Learn Spanish Abroad: Latin American Literature Part I

When you learn Spanish abroad, you will find that you learn more than just a new language. When you study Spanish in Peru, Argentina or Chile, you will also find that you learn a great deal about the culture and history of these regions. One way to do accomplish this is through exploring the rich tradition of literature in these countries.

The importance of literature in Latin America can be traced back to the Pre-Columbian days. While literature at this time was primarily passed orally down from generation to generation, there was a strong tradition that was quite important to civilization. Luckily, some of the oral narrative has been preserved to this day. Typically, this very early literature deals with mythology and religion.

If you are interested in the early history of Latin America, it is also useful to look at literature produced during the colonial period. Much of this text that was written deals with the experiences of the conquistadores and explorers. A few examples are Bernal Diaz del Castillo's account of the conquest of Mexico and Bartoleme de las Casas's Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies. This literature provides the reader with some unique insights into this time period and also issues that surfaced due to colonization.

Of course, it is extremely valuable to read the literature written from the native's accounts as well. If you study Spanish in Peru, you will find that there are some fascinating Peruvian writers in particular. It is useful to read authors include El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Guaman Poma.

El Inca Garcilaso de la Vega was a historian who is often read due to his tremendous contributions to the understanding of the society of the Incans in the 1500's. In fact, this writer is so important to Peruvian culture that the main stadium in Cusco was named after him in the 1950's.

Guaman Poma was an indigenous Peruvian who wrote about how he was unsatisfied with the way the people of the Andes were treated after the Spanish conquest. He wrote the illustrated chronicle Nueva Coronica y Buen. Due to the fact that Poma used Quecha words in this document, it helped scholars later on to learn more about this language. This 1189 page document described various injustices the people faced. It is interesting to note that while the book was addressed to the King of Spain, the King never actually received this document.

When you learn Spanish abroad, you have the benefit of gaining insights into a culture that has a fascinating history. Anyone with an interest in ancient times will find reading this early literature to be an exciting experience. Even if you already know a great deal about Latin American civilization, you will find that your knowledge is heightened even further when you have an experience to read the early literature of the region.

When you attend one of Latin Immersion's Spanish language schools you will have many chances to look into the region's impressive literature. Through the organization you can study Spanish in Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

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Good Ways To Learn French

French is spoken by over 110 million individuals globally. The language is spoken in many nations including France, Canada, and a few others. A number of U.S. citizens within the states of Maine and also Louisiana are actually native French speakers. The language is also a standard for many global organizations such as the United Nations. If you're thinking about learning another language for a profession or simply for personal enrichment, give some thought to learning French. French is the most beautiful spoken language and also suggests class and distinction. Mastering this language could be a great asset in your own profession and may also improve your experience when you visit French speaking countries.

If you choose to learn this language, you have a number of options. You might earn a degree in French from a university or college. A degree gives you expert knowledge of the language, both written and verbal. You might have already established yourself as a professional, and believe that understanding the language may help augment your career. If so, you may learn French online using a course, such as Rocket French, which is certainly a great way to study in your own convenience. They provide a free six day trial for their study course. Learning French this way will be a quick and easy way for you to master the language.

Of course, if you have time, another great way is an immersion program. In this manner, you have an opportunity to experience French culture. You will actually be residing in France and experience the daily life and culture of the French people. This really is the quickest option to learn French. You can expect to communicate with native French speakers each day. Most of the people will not be able to speak in English. For that reason, you must communicate with these people in French. You will be completely absorbed into French everyday living. You will take classes that can help you to write and speak in French. An immersion program is the most effective method for learning French fluently.

Being fluent in a second language offers benefits as a professional. For instance, you may attain certification to be a foreign language translator. This particular career opportunity presents lots of challenges and benefits. There are a lot of foreign language agencies that provide full-time jobs to translators. A translator ordinarily helps a company translate their particular business files and also company websites. You may want to work as a freelancer, taking care of your individual workload, and may set your own schedule. Another possibility may be to teach English in French speaking nations. Just by knowing French and English, it's possible to succeed in any French speaking country.

Mastering French offers you a chance to begin a new job or further build up your job just by working abroad. Additionally, you will enhance your trips in the French speaking nations. Learning another language will be a rewarding achievement. It is easy to learn French online right now by going to Rocket French.

Read related articles here: Rocket French Review

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10 Tips on How to Save Money on Translation

1. Deliver Your Files Electronically

The easiest method to deliver your files for translation is electronically - via electronic mail or FTP. Surely, it is possible to snail mail or fax a hard copy or even deliver it to a translator personally, and many translators would happily take hard copy for translation, but most of the time translation of these documents can cost you a lot more, considering that the translator might need to format the translated text so it matches the original. If you have to translate and certify your personal documents, the easiest way to deliver them is to scan and send the copy via email. When you fax your documents, anything could go wrong. To name just a few possible glitches - the recipient could be out of paper, the paper could get stuck, the fax could not print foreign characters correctly, the copy could not be readable, especially if you are faxing a copy of another fax. While scanning your document renders a perfect picture that looks just like the original.

2. Use Plain Language

Generally, the plainer the language you use, the easier it is to translate it. If you wrote your copy, try to examine it to see if you have used any words that can have several interpretations. Try to substitute these words by others that are not ambiguous. An exception to this recommendation would be a sophisticated advertising copy that has a punch line or a pun. However, translation of marketing collateral differs from mainstream translation, and is considered a creative adaptation. This may require considerable time and extra expenses, because translators might need to do a great deal of research in order to find a similar expression in the target language, or to produce an entirely new one.

3. Use Consistent Terminology

If you write a technical document designed to assist people in using a software product or an appliance, you need to use the terminology consistently throughout all your documents. Repetitive terms exclude any ambiguity and make a translator's task incredibly easier, and your expenses lower. The exception to this rule is fiction or poetry, where the livelier the language you use the more literary value your work could possibly have.

4. Use as Few Writers as Possible

Sometimes companies don't have technical writers on staff, and the writing is done by engineers, managers, coordinators or administrative personnel who have little if any training in writing. Which isn't an issue by itself - many people are perfectly competent at writing with no formal training. The real problem is when you have many people write your documents. People always have different opinions about correct means of conveying a message. So if you use several writers, you most likely realize that everyone has their unique style, their preferred terms, expressions, and so forth. If you have several writers, your documents are bound to be inconsistent, which can result in additional translation expenses, more inconsistency due to the translation, and, finally, to customer frustration. This is particularly important with customer-focused product literature. Technical writing is different from creative writing, where the use of colorful metaphors and juicy expressions is valued.

5. Use as Few Translators as Possible

To translate the same document or related documents, you should employ as few translators as possible for the very same reason - consistency. Like writers, every translator has a different way with words. Even if you were very consistent in your writing, if you assign the task to several translators, there will inevitably be inconsistency, as the translators might use different terms for the very same concept. Certainly, it can be fixed with the aid of one editor and/or proofreader, however, many sneaky errors always are able to crawl into important documents.

