How to improve one's Spanish? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Archaea · 08-24-2006, 06:49 PM

I'm reminded, perhaps of an apocryphal event of Earnest Hemingway, who apparently was on vacation in Venice, when somebody critisized his Italian after those years.

And then I look to my own dabbling in Spanish and feel somewhat ashamed at how poorly I communicate in Spanish. So I wouldn't mind improving my Spanish, but I wonder what's the best way to go about it?

I can read adequately especially if a dictionary is nearby. Most persons that speak Spanish locally are workers with whom I don't come into contact often.

So what's the solution?

And which version?

I'm focusing mostly on speaking Spanish, as reading comes easy enough.

Ideas.

TheSizzle36 · 08-24-2006, 07:18 PM

Puedes hablar conmigo.

However, my spanish is rusty... so I don't think that I'd be much help.

I listened to a lot of spanish music when I got home from the mission and that was good for a while. Then I got sick of it and quit listening and my skills went down...

SoCalCoug · 08-24-2006, 11:56 PM

Buy fast food in California. You have to be able to speak Spanish to order.

il Padrino Ute · 08-25-2006, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalCoug

Buy fast food in California. You have to be able to speak Spanish to order.

California? Here in Utah I can't use the dirve-thru at any fast food place because it's hard enough to understand English in the intercoms. I can at least point to pictures inside Del Taco to communicate what I want.

DirtyHippieUTE · 08-25-2006, 05:13 AM

Take a few trips. You can listen to CDs in the car or make chit chat with the guy at taco bell but NOTHING will do what a couple of weeks in Latin America will do.

Mix up one of your Ironman trips with a spin south of the border. Find an imersion program while you're down there and learn while you recover.

My roommate did a two week thing at the tail end of a business trip to Costa Rica. He had a great time and came back speaking MUCH better.

Archaea · 08-25-2006, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

Take a few trips. You can listen to CDs in the car or make chit chat with the guy at taco bell but NOTHING will do what a couple of weeks in Latin America will do.

Mix up one of your Ironman trips with a spin south of the border. Find an imersion program while you're down there and learn while you recover.

My roommate did a two week thing at the tail end of a business trip to Costa Rica. He had a great time and came back speaking MUCH better.

Traveling is not the problem, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Espana, Mexico y otros. It's just I wish I could speak fluently.

DirtyHippieUTE · 08-25-2006, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

Traveling is not the problem, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Espana, Mexico y otros. It's just I wish I could speak fluently.

But when you travel you probably don't attend an imersion program. That's what I recommend. Travel + School (in country).

Most people who travel spend the majority of their time with people who speak english or are at least trying to make speaking spanish easy for you.

non sequitur · 08-25-2006, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyHippieUTE

But when you travel you probably don't attend an imersion program. That's what I recommend. Travel + School (in country).

Most people who travel spend the majority of their time with people who speak english or are at least trying to make speaking spanish easy for you.

One of the funniest books I've read is "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris. He has several chapters devoted to the years he spent living in France, trying to learn the language. It took him several years and several classes before he became fluent. It's not an easy undertaking.

While I heartily reccomend the book, I must warn some that the time David Sedaris spent in France was spent with his boyfriend. If you don't find that disturbing, you will love the book.

Jeff Lebowski · 08-25-2006, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by non sequitur

One of the funniest books I've read is "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris. He has several chapters devoted to the years he spent living in France, trying to learn the language. It took him several years and several classes before he became fluent. It's not an easy undertaking.

While I heartily reccomend the book, I must warn some that the time David Sedaris spent in France was spent with his boyfriend. If you don't find that disturbing, you will love the book.

Amen. Hilarious book.

08-24-2006, 06:49 PM	#1
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	How to improve one's Spanish? I'm reminded, perhaps of an apocryphal event of Earnest Hemingway, who apparently was on vacation in Venice, when somebody critisized his Italian after those years. And then I look to my own dabbling in Spanish and feel somewhat ashamed at how poorly I communicate in Spanish. So I wouldn't mind improving my Spanish, but I wonder what's the best way to go about it? I can read adequately especially if a dictionary is nearby. Most persons that speak Spanish locally are workers with whom I don't come into contact often. So what's the solution? And which version? I'm focusing mostly on speaking Spanish, as reading comes easy enough. Ideas. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

08-24-2006, 11:56 PM	#3
SoCalCoug Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Orange County, California Posts: 3,059	Buy fast food in California. You have to be able to speak Spanish to order. __________________ Get your stinking paws off me, you damned, dirty Yewt! "Now perhaps as I spanked myself screaming out "Kozlowski, say it like you mean it bitch!" might have been out of line, but such was the mood." - Goatnapper "If you want to fatten a pig up to make the pig MORE delicious, you can feed it almost anything. Seriously. The pig is like the car on Back to the Future. You put in garbage, and out comes something magical!" - Cali Coug

08-25-2006, 05:13 AM	#5
DirtyHippieUTE Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Moscow, ID Posts: 1,151	Take a few trips. You can listen to CDs in the car or make chit chat with the guy at taco bell but NOTHING will do what a couple of weeks in Latin America will do. Mix up one of your Ironman trips with a spin south of the border. Find an imersion program while you're down there and learn while you recover. My roommate did a two week thing at the tail end of a business trip to Costa Rica. He had a great time and came back speaking MUCH better. __________________ I reject your reality and substitute my own...

08-24-2006, 07:18 PM	#2
TheSizzle36 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,786	Puedes hablar conmigo. However, my spanish is rusty... so I don't think that I'd be much help. I listened to a lot of spanish music when I got home from the mission and that was good for a while. Then I got sick of it and quit listening and my skills went down...