Language Learning Thread

Luxuria

Luxuria

Edgy McEdgeface
Active Member
Member
New Member
Hello everyone,

I thought I might start a Language Learning thread as we are all writers and learning new languages add layers to our writing. This thread is for resources/tips (in English only) as this forum is in English. Anyway, I am trying to learn French and I have a (very outdated) textbook, Pimsleur's Language Program, and am taking a (not so great) casual French Course. Are there any other resources you might recommend? I know from learning other languages, I struggle the most with vocabulary. I have gotten Anki Decks on my computer and I am going to try and add more words to it soon.

Any tips or resources you might recommend for French?

Also, if you're posting on here, just put:

Target Language:

at the top of your post so we can keep things organized.

Thanks!
 
When I try to come up with character names, I usually do a bit of research of various mythologies (Greek etc) and then find a similar name. Or sometimes it's random because I don't want to overthink it. And I was watching the Easy German videos recently to refresh what I've learned before.
 
I recently heard that English as a foreign language is not exactly the same language natives speak but more of a universal version of English used all around the world by non-native speakers for education, business and other similar purposes in international context. As for French, I learned it for about a year but don't remember much, it sounds very lyrical to me along with Italian and Spanish.
 
I'm fooling around with Czech lately, but for genealogy, not writing. Though I do have a number of made-up Czech names in my novels.
 
I've dabbled in all kinds of languages, and I know a few words in most languages of western Europe and a few eastern ones, as well as many words in Old English. But I'm no expert. :) I'd love to share, but I'm sure there are people here who would know better than I.

I even tried learning Nahuatl, but it's difficult. I can't imagine trying to learn the Navajo language. :oops:

On the plus side, I'm fluent in Hebrew, and almost fluent (i.e. I can follow along, but am not fluent in) Arabic and Russian, but not Farsi. (Whoops!) 😊
 
So, I switched to German and couldn't be happier. I am even looking at double-majoring in German and History. Hahah. But anyway, I wanted to bring up a resource that's rather unconventional. As you all know, I play a lot a video games and ages ago, I discovered I could turn the interface and in-game dialogue in some games to German. So yesterday, I played 90 minutes of Skyrim in German and it felt very immersive. If you're learning a language, I would recommend playing Skyrim in your target language. Also, it was kind of sweet to hear the merchants speak lines in German I knew so well in English.

Also, I discovered Assassin's Creed can also be switched to German as can Stardew Valley. But at the moment, I am trying to play games that are WORLDS. With lots of dialogue and NPCs to talk with.
 
I'm fluent in two, functionally fluent in another, and I get more fluent in French the drunker I am. I could probably learn Mandarin and Korean fairly easily, if I had a mind to (which I don't).

Contact hours are your friends. Also brandy.
 
Luxuria said:
Hopefully teach, write history books and anything else useful. Did you end up using your degree much?
Click to expand...
No, but it was a different situation with me. I didn't go to school until I was 24, graduating when I was 29, and I needed a PhD to do anything meaningful in the field, which I looked into, and would have been able to do if inclined, but that would have been another 7 years living in near-poverty, abandoning an already established restaurant career. Didn't make a lot of sense. I just went to school to go to school at that point and wanted to study something I enjoyed. It wasn't really a career thing for me, though I suppose I could have gone a different path.
 
Homer Potvin said:
No, but it was a different situation with me. I didn't go to school until I was 24, graduating when I was 29, and I needed a PhD to do anything meaningful in the field, which I looked into, and would have been able to do if inclined, but that would have been another 7 years living in near-poverty, abandoning an already established restaurant career. Didn't make a lot of sense. I just went to school to go to school at that point and wanted to study something I enjoyed. It wasn't really a career thing for me, though I suppose I could have gone a different path.
Click to expand...
I completely understand. I personally want to teach at the University Level, so I am going to have to get that Ph.D. If I like the cost or not. But I understand the age issue. I am older than 18. I am technically returning to school to get my degree. I still need to finish my 4-year degree. I have 2 years left. Ugh.
 
Luxuria said:
So, I switched to German and couldn't be happier. I am even looking at double-majoring in German and History. Hahah. But anyway, I wanted to bring up a resource that's rather unconventional. As you all know, I play a lot a video games and ages ago, I discovered I could turn the interface and in-game dialogue in some games to German. So yesterday, I played 90 minutes of Skyrim in German and it felt very immersive. If you're learning a language, I would recommend playing Skyrim in your target language. Also, it was kind of sweet to hear the merchants speak lines in German I knew so well in English.
Click to expand...