6. Send All Relevant Files and Glossaries

If you translate a portion of your documents in-house and outsource others, I cannot stress enough the importance of sending previously translated relevant documents. The translators will use them to ensure your translated document is consistent throughout. Sending any glossaries you could have created will also save them a lot of time and effort on research, clarifications and asking questions.

7. Always Send the Source Files

While it's possible to translate a printed document or a PDF file, if you need a quick, smooth translation you should send the source files. Recreating a document from scratch can be extremely time-consuming, and is a lot more costly. Send files in Indesign, FrameMaker, Quarxpress or whatever program was used to create it. Translators are quite tech savvy!

8. Always Send the Final Version of Your Document

Never translate documents that will be for sure changed or edited later! Going into a document to incorporate last minute changes is very time-consuming, costly and error prone.

9. Send Written Instructions

Unless you have dealt with this particular translator or company before, you should always jot down your instructions and any relevant information and background of the document. Translators might make their best guess as to what you might need, but that may very well be a wrong one.

10. Be Prepared to Respond To Questions

Be open to questions - translators ask questions because they want to do their best job, not out of mere curiosity. If something seems obvious to you, it could be because you have worked on that document for a long time and you could be unable to see all the information gaps it contains. Don't let the meaning get lost in translation!

http://www.breakthroughtranslations.com/ offers translation services in all major languages. We are experts in technical, medical, legal, marketing and business translations. You can get a free non-obligatory quote for you translation project here: http://www.breakthroughtranslations.com/contact-us/get-a-quote/

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Chinese Language Learning Software: 3 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Chinese Language Course

Want to learn Chinese online? Great! There are lots of wonderful programs to choose from. Unfortunately, lots of not so wonderful programs have also been thrown into the mix. There are also programs that may be good for some but not so good for others, including you. So, how do you weave your way through the mess and find the program that's right for you? Ask the 3 questions below and you will find the Chinese language learning program that's best for you.

Question 1: Does it Offer a Free Trial?

This is pretty straightforward, but it's important. Never purchase a program that doesn't offer a free trial. All reputable programs have them. Plus, to get the information I am going to outline below, you need to get inside the actual program.

Question 2: Does it Cover the 4 Core Language Learning Components?

A good Chinese language learning program will cover each of the four core language learning components, which are reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Even if your main goal is to speak the language, you can't neglect the other three components. Why? Because together they greatly improve the quality of your learning. For example, it would be very difficult to learn how to pronounce Chinese tones if you didn't first learn to read pinyin.

Learning to write? That's a great way to master Chinese grammar, which is something you'll need to understand if you want to speak in a fluent and natural way. Perhaps most importantly, your brain learns in different ways, and if you stick to just one learning style, you will become fatigued and bored. If you mix things up, on the other hand, you will stay fresh, and you will retain information much better, when compared to focusing on just one core learning component.

Why have I made this point? Because I have seen, lately, a flood of new web-based programs that focus, almost exclusively, on audio programs. It's Podcast this and Podcast that all over the place! Don't get me wrong. The audio component of any online Chinese language learning system is the bread and butter of the program, so it's fine that companies focus on it. Before putting your hard-earned money on the table, though, make sure you're getting a complete program, one that offers reading, writing, listening, and speaking instruction, not just a bunch of MP3 audio files.

Question 3: What's the Price Structure

There is something that drives me absolutely crazy, and it will drive you crazy too--tiered pricing. I found a program like this just the other day. It was a subscription-based program that was just a few dollars per month. Pretty reasonable, it seemed. But then I logged into the classroom and found that I could access only the audio programs. I was blocked when I tried to download the dialogues. I was denied when I tried to access the learning games. The door was slammed in my face when I tried to enter the forum.

Those things were only for "Premium Members." Well, some of those things, anyway. Other things were open only to "Gold Members." To access the full course, I learned, you had to pay $25 per month, or $400 a year (if you didn't pay annually the price was higher). That's absurd! The best Chinese language learning software programs on the market can be purchased outright for about a hundred bucks.

Am I saying to avoid all subscription-based services that have tiered pricing? No, but here is what I am saying. When looking at these programs, look only at the most expensive option. That is the only one you can use. All other options are just teasers.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right Chinese language learning program is important. Choose a good one and you'll have a successful learning experience. Choose a bad one and you'll wind up confused and frustrated. To ensure that you choose a good one, take advantage of free trials, use programs that cover the four core language components, and be suspicious of tiered pricing schemes.

Looking for Chinese software? Read my Rocket Chinese Review. I take you with me step-by-step as I learn with the software (lots of screen shots).

Have a great day!

Ryan Wiley
Founder
The Live in Asia Blog

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Bilingualism: The Advantages of Knowing Mandarin Chinese and English

Being bilingual in Mandarin Chinese and English will be able to enable one to expose to the beauty and richness of western and eastern cultures, literature, customs, festivals, history, etc.

Over 1 billion people around the world speak Mandarin Chinese, about one fifth of the global population. China is the most populous nation in the world, with 1.32 billion people.

Chinese Mandarin is becoming one of the fastest growing and popular academic fields of study in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and many English Speaking countries.

China is one of the world's oldest and richest cultures and is over 5000 years old.

China is the second largest economy in the world. China has become a huge market, business leaders are looking for people who can speak Chinese and operate successfully in the Chinese cultural context.

The wealthy Chinese tend to indulge in branded and luxurious goods from the west. Learning any language is an advantage when looking for a job. Employers like bilingual employee especially in English and Mandarin Chinese.

The Chinese-US and Chinese-European trade are becoming to be a very huge market. Traders or businessmen who are proficient in both Mandarin Chinese and English will definitely enjoy a great advantage.

In this digital age, English is still the widely preferred medium of communication. It is still the dominant language of social media sites, online education networks, websites, etc. The introduction of Chinese words Pinyin enables anyone to learn and read Chinese character easier and faster.

Pinyin is the official system to transcribe the Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet to teach Mandarin Chinese. Nowadays, there are many excellent teaching materials or tools available in the Internet to help anyone to learn the Mandarin Chinese. The medium of teaching is mostly in English with the Chinese Teaching materials.

This is the best time to learn Mandarin Chinese.

With the latest technology and software through Internet, the Chinese language has been more easily accessible than ever before.

Research has shown that learning an additional language is good for the brain.

It also enhances the learning of other subjects.

One study found showed that students who are multilingual are more flexible problem-solvers.

It has been shown that older people who are bilingual are less susceptible to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and can keep their brains sharper much longer.

This benefit is even more profound in learning Chinese. The fact that Mandarin Chinese is so different from English in sound, tones and script means that learning it is even more mentally stimulating than other languages.

There is no doubt that speakers of more than one language have nimble brains. Bilingualism enhances attention and cognitive control in kids and adults.

Start learning an additional language today.

