Learning a language......

[lafitz2008]

Thinking of doing this,just as a bit of a challenge/hobby type thing.
Thinking Greek as I tend to go on holiday almost exclusively to greek speaking places these days.
Any tips on best way to go about it,looked at doing a beginners course at a college but I work shifts and would struggle to fit it in ?
Thinking an online course or audio books but not sure how effective they'd be.......

 

[mat]

Fascinating site this.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.fluentin3months.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.fluentin3months.com/</a>

 

[macky]

i found it easier to start off with audiobooks, try doing little and often eg. 15-30 mins a day especially last thing at night before you go to sleep. download onto ipod/mp3 . Once your getting more confident try online course or private lessons, the interaction with tutor or other learners will improve your speaking techniques, good luck

 

[smudgedj]

Thinking of doing this,just as a bit of a challenge/hobby type thing.
Thinking Greek as I tend to go on holiday almost exclusively to greek speaking places these days.
Any tips on best way to go about it,looked at doing a beginners course at a college but I work shifts and would struggle to fit it in ?
Thinking an online course or audio books but not sure how effective they'd be.......

Repetition is the secret to languages. I like the pimsleur courses. People learn differently so I'd download (cough) everything you can find and see what suits your learning method best, and do a little often.

 

[lafitz2008]

Thanks for the replies,I've got a few apps to start with and have acquired the Pimsleur greek course,have just done the first few lessons and already starting to make sense of the letters.

Cheers for the recommendation.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

It's tough! I've had a go at nearly every Western European language and so far I have failed at all of them with honours. Currently having a go at Dutch. Jeez, yer can understand the term 'double Dutch' when yer hear 'em going at it!

 

[TCIB]

Rosetta Stone seems popular.

 

[dazdon]

German is easy in my opinion.

And if you learn that you get a grasp of the Scandinavian languages.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

German is easy in my opinion.

And if you learn that you get a grasp of the Scandinavian languages.

True, until yer get to all those declensions! Why the fuck have all those different versions of 'the' and 'a'. And then they have another offering - 'not a'!

 

[Alex the Blue]

I did Greek at night school for 2 years under a Greek tutor. With a Greek person guiding me through the course made it easier to understand. Also at the night classes you hold conversations of a sort with others on the course which is all good practise.

However I go to Greece regularly cos my son and 2 grandchildren live near Athens and most Greeks have a good grasp of English. Often when I've tried to buy stuff or order food in the tavernas using my limited Greek the reply usually comes back in English so it seems pointless making the effort. However the Greeks like it when an English person makes the effort.