch, ask when your clothes will be dry-cleaned, inquire as to the best cup of coffee near your hotel and get directions to a local pharmacy.

And if you're armed with 100 words, you're less likely to be taken advantage of by that taxi driver who mistakes you for a novice and opts for the extra-long route to the hotel. Your ability to communicate in the local language, albeit on a rudimentary level, will place you in a different category of tourists or business travelers, one that is treated with more respect. You will also derive more satisfaction from mundane tasks like checking out of your hotel, since everyday interactions such as these become opportunities to practice your newfound vocabulary in context.

So next time you're on the road-lugging around your suitcase, smoothing the wrinkles out of your suit, and struggling to get some shuteye - explore these apps for hours of distraction (even relaxation!) and acquire new language skills in the process. We're sure that doing so will broaden your horizons and deepen your appreciation of the cultures with which you do business.

Acclaro is a global translation and localization firm that helps the world's leading brands succeed across cultures. Acclaro offers a full range of services for creating and maintaining multilingual marketing campaigns, websites, documents, software and much more. From Asia to Europe and the Americas, Acclaro gives clients a local voice in global markets.

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French Grammar - Rule of THUMB and Pronouns

The majority of people, when they first dabble in learning a language like French, tend to acquire relatively easy phrases like the numbers or the alphabet as well as a few key expressions like "I love you" or "Good morning!"

This approach tends to make the learner immediately feel like they are part of the new language community. If they happen to know people who speak this target language, these initial baby steps at learning are certain to earn a few smiles and much approval!

When you decide to get serious about learning a language, this is when you tend to look at grammar. Quite simply, grammar is what allows you to create content in any language. You are no longer just reciting lines you learned from a website or a traveler's guide. Now you are able to produce something of your own. This is the key role that grammar plays and is the reason why it needs to be an integral part of any learner's language agenda.

Let's examine a simple topic in grammar - the subject pronouns. These are basically words that establish who's doing any given action.

I - je; You - tu, He - il, She - elle, We - nous, They - ils

At this point, you'd probably feel relieved. Whew, this looks just like English. It's a one-to-one match.

The word You = the word tu and so on and so forth.

But this is exactly one of the core underlying problems I'd like to address here. One of the very first realities you need to truly grasp if you're going to learn a language is that things don't quite work the same way in all languages. Language is like a trip to Wonderland. Things down the rabbit hole tend to get a bit unstable and weird.

For instance if we were to flesh things out a bit and present a more complete chart of the pronouns above, we'd have.

I - je; You - tu/vous, He/It- il, She/It - elle, We - nous/on, They/It - ils/elles???

And this is the point where people start feeling a really uncomfortable. What? How can the word You be two different things? How can an It also mean He and a She? Why are there two words for We? And I thought It was already il and elle. Now it's also the plural ils and elles? Is French grammar confusing you yet?

Why have I mentioned all of these examples? Because I want to make absolutely sure that you're going down the right path when it comes to learning French grammar - and that path is definitely NOT rote memorization. This is one of the major problems I see many people who learn a second language stumbling over. Consequently, they quickly get flustered and give up before they've really even started.

When you learn a grammar rule, it is to be taken as a guideline but almost NEVER an absolute.

This is especially true when it comes to French grammar because French is notorious for being the language of exceptions even more nefarious than English.

The right idea is to look at everything as if you were putting together the pieces of a puzzle. See how things blend together. Appreciate the differences and how nothing is ever 100%, and above all else, give yourself time! Learning French isn't going to happen overnight, but your brain will eventually be able to absorb all of the finer points and compartmentalize them so that make a bit of sense!

Now let's resolve these apparent paradoxes above:

How can the word You be two different things?

You is both tu and vous because the word You in English is both singular and plural. Tu is the singular You, and vous is the plural You (guys) as well as being the singular formal form of You.
You is also both tu and vous because in the singular form, tu and vous are the informal and formal way (respectively) to say You to people. If you just met somebody, you wouldn't use tu. That would be rude. English doesn't have these differences for the word You.

How can It also mean He and a She?

Because all nouns (people, places, things, and ideas) are masculine or feminine. Yes, a chair actually has a gender in French

So instead of saying It is green if you were referring to a green chair, in French, you'd say Elle est verte(She is green).

Why are there two words for We?

Yes, We in writing or formal situations tends to be nous but when we are talking it's usually translated as on. This is because conjugations with nous are a LOT more complicated than on, so just to save time and make life easier, we tend to stick with on when speaking.

I thought It was already il and elle. Now it's also the plural ils and elles?

Sometimes words that are singular in English are plural in French. Take the following sentence.

The information was useful - Les informations etaient utiles.

So then if you replaced the word information in both languages by a pronoun, you'd get:

It was useful - Elles etaient utiles.

The Elles in this case now translates into It. Thus, this final conundrum has been resolved.

For your FREE eBook on the powerful TOP French resources I used to go from speaking zero French to being SUPER fluent in no time, please visit - http://www.charliesfrenchfactory.com/welcome.html

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Words Commonly Misspelled Or Misused

Its and it's

Its is a possessive word.

The dog has had its breakfast. (NOT The dog has had it's breakfast.)

It's the contracted from of it is or it has.

Have you seen my phone? It's disappeared. (= It has disappeared.)

It's not worth reading. (= It is not worth reading.)

Whose and who's

Whose is a possessive word. It is used both as a determiner and as a pronoun.

Whose book is this?
Whose is this book?

Who's is the contracted form of who is or who has.

Who's your father?

Their, they're and there

Their is a possessive word like his or your.

Their daughter is my classmate.

They're is the contracted form of they are.

They're waiting for us.

There is an adverb of place.

There is somebody at the door.

Your and you're

Your is a possessive word like their and his.

Where is your umbrella?

You're is the contracted form of you are.

You're my best friend.

No one and none

No one (also written as no-one in British English) means the same as nobody.

I waited for hours, but no one came.

None expresses the idea 'not a single one'. It can be followed by of.

None of my friends wished me a happy birthday.

No one cannot be followed by of.

Any one and anyone

Anyone means the same as anybody. Any one means 'any single one'. It can refer to both persons and things.

Does anyone know where Jane works?
You can borrow any one book at a time. (NOT You can borrow anyone book at a time.)

Sometime, some time and sometimes

Sometime means 'one day'.

We will be visiting you sometime next week.

Some time means 'a considerable amount of time'.

It will take some time to repair the car.

Sometimes means 'on some occasions'.

Sometimes I wonder what life is all about.

Quite and quiet

Quite is an adverb of degree. It means 'completely' or 'entirely'. It is pronounced like 'white'.

You are quite wrong.