The benefits of bilingualism in learning Mandarin Chinese are tremendous, it not only can provide healthy stimulation to the brain but a very useful tool and valuable asset in one's academic studies, career, business opportunities. One can even enjoy the beauty and richness of two different cultures, the English and Chinese cultures.

You are most welcome to visit a very informative and educational website, 'Learn Mandarin the Fun and Easy Way' at http://www.iknowmandarin.com/.

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Teaching ESL: How to Have a Successful English Corner

I must admit that after hearing "What-a is-a your favorite-a color?" for the 100th time, I was not too interested in English corners. The idea was to give the Chinese students an opportunity to speak to the Americans and practice their English. Hopefully, we could then persuade them to visit our training center and take classes. In theory, it was a good idea for everyone except for the Americans. I can still see the shy elementary school student being prodded by his Chinese mother to "show off" the few English phrases the boy had memorized. I felt sorry for the boy as I tried to keep an hour-long smile up and could relate to the boy's awkwardness.

After spending over 300 hours in English corners over the 7 years that I spent in China, I have found that there are right ways and wrong ways to have them. We were initially told that if we, the Americans, would simply show up somewhere, that a large crowd of aspiring English learners would bombard us with intense English conversations. This never happened. I helped to hold English corners in libraries, bookstores, parks, colleges, on a busy street and even at McDonald's. Each of these had to be built from the ground up, but can be developed into a very successful program.

We had two types of English corners - free talk and activity based. Free talk English corners were usually effective in colleges and libraries. Activity-based English corners were effective in each place, but required more work and preparation. Listed are a few tips on how to have a successful activity-based English corner.

Decide on the format of the English corner. We typically broke up the English corner up into 4 parts. First, we taught 8 - 10 "Frequently Used American Expressions." These were either idioms or collocations that we could act out and try to present in a vivid way. We never tried to explain the meanings, but instead we tried to act them out so the students could try to guess the meanings. Next, we usually taught a song that had simple words to understand. Then we taught a culture tip, and finally played a game.Decide to enjoy the situation. I knew that if I was bored with what I was doing, then my students would be bored too. I clearly remember trying to teach the idiom, "You're barking up the wrong tree." I had a student stand on a chair, while I pretended to bark like a dog up at him. We always did what we could to throw in some spice into the lessons, not only to keep the students coming back, but also to keep ourselves interested in the lessons.Be flexible. I vividly remember teaching for two years in McDonald's. We sectioned off a corner of McDonald's and had a weekly English corner at 3:00 PM on Saturdays. We brought a portable display to let people know what we were all about. We brought a professional sound system with two cordless mics. Whatever we needed to do to try to make the English corner a success. However, many times, something went wrong. Either there was a mistake in the worksheet or no batteries for the mics. Sometimes we would plan for 30 students and 100 would show up, and sometimes we would plan for 100 and 5 would show up. If you ever conduct an English corner, you'll have to be willing to "ride the waves."Follow the 10% - 50% focus rule. Typically in China, I would look at one of my classes and divide it into half based on their English level. Then I would take the lower half and come up 10%. This usually was a good focus for the material. I would try to give this 40% of the students the majority of my time and effort. For the top 50% of the students I would throw out nuggets (not McNuggets from McDonald's) of harder English to keep them interested. Then whenever we had pair work or group work, I would focus in on the lower 10% and try to give them some individual help. Be warned. English corners in public places will attract everyone. It was common for our public English corners to have both kindergarteners and college English professors all looking to learn some English.

I still have many great memories, and I made many friends through the work at the English corners.

For great ESL resources for both the student and the teacher go to http://www.ilesi.com/. ILESI stands for International Languages Educational Services Inc., and has established English training centers all over the world.

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Hard to find active members?

Hard to find active members?

Why not let us do the referring for you? We know how difficult and time consuming referring others can be, especially when you simply don't have the time. In fact, we've already got newly registered members who joined without a referrer who we can automatically place beneath you and let you reap the rewards!


http://darkchinese.blogspot.com/p/chinese-lessons993-months.html

First Steps To Writing In French

So you've decided to have a go at writing in French. Congratulations! Your French must be at a very advanced level. Indeed, it is extremely rare to find individuals who can write well in a foreign language. Professional translators, for example, nearly always translate into their native language, the language in which they are most comfortable.

Although writing includes a world of literary works like poetry, theatre, short stories and novels, we'll concentrate on non-fiction.

But non-fiction is a vast category in itself. It includes things like emails, letters, blogs, text messages, advertising, marketing materials, press releases, memos, user guides, academic writing, term papers, technical reports, newspaper articles, legal documents, signs and notices, etc.

It may be of some consolation to realize that native-speakers of French often have difficulty writing. Unlike speaking, writing is a skill learned in school and requires a lot of practice. Not everyone writes well. As you can see, you're going to have to work hard at this. But if you're up to the challenge, here are some suggestions and strategies for success.

1. Recognize your limits and ALWAYS have an educated native-speaker review your work. All great authors have their work reviewed by a professional editor. Since French is not your first language, you will make mistakes. What is worse is to inflict these mistakes on your readers.

You certainly don't want to damage your credibility with bad grammar and clumsy writing. Except for certain very short messages, do not, I repeat, do not send anything out unless you are sure that it is correct.

There are even online forums where people will check your writing either for free or for reciprocal services.

2. Use the right tools. You'll need a good bilingual or monolingual dictionary and any appropriate reference works. All of these can be found online for free.

A highly recommended tool is a word processor with a grammar and spell check. If your word processor is configured for English, it will probably flag your French spellings as mistaken and automatically correct them. This is obviously annoying and downright counterproductive. Make sure to change your dictionary and spell-check settings.

Be careful with word processors. They can be good at correcting spelling mistakes and some grammatical errors, but they can only do so much. Do not rely only on software to correct your writing.

If you want to be really precise, be aware that French typographical conventions require that question marks, exclamation marks and full colons be preceded by a white space called une espace fine. To the untrained eye, it looks like an extra space in front of these characters.

3. Before attempting to write in a certain genre, create a collection of trustworthy examples of your target genre. These could be entire texts or sample sentences. For example, if you have to write memos, start by gathering some examples of memos that you like. The Internet is a fabulous gold mine of examples.

Study these sample texts to see how they work. Try to get a sense of the tone and style that are typical of the genre. Pay particular attention to the first line of every paragraph.

Some people recommend copying out good examples by hand to get a feel for how the language of a particular genre works.

4. Writing in French is just like any kind of writing. You should probably work from an outline. Vary your sentence structures and vocabulary. Seek the right tone of voice and appropriate style.

5. Imitate to the limits of plagiarism. Since French is not your native tongue, your best bet for producing good texts is to simply imitate trustworthy examples. The trick here is to take the sample sentences you like and modify them to your liking.

6. Once you're done checking for grammar and spelling, read your text aloud. This is a good way to catch grammatical errors and to see how the writing flows. Then have someone go over your work and make any necessary changes.

