3 ms·

Thanks for recommending Language Transfer. I browsed the site a bit (I'm on mobile, at an airport) but can't quite figure out in what way it's different to othe

by aix1 3y ago

Thanks for recommending Language Transfer. I browsed the site a bit (I'm on mobile, at an airport) but can't quite figure out in what way it's different to other methods. If you could say a few words about your experience using it, I'd appreciate hearing about it. Thanks!

lock-the-spock 3y ago
Maybe easiest to compare: it is purely audio and relies on you playing along with the lesson you listen to. So somewhat similar to Michel Thomas but more modern. His main effort is to make connections between material that you already know and new material, this reinforcing both and building a network in your mind. I did the first 30+ Greek lessons (each a ~10 minute audio which takes 15-20 minutes to complete as you pause to think and complete the answer). Then was forced to take a short break. l and struggle to get back in so I will restart a few lessons back. I have to say that I've never had so many "whoa, cool I figured this out" moments in a language course.
clarkdale 3y ago
Modernized learning a language with books on tape.
anbende 3y ago
So I've been using Language Transfer English to Spanish. The method uses your native language to scaffold the target language using patterns and rules. They constantly discourage you from trying to memorize or remember the word and instead encourage you to use your principles to "find it" or "think your way there". For example, they teach you that virtually any English word that end in 'ation' will correspond to a Spanish word that sounds virtually the same, so for example: - salvation = salvacíon And the Spanish verb will be the Spanish word minus the "acíon" plus "ar". Since this almost always works, you can often use this principle to find a lot of common verbs you need. So if, for example, you want to say "save", think of the english "ation" word that is related to saving, so "salvation", Spanish "salvacíon", which gives us the Spanish verb "salvar". So with that rule, and some rules for present tense conjugation and word order, you can soon you can say a surprising amount very quickly by "thinking through it" rather than memorization. So they "build up" your Spanish from these sorts of building blocks, and there are a surprisingly large number of them. "Don't remember it, find it" is the guiding mantra. And it really works well. Even as my Spanish advances, learning new principles continues to be helpful and kind of magical.

by aix1 3y ago

lock-the-spock 3y ago

Maybe easiest to compare: it is purely audio and relies on you playing along with the lesson you listen to. So somewhat similar to Michel Thomas but more modern. His main effort is to make connections between material that you already know and new material, this reinforcing both and building a network in your mind. I did the first 30+ Greek lessons (each a ~10 minute audio which takes 15-20 minutes to complete as you pause to think and complete the answer). Then was forced to take a short break. l and struggle to get back in so I will restart a few lessons back. I have to say that I've never had so many "whoa, cool I figured this out" moments in a language course.

clarkdale 3y ago

Modernized learning a language with books on tape.

anbende 3y ago

So I've been using Language Transfer English to Spanish. The method uses your native language to scaffold the target language using patterns and rules. They constantly discourage you from trying to memorize or remember the word and instead encourage you to use your principles to "find it" or "think your way there". For example, they teach you that virtually any English word that end in 'ation' will correspond to a Spanish word that sounds virtually the same, so for example: - salvation = salvacíon And the Spanish verb will be the Spanish word minus the "acíon" plus "ar". Since this almost always works, you can often use this principle to find a lot of common verbs you need. So if, for example, you want to say "save", think of the english "ation" word that is related to saving, so "salvation", Spanish "salvacíon", which gives us the Spanish verb "salvar". So with that rule, and some rules for present tense conjugation and word order, you can soon you can say a surprising amount very quickly by "thinking through it" rather than memorization. So they "build up" your Spanish from these sorts of building blocks, and there are a surprisingly large number of them. "Don't remember it, find it" is the guiding mantra. And it really works well. Even as my Spanish advances, learning new principles continues to be helpful and kind of magical.