Quiet means 'silent', 'peaceful' and similar ideas. It is pronounced like 'diet'.

She is a quiet girl.

Whether and weather

Weather means 'climate'.

In May the weather is hot.

Whether is a conjunction used to introduce yes/no questions.

I asked whether he had come.

Later and latter

Later is the opposite of earlier. It is pronounced like waiter.

I will see you not now but later.

Latter means 'second'. It is the opposite of former. Latter is pronounced like 'matter'.

I think the latter part of the film is more interesting than the former.

Lose and loose

Lose is an irregular verb. It is pronounced like choose. Its past tense and past participle forms are: lost and lost.

Lose / lost / lost

You will lose your dog if you don't tie it up.

Loose is pronounced like goose. It is the opposite of tight.

This knot is loose and will soon come undone.

Manjusha Nambiar is an ESL tutor and content developer. Her blog GrammarEnglish gives free English Grammar lessons and printable grammar worksheets

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Spanish Language Learning - Where to Start?

Learning a foreign language like Spanish has become easier than ever than before. The Spanish language has become increasingly popular and as a result there are a brilliant range of Spanish language resources available on the internet. It is now possible to immerse yourself in the Spanish language using only a computer with internet connection. In this article I provide a few places for you to get started learning Spanish online.

Learn how to communicate with some basic Spanish.

Basic conversation is a good starting point to learning Spanish. There are loads of videos available online to help you learn phrases to meet and greet such as hola, adios, buenos dias, buenas noches for example. These first lessons also include basic conversational phrases like 'how are you?' - '?como estas?'. Obviously these first lessons are there to inspire you to learn more about the Spanish language and a basic building block on which to build. This is made a lot easier by the huge amount of Spanish language lessons of this kind online although I would say speaking at this level is a lot better done in the classroom.

Learn some basic Spanish vocab

This is the next step for most Spanish language courses. There are loads of relevant lists online to learn the very basics of Spanish vocabulary - I would recommend playing Spanish language learning games to immerse yourself in the vocab from the beginning, as well as writing your first basic Spanish phrases and self-testing. I would recommend Real Spanish and Spanish Dict as two sites to help with this stage. The normal Spanish vocab areas covered at the start are the numbers, colours and parts of the body.

Learn some basic Spanish grammar

It also helps to learn at least the basics of Spanish grammar at the beginning of your Spanish language learning. Study Spanish is a good site to help learn about the basic construction of sentences in Spanish (ie. adjectives following nouns in the majority of instances), the agreements of masculine and feminine, and the punctuation and structure of questions and answers to basic Spanish questions.

Invest in a beginners Spanish course

The easiest way through all this is to purchase a Spanish course online like Rocket Spanish. This course takes you through step by step from the very beginning and develops all areas of your Spanish simultaneously. The lessons are clear and there is always good support on offer if you do get stuck (something you don't get with a non-virtual Spanish course)

Take it one step at a time

Finally remember to take it one step at a time - you won't be fluent after a few weeks and it will take a lot of hard work. If you enjoy the language learning experience and immerse yourself in as much Spanish material as possible you will get there eventually though.

Go to http://www.topspanishtips.weebly.com/ for a collection of the best Spanish language resources online. The website is a brilliant guide to find those resources you'll need is whether you're just starting out learning Spanish or at a strong level already.

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Prospect of Online Learning

The prospect of learning Mandarin Chinese can seem like a daunting task, and with good reason. Most people have a hard enough time mastering the finer nuances of their native tongue, and learning an entirely new language can appear insurmountable at first glance. Despite how difficult learning a new language might seem, the experience can be a fun and surprisingly easy task if one approaches it correctly. In today's world, where Mandarin Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the entire world, learning Chinese is truly an invaluable resource.

Most people will conjecture that they simply do not have the time to learn something as complex as Chinese--a feeling that most people share in today's busy world. However, there are many different avenues one can take to learn Chinese that cater to each individual's needs. For example, one could hire a personal Chinese tutor and schedule appointments based on one's availability. Drawbacks to hiring a tutor are that doing so can become quite expensive and different tutors will have their own hours of availability that may not coincide with each person's specific needs. Another way one might go about learning Chinese is through purchasing Chinese-English dictionaries and various how-to books, attempting to memorize various words and phrases. While this may work to a limited extent, it would be considerably difficult to understand the nuances of the language such as word context and proper pronunciation. Learning a new language takes much more than mere memorization, and for a language like Chinese, one must attain a proper feel for the language.

In today's fast-paced world where time is such a precious commodity, the most convenient and effective way to learn Chinese is through Chinese online courses-particularly those with online private tutors who speak the language and can aid individuals on things like pronunciation and grammar. Learning Chinese online allows for each person to learn at their own pace, on their own time-whenever that may be. Unlike learning from various texts, learning through online courses allow for a learning experience that is much more structured and covers a variety of different topics that are not available in English-Chinese dictionaries. Learning Chinese online can also offer the same benefits as having your own private tutor in that many online courses offer personal tutoring via the web.

Learning Chinese requires discipline, to say the least, but that does not necessarily mean that it has to be difficult and time consuming. With the availability of learning Chinese online, there really is no reason to start learning this prominently used language.

Charles Devis writes on benefits of learning in Online Chinese Language School. Visit our website for more information about online Chinese language courses for everyone i.e. business, for kids and adults http://www.chinesesphere.com/

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The History of Braille

Braille, a form written communication used by the blind, has interesting origins. Invented in 1824, braille stems from a combination of ideas from a French Army captain and a blind teenager. Today, braille is used worldwide as a standard means for blind people to communicate and educate themselves with the written word, and it has changed little since its creation.

Louis Braille was born in 1809, and was not visually impaired until after a terrible accident. When he was only three years old, Louis was playing in his father's saddle-making workshop, and he scratched his eye while trying to cut leather. Although the wound was bandaged, an unfortunate infection eventually took hold, spreading to both of his eyes and causing complete blindness. Despite the horrible accident and illness at a young age, Louis held on to his curiosity and love of learning. Seven years after the accident, Louis Braille received a scholarship to The National Institute for the Blind Youth in Paris, where he met Charles Barbier.

While studying at The National Institute for the Blind Youth (also know as the Royal Institute for Blind Youth), Louis Braille learned to read the outlines of raised letters in special books. This system was created by the school's founder, but it was inefficient and the books were large and few. In 1921, Louis was inspired during a school assembly when Charles Barbier demonstrated a system he created for the French military after Napoleon expressed a need for way for soldiers to communicate silently in the dark, called "night writing." His system used sets of 12 raised dots, with each set representing a letter. It was too cumbersome for the soldiers to use efficiently and thus was rejected for use by the military. However, the students at the school were very interested in and impressed by Barbier's creation. It was much easier to understand and faster to read than anything they had seen before. Another advantage was that they could write using this system by impressing the dots on wood to form the symbols.

