The best way to learn English

[Otis Mayfield]

Get an American girl friend who doesn't speak your language.

 

[Jarlaxle]

As for accents, the most important factor is the age at which English is first encountered (intensively).

Three female cousins, aged 18, 15, and 13 when they emigrated in the 70's. The one who came when she was 18 never lost her accent, though was forced to speak English constantly, running a pizza shop with her husband. The second one also works in a family-owned shop, and speaks English with an accent. The youngest has no accent whatsoever. None had any education beyond HS.

Note MLB players from Spanish-speaking countries. They pick up English (if at all) as adults. Few of them ever lose their Spanish accents.

I used to work for Paul Wurth Inc., out of Luxembourg, a country where every professional speaks at least four languages (Luxembourgish, French, German, and English). Most are forced to pick up at least one additional language due to foreign assignments. Many years ago, they decided that they would no longer support language instruction for anyone over forty years old. Pointless. Doesn't work.

I personally have studied Spanish, German, Italian, and briefly French. Don't know much about any of them.

My father-in-law learned English as an adult...he never lost his accent but is 100% fluent. My wife speaks fluent, colloquial American English. In this area, she is mostly notable for NOT having any New England accent. When speaking with each other, they switch from English to Spanish and back, and neither of them realizes it.

 

[Rodimus]

My father-in-law learned English as an adult...he never lost his accent but is 100% fluent. My wife speaks fluent, colloquial American English. In this area, she is mostly notable for NOT having any New England accent. When speaking with each other, they switch from English to Spanish and back, and neither of them realizes it.

That is wonderful!

 

[Unkotare]

... she is mostly notable for NOT having any New England accent. ...

Nobody's perfect.

 

[Natural Citizen]

I've heard people contend that Engish is particularly difficult to master because of all of the slang. But I dunno.

I can get by in Spanish and French speaking countries. Though my French isn't so good. Spanish I'd have to settle in for a while and get the hang of it again. And I know enough German to keep my dog in check. That's about it.

 

[Unkotare]

I've heard people contend that Engish is particularly difficult to master because of all of the slang. But I dunno.

I can get by in Spanish and French speaking countries. Though my French isn't so good. Spanish I'd have to settle in for a while and get the hang of it again. And I know enough German to keep my dog in check. That's about it.

Every language has its slang. It's not a matter of "difficult," it's a matter of familiarity with the culture attached.

 

[Opie]

In my opinion, the best way to learn English is in school. The next best way to learn English is by watching a tv show you like with English subtitles.

Ive heard old shows with Lingo work well but yes because you get engaged in the movie so it don’t make it boring and shows you how and where it’s used. I’d say watching Spanish Television would help me learn Spanish

 

[Unkotare]

TV can be a supplement at best. Watching TV is not active communication.

 

[Unkotare]

TV can be a supplement at best. Watching TV is not active communication.

.

 

[iansolyn]

It all depends on many factors, such as where you live, because I know, for example, that in Eastern Europe schools teach English very poorly, so, accordingly, the children do not know and do not understand the language. I believe that in order to learn any language, you just need to read books in it, as the first increase the vocabulary, in the second reading technique improves, as well as you are given an example of communication in the language, which is also very important. I say this based on my experience of learning English by downloading different books from pirate bay torrent and reading it.

 

[Unkotare]

the key is to learn the language as a child because it becomes more difficult to learn a new language as an adult.

Not really.

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

The above are absurdly simplistic comments about an extremely complex topic.

How did you learn your English?

 

[Bezukhov]

I've been using Duolingo for the past several years, trying to master German, French and Spanish. One thing I still can't do is to actually think in any of them. Until then, I'll keep trying.

 

[skye]

The best way to learn a language is to have a partner who was born speaking that language.

 

[Unkotare]

How did you learn your English?

By being born and raised in an English speaking family in an English speaking nation. How about you?

 

[Unkotare]

I've been using Duolingo for the past several years, trying to master German, French and Spanish. One thing I still can't do is to actually think in any of them. Until then, I'll keep trying.

Stuff like that can be a good (and fun) supplement, but you are not going to master any language that way.

 

[Polishprince]

TV can be a supplement at best. Watching TV is not active communication.

I think it can help. I learned a lot of my English as a pre-schooler from Moe, Larry and Shemp on TV.

I grew up before Mr. Rogers had a program.

 

[DGS49]

When I was in the Army, their language schools were reputed to be the "best" high-intensity language schools in America. The main ones last one year, full-time, and all instruction is given by native speakers. Indeed, the claim is that after the first day, the students hear no more English in the classroom. Anecdotally, we had two grads in my unit and the Vietnamese that we worked with were amazed at their fluency.

The learning system is hated by most students. They memorize 12-14 lines of dialog every night, then go over it the following day, manipulating the phrasing to better understand it and be able to use it. At the end of a year they are fluent.

Every language student has demonstrated a facility with language through an aptitude test. If you don't have the aptitude you don't get in the school.

I suppose anyone with sufficient dedication could replicate that program with information that is available on line. Sufficient dedication being the obstacle.

 

[Unkotare]

I think it can help. ...

By itself, not much.

 

[Unkotare]

No one goes from zero to "fluent" in a year. Doesn't work that way.