Stanley Aleong specializes in teaching foreign languages and believes that an effective strategy for achieving advanced proficiency in French or Spanish is to work with many carefully selected authentic examples. To learn more about some very effective learning tools based on this principle, visit Advanced French / Spanish

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Judging the Efficacy of a Russian Translator

With the world having been transformed into a global village, interaction between various countries is at its zenith and now encompasses a number of different fields like commerce, business, and cultural exchange and so on. Unlike the yesteryears when dialogue between two countries was solely limited only to specific issues, today the nature of international communication has been completely redefined to the extent that it is common for people of different nationalities to communicate on a daily basis. Of course, there are language constraints which come into play and the only way to overcome this hurdle is to hire the services of an accomplished translator.

Since most of the flow of business has been observed to be from the developed nations to the new and emerging economies, many languages which were earlier limited to certain geographical areas have now acquired a global nature. This has provided impetus to the translation industry since the ability to communicate in the local language is one of the seminal factors which determine the success of a business. Popularity of English to Russian website translation service is an outcome of this demand as it is imperative for companies wishing to make a foray into the untapped and highly potential Russian market to have a reliable translator on their side.

For an entrepreneur or a company executive who wants to capitalize on the upcoming and strengthening Russian economy, hiring the services of a capable Russian translator is a must because communication matters a great deal and can make all the difference. Some of the basic methods of making inroads entail holding business meetings, visiting manufacturing sites, conversing with the locals and signing contracts and documents and anyone with a good business mind would not commit himself to these tasks if he cannot comprehend Russian.

In such situations, it is imperative to be accompanied by a proficient Russian translator as he/she would be able to accurately interpret and explain the nitty-gritty and thus facilitate decision making. Such a person would also provide an insight into the local Russian culture and help towards cultivating an in-depth understanding about the prevailing situation.

Selecting the right person for performing this sensitive task is extremely important and some qualifications which would prove the efficacy of a good translator are as follows:

A certified degree in Russian language in addition to mastery in the practical aspects of the language like reading, writing and speaking.Expertise in at least two languages is mandatory as is the knowledge of computers.Job experience is definitely one of the deciding factors.Not only should this individual be cognizant of the culture of the country she is native to but she must be sharp enough to judge the psychology of the target audience as well.

Keeping these guidelines in mind while going through the resume of the English to Russian translator would ensure the selection of a seasoned linguist who in addition to translation would perform the job of convincing the opposite faction as well.

Lena owner of All Russian Language Services and an English Russian Translator and Language Trainer for large contracts or a single page birth certificate she will make sure you don't have to worry about it and you can focus on other things. Contact her here at English Russian Translation

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How To Say Freckles, Pimples, Dimples, Cold Sore, Blackhead and Warts in Spanish

Today we will learn how to say freckles, pimples, dimples, cold sores, birth mark, mole, blackhead, and warts in Spanish. I will begin by telling about an experience that I had here in Medellin, Colombia that made me realize that it is important to know how to say these words in Spanish. This story will also help you learn these Spanish words.

Yesterday, I was supposed to start "terapia" (therapy) for my "hombro" (shoulder). I injured my shoulder here in Medellin, Colombia doing a sport called Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (or in Spanish "Jiu-Jitsu brasileno"). If you are not familiar with BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) you can think of it as a combination of "lucha libre" (wrestling) and judo.

When I arrived ready to begin my therapy session the receptionist told me in Spanish that she had no record of my appointment. I told her that I had walked-in a few days ago when I was in the area and made my appointment in person with a completely different receptionist. But she insisted that there was no record of my appointment to begin my therapy session and that it would be necessary for me to make another appointment to begin my therapy and come back another day.

That's when I asked her was there anything that I could do considering that she was unable to locate any record of my appointment and that I had traveled quite a distance to begin my therapy sessions.

And she then asked me about the other receptionist, the one who made the appointment for me. ?Como es? ?Como se ve? (What does she look like?)

That's when I told her in Spanish that the receptionist who made the appointment for me had freckles, dimples, and a mole. Actually, I thought the mole was kind of cute so I told her in Spanish
that the other receptionist had a beauty mark on her face. She also had an awful cold sore on her mouth but I didn't bother to mention that in any language.

With that description the receptionist was able to locate the other receptionist (who was on a different floor at the time),and finally confirmed my appointment so that I could begin my therapy immediately and not have to return another day to begin.

That's when I realized how important it can be to know how to say freckles, dimples, pimples, cold sore, etc., in Spanish. So I want to share these words with you so that you will know them in case you ever need to use them.

1. Dimple - Hoyuelo

Cuando Claudia se rie se le forman unos hoyuelos en las mejillas.
When Claudia laughs dimples form in her cheeks.

By the way, the word that people use for dimples in Colombia is "huequitos" instead of "hoyuelos." "Huequitos" literally means "little holes." Here in Colombia, they also tend to use the word "cachetes" instead of "mejilla" for the English word cheeks.

2. Pimples - Granos

Ese adolescente tiene muchos granos en la cara.
That adolescent has a lot of pimples on his face.

Depending on how a pimple looks and where it is located on the body, Spanish speakers may also use the words "barro" and "barrito."

3. Birth mark - marca de nacimiento

No puedo ver tu marca de nacimiento.
I cannot see your birth mark.

Instead of "marca de nacimiento" you may also hear Spanish speakers say "mancha de nacimiento."

4. Freckles - Pecas

La mesera tiene pecas en la cara.
The waitress has freckles on her face.

5. Mole - Lunar

El lunar de ella es una marca de belleza.
Her mole is a beauty mark.

6. Fever blisters or cold sores - Llagas

Ella no queria besarlo porque tenia llagas en la boca.
She did not want to kiss him because he had cold sores on his mouth.

Besides "llagas" a very formal phrase that you may hear, especially in Spain, is "herpes labial" (literally, "herpes of the lips"). I never use the term "herpes labial" for obvious reasons...

That's because if I had a cold sore on my mouth I'd prefer for someone to tell me that I had a "llaga en la boca" instead of "herpes labial."

Now let me give you a very informal word for cold sore that you may hear not only in Colombia but in other parts of Latin America:

Fuegos en la boca (literally, "fire on the mouth") or just "fuegos" for short.

By the way, I have heard that Mexicans use the word "afta" for fever blister but you may want to confirm this with someone from Mexico because my Spanish dictionary says that an "afta" is "an ulcer of the mouth."

7. Mark - mancha

Ella tiene una mancha pequena en la frente.
She has a small mark on her forehead.

8. Blackhead - Espinillas

Me salio una espinilla en la espalda.
A blackhead came out of my back.

Another word for blackheads that is commonly used in Latin America is "punto negros," literally "black spots."

9. Wart - Verruga

Yo tenia una verruga en la mano.
I had a wart on my hand.

