Whats ozbargains way of learning a new language? Any good free courses / computer programs.
I want to learn Cantonese(want to travel around Asia one day).
I also wanted to always speak French.
So what do you recommend?
Free langague courses/programs.
Macgyver on 15/06/2013 - 20:03
Comments
I agree. You're more motivated to actually learn something if there is something at stake (your money). I suggest taking some language classes, either from a private tutor or from community college classes.
If you're taking the self-learning route, self discipline is key (don't slack off).
For various reasons I suggest picking up Mandarin first. Cantonese has a lack of good learning materials.
Software
http://www.pleco.com/ (for mobiles)Videos
http://www.youtube.com/user/PeggyTeachesChineseWebsites (online learning)
http://livemocha.com/
http://www.pimsleur.com/learn-mandarin-chinese
http://www.open.edu.au/
http://popupchinese.com/help/aboutus (This is suitable as a supplement to formal learning)
I'm also of the belief that you're much better learning off Mandarin first.
If you were to quantify and measure the uses of Mandarin and Cantonese, I think you would find that Mandarin has numerous advantages.
Assuming you have no foundatin in either Mandarin or Cantonese, Mandarin would be easier to learn. Mandarin would be more advantageous to help you get around most of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and possibly parts of Malaysia/Singapore. The only place where Cantonese "wins" is Hong Kong, but if you knew Mandarin it would still certainly be good enough. The main disadvantage I can think of speaking Mandarin in Hong Kong is that you may be seen as a Chinese mainlander (they tend to look down on them, but times have sort of changed), but they may be able to differentiate from the way you dress and the Mandarin accent. In fact, unless you speak anything other than Hong Kong style Cantonese, you run the (small) "risk" of being treated as a non-local.
I also think from a career perspective, Mandarin > Cantonese.
edit: If you had the time, commitment and motivation, learning both at the same time could be a good idea - but could potentially be confusing.
. The main disadvantage I can think of speaking Mandarin in Hong Kong is that you may be seen as a Chinese mainlander
This disadvantage doesn't apply if you're a laowai (foreigner)….
Very true… speaking anything Chinese as a laowai is an advantage. Even saying "ni hao ma?" is amazing to the locals.
Let's hope their inner reaction isn't:
How great! A foreigner is trying to learn Chinese! Admittedly, the grammar and accent are so awful I can barely understand a word… but anyway! A foreigner is trying to learn Chinese!
:)
Actually I stole it from here, with modifications:
Agreed - as speaker of mandarin and cantonese, mandarin is simply more beginner friendly. In addition to the point scrishaw raised, another reason why cantonese is more difficult to learn is the way its spoken.
While they both share the same written script, there are two major differences:
1) Mandarin has 4 tones where i believe cantonese has 9 - what this means is while written phonetically with english characters they may be spelt the same, when read with a different tone, it will mean a different word. Its incredibly hard to discern the differences to a beginner without someone else pointing it out to you.
2) Cantonese has a very high % of slang that doesnt translate well to written word. While every dialect has its own way of speaking, I find colloquial cantonese (esp hong kong) a really large departure from standard usage. Hence mandarin —> cantonese is a smoother transition than cantonese —> mandarin.
Just my 2c.
As the others mentioned, motivation is the biggest factor in your success so those courses on location would of course be best, where you can immediately apply your knowledge. As the others alluded to, I've learnt how to say "I can't speak [insert language here]" in countless languages from CD 1 of numerous courses - which is typically where my interest fades.
I personally wouldn't bother with Cantonese for travelling in "Asia" unless you planned to spend particularly lengthy periods in some isolated villages. In Singapore you'll have no necessity for Cantonese and you can get by as a tourist very comfortably in Hong Kong. The rest of Asia has so many languages I wouldn't know where to start :) Of course you could learn it for fun or to tease/impress friends.
In addition to scrimshaw's suggestions, one newish website I've seen but never used is memrise.com. Apparently it's designed for you to reinforce your vocabulary using "scientific" memorisation techniques. I've also read about the Anki flashcard software for PCs and smartphones where people have ripped all the phrases from language-learning audio books (e.g. Michel Thomas series) and then used text-to-speech software (not ideal but pretty good if learning a phonetic language and you use IVONA-brand voices).
I'm frustrated with myself now because I have acquired some knowledge in several languages and can't decide on the one to really drill into and master first - on top of an even greater pile of computer languages ;)
Do you have an iPhone etc ? There are plenty of apps that are free to learn both languages. For the French try the babbel app. I am learning Swedish and it has voice recognition that you have to get the word correct to move on.
No I don't.
Not free, but Alliance Francaise is in capital cities and a fun social way to learn They go out to restaurants, immerse you in the culture etc. http://www.afbrisbane.com/
For German try the Geothe Institut.
http://www.goethe.de/ins/au/lp/lks/spr/enindex.htmget a girlfriend or boyfriend that speaks the language you want to learn.
I was going to say the same thing until I remembered this is OzBargain and we would be looking for cheaper options :)
simple, make sure they are rich.
Thanks for the help. Thank you for the pointing me in direction to Mandarin. I didn't know it was more wide spread.
I should said that I live with someone that can speak French plus 3 other languages used in some African countries mostly I believe.
My take is that while programs and audio visuals can be aids, they are not effective replacements for face to face interaction in a class setting. Even better if you can do an immersive course in a country speaking that language. Besides the cost of the class will make you pay attention. If you have little at stake, it's easy to tell yourself oh I'll do the next CD track tomorrow night, I'm so tired.