I tried playing Skyrim in German ... and couldn't stand it past Helgen, because the voice actors just bored me. :( Original Skyrim is by no means the pinnacle of voice acting, but if you compare (for instance) Ulfric's original voice to her German counterpart ... it's worlds apart. Original Ulfric sounds thoughtful and commanding. German Ulfric sounds impatient. Instead of "Legends don't burn down villages", it sounds more like "Let's get this over with".

Sadly, most of the German voice actors sound like they're scared. I never thought I'd be thankful for "I'm sworn to carry your burdens". ;)

But I guess it's simple. You know you're playing German Skyrim when you see this.
 
Last edited:
Rath Darkblade said:
I tried playing Skyrim in German ... and couldn't stand it past Helgen, because the voice actors just bored me. :( Original Skyrim is by no means the pinnacle of voice acting, but if you compare (for instance) Ulfric's original voice to her German counterpart ... it's worlds apart. Original Ulfric sounds thoughtful and commanding. German Ulfric sounds like impatient. Instead of "Legends don't burn down villages", it sounds more like "Let's get this over with".

Sadly, most of the German voice actors sound like they're scared. I never thought I'd be thankful for "I'm sworn to carry your burdens". ;)

But I guess it's simple. You know you're playing German Skyrim when you see this.
Click to expand...
OMG! That red water grove key is so funny. I love it. And um, I didn't really notice the voice acting difference, to be honest. But I understand it not sounding the same or having the same feeling.
 
Rath Darkblade said:
I tried playing Skyrim in German ... and couldn't stand it past Helgen, because the voice actors just bored me. :( Original Skyrim is by no means the pinnacle of voice acting, but if you compare (for instance) Ulfric's original voice to her German counterpart ... it's worlds apart. Original Ulfric sounds thoughtful and commanding. German Ulfric sounds impatient. Instead of "Legends don't burn down villages", it sounds more like "Let's get this over with".

Sadly, most of the German voice actors sound like they're scared. I never thought I'd be thankful for "I'm sworn to carry your burdens". ;)

But I guess it's simple. You know you're playing German Skyrim when you see this.
Click to expand...

Luxuria said:
OMG! That red water grove key is so funny. I love it. And um, I didn't really notice the voice acting difference, to be honest. But I understand it not sounding the same or having the same feeling.
Click to expand...

This just reminds me, did anyone try to watch Babylon Berlin with English dubbing? The casting of the voice actors was ruinous, wasn't it? Completely changed the personalities of Charlotte and Greta.

But when I was living in a couple of Nordic countries, subtitles were wonderful learning aids, even in the same language — and even backwards, from English to the local language. They trained my ear a lot.
 
Last edited:
Rath Darkblade said:
I tried playing Skyrim in German ... and couldn't stand it past Helgen, because the voice actors just bored me. :( Original Skyrim is by no means the pinnacle of voice acting, but if you compare (for instance) Ulfric's original voice to her German counterpart ... it's worlds apart. Original Ulfric sounds thoughtful and commanding. German Ulfric sounds impatient. Instead of "Legends don't burn down villages", it sounds more like "Let's get this over with".

Sadly, most of the German voice actors sound like they're scared. I never thought I'd be thankful for "I'm sworn to carry your burdens". ;)
Click to expand...
Everyone in Fallout 4 speaks English to my characters who nonchalantly answer back in Italian or Russian because I don't like the English voices for them and modded them out lmao.

At least German Lydia sounding scared makes sense if you always give her the weirdest, heaviest stuff to carry.
Rath Darkblade said:
You know you're playing German Skyrim when you see this.
Click to expand...
Lmaooooooo I'm tempted to put that as a password somewhere and watch how many people give up trying to hack me a third of the way through typing that.

I think RuneScape taught me the most English. I learned a few words from Spyro, then it was mostly RuneScape and Sly Cooper (not so much the cutscenes that had no subtitles, but the dialogues that did have them). RS is a point-and-click game so you can hover anything and right-click and you'll see "Examine (thing)". Fun way to learn a language lol.

In regards to movies, I will die on the rather niche hill that the Canadian dubbing for the French version of the movie Hocus Pocus is better than the one done in France.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Louanne Learning
The Jade Empire - OOC Thread
6 7 8
Replies
148
Views
2K
Louanne Learning
Louanne Learning
Night Herald
The Dreams Thread
Replies
4
Views
129
Pik
Pik
Luxuria
  • Sticky
Roleplay Rules 2025
Replies
0
Views
116
Luxuria
Luxuria
Luxuria
  • Sticky
READ FIRST - Temp. Roleplay Rules (2025)
Replies
5
Views
204
Whiskii
Whiskii
Also
My Top Resources
Replies
3
Views
118
Also
Also
Back
Top