Pat Jackson is the Founder of Learning Spanish Like Crazy - the only learning Spanish method that teaches real authentic everyday conversational Latin American Spanish. Pat presently lives in Medellin, Colombia - the City of Eternal Spring. If you would like to get FREE Instant access to the first 2 MP3 audio lessons of Learning Spanish Like Crazy and get FREE instant access to 10 learning Spanish videos from one of our BEAUTIFUL native-Spanish speaking Latina instructors, then go here now: Learn Spanish online That's http://www.LearningSpanishLikeCrazy.com/

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If You Want To Learn French Fast

Have you really wanted to learn French? When compared to English, French is the most extensively spoken language across the world. Not only is French preferred, but French is also spoken among the rich elites and also in romantic settings.

Mastering French is definitely a serious challenge. You most likely are wanting to know how to learn French fast in spite of the challenges. A good tactic will be to work with a blend of resources that would include audio books, taking instructional classes in your location, and possibly receiving assistance from a tutor. A local community college may provide a French course you could take. The most comfortable method will be to learn French online by just buying a downloadable training course.

The internet is an effective learning resource for learning French. You will discover online lessons, speech exercises and also discussion forums. If you're more comfortable learning at your own speed, your most suitable choice would be to look for an online resource. You can perform a search by typing in the words "learn French online" and locate lots of results that may help you to learn French.

Still, if you're very busy and don't have the time to download study course materials and use the internet routinely for training, then you definitely should consider buying a training course with CDs which you can play when you are traveling and handling chores.

While I was trying to find a French course on the internet, I learned that Rocket French provides a full learning program that has MP3 compatible audio instructions, assessments, and a dedicated website. Made for busy people, this particular French study course puts you in control of your own learning experience.

The study course also comes in two types. You can get the hard copy type that is sent to you by mail inside a bundle of CDs, which you could play anywhere. However, you could learn French online using their downloadable version, which happens to be less expensive. Either choice offers the whole program.

French is the language of romance and poets, countless younger people from England had been sent on French visits soon after their primary education. It had been required of Englishmen, working in the courts, to learn French.

In lots of nations, French is a required course. French has become a crucial language to understand in addition to English. It can help provide individuals a wider perspective and can help them all understand worldwide organizations and people better.

French is definitely an interesting language to study. You could discover the vibrant culture and customs of the French people, which will make it easier to interact with these people. Go to France and enjoy the beauty of the towns, the customs, as well as people.

You can read related articles here: Rocket French Review

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Count Nouns and Non-Countable (Mass) Nouns - Simple Solutions to a Major Problem for ESL Students

The concept of distinguishing between objects that can and cannot be counted does not exist in many languages and this results in severe bafflement when speakers of those languages write in English.

Examples of mass and count nouns:

Count nouns:

A pencil: three pencilsA frog: three frogsA minister: three ministers.

Mass nouns are uncomfortable with numbers:

A confusion: three confusions (No. "How much confusion")An air: three airs (No, "How much air")A misery: three miseries (No, "How much misery")A research: three researches (No, "How much research")

Many nouns can be both count and mass nouns, often with different meanings.

Paper:

How much paper? (24 reams, boxes, rolls of paper)How many papers? (He published three papers on invertebrate alcoholism last year)

Oil:

How much oil? (one quart)How many oils? (olive oil, corn oil, linseed oil - three oils.)

Mystery:

Much mystery surrounds the case of the giant rat of Sumatra.There are probably many more mysteries set in English country houses than murders in all of Yorkshire.

Thought:

Not much thought has been given to making cats amphibious.Did Rupert have any thoughts about wearing gaudy socks in the parade?

The Web Searching Solution

When in doubt about the countability of a noun, one could just compare the result count from a search for "much [noun]"to that from a search for "many [noun]s". The search, "many confusions"yielded 55,900, while "much confusion"produced 774,000. While searching "how much"with most countable nouns will reveal clearly that the noun does not function as a mass noun ("how much pencil", "how much bicycle", "how much flagpole"), this process is not always reliable because, as demonstrated above, some nouns can be both countable and non-countable. The respective counts of "many thoughts"and "much thought"do not differ greatly. In these cases, a targeted search and an examination of context is probably best.

Frequently the excerpts Google presents are perfectly adequate for understanding usage and there is no need to visit the pages found as demonstrated in the following excerpts from the first page of results of a search restricted to academic sites in the UK.

Searched: site:ac.uk/ "many thoughts are"

Within a given conceptual space, many thoughts are possible, only some of which may have been actually thought.

As many thoughts are in my mind: As wavelets o'er thee roam;: As many wounds are in my heart: As thou hast flakes of foam. But if heaven's constellations

One problem of this work is that too many thoughts are embedded in a single character-mind. It is often difficult to identify to whom each thought...

Searched: site:ac.uk/ "much thought is"

...much thought is already being given to the social and economic implications of these changes.

Much thought is given to the dating and composition of Weissenburg's cartulary, which is put in the context of Louis the German's attempts to acquire...

...But modern versions of RTM assume that much thought is not grounded in mental images. The classic contemporary treatment maintains, instead, ...

The resultant phrases reveal clearly how the word is used in context.

Remember, mass nouns do not take indefinite articles and are quantified by:

"how much [noun]"or "how little [noun]"and "more [noun] ", "less [noun], all that [noun] or the amount of [noun]"

while countable nouns use:

"how many [noun]s"or "how few [noun]s", "more [noun]s", "fewer [noun]s"or the quantity of [noun]s.

Note that the comparative form "more"is used with both countable and non-countable nouns. Purists maintain that "fewer"should always be the comparative form used with countable nouns but the use of "less"in these contexts is increasing: "Oatmeal has less calories than granola". When searched, the count was: "less calories", 491,000 and "fewer calories", 6,060,000. It will be interesting to see how these numbers change over time.

There are some sticky areas however. Some count nouns, when used in plural, and particularly when large quantities are discussed, tend to be treated as mass nouns. Phrases such as "the amount of lentils"(460,000,000) tend to compete well with the more correct "the quantity of lentils"(475,000,000). With more abstract nouns, this is even more evident.

"quantity of resources" 463,000

"number of resources" 8,770,000

"amount of resources" 11,500,000

A short collection of mass nouns:

(Be sure to look up any you don't know)

acrimonyadulationadviceairaluminumapplauseapostasyapprobationavaricebadinagebeerbiologybloodboatingcacographycakecasuistryceleritycheeseclothdancingdisdaindusteconomicselectricityequipmentexperiencefatuityfealtyflourflummeryfoodfurnitureglassgraffitigrasshairharmheathistoryhockeyhomeworkhouseworkiceinformationinsoucianceknowledgeleatherlogorrhealuggagemathematicsmeatmentationmetalmilkmoneymilitancymusicoxygenphotographyplasticpoetrypollutionporcelainprobitypublicityrancorreadingresearchreticencerevulsionricerodomontaderubbishsandsedulitysmokingsoapsoccersoftwaresubserviencesteelsugarsunshinetemeritytraffictransportationtravelwaterweatherwinewoodwool

Count and Mass Noun Usage

Mass nouns can usually be made countable by adding a count noun:

Mass noun: furniture

Count noun: piece of furniture

Mass noun: paper

Count noun: sheet of paper

Mass noun: research

Count noun: research paper

The use of count nouns as mass nouns can be intended for comic effect through the incongruity of the usage:

It's 49 feet tall; how much flagpole do we really need?