Louis Braille was especially impressed with what Charles Barbier had shown him and his classmates. He always was an intelligent and intuitive boy, and even at the young age of 12 he noticed the flaws and room for improvement on the Captain's invention. Over the next few years, Louis Braille developed his own system based on what he learned from Charles Barbier's inventions and his experience of being a blind person who wanted to communicate fluently in the written word. In 1824, Louis put the final touches on his system, calling it "braille," after himself. In 1829, he released the first book about his writing system, entitled "Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them." Ever since, braille has made reading possible for blind people around the world.

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Learning Language in Spanish Does Not Have to Be Hard - Learn To Speak Fluent Spanish Now

Learning a second language is always a good idea. In the United States today, Spanish is almost as prevalent as English. Consider this, how often do you hear English repeated in Spanish? That is a good reason for learning Spanish. But a lot of people have difficulty with learning new languages. What follows are some helpful tips and a few tricks you can use to make things easier to learn language in Spanish. Learn to speak fluent Spanish now!

Get a course on CD. If you're feeling shy about learning a new language, CDs are great to use. You will be able to listen to someone pronounce the words and use them in sentences. CDs contain the same learning material as used in a classroom, but there will be no stress about talking in front of a class. And it's great because you can listen to your CD just about anywhere. You can just use a CD player, or you can download lessons on an MP3 player and you're all set! So there's no single location where you must learn.

Use labels in your environment. Do this in as many spaces as you can, whether at home, work or even in your vehicle. This way you will get used to associating the correct words with the correct items. When it comes to speaking a new language, you don't want to make silly mistakes. If you take the time to learn what words really mean, you won't do what some tourists and other novices of a language do, and make mistakes that can be humiliating. By using this technique of labeling objects, you'll be absorbing all the right names for things, and you'll find yourself picking up the new language quite naturally.

Practice makes perfect! Don't worry about how you look or sound, it's important to always practice speaking Spanish. Even if you aren't great at putting together whole sentences, using the words you know in place of your native language regularly will help commit those words to memory. So if your new language is Spanish, then just try to use "cena" instead of "dinner" and in place of "one" use "uno." The words will feel like second nature to you, in time. This way you'll be able to understand the words when you hear others speak them. This technique will really help you understand your new language when you talk to others who are fluent in it.

There are lots of reasons to learn another language but figuring out the best way to learn that language can be tough.

You might be thinking about driving to the closest bookstore and getting a book about it. Taking a class is also a good idea, as is getting to know people who are already fluent in the language. There really are many options to learn Spanish or other languages. Be sure to have lots of fun!

So, if you are looking to learn language in Spanish, here is a highly recommended tool for you to take advantage of. Thousands of people, just like you, all over the world have used this fun and effective multimedia Spanish course to hasten their learning, while having a lot of fun in the process. Don't let your inability to speak fluent Spanish now hold you back any longer. Click here to open up a whole new world of Language in Spanish.

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Another Language Learning Method?

In a recent article published in a French daily newspaper, an argument was made that some foreign languages can be learnt by association. For instance languages of Romance, Slavic or Scandinavian origin are so close, at least in their written form, that their similarities make them easy to understand for the speaker of one of them. The example given in the article draws a comparison between Romanian and French.

This phenomenon is known as 'intercomprehension' in French, which could be translated as Inter-linguistic Understanding.

The article follows on by putting forward some unusual ideas (well, unusual to me): for such language combinations and their learning, pronunciation is not essential, at least not at the beginning, and knowledge of grammar is not necessarily a prerequisite for learning a language. This new way of understanding the language would rely on intuition and natural responses. As you can imagine, it is not highly regarded in academic and conservative circles.

A few years ago I tried to learn Welsh for 9 months on an Adult Community Education evening course, and I'm afraid I failed. Our teacher's methods relied, in the first six months at least, on endless repetitions and chanting of sentences, or monotonous association games, and this did not work for me at all. Only in the last couple of months did we actually look at the mechanics of the language, but I had lost all motivation by then. I need to understand the grammar of a language, i.e. what role each word has in the sentence. I see grammar as essential, not for 'grammar's sake' but as a tool to give me the confidence to build my own sentences and to expand my understanding of what I read or hear. As for pronunciation, starting with approximate sounds is, in my opinion, a mistake. The longer bad habits are entertained, the longer it takes to shift them. Therefore, spending time reproducing foreign sounds at the beginning goes a long way. It also helps with recognising words which are close across two languages. Take the words 'qualite' in French and 'quality' in English - very easy to understand on paper, not so when they are pronounced out loud. And yet, once it has been understood that the French 'qua' is pronounced 'ka', it becomes a lot easier, doesn't it? The only thing I really like about this method is the intuition aspect. Although it can and does lead to mistakes (with the so called 'false friends'), it also helps develop a more natural affinity with the language studied, taking away some apprehensions and inhibitions, and making the whole process less daunting.

Having said this, we all have different learning styles and a good teacher should always endeavour to find out how a student learns best.

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First Steps To Writing In French

So you've decided to have a go at writing in French. Congratulations! Your French must be at a very advanced level. Indeed, it is extremely rare to find individuals who can write well in a foreign language. Professional translators, for example, nearly always translate into their native language, the language in which they are most comfortable.

Although writing includes a world of literary works like poetry, theatre, short stories and novels, we'll concentrate on non-fiction.

But non-fiction is a vast category in itself. It includes things like emails, letters, blogs, text messages, advertising, marketing materials, press releases, memos, user guides, academic writing, term papers, technical reports, newspaper articles, legal documents, signs and notices, etc.

It may be of some consolation to realize that native-speakers of French often have difficulty writing. Unlike speaking, writing is a skill learned in school and requires a lot of practice. Not everyone writes well. As you can see, you're going to have to work hard at this. But if you're up to the challenge, here are some suggestions and strategies for success.

1. Recognize your limits and ALWAYS have an educated native-speaker review your work. All great authors have their work reviewed by a professional editor. Since French is not your first language, you will make mistakes. What is worse is to inflict these mistakes on your readers.

You certainly don't want to damage your credibility with bad grammar and clumsy writing. Except for certain very short messages, do not, I repeat, do not send anything out unless you are sure that it is correct.

There are even online forums where people will check your writing either for free or for reciprocal services.

2. Use the right tools. You'll need a good bilingual or monolingual dictionary and any appropriate reference works. All of these can be found online for free.

