Learning a language is a rewarding journey, however the path can be fought with challenging times. If I have decided I wanted to learn a language, where do I start?
Firstly, you need to decide on a language to learn. Keep in mind that learning a language requires dedication, so even though you think Chinese (for example) will be a cool language to learn now, sleep on it... will you change your mind in a month? It might be more useful to examine other factors such as future travel plans, practicality, family lineage, family friends, partners preference and also the ease of learning. Ease of learning is subjective, so what is easy for some may not be easy for others. As a guide, many suggest Spanish or German as a common beginner language. Note: The worlds greatest polyglot (someone who aptly and with a high level of fluency uses many languages) knows 56 languages.
For reference, the most common languages studied at University level are:
1. Spanish
2. French
3. German
4. Italian
5. Japanese
6. Chinese
7. Russian
8. Arabic
9. Modern Hebrew
10. Portuguese
So, let's say you have chosen the language. You now need to learn.
A question to ask your self is..How much of an understanding do I want? Do you want to be able to spout of a few sentences to impress your friends, or do you want to really understand the language? This will determine the level of learning you will need to undertake. Learning a few sentences can be as easy as striking up a conversation with someone that already knows the language. While a deeper understanding requires teaching in either a classroom setting or (of increasing popularity) online learning. Note the latter is more rewarding (though harder).
So you have chosen an indepth knowledge of your chosen language. Good choice! If you want to learn in a classroom setting, there are a multitude of 'travel to' type websites that will help you to choose a language school for a certain amount of time. This may be a 4 week crash course in Terifa, Spain where not a word of English will be spoken within the confines of the classroom. Alternatively, and much more cost effective you may go down the online language learning route. This is by far a much more cost effective option, with some sites even offering free options. One site I have had a good experience with is Rocket Languages who have a number of free courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and even sign language (though I have never tried Sign language). Online leaning does require self determination, but is a great option if you want a cost effective method that you can do at home. The thing I like about it is the audio courses you can listen to, so unlike reading a book you can actually hear if you are going wrong! That's my 2 cents, I wish you well on your language learning journey.
J. Michael Straczynski:
The quality of our thoughts is bordered on all sides by our facility with language.
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