A tandem? What's he doing with that much bicycle?

If one prefers to avoid this effect, reference to size or quantity solves the problem: How large a flagpole? How big a bicycle? How long a piece of construction grade gingerbread?

Use the searching technique above to determine mass or count-noun usage in the following.

Count Nouns and Mass Nouns Playsheet

Circle and fix the errors.

When dealing with a furniture of this size, Rupert had to agree that the word "manana" conveyed far too exigent a sense of urgency.There was too much barrel of fermented applesauce for Hermione to deal with but less golf balls than the minimum required for the sleepover.It wasn't me whom the assistant vice principal accused of impertinence after he saw so much of his bulletins, printed in the local newspaper with appropriate grammar corrections.Rupert saw the curate and me mixing all that anchovy into the nougat.Who do you think is responsible for putting so much toads into the library garden?Whom should we make clean up all those peanut shells, tapioca, and horse droppings in the cafeteria after the Polo Club's cavalcade of ethnic indigenous cuisines?There's too much reason for not letting Mrs. Drookle's second grade class reenact the Boston Tea Party at the Main Street fountain.There's too much puce finger paint and Brillo pads to hide convincingly behind the irregularly eructative model volcano.There's not enough volcano to hide even a small equipment.Acrimonies abound in the field. Invertebrate alcoholisms seem to inspire many rancors.

Answers

Problem: "Furniture" is a mass noun. Search "much furniture" and "many furnitures" for the count. Correction: "When dealing with a piece of furniture of this size..."Problem: barrel is a count noun. Search "much barrel" and "many barrels". Correction: the barrel contained too much fermented applesauce..." Problem: Golf ball is a count noun and "less" should be used only with mass nouns. It should be replaced with "fewer".Problem: "bulletin" is a count noun. Search "much bulletin" and "many bulletins" for the count. Correction: "so many of his bulletins".Problem: "anchovy" is a count noun. Search "much anchovy" and "many anchovies". Correction: "mixing all those anchovies" Note that the discrete fish can easily become a mass for culinary purposes and that usage may not be uncommon.Problem: "toad" is a count noun. Search "much toads" many "toads". Correction: "So many toads".Problem: "tapioca" is a mass noun listed with count nouns. Search "much tapioca" and "many tapiocas". Correction: "Whom should we make clean up all that tapioca and all those peanut shells, and horse droppings?Problem: "reason" is, in this context, a count noun. Search "many reasons" and "much reason". Correction: "There are too many reasons for...".Problem: "Brillo pads" are countable. Search "much pad" and "many pads". Correction "There's too much puce finger paint and too many Brillo pads".Problem: "volcano" is countable. Search "much volcano" and "many volcanoes". Problem: "equipment" is a mass noun: Search "much equipment" and "many equipments". Correction: "The volcano's not big enough to hide even a little equipment.Problem: "acrimony", "alcoholism" and "rancor" are mass nouns. Search them. Correction: "Acrimony abounds in the field. Invertebrate alcoholism seems to inspire much rancor."

Excerpted with permission from SAT ACT TOEFL College Prep English Practice ( http://abacus-es.com/cpep/ ) by K. Titchenell. For more information on this text, use the search/look inside feature on Amazon.com ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146108380X/ ).

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Prospect of Online Learning

The prospect of learning Mandarin Chinese can seem like a daunting task, and with good reason. Most people have a hard enough time mastering the finer nuances of their native tongue, and learning an entirely new language can appear insurmountable at first glance. Despite how difficult learning a new language might seem, the experience can be a fun and surprisingly easy task if one approaches it correctly. In today's world, where Mandarin Chinese is one of the most spoken languages in the entire world, learning Chinese is truly an invaluable resource.

Most people will conjecture that they simply do not have the time to learn something as complex as Chinese--a feeling that most people share in today's busy world. However, there are many different avenues one can take to learn Chinese that cater to each individual's needs. For example, one could hire a personal Chinese tutor and schedule appointments based on one's availability. Drawbacks to hiring a tutor are that doing so can become quite expensive and different tutors will have their own hours of availability that may not coincide with each person's specific needs. Another way one might go about learning Chinese is through purchasing Chinese-English dictionaries and various how-to books, attempting to memorize various words and phrases. While this may work to a limited extent, it would be considerably difficult to understand the nuances of the language such as word context and proper pronunciation. Learning a new language takes much more than mere memorization, and for a language like Chinese, one must attain a proper feel for the language.

In today's fast-paced world where time is such a precious commodity, the most convenient and effective way to learn Chinese is through Chinese online courses-particularly those with online private tutors who speak the language and can aid individuals on things like pronunciation and grammar. Learning Chinese online allows for each person to learn at their own pace, on their own time-whenever that may be. Unlike learning from various texts, learning through online courses allow for a learning experience that is much more structured and covers a variety of different topics that are not available in English-Chinese dictionaries. Learning Chinese online can also offer the same benefits as having your own private tutor in that many online courses offer personal tutoring via the web.

Learning Chinese requires discipline, to say the least, but that does not necessarily mean that it has to be difficult and time consuming. With the availability of learning Chinese online, there really is no reason to start learning this prominently used language.

Charles Devis writes on benefits of learning in Online Chinese Language School. Visit our website for more information about online Chinese language courses for everyone i.e. business, for kids and adults http://www.chinesesphere.com/

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Spanish Vocabulary Learning Using Mnemonics

Foreign language acquisition is a mammoth task for anyone serious about it. According to some estimates, a person has to learn 3,000 words before they can read and speak at a high school level.

Luckily, there are established psychological techniques that can make the task of foreign language acquisition easier.

A mnemonic is an artificial memory device that facilitates recall of a unit of information. Most people are familiar with the mnemonic ROY G. BIV for the colours of the rainbow, but mnemonics can be used for almost anything.

Essentially what a mnemonic does is minimise the amount of brain space that has to be used to store a piece of information. This is achieved by creating an associative link between the information that has to be remembered and some information that has already been committed to long-term memory.

Mnemonics are especially useful for memorising foreign language vocabulary.

To give an example, the Spanish word for the emotion 'bitter' is 'amargado'. If you image Marge Simpson biting into a lemon and making a bitter face, you have created a visual associative link between these two words.

Then, to recall the Spanish word for 'bitter', it's simply a matter of recalling the image and then decoding it.

This sounds like a lot of work, but the beauty of mnemonics is that they mostly work on a subconscious level, so that after a few repetitions the learner does not need to recall the context of the word to recall the word itself. Your conscious mind creates the link; your unconscious mind stores and recalls it.

If this sounds unbelievable, just try recalling the Spanish word for 'bitter' in a few days, or even weeks. I bet you can do it.

