September 30, 2009
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Nonsense, I tell you. In fact, we’re all still capable of learning even in our advanced years. Sure, you won’t be absorbing information like a sponge, but you just might be able to pick up a new thing or two, and that’s not half bad.
Learning a language later in life is one of the most useful things you can do. It won’t be as easy compared to learning at age 12, but then again, nothing is. However, there are many advantages to language learning later in life.
Challenge. The older we get, the more important it is to challenge our minds to keep it sharp. Language learning is a great exercise for this, apart from being very useful. One good thing about growing older is that you gain a better appreciation for the challenges of life. That’s why many elder learners usually end up sticking to their studies way past the first lesson in their language training software, even when the going gets a little more difficult.
Pleasure. Older individuals tend to have a greater appreciation of the finer things in life. This includes the value of learning new things. It’s safe to say that they are able to savor the pleasures of continued education, way more vigorously, than many of their younger counterparts.
Wisdom. Having been exposed to more things, the greater the reserves of information you can draw from when learning a new language. This will usually make things easier, unless you’re the type who tends to drown from data overload.
September 29, 2009
A translation software, no matter how good, will never replace a seasoned consultant. There, I said it. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t many instances when a language translation software won’t prove to be a better choice.
Quality
Can software really match a manual translation’s quality? Heck, no. Unless the translator is terrible at his job, it’s not likely. Adding that human touch (provided that person is a qualified bilingual, of course) to any document will always turn out text that’s more readable and more conversational than any software can ever do.
However, many fields of translation can afford not having that “human hand” in the process. In documents with strict formats and fixed jargons, for instance, a language translation tool can perform the job just as capably as the next guy. Will it be as conversational? Probably not. Will it be able to properly interpret non-standard sentence structures (e.g. wrong grammar)? Most likely, no. However, it can turn out a document that’s readable and understandable in a whole other language. For many requirements, that’s all that people really need, isn’t it?
Cost
For many business, legal and medical applications, a translation software should do the job capably. This is especially true in instances where the original document is clad in a specific format, with mostly standard word usage. The cost difference, compared to hiring a full-time consultant, is immense, making a terrific case for it.
Before you call up a translator to take on your project, ask yourself if one is really necessary. For loose-format documents and critical papers, I’d recommend a full-fledged interpreter. In case you work within the parameters where a translation software can shine, though, always take that road – the cost-to-value is wildly in its favor.
September 28, 2009
Most people can’t learn a language all on their own (actually, I’m more inclined to think that no one can). Despite the availability of individually-geared language learning tools, interacting with other people is usually a big part of the acquisition process.
While a lot of the studying aspects of language learning can be performed by learners all by themselves, practice usually works best with a feedback mechanism in place. That means, having other people to interact with using the vernacular to effectively gauge how well you’ve acquired the material (and how much you still need to do).
That’s why language learning usually works best when you’re going through it with others. Even if you don’t gather in a room together like study-buddies, regular interaction with these “partners,” of sorts, should help your overall development. Being that it’s usually difficult to see how well you are doing all by your lonesome, they can provide the encouragement (or the discouragement) to help fine-tune your compass of where you are in your language studies.
Having a partner allows you to have a yardstick by which to measure your own pace of learning. It gives you a good idea of which areas to seek improvement on. Even better, you can get qualified advice from people getting better results on which areas of the language study you need to change up or pay more attention to – things you simply wouldn’t have if you didn’t have others currently involved on the same endeavor.
September 27, 2009
Most language learners start out their lessons with an unusually high level of fervor. This gradually comes down, eventually settling at an average level of enthusiasm for many. A few, however, end up simply bored to tears, eventually giving up.
Why start work on a language then suddenly give up? Everyone has their reasons for the boredom. Check out this list and see if any applies to you.
There’s no point. Some just don’t have strong enough reasons for acquiring a language. As such, there’s no real motivation to persevere at the slightest feeling of inconvenience. Knowing you can walk away at any time without consequences is enough of a reason to get some people disinterested.
A bad fit. Your learning style just might not be a good fit for the kind of language instruction you picked. My brother can sit through any lectures, but always fall asleep when reading the same lessons from a book. I, on the other hand, turn into a mindless zombie when I have to listen in class – nothing registers. Put me in from of a good reading material, however, and I’ll be poring through that with fiery gumption.
Beyond their abilities. For some people, the language learning goals they’ve set might just might be well beyond their current abilities. The moment they realize that target they’re aiming for isn’t likely to happen within their timeframe, their interest might begin to wane.
Poor language learning tools. Are you using the best foreign language software you can get your hands on? Your materials might be mediocre, setting you up for failure right from the get-go. Did you try to save on cash and enrolled with the cheapest available classes? That might be the reason for your increasing lack of enthusiasm.
September 26, 2009
There are a multitude of ways to learn a language. We’ve probably covered most of them here. In the same way, we all have different learning styles that allow us to acquire knowledge much more effectively.
If you’ve been having a hard time improving your facility with the language you are studying, try checking between the medium you are employing and your particular learning style. Are your skills and habits a good match with the learning situation you put yourself in? Or does it make language acquisition all that more difficult?
While many swear by the classroom method of learning, for instance, it’s hardly the best for me. In fact, if you put me in a class room with an instructor and other students, there’s a good chance I’ll be sleeping more than half of the time I sit there. Listening to a teacher, no matter how talented, just bores the living daylights out of me.
Before I accepted this fact, I used to take whatever format of instruction was available. In fact, I studied French (my first foreign language) attending classes at the local Alliance Francaise. I can safely declare it was one of the biggest wastes of time I’ve ever partaken in. The classes weren’t half bad – many of my classmates were improving – but it just wasn’t in sync with my particular style.
Two mediums work best for me in language learning (and in most types of knowledge acquisition, in fact) – books and PC-based language training software. As such, I no longer waste my time experimenting with other mediums, jumping right into either one of those two whenever I need to familiarize with any subject.
How about you? Is your learning style truly in sync with the learning situations you’ve put yourself in?
September 25, 2009
Looking to improve your ability to write in English? You’re not alone. Many native speakers, not to mention second-language users, continue to struggle with the writing aspect of English, even though they’ve been using it for a long time (perhaps, even all their lives).
The good news is, there are plenty of resources available to help you improve your English writing capabilities. Here are a few of them.
Desktop-based language software. Want the best way to bring your written English to the next level? An all-in-one language tool should help. Even better, you can learn by application, as you watch it point out mistakes, fix them and improve on your own writing.
Books. There are probably a million and one books about writing. I’m not exaggerating either. Being one of the longest-standing art forms and one of the most enduring communication methods, writing has seen a wide and varied share of guides.
Writing Classes and Workshops. If you live in an English-speaking country, you can literally walk into any college and find one of these scheduled. If you live elsewhere, you will likely find them too, as English has entrenched itself as an international language for many fields of endeavor.
Online. There’s a literal flood of online resources on writing. If you seek them out, you’ll probably end up overwhelmed, more than anything else. The real problem is not finding, it’s figuring out the good ones from the bad.
Others. There are many more avenues you can pursue when you’re trying to improve your writing faculties. Regardless of which one you choose, the important thing is to apply yourself in acquiring the skill. It’s not easy (nothing ever really is), but if you put your heart into it, you should be seeing some improvements within a short time.
Older Posts » |