A highly recommended tool is a word processor with a grammar and spell check. If your word processor is configured for English, it will probably flag your French spellings as mistaken and automatically correct them. This is obviously annoying and downright counterproductive. Make sure to change your dictionary and spell-check settings.

Be careful with word processors. They can be good at correcting spelling mistakes and some grammatical errors, but they can only do so much. Do not rely only on software to correct your writing.

If you want to be really precise, be aware that French typographical conventions require that question marks, exclamation marks and full colons be preceded by a white space called une espace fine. To the untrained eye, it looks like an extra space in front of these characters.

3. Before attempting to write in a certain genre, create a collection of trustworthy examples of your target genre. These could be entire texts or sample sentences. For example, if you have to write memos, start by gathering some examples of memos that you like. The Internet is a fabulous gold mine of examples.

Study these sample texts to see how they work. Try to get a sense of the tone and style that are typical of the genre. Pay particular attention to the first line of every paragraph.

Some people recommend copying out good examples by hand to get a feel for how the language of a particular genre works.

4. Writing in French is just like any kind of writing. You should probably work from an outline. Vary your sentence structures and vocabulary. Seek the right tone of voice and appropriate style.

5. Imitate to the limits of plagiarism. Since French is not your native tongue, your best bet for producing good texts is to simply imitate trustworthy examples. The trick here is to take the sample sentences you like and modify them to your liking.

6. Once you're done checking for grammar and spelling, read your text aloud. This is a good way to catch grammatical errors and to see how the writing flows. Then have someone go over your work and make any necessary changes.

Stanley Aleong specializes in teaching foreign languages and believes that an effective strategy for achieving advanced proficiency in French or Spanish is to work with many carefully selected authentic examples. To learn more about some very effective learning tools based on this principle, visit Advanced French / Spanish

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Chinese Language Learning Strategies For Interpersonal Learners

As outlined by Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, there are 7 distinct kinds of learners, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, musical, visual-spatial, intrapersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical. As a pupil of the Chinese language, you will discover that, while you are able to use approaches from all 7 of the individual learning models, you will be more at ease with some than with others. Pay attention to your inner thoughts, and gravitate towards the exercises you feel most comfortable carrying out. This particular report will present Chinese language learning strategies for people who are intepersonal learners.

What is an Interpersonal Learner?

An interpersonal learner is somebody who loves interacting with other people. These people are usually particularly understanding, and they normally show empathy for other people. They generally have a lot of acquaintances and possess superior street smarts. If you're one of these styles of learners you will excel whenever taking part in group exercises, seminars, and by participating in dialogues, no matter how easy they may be.

Learning Strategy 1

Interpersonal learners excel in group activities, and their study techniques ought to center on interaction. Fortunately, this is often easy to do when learning another language, seeing that everybody desires partners to converse with. You ought to take an active part in setting up parties or some other social get-togethers where the chief goal is to practice talking in Chinese. For instance, you can host a dinner party where the aim is to speak about food in the Chinese language.

Learning Strategy 2

Join organizations which are organized by individuals who are native Chinese speakers. This can seem difficult at first, and it would, in fact, be extremely hard for most of us. Your high level of comfort in interpersonal situations, however, allows you to succeed in most of these circumstances. You can join almost any group. For example, it is easy to join a Chinese trekking group, or perhaps some sort of civic group that meets often.

Learning Strategy 3

Socialize with native Chinese speakers. This might seem to be a bit fake or dishonest, but it doesn't have to be. Just be genuine in the beginning and then allow your natural interpersonal skills take over from there. Take your new friend out for lunch and ask for their help. Most people love helping others, since it makes them to feel useful and significant. And, surely, since English is not their native language, you may as well help them with their studies. It's a win-win position for everybody.

Learning Strategy 4

Enroll in a Chinese language learning class. If you're an intense interpersonal learner, you will definitely get bored rather quickly learning alone. Some sort of classroom environment, on the other hand, will provide you with the social interaction you desire. Additionally, don't just be a part of a class. Also make certain that you spend as much time as you can with your teacher, as the increased individual attention will encourage you to study more.

Conclusion

Interpersonal learners need social interaction to keep encouraged and learn up to their potential. If you are secure in and quite often desire social situations, and if you have a lot of friends, you're almost certainly an interpersonal learner. If this is the case, you should design a learning approach that is based around social interaction.

Get more Learn to speak Mandarin tips by visiting my 8-article series hosted at the famous Squidoo!

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How to Speak English Fluently?

You always dreamed of speaking fluent English just like other million people around the globe but that remained only a dream! You know English, but when you speak, your pronunciation sounds strange or you stammer. Have you ever wondered what's the root cause of the above problem? The answer might surprise you! The biggest problem is speaking English fluently & confidently without any hesitation.

As we all know, English is a globally accepted universal language & the ability to speak it well is absolutely crucial in today's global economy. English is a language that has aspects of other languages in it as well, making it easier to learn and follow the language. So it is super essential to speak English fluently for communication in any part of the world, because it is communication that is holding the world together. Imagine if your weak in it, then how can you survive in this highly competitive globe. More and more people are trying to learn and improve their English. Speaking English fluently can bring you many opportunities, not only in career but also a chance of interacting with other people, who speak English across the world.

Many people say that the English language is one of the hardest to learn. But the truth is it is not at all difficult. In fact learning English can be fun & easy task if you put your mind into it. Also, you have to say goodbye to your fear & hesitation, then only will you be able to speak English fluently & confidently just like a native speaker. When learning how to speak fluently, just remember how you learnt to speak when you were a child. You simply uttered words imperfectly & used to imitate whatever sounds were produced around you. Same is the case with learning to speak fluent English.

You might have seen a person having a good grasp of the English language impressing everyone. To speak English fluently means you should be able to pronounce words properly and with a correct vocabulary. When you talk to someone who is fluent in English, it is no surprise that you'll be impressed with that person.

So if you wish to speak English flawlessly like a native, here are some efficient tips on how to speak English fluently:

Focus on actually conversing rather than just memorizing grammatical rules. To converse good English, you need to focus on conversing in English as much as possible.
Look out for people who are good in English. Converse with them. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Ask your friends or relatives or teachers, who know better English, to correct you, In this way you will learn correct English.
Think in English. Yes, if you want to speak English fluently, you need to think in English rather than thinking in your mother tongue. If you do that, it will slow down your speaking process and you won't be able to speak fluently if you constantly translate from your native language to English.
It is also good to hear how others are pronouncing words in English. You can listen to conversations on the internet, radios, TV, movies and from general people.
Access gold mine of English reading materials like online English learning sites, books, English learning kits, English distance learning programs, English learning blogs, forums etc.
Be confident in speaking English. Yes, speaking English confidently will improve your approach and your communication skills. So, don't only concentrate on the language itself, but also on your confidence, because if you aren't confident, you can't speak fluently.