The power of mnemonic learning can be applied to other elements of foreign language learning. People in the Western world are conditioned to associate the colour blue with masculine and the colour red with feminine. This can be applied to learning the gender of words in Spanish.

For example, the Spanish word for 'ear' is 'la Oreja'. Imagine a ray from the Sun striking a person in the ear, turning it red. Red and ray equals la Oreja.

A third way that mnemonics are useful for foreign language learning is to encode suffixes as part of the visual image.

For example, many Spanish words begin with the suffix 'des-'. If you know someone named 'Des', that's perfect, but otherwise you can imagine one. I like to imagine a shady character with dark eyes and a pencil moustache.

If you want to remember that a word begins with the suffix 'des-', just imagine the character Des as part of the mnemonic. The Spanish word for 'unknown' is 'desconocido'. Just imagine Des looking at a coconut with a face painted on it, and Des says "This coconut is unknown to me."

Using mnemonics in the matter described in this article can slash the amount of time needed to learn an adequate foreign language vocabulary.

Vince McLeod runs a database of spanish mnemonics that aims to give language students an easy way to learn the thousands of words needed to become fluent.

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A Degree In Spanish Can Come In Handy In A Variety Of Career Fields!

?Habla Espanol? If not, you might consider pursuing a Spanish degree, since there are several advantages to it, one of which can greatly benefit your career.

In 21 countries, Spanish is said to be considered the official language. Other than Chinese, in fact, there are reportedly more people who speak native Spanish than any other language. That can make fluency in the language important in a variety of fields and in a variety of locales.

Students who want to pursue Spanish degrees might find them available at colleges and universities as part of a Bachelor of Science in Education. They might otherwise participate in Spanish degrees that are outright Bachelor of Arts degrees. Graduating with either of these Spanish degrees could lead students to work as teachers of English as a Second Language or as teachers of foreign language classes in K-12 schools or at colleges and universities. There are opportunities to enter non-teaching careers as well.

Students with an interest in law enforcement, for example, might consider whether Spanish degrees might help them embark upon careers in areas such as immigration or with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. There are also careers in interpreting and translating, in Foreign Service or diplomacy, and in international relations that might appeal to students in instances where they are considering Spanish degrees.

With Chinese, English, Russian, French, and Arabic, Spanish is considered an official United Nations language as well. That means that these languages are used in United Nations meetings and documents. As the world becomes increasingly global, students who obtain Spanish degrees might also prepare themselves for work in areas such as international banking, trade, or business.

Many United States residents speak Spanish fluently, which could potentially enhance career opportunities in customer service, coordinating cultural events, and proofreading and publishing for those who obtain Spanish degrees. Pursing Spanish as part of a dual major or as a minor or major that complements another concentration area could also benefit students in instances where they are considering certain careers - perhaps even those in international relations, international business, or communications.

In Spanish degree programs, students learn to write, read, and speak the language. Their education extends beyond the language itself as well. The programs often offer opportunities also to explore the different Spanish cultures that exist. They might require that students study contemporary Spanish issues, view Spanish films, or read Spanish literature. Some programs might also require community service participation, or they might provide opportunities to study abroad in places such as the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, Portugal, and Spain. These well-rounded programs, as a whole, might better help students come to understand the world from different perspectives.

Although the humanities don't receive as much emphasis these days as engineering, technology, and science degrees do, language studies that are a part of the humanities do have their advantages. The humanities in general, it seems, do as well. For instance, an Ivy League institution in the United States complements its MBA program with an education in philosophy, aesthetics, politics, culture, and the social aspects of business. It is important that other fields see the value of Spanish degrees. Students who are interested in mastering this language can do so by taking online courses!

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How To Prepare Yourself To Learn Another Language

So you want to learn another language but you are not sure if you are capable of doing it? Relax, it is not rocket science when it comes to learning a second language. If millions of people can do it, so can you.

What do you gain out of learning a language? You will surely be increasing your intellect because you will be understanding more concepts from different countries or perspectives. You will also have a wider understanding of world issues and views because now you can understand what other people are saying. And in a less serious note, you will feel a lot better knowing you are capable of pulling it off.

And so if you are serious to learn another language, here are a few of the things that you need to understand or prepare yourself with.

Just relax and take it easy. You might even say that you should have much fun out of it because if you are not having fun then everything will surely be harder for you to understand and achieve. Learning a new language is without a doubt not an easy task that is why you should make it as light as possible, at least with how you feel towards it so that it will not feel too tasking on your mind.

Build up your vocabulary. Every language is composed of words and for you to understand the whole language you need to understand each word. Not just the meaning but also how they are used within a sentence. So on the onset of your training you should buy a dictionary. But not just any dictionary, try your best to look for the authority in dictionaries in that language, something like the Merriam-Webster of that language. This is so you know exactly from the start the real and full meaning of the words that you encounter.

You should also make it a habit to listen and read every single day on all the materials that you can get your hands on in that language. For example, if you want to learn Japanese then you should watch Japanese TV shows that are not translated in English. This way you will be familiarizing yourself with how the language sounds, how it is used, and also how every word is spoken or delivered. You should focus particularly with news sites because the anchors there are trained to speak the language as clearly and as perfectly as possible.

And probably the most important thing of all is this: spend the time to learn it. You should allot an hour or two each day just to learning that new language. If you are serious about it then you should spend more hours into it to help speed your learning process. Spend an hour writing in that language, spend an hour listening to that language, and spend an hour speaking it. That is a total of three hours, but for the serious individuals, three hours may not even be enough. It really depends on you.

So there you have it. These are just some of the things that you should be doing if you want to learn another language. It is not easy and you will have to spend considerable time and effort, however in the end it will be all worth it.

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Chinese lessons$99/3 months

Chinese lessons$99/3 months

Easiest Language To Learn - What Makes These 3 Languages Easiest for English Speakers to Learn

Since I speak a lot of foreign languages, people are always asking what was the easiest language to learn. I wish it were as simple as saying French, or German, or Spanish. Unfortunately, like so many subjects the answer is far more complex than one might think.

It's not always a matter of which is the easiest to language to learn. In order to understand which language is easiest for you to learn, you must analyze the differences and similarities between the different languages.

For example, many English speakers in the United States immediately think that Spanish is the easiest language to learn. But that's only because Spanish is the default second language spoken around this country. So indeed, Spanish may be easier for many Americans than some other foreign languages. One problem, however, is that many north Americans falsely believe that speaking Spanish is little more than adding an "-o" to the end of every word in a sentence. Nothing could be further from the truth.

One thing that must be taken into consideration is that Spanish is a Latin language, but it is also largely influenced by Arabic. So there are a lot of words in the language that do not follow the rules are available Latin language. While English as a lot of Latin words in it, it is really a Germanic language. And because of that, Spanish ultimately does not share as many similarities as you might think.

