Article on Low-Cost and Free Language Learning Resources

Today AOL linked to an interesting article from WalletPop about the best free ways to learn a language. I clicked on it immediately; I don’t often see much online material about learning languages unless I go searching for it explicitly, so I was excited to see this piece.


In the article author Lou Carlozo discuss various popular ways of learning, and he even mentions some sites and methods I’d never heard of before. Rosetta Stone is touted as the best paid method of language learning. I myself have stayed away from Rosetta Stone precisely because of the cost, though I have heard great things about it.

Carlozo talks about using consulates to find free language classes, an option I didn’t know existed. And of course, he mentions some great online options. I’ve always been partial to learning online, but it can be difficult to find free programs that are comprehensive, i.e., programs that don’t just offer you a few lessons in the basics and then cut you off.

He mentions the BBC website as a great free language-learning site, and I agree. I used the BBC site to learn some basic Italian a few years ago, in addition to doing a few exercises in Mandarin for fun. I don’t remember it being too in-depth, however. I’ll have to go back there and see what they’ve done with their tutorials since.

I was intrigued when Carlozo mentioned Livemocha.com. I’d never heard of the site before, and he recommends it as the best free site, because you get access to native speakers through the chat function, which is immensely beneficial because you get feedback from a real speaker on pronunciation and grammar. (Interacting with native speakers is the absolute best way to learn, as any aspiring polyglot knows.) iTunes, as well, offers free language lessons. And Babbel.com is mentioned as an inexpensive language learning subscription site that features mobile phone apps so you can learn your chosen language on the go.


Read the whole article if you'd like more details. Hope it inspires you to start learning!

The Next "It" Language: Arabic?

I've only had the most cursory exposure to Arabic. I remember trying to learn Arabic from text with no audio. I think I must have given up after a day. It was too hard. There are no tones like there are in Chinese, but the language employs pharyngeal sounds, meaning the tongue must make contact with the back of the throat. I'm not used to using my tongue in this manner. So I would say this is one drawback, but not one that's impossible to overcome. The grammar, I have read, is an absolute devil, unless you already know Hebrew, which is related. I'm not experienced enough in Arabic or Hebrew to say whether this is true, but given that it's quite foreign to English, I would venture an English speaker would at least struggle a little bit with it. The writing system is beautiful to look at, and I actually attempted to learn how to write it while trying to teach myself Farsi, which uses the same alphabet. I felt pretty comfortable in it after a couple of weeks.

How does Arabic compare with Spanish and Mandarin in its importance and usefulness? Well, obviously Arabic is a plus in the military or in government or international relations careers. I think probably fewer non-Arabs are learning Arabic than non-Chinese are learning Chinese or non-Spanish are learning Spanish, so there might be more of a need for this language. But while people who are learning foreign languages tend to travel to a country where that language is primarily spoken as a way to enhance their studies, countries where Arabic is a primary language might not be that attractive to westerners now, for obvious political reasons. This doesn't apply across the board, of course; Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (capital: Dubai for those who don't know) are genuine tourist destinations according to what I have read. Apart from the obvious war-torn areas of the Arabic world, I think the problem could be one of perception, at least somewhat.

But even if you can't see yourself going to an Arabic-speaking country, there are plenty of Arabic-speaking people in the west you could practice speaking with. I for one live in a metropolitan area that rivals Paris as having the largest population of Arabic speakers outside the Middle East. But which Arabic are you going to learn? There is Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is very formal. And then there is colloquial Arabic, which is obviously less formal, but which varies from region to region. So if you are going to learn Arabic, you might want to locate some people to practice with and find out which part of the Arabic world they are from so you can learn the right colloquial form (or be prepared to sound a little stuffy if you choose to learn MSA). Learning a colloquial Arabic language might help you immerse yourself in that particular culture a bit better, I imagine, which is always a great thing for language learning and humankind in general.

The Next "It" Language: Mandarin Chinese?

I have spent a little bit of time studying Mandarin Chinese. I think it's an intriguing language just because it is so different from English. Of course, that's also one of its drawbacks. The grammar is somewhat simple, but it also has its mind-bending quirks. I remember when I was studying it thinking that I must be constructing my sentences wrong because the thought I wanted to express couldn't possibly be expressed so simply. Then I was hit by this rule that I thought was bizarre, such as the fact that they use different words for "or" depending on the context. The tones, as well, are likely to trip people up, at least at first. And learning to read and write also has the reputation for being incredibly difficult. (I never made the effort to learn the writing sytem, simply because it's such a huge undertaking. Perhaps someday soon.)

However, is all of this difficulty in learning the language worth it? I believe so. Even now, learning Mandarin Chinese is seen as a great accomplishment by most people, and I would think it can't help but open doors for anyone who takes it on, due to China's ascendancy in the world.

The Next "It" Language: Spanish?

I've never studied Spanish officially, but I have studied the related language of French, and I am able to read Spanish at a rudimentary level just based on what I know from French and English. I get the feeling it would be relatively easy for me to pick up, as it would for most people who have studied another Romance language such as French, Italian, or Portuguese. The pronunciation is not hard based on what I know. It seems to me that the trilled "r" is probably the hardest sound for a native English speaker to make. Obviously, it is a useful language if you live in the Western Hemisphere since there are numerous Spanish speakers living on this side of the world. There is also a great wealth of learning material both online, in bookstores, and in libraries. It would seem to be a good linguistic investment. The one reservation I have is that due to its immense popularity as a foreign language, there might actually end up being a glut of people who know Spanish.

The Next "It" Language

After English, what is the world's "it" language? I'd be hard-pressed to argue that it isn't Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or Arabic, and I'd personally lean towards Mandarin just because China is making such strides economically and most likely will continue to do so. I have at least a tiny bit of familiarity with all of these languages (meaning I know at least a word or two and have some idea of the grammatical structure), and I think an exploration of the pros and cons of studying each one for those who want to increase their linguistic knowledge is in order in the next few posts. I'll start with Spanish.

On the Utility of French

I've been studying French for more than half my life (since about age thirteen). I studied it in all four years in high school and then kept up with it for most of the time I spent in college. I have only rarely had the occasion to use it. When I can use it, I'm told I'm a good speaker, although I don't always feel that that's the case when I'm in the thick of a conversation. I have often wondered if I should have taken Spanish instead (although I can read Spanish rather well for never having studied it), but I feel that mastering French might have some psychological benefit beyond immediate utilitarian reasons. Being comfortable in French, which is seen as a relatively difficult language for English speakers to master (mainly due to the pronunciation peculiarities and the grammar), could give an aspiring polyglot enough confidence to take on studying other foreign tongues that might be easier. Even if you're not an aspiring polyglot, learning any foreign language is an accomplishment, especially one that has the reputation that French does. So, is French useful? I think the answer to this is probably yes, even if the reasons it is useful are not so immediately obvious.

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