Spanish French Italian German

Alexander Arguelles presents a series of video reviews and demonstrations of those foreign language learning series that he has found most useful in his own studies. For further information about the series, please refer to http://www.foreignlanguageexpertise.com/index.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• polyglottery
• polyglots
• foreign
• language
• learning
• Spanish
• Español
• Castellano
• French
• Français
• Italian
• Italiano
• German
• Deutsch

[JimCooper89]

Professor, if I may ask, what gives you the biggest joy when it comes to languages? In my case it's being able to understand the written language fluently and I think it's a bit similar with you, since you said you want to be able to read literature in many languages?

[ProfASAr]

@JimCooper89 Yes, that's it, particularly if the script is at least somewhat exotic.  Being able to follow a well-narrated story is a close second.

[Malafactum]

Arquelles Sensei, in this video you talk about keeping Spanish and Italian separated (by French in this case) in order not to get them muddled. Currently I am learning Japanese. I am now at the intermediate level. Years ago my Spanish and French were at the advanced level. Recently however, when I speak them, Japanese bleeds into my conversation. So my question is, how do you keep multiple languages separated whilst speaking?

[ProfASAr]

@Malafactum In an nutshell, your problem is that you only have one category in your head for "foreign language" into which you put everything that you learn. So, what you need to do is conceptualize a neater file cabinet in your brain for organizing your knowledge. When you practice or speak one, consciously visualize yourself putting the others away, closing their drawers, and then opening and using only the one that you want at the moment.

[Siibillam]

I understand why Latin is omitted from this list - your intention was to promote the four most commonly learned Western European foreign languages - but I wonder, if one were compelled to learn it, at which point might you recommend its inclusion? On the HTLAL forum you recommended Fr -> Sp and only then Latin. Would there be any kind of advantage or disadvantage to putting Latin before Spanish, ie. including it even earlier in a Romance-focused sequence?

[ProfASAr]

@Siibillam The purpose of this video was not to promote the study of these four languages, but to let people know that there is a confluence of resources that facilitate the learning of these four languages as group. As for where Latin should fall in a purely Romance sequence, I don't know that there is any fixed answer. As the origin of them all, she should logically be first, but if you find it easier to learn living languages than dead ones, Latin will be easier after a few of these.

[inkstersco]

@ProfASAr

I was inspired to learn Spanish merely because it seemed accessable to me, having learned Latin. I looked at it for a minute and realised it was just skewed Latin.

[MrMysterious2014]

Professor, would it be wise to take German I while also taking Spanish III in high school?

[sandrodream2]

@otakumo italian is the language with much more words ending with wovels, opposite spanish is more similar to english that use S in many plural words consonants

[SmokenTotalled]

@maximus0032 I would agree that there are other more dominating languages than Italian but it is a commonly learned language among English speaking people, which is why I think he included it.

[Irishborne]

So Professor, you recommend the berlitz courses? I've been meaning to learn French for a while. I'm proficient in German to the point that I had no issues while in Germany, having taken it in school, and I love it. However, I've really been wanting to learn French for the past few years (since my paternal grandparents passed away). They were French and offered to teach me but I chose German and now I want to get in touch with my roots and learn the language.

[wpfairbanks]

It's ironic how the presenter speaks many languages, but speaks English very unnaturally

[otakumo]

I notice a lot more double consonants in Italian.

Almost all the words that would end in "dad" end in "ta".

The words that end in "dor / dora" end in "tore / trice".

I never see any "s" endings, since that's not how they pluralize words.

Also, the unaccented e in Italian is more like an "eh" than an "ey" (graver I guess).

I really have no problem distinguishing Spanish and Italian.

[MaricaAmbrosius]

I kind of love you right now. I find it amazing that people, when told they are too old to learn more, will simply believe that.

[pele928]

professor, i want to learn so many languages when i grow up, that is called a linguistic right? and also would i have to go to the army or UN (united nation) for them to provide that for me? i hear that they can teach people and also theyll send you to countries as well. but also i dont really want to be a translator. i know the government needs them but i feel as if theyre being used in some way but i know they get paid alot. im confused , please help :/

[EtQcNantel]

Et esque ta assimil pour le polonais? mais l'anglais est une langue utile mais je trouve sa moche parler en anglais si je vais ailleur sérieux xD j'aime mieux parler la langue locale! xD

[EtQcNantel]

Et esque ta assimil pour le polonais et de plus l'anglais c'Est la langue la plus utile mais si ya plus d'anglais non! c'Est les chinois. Par exemple si tu va en italie et que tu parle anglais tu pourrais aller dans les zone touristique mais pas dans le reste du pays ou personne parle anglais meme au Québec ya pas grand monde qui parle anglais et de moin en moin en plus