Using an Operating System To Assist in Learning a Language? Let's Try This,

So basically, I've wanted to learn latin for quite some time. I'm using conventional methods through studying but I also thought I'd try something cool - immersion. This is where the desktop OS comes in. Not many people may know it but Ubuntu actually has latin, yes, latin translations. So I switched over to thse translations. Here's a screenshot:



I'll update on how well this works.

 

hmm...

I did this when I was learning Japanese. But I actually went beyond just the OS. My entire house was stripped of all English. Instead I had Japanese books, Japanese video games, a Japanese operating system, Japanese movies, Japanese television, and only listened to Japanese music.

The only time I used English was when I was in class, or when I was on skype talking with Japanese people in English in exchange for Japanese conversation practice.

Kanji retention was assisted by anki (RRS) Beyond that I ate Japanese food and lived my life as if I was a Japanese person. It alienated some friends, but It served it purpose nicely and by the 6 month mark I was able to easily have full conversations in Japanese with native speakers using real Japanese as opposed to Textbook Japanese.

Of course once you learn it you have to continue to use it or You'll begin to forget it quickly. These days I look at kanji and struggle.

Of course for Latin it'd be hard to go to such lengths, but I know from experience that if you use it daily and begin to make visual associations with it, You're going to learn it effortlessly.

anyone who wants to know more about language immersion, and read about the ultimate success story... (This is applicable to all language not just Japanese or Latin) Check out

AJATT: All Japanese All The Time

 

I always give people the advice to use their operating systems in english here as one of the first steps when they want to learn english (I'm from Brazil).

Plus the portuguese-BR translations always sound a bit weird and lame for me...

The same goes for movies. Hell, I can't understand how people stand watching dubbed movies.

 

I used t have a friend from brasil, whom learned english by listening to American rock music & watching American movies. He'd study the lyrics sheets and listen to the songs & watch the movies thousands of times. His English was really advanced too.

 

O-o Whoa...that's amazing.

But yeah, so far this has been a BIG help, it's a great idea.

 

I am working on one website which is about Japanese Language. I want some help from people those understand the Japanese language and scripts of japanese language. cause I am very confuse while learning japanese language and working with my website...

 

That is intense!

 

I am Brazilian, and I have been using this approach (most of the music I listen is American/English or otherwise sang in English) to learn some English.

 

People will go to admirable lengths to learn a new language. As for me, learning Arabic is on my personal to-do list.