So these were the secrets of speaking fluent English. There may be other ways to make your spoken English better but the only thing which will improve your English language is working hard and practising.

Thus in order to gain English fluency, you should be more patient in the process of learning the language. It takes hard work, discipline and the willingness to learn in order to speak English fluently. So practice constantly as much as you can & as per the old saying, "Practice makes a man perfect", you will be a master of it.

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Judging the Efficacy of a Russian Translator

With the world having been transformed into a global village, interaction between various countries is at its zenith and now encompasses a number of different fields like commerce, business, and cultural exchange and so on. Unlike the yesteryears when dialogue between two countries was solely limited only to specific issues, today the nature of international communication has been completely redefined to the extent that it is common for people of different nationalities to communicate on a daily basis. Of course, there are language constraints which come into play and the only way to overcome this hurdle is to hire the services of an accomplished translator.

Since most of the flow of business has been observed to be from the developed nations to the new and emerging economies, many languages which were earlier limited to certain geographical areas have now acquired a global nature. This has provided impetus to the translation industry since the ability to communicate in the local language is one of the seminal factors which determine the success of a business. Popularity of English to Russian website translation service is an outcome of this demand as it is imperative for companies wishing to make a foray into the untapped and highly potential Russian market to have a reliable translator on their side.

For an entrepreneur or a company executive who wants to capitalize on the upcoming and strengthening Russian economy, hiring the services of a capable Russian translator is a must because communication matters a great deal and can make all the difference. Some of the basic methods of making inroads entail holding business meetings, visiting manufacturing sites, conversing with the locals and signing contracts and documents and anyone with a good business mind would not commit himself to these tasks if he cannot comprehend Russian.

In such situations, it is imperative to be accompanied by a proficient Russian translator as he/she would be able to accurately interpret and explain the nitty-gritty and thus facilitate decision making. Such a person would also provide an insight into the local Russian culture and help towards cultivating an in-depth understanding about the prevailing situation.

Selecting the right person for performing this sensitive task is extremely important and some qualifications which would prove the efficacy of a good translator are as follows:

A certified degree in Russian language in addition to mastery in the practical aspects of the language like reading, writing and speaking.Expertise in at least two languages is mandatory as is the knowledge of computers.Job experience is definitely one of the deciding factors.Not only should this individual be cognizant of the culture of the country she is native to but she must be sharp enough to judge the psychology of the target audience as well.

Keeping these guidelines in mind while going through the resume of the English to Russian translator would ensure the selection of a seasoned linguist who in addition to translation would perform the job of convincing the opposite faction as well.

Lena owner of All Russian Language Services and an English Russian Translator and Language Trainer for large contracts or a single page birth certificate she will make sure you don't have to worry about it and you can focus on other things. Contact her here at English Russian Translation

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Bilingualism: The Advantages of Knowing Mandarin Chinese and English

Being bilingual in Mandarin Chinese and English will be able to enable one to expose to the beauty and richness of western and eastern cultures, literature, customs, festivals, history, etc.

Over 1 billion people around the world speak Mandarin Chinese, about one fifth of the global population. China is the most populous nation in the world, with 1.32 billion people.

Chinese Mandarin is becoming one of the fastest growing and popular academic fields of study in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and many English Speaking countries.

China is one of the world's oldest and richest cultures and is over 5000 years old.

China is the second largest economy in the world. China has become a huge market, business leaders are looking for people who can speak Chinese and operate successfully in the Chinese cultural context.

The wealthy Chinese tend to indulge in branded and luxurious goods from the west. Learning any language is an advantage when looking for a job. Employers like bilingual employee especially in English and Mandarin Chinese.

The Chinese-US and Chinese-European trade are becoming to be a very huge market. Traders or businessmen who are proficient in both Mandarin Chinese and English will definitely enjoy a great advantage.

In this digital age, English is still the widely preferred medium of communication. It is still the dominant language of social media sites, online education networks, websites, etc. The introduction of Chinese words Pinyin enables anyone to learn and read Chinese character easier and faster.

Pinyin is the official system to transcribe the Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet to teach Mandarin Chinese. Nowadays, there are many excellent teaching materials or tools available in the Internet to help anyone to learn the Mandarin Chinese. The medium of teaching is mostly in English with the Chinese Teaching materials.

This is the best time to learn Mandarin Chinese.

With the latest technology and software through Internet, the Chinese language has been more easily accessible than ever before.

Research has shown that learning an additional language is good for the brain.

It also enhances the learning of other subjects.

One study found showed that students who are multilingual are more flexible problem-solvers.

It has been shown that older people who are bilingual are less susceptible to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and can keep their brains sharper much longer.

This benefit is even more profound in learning Chinese. The fact that Mandarin Chinese is so different from English in sound, tones and script means that learning it is even more mentally stimulating than other languages.

There is no doubt that speakers of more than one language have nimble brains. Bilingualism enhances attention and cognitive control in kids and adults.

Start learning an additional language today.

The benefits of bilingualism in learning Mandarin Chinese are tremendous, it not only can provide healthy stimulation to the brain but a very useful tool and valuable asset in one's academic studies, career, business opportunities. One can even enjoy the beauty and richness of two different cultures, the English and Chinese cultures.

You are most welcome to visit a very informative and educational website, 'Learn Mandarin the Fun and Easy Way' at http://www.iknowmandarin.com/.

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The Story of the Italian Language

The Italian language is spoken by approximately 2.7 % of the world's population, where it counts for 14% in the European Union; it is a language known as romance or Romanic. According to Wikipedia, Dante Alighieri a major Italian poet was the person who eventually simplified Italian in that he combined the Sicilian and Florence dialect through his works and formalized what would become the standard and the official language of Italy. Because it was a language picked up and understood by all educated Italians. He is still to this day credited for 'making' the first official Italian language.

Until Dante came around there wasn't an exact basic Italian language, every region or city had its own dialect. The cities were known for being city-states and therefore the variation of the Italian spoken in said cities had their own variation of the language. There are still variations from region to region in Italy, but the standard language of Italian is now used by most of Italy. And although schools were declared compulsory in 1861 it wasn't until 1923 more than 50 years later, that the illiteracy was halved. Many children in the southern and rural areas weren't sent to school it would take more than 70 years before 90% of children received education.

Northern Italian language became influenced by the French bards introduction by Franco-Occitania in the middle ages. The Occitan Valleys is a region in the Southern Alps of Italy. Italian is derived from the Vulgar (the common peoples language) Latin language with a strong Germanic influence. There are still many dialects present in Italy today. Each region still declares theirs as being the real Italian language. The Latin influence has become less distinct in modern times; Latin was the language of the educated Italians. Italian is the language closest to Latin in its vocabulary.

In the United States the largest Italian-speaking population (counting 1mill. according to the 2000 census) is found in 5 different cities, where New York wins first place with close to half of the total number. Italian is the fifth most common language in the world, after English, Spanish, French and German

Should you plan on going to Italy on a vacation learning the Italian language can only enhance your stay. Mussolini's minister of education Giovanni Gentile introduced the Gentile Reform in Italian schools in 1923. The reform among other things; abolished all foreign languages from the schools. Therefore there are still many of the older generation, who do not speak any foreign languages.

And although both the English and the French language are taught in Italian schools today, it can only make you enjoy your vacation more if you are able to speak and understand the older generation as well.

Susanne Hojgaard's background for writing about the Italian language is that she is married to an Italian-American. For more information and lessons in Italian, please visit her website http://learnhowtospeakitalianquick.com/

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7 Tips for Improving Your Mandarin Chinese While in a Language Immersion Program

7 Steps to Mastering Mandarin Chinese in a Language Immersion Program
Studying Chinese in an immersion program can be an amazing time and can take your Chinese abilities to whole new levels of proficiency. Here are some steps that we've figured out from studying and living in Chinese speaking countries for several years. There is a lot you can do that just show up to class to help your Chinese. Being immersed in a Mandarin Chinese speaking environment presents a million different ways to make studying and learning Chinese easy, fun and productive. Equally important, the door of opportunity awaits you. Master Mandarin Chinese with these methods below and watch as new opportunities begin to pop up all around you. Without further ado, why don't you get out and try....

1. Getting a Language Partner
The most common and super effective thing to do. While in an environment with so many Chinese speakers eager to help you learn Chinese and learn your native language, finding a language partner is easy and smart! A language partner is just a friend whom you swap languages with in a meeting every week (or day/whenever you set up the time). They teach you more Chinese, while in turn you spend some time teaching them some of your native tongue. Language exchanges are a great way to help you get over your fear of speaking and also meet a new friend!

2. Read EVERYTHING
With a national language of Mandarin Chinese, no wonder all the signage is written in it! Take advantage of being in the environment that is covered in Chinese characters like a pizza is in cheese. Read the signs as you drive by on the bus. Read the menus searching for new characters and unique cuisine names even after you've already ordered. Pay attention to all of the safety labels and signs posted to get a feel of how to warn others of dangers in Chinese. Signage is a great way to improve you Chinese and its EVERYWHERE! Read it out loud or just to yourself, but make use of it while you can!

3. Dare to Speak
A big fear for most people when learning a new language is actually speaking it. When this fear starts to build in you, the best thing to do to conquer it is the same as any other fear: TAKE ACTION. Start speaking more to your teachers and answer more questions. Don't be shy on the street and try to work through your newly learned vocabulary and grammar to explain what it is you need. You will be amazed when your Chinese starts flowing out more and more naturally when you are sincerely trying to communicate something rather than just thinking of the words themselves. The best part is, you almost never will be met with someone laughing at you because you've already shown bravery and confidence in talking with them. People in general are very friendly and open; don't be scared and head out for a conversation with a stranger today!

4. Find Local Friends
This one may end up being a product of your previously found language partner. If not, even better! When you're in the immersion country one of the best things you can do to take your Chinese to the next level is find some local friends. Search through your college bulletin boards; join interest groups and clubs, participate in local events, and most importantly put on a smile and introduce yourself to people. Meeting and keeping some close local friends will be beneficial in more ways than you can imagine. Not only will they teach you colloquial phrases and help you learn more of the Chinese language, but they will also help you with any other problems you may have while learning in their country!

5. Don't Ask for the English Version
One thing you need to avoid is cheating yourself. Commonly waiters at restaurants will try to hand you the English version of the menu once they have an idea you may not understand the normal Chinese version. If this happens, refuse it and ask for the regular Mandarin Chinese menu. Many times not only is this a missed opportunity for some reading practice, but a lot of information gets lost in translation many times. This 'English' service may be helpful those only here on vacation, however to master the language you should be pushing your self into it as much as possible. This may come with the consequence of some weird dishes showing up on the table here and again, but hey, all in the name of progress!

6. Do What Your Mom Said Not To, Watch TV!
Obviously this one is to be exercised with caution. A better point is to get out and interact with real people in real time with real conversation. Obviously. However, watching television in Mandarin is really a great way to practice your listening AND reading skills. Most shows have Chinese character subtitles along the bottom, so you can listen to what's being said as well as see it. This is great for association of sound and sight, and will have you recognizing more and more characters with each episode. Find something that interests you and tune in every once and a while. Be careful not to over due it though, watching TV is a great relaxing down time study habit. However it is no match for being engaged and involved in the real Chinese-speaking world outside.

7. Make Every Experience a Learning Experience
The world is your Chinese classroom while you're in the immersion country!. Try and make each day and activity and adventure and learning experience. For instance, when you need some things from the grocery store, grab some new vocabulary from your dictionary you can use at the super market. Or perhaps you've got a cold and need some medicine. Grab some new words and run down to the pharmacy or local clinic to explain what your symptoms are to the doctor. Every time you go out into the world there is an opportunity for you to use new words and ways to communicate your wants and needs. Take full advantage and make studying Chinese in a Chinese speaking nation. Its usually much more fun than just sitting in the classroom!

Remembering all of these tips, the most important thing to remember while in studying in the Chinese immersion program is to have fun. Studying Chinese doesn't have to be cramming new characters into your brain. Living in Taiwan, speaking to the locals, and enjoying your time are simple and excellent ways to ensure you have positive memories and associations with Chinese Learning. Plus, once you are able to understand the language of the world that surrounds you, you will be amazed at how many doors of opportunity begin to open up all around you.

This article was written by Christopher Collins, Program Director for Mandarin Taiwan Study Abroad. For more information visit http://www.mandarintaiwan.com/.

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French Grammar - Opportunite Is NOT Opportunity

First let me preface this post by explaining what a False Friend / Faux Ami is.

Plain English Please

A false friend is someone you've grown to know and trust for the longest of times. Then one day, you get into a bind and need his or her help. Then, toodle-loo, this person suddenly is gone and nowhere to be found.

Wait, this isn't morality and ethics we're talking about? No.

The false friend we're concerned about is much less sinister. It basically is any word that looks like a word in another language, and so you automatically assume that they are the same thing... And it's a good thing to do actually! Because you'll be right more than 90% of the time. But that 10% is a stinger, so let's get this sorted out shall we?

Today, the word we are going to discuss is.. OPPORTUNITE.

I mean wow! The first thing you see, it looks like a freaking imposter, downright copyright violation worthy! I mean, switch the y out for an e, and magic, you've just learned a new word with no work involved.

So then, how do we translate the word opportunity into French?
--By the word occasion.

Here are some examples:

J'ai eu l'opportunite de manger un hamburger. --> WRONG!

J'ai eu l'occasion de manger un hamburger. --> RIGHT!

I had the opportunity to eat a hamburger.

Ok, that's all fine and dandy, Charlie. But how do we correctly use the word opportunite then? I'm glad you asked!

Pour le chat, c'est l'opportunite de manger les souris

For the cat, this is its CHOICE MOMENT to eat the mice

Or take another example:

Ensuite, on jugera l'opportunite de cette strategie de jeu.

Then, we'll determine the SUITABILITY of this game plan.

Does that make sense? The word opportunite in French really refers to good timing or the appropriateness of something. It's RARELY used by most people in this way, however.

Wait, what do you mean?

This happens to be one of those rules that many French people (at least in Canada) break all the time! It's really more of a rule to be followed when you have to turn in one of those dreaded term papers in a college class. Nothing more!

So... huge sigh of relief. This isn't one of those critical faux amis to remember. But it's still probably a good idea to build up the habit of using OCCASION instead of OPPORTUNITE when your mind thinks opportunity.

Charlie has been a French as a Second Language Classroom Teacher at the Elementary and Secondary levels and has been teaching and tutoring adults, teenagers, and children for over 8 years.

For your FREE eBook on the powerful TOP French resources I used to go from speaking zero French to being SUPER fluent in no time, please visit - http://www.charliesfrenchfactory.com/welcome.html

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The Difficulties Involved In Finding Qualified Ukrainian Translators

The first thing you need to understand is that as a language Ukrainian is very, very similar to Russian. This generally creates the easiest entry point for Ukrainian translators. If an individual understands and can both speak and read Russian than they are going to have a nearly identical level of competency with Ukrainian.

Certain experts like to analogize it by saying that the differences between Ukrainian and Russian are basically of the same order as the differences between different forms of English. If you can speak English in the United States you'll be able to speak and understand English in francophone Canada, for example. This is good news, as Russian is a very widely spoken and understood language compared to Ukrainian, and their nearness opens up the field of potentially effective Ukrainian translators immensely.

That being said Russian and Ukrainian are NOT the exact same language. There are differences between the two of them which are significant enough to make Ukrainian translation a little more difficult than the above paragraph makes it sound. This is due to the fact that translation is a tricky task that requires an unrivaled level of depth and sensitivity to the cultures and the fundamental character of each language that goes well beyond simply 'understanding' a language.

If someone speaks Russian than they might make an effective enough Ukrainian interpreter due to the speed and less-specific nature of that service. Simply understanding a language well enough to get by and to communicate, however, just isn't enough when it comes down to translation. If you're looking for a Ukrainian translator than you really need to find someone who specializes in that exact language, a good tranaclation company can help you do this. You can't settle for 'good enough' when it comes to thorough and effective translation.

Specificity is always important in the field of translations, not just with Ukrainian translation services. It's always a good idea to make sure you spend the time, energy and money to make sure you end up hiring a Ukrainian translator who will provide you with a truly brilliant piece of work that is sensitive to both languages involved, to both the spoken and unspoken assumptions inherent in each. The language is too difficult and complicated to attempt to learn or understand on your own if you are in need of translation services, which is why it's so important that you go ahead and hire the best Ukrainian translator you can find.

Charlene Lacandazo is a marketing executive for Rosetta Translation, a leading full-service translation agency in London, UK.

Rosetta Translation specialises in Ukrainian translation, as well as interpreting services worldwide.

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When Languages Collide: Denglisch In Germany

Denglish, a hybrid form of English and German, has seen a rapid rise in popularity not only in Germany, but also throughout the German speaking world. Whether or not this can be seen as a good thing, however, is an issue of extreme importance.

With advances in computer technology and, therefore, pan-global communication methods, the English language has been at the forefront of almost every linguistic issue of the last twenty years. It is the lingua franca of cyberspace as well as of the business and advertising worlds. Many companies now demand a high level of English from their employees when considering them for their teams and as such, many groups have begun to spring into existence in order to defend their mother tongues. Germany is no exception, with the German Academy for Language and Poetry (GALP) and the Institute for the German Language (IGL) being two of the most prevalent guardians for the mother tongue of Schiller and Goethe in modern Germany.

What is most concerning the GALP and IGL is the influence the English language is currently having on scientific circles, with both groups claiming that the German language stands to be undermined and debased. GALP believes that English poses a genuine threat to the validity of German as a scientific language, and that having a preference towards English in scientific reports and papers will serve only to uproot German and re-label it as nothing more than a dialect.

The president of the GALP, Christian Meier, has expressed concerns that the increasing use of English in economics, mathematics, natural science and technology will have a detrimental effect on the experts in those fields, causing them to be taken less seriously at an international level, simply for preferring to use German as the language for their publications.

What is worse, is that with the increasing number of international courses offered by German universities in order to attract foreign students, Meier believes that the level of English used in the lecture theatres and classrooms simply isn't good enough. He has also explained that it is because of the use of BSE, or bad simple English, that the German language is not able to fully develop in innovative fields.

It simply cannot be denied that English is having an ever-increasing influence on language in Germany, and although the desires to quash such linguistic pressure are not new in Germany, they are not nearly as fastidious as the French, whose pilots and air traffic controllers still complain at having to use English when communicating instructions to each other.

Today, many people will simply ignore the growing use of English in Germany, not giving a second thought to the president of the IGL, Wilhelm Kramer, who commented that English is nothing more than "pseudo cosmopolitan drivel." These are, after all, the days of globalisation and internet collaboration; words are bound to seep into other languages simply because of their extremely common current usage.

Ian Stephenson is a final-year student of Modern Languages (French, German and Russian) and Linguistics at the University of Sheffield, UK. An aspiring EFL teacher, Ian has worked with several secondary schools in his local area to promote the study of foreign languages at advanced levels.

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History Of The Ukrainian Language And The Development Of Ukrainian Translators

From the beginning of its identification as an important and individuated area of the world the Ukraine has been a real melting pot of different cultures. The country is uniquely positioned in such a manner that it stands close to a few different powerful and influential cultures. Most notably the Ukraine is in direct contact with the Slavic nations of the north and directly accessible to the modern Middle East more to the south. These two different cultures formed the earliest influences on the region, which congealed influences from Turkey, Iran and the Slavic nations of the north. This conflicted space was eventually claimed and held by the Slavic nations and the language during this period connects clearest to older Russian. This Slavic language was really set into place by the fact that the written work of the region adopted it.

Ukraine then deviated from the Russian-flavored influence for a time when the region fell under Lithuanian and Polish rule. Both of these nations imparted a large degree of influence on the Ukrainian language and in time on Ukrainian translators, especially the Polish who made it all but necessary for higher ranking Ukrainians to learn and primarily adopt the Polish language. This was further strengthened by the widespread adoption of the Polish Catholic religion during these years, which helped spread the Polish language throughout both the religious and educational orders within the Ukraine.

As the Polish empire and its influence on the Ukraine began to fail the Russians reasserted their influence upon the region. There was even a linguistic split where a significant number within the country spoke Polish while the rest spoke Russian, imagine the effect this would have on Ukrainian translation services in the future. Traditional nationalism didn't play a large part in the Ukrainian character during this time. Such nationalism began to rise later in the nineteenth century, but was subjugated by the Russians fiercely, as they eventually incorporated all of the Ukraine into their empire.

Russian subjugation of the Ukrainian state and its language continued throughout the Russian Empire, and the language primarily existed within the rural regions of the nation until the Soviet Union rose and allowed the Ukrainian language to spread once more. While there was a regular back and forth throughout the years of the Soviet Union, in general the Ukrainian language was allowed to be used by a significant amount of people, and after the fall of the union the Ukrainian state instituted the Ukrainian language as the official tongue of the now-sovereign nation from where several Ukrainian translators are sourced today.

As you can see from this the Ukrainian language was developed over a long time under a wide variety of competing influences. Due to the fact that Russian was the strongest of these influences throughout the life of the region it's unsurprising that to this day Russian and Ukrainian are often considered to be near interchangeable languages, where understanding one usually results in the ability to understand the other.

Charlene Lacandazo is a marketing executive for Rosetta Translation, an international full-service translation company in London, UK.

Rosetta Translation specialises in Ukrainian translation, as well as interpreting services all over the world.

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How Learning Chinese Can Make It Easier to Do Business in China

These days, everyone wants to do business in China and this should not be surprising given how the Asian giant's economy is booming due to its burgeoning manufacturing sector. It was recently reported that China had overtaken Japan to become the world's second largest economy, with a total worth of $5.8 trillion at the end of 2010. In fact, many analysts are already predicting that China will overtake the US to become the world's biggest economy within the next ten years given its current rates of growth. No wonder businessmen are scrambling to take advantage of the many business opportunities the country is offering.

To get the most benefit from doing business in China, however, businessmen need to have some proficiency in Mandarin, the most spoken Chinese dialect with over a billion speakers. Although Westerners can rely on translators to communicate, Chinese business relationships are determined by guanxi, or connections. This means that the Chinese see interpersonal relationships as essential in the formation of professional and business relations. This does not mean that you have to be friends, but it does mean that you have to be able to speak some Chinese to be able to make the small talk and pleasantries that are so important to harmonious dealings.

Inevitably, many will question the value of taking the trouble to learn Mandarin given that an increasing number of Chinese are learning how to speak English. Why not rely on them to help you deal with Chinese businessmen and bureaucrats? The reason is simple: Chinese value relationships. They will appreciate the effort you've taken to at least be able to learn some of their language and will reward you accordingly by being a bit more sympathetic to your cause, compared with a businessman who may offer better terms, but displays more cultural insensitivity. In addition, speaking Mandarin helps Chinese businessmen develop a certain level of comfort with you that may make it easier for them to do business with you than with your rivals.

And being able to speak Mandarin will also is invaluable when you're doing business in many other countries that have substantial ethnic Chinese populations, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Overseas Chinese have become an increasingly prominent economic presence in these countries and represent a great opportunity to do business. Even though many of these Chinese have become assimilated into their respective societies, they still hold on to their ethnic Chinese roots and would appreciate a Westerner reaching out to them by speaking their language.

Online Chinese lessons are one of the most convenient ways to learn Mandarin, since you have a wide range of modalities available to you. You also have the luxury of being able to study the lessons in your spare time, unlike when taking off-line classes, where you would have to find time for them in a crowded personal schedule. And you have the advantage of being able to avail of personalized instruction through Skype, so that you'll still have that valuable interaction between teacher and student.

In conclusion..
To be proficient in the Chinese Language or Mandarin, you must be prepared to learn the language seriously. Online learning is readily available and easily accessible even at home. To find out how easy it is to learn Chinese Online, read Learn Chinese Online today! Or go to http://www.chineseonline.sg/

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What Is the Fastest Way to Learn a Language?

The US government uses it, fortune 500 companies use it, heck, even Mormon missionaries use it when learning a new language. What is this program that is so effective that people who have never spoken a language can be in it in just a few months? What is the secret that can unlock your mind and make learning any language possible?

I once asked a friend who had mastered Chinese how he did it. His response was simple: "I moved to China and wanted to eat, if I couldn't speak, I might not eat or I might hate the food, I quickly learned." This man went from knowing zero Chinese, to passing an advanced level Chinese test 6 months later! When he told me this story, he confirmed what I had long suspected. The secret to learning a language isn't fancy software, it isn't years of college or high school courses, it is complete immersion into a language!

As exciting as this realization was, I quickly found this was no easy task. Most people just don't have the time or resources to move out of their country for a year and learn a language. So what solutions are there to complete immersion?

1. Find a native speaking friend who is willing to learn with you. The benefit to this is that it is free and can be fun for you and your friend. The problem is there is a good chance you don't know anyone who speaks the language you want to learn, or, if you do, they would rather speak English with you. That being said if you know someone you should ask!

2. If you have a friend learning the same language, decide with them to only speak in that language when you are together. For example, if you are learning Spanish, only use Spanish when together. Now obviously, you will encounter words that you don't know. When you don't know a word use the English equivalent, but keep the Spanish grammar. This method can greatly increase your ability to learn a language!

3. One last option is to sign up with a website that sets you up with native speakers. If you are only looking for chatting through reading and writing I would check out livemocha.com, they are free and allow you to chat with people from around the world. The downside is that those people are often trying to learn English, so they would expect you to help them as well. If you want a good website that connects you with both native speakers and other learners check out cafespeak.com. They focus on conversation, so essentially you would be utilizing Skype to converse with someone else in their native language.

Learning a language through immersion can be fun and exciting. Try one, two, or all of these methods to quickly immerse yourself in your language of choice. Good luck!

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