Although English is descended from German, that does not necessarily mean that English speakers can easily pick up the German language. German for most north Americans, contains many unusual guttural sounds. In fact, it is fair to say that most people from the United States have not heard proper German spoken. German also has very complex grammar and word structuring, making it even more complicated to navigate for the average English speaker. That said, however, German and English do share some profound similarities in core vocabulary and some aspects of grammar.

French is another language that is of interest to many English speakers. Unfortunately, most people in the United States have been given a bad impression of the French language as well as French people. And the little that people know about the French language is inaccurate at best. For that reason, when most Americans begin learning French they must unlearn a lot of bad habits that have been drilled into them for a long time.

Like Spanish, French is also in Latin language. Yet it has one distinct difference. You see, over a period of about one hundred years or so in recent history, France had been invaded by Germany no less than three times. For that reason, French like English contains a lot of German influenced words.

Perhaps the biggest difficulty for most Americans when it comes to French is that they do not recognize that they already know a lot of French words. In many cases, is because they do not have been large vocabulary in their mother language.

As you can see, these three languages have many parallels they share with English which is what makes any one of them an excellent candidate if you want to learn to speak a new language. Just analyze the differences in this article and review which suits your current background and knowledge best.

If you care to find out which language I really think is the easiest language to learn for most people, visit http://institutoicsa.com/. There you can read about strategies to learn languages as well as recommendations of the best software to suit your needs.

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Learn English Online - What You Can Expect to Learn

When you learn anything on an online class there is always a part of yourself wondering what you are going to get out of it. With an online language class there is so much information given to you that it can be hard to gauge how much you are learning. If you learn English online here are some of the things you can expect to be taught by a course. English is a difficult language to learn because there are so many rules and exceptions. In a reputable online English language course you will learn vocabulary, pronunciations, guidelines, and total comprehension of what you are being taught.

Vocabulary is the main focus of any language course. This is because the more words you know the more you can say, write, and comprehend. Vocabulary can be confusing because several words are very similar to others. There are also several words that can mean almost the same thing. As you acquire more vocabulary you can begin to have much more confidence with speaking with other English people. There are several techniques that an online course could offer for teaching vocabulary. Do not trust an offer to learn English online that says it does not require repetition and study, because vocabulary requires it.

Pronunciations will make a huge difference in whether or not you can pass as a viable English speaker. If you pronounce a word incorrectly it can still sound like you are speaking a foreign language. The easiest way to learn proper pronunciations is to listen to a native speaker. There is often a difference with dialects depending on where the person you are speaking to grew up. Pronouncing words like you hear them from a native English speaker will help you to blend into the culture and society of and English speaking country. If you learn English online you are not always taught this so look for a program that does teach it.

Guidelines and comprehension should also be taught in any course that teaches a language. When you learn English online you should be taught the rules and given and understanding so that you can speak English on your own. Comprehending what others are saying is a huge percentage of communicating. The number one tip is to always try to say something that way they know you are trying. Learning in an online course you should always find these basic components. If feedback is your primary concern try learning English through a video chat based system with a person raised and living in an English speaking country.

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Learn Chinese Using Online Curriculum Courses

Almost all Mandarin students will investigate the net for opportunities to practice their Chinese. Premium online courses now deliver high quality material for study and many students will supplement their Chinese learning by purchasing a product.

To learn Chinese Online can be effective - but cutting through the hype to find the right product is time consuming. Without a proper understanding of language methodology and/or technology many people become confused and either give up on their search or end up purchasing an 'ill fitting' course. This is a pity as there are a couple of excellent courses that would really benefit students learning Chinese as a foreign language.

Online Curriculum Courses - the Best Solution for Beginners.

Online self-learning curriculums have a long history stretching back to the audio-lingual courses for gramophones. Over time some products dropped out but the better companies kept moving with the times and eventually transferred and developed their product to utilise the internet. New products also entered the market.

Online curriculum courses are basically automated learning solutions. Once you start you will find that the learning journey is already mapped out before you. All you are required to do is follow and complete the course.

The journey which you take has been designed to give you maximum benefit and exposes you to targeted language learning techniques. A good curriculum designer knows that learning a language is not just about learning a word or phrase; rather it is learning how to learn - the techniques and strategies that bring results. By finishing a course you will have picked up enough to begin formulating your own study plans.

Learning Chinese Online has its Problems.

Self-learning courses do have negatives. The biggest killer for studying online is distraction - it is so easy to end up browsing endlessly rather than buckling down to the task at hand.

What is important is to focus and believe in the process that the curriculum is exposing you to - as ceasing to use it will take you back to square one.

It is also important to realise that any language learning requires the will to self-learn - this is particularly so when learning Chinese online.

Breaking the Pain Barrier.

Any type of learning that is of value is going to be painful at times and only those who can take the pain will eventually reap their rewards. Curriculum courses are designed to give your learning some structure and to make the process as economical as possible. But not all courses will give you support.

The Important Features of an online Chinese Learning Course.

If you are new to learning Chinese you will find many offerings on the net. Take care when a product says you can learn Chinese in 5 minutes or some other catch phrase - rather look at the features and resources they provide.

The key elements to an online Chinese language course are structured recordings of the language so that you can listen, practice and develop. Also look for courses that offer motivational resources and support.

Quentin Sallis is an expert in Language Education and Language Curriculum Design. For an analysis of a Beginners Chinese Course please feel free to read his Rocket Chinese Review. For other tips and strategies for improving your Chinese check out http://www.checkoutchinese.com/

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You Can't Answer a Question If You Can't Say the Answer

It takes time to become accustomed and familiar with new words and phrases. It would be nice if people could be told something once, then be able to recall and use this information perfectly forever more. But it doesn't often happen.

The names of fractions in English are somewhat irregular, at least to start with because English, as it developed, absorbed words from more than one other language (usually Anglo Saxon or Old English and Latin).

For example half and third are derived from the Old English words 'healf' and 'pridda'. But quarter comes from the Latin 'quartus'. Next comes fifth, not 'fiveth', which comes from the Old English 'fifta'. After this, things settle down with sixth seventh and so on. But it is still necessary to learn the exceptions.

Another common difficulty is saying remainders and improper fractions. For example five divided by four is one remainder one or one and one quarter. It is very common for children to be confused at the two ones in one remainder one and in one and one quarter. After all these are not phrases that they are likely to have used before. In contrast by the time children learn to count at school they are likely to have used the words one, two and three may times. (How many ice creams would you like?). But one and one quarter is more of a tongue twister.

Another difficulty comes with converting kilograms to grams, or kilometers to meters. This is often thought of as a math problem. But it is in largely a speaking problem. There are two parts.

Firstly just repeat exactly what is said but replace kilo with thousand and thousand with kilo.
So two kilograms becomes two thousand kilo grams.
And three thousand grams becomes three kilo grams.

It really is that simple!

Secondly, learn the how to say fractions of a thousand. So 1/2 a kilogram is five hundred grams which means five hundred grams is half a kilogram.

Children seem to be comfortable with saying two thousand five hundred grams for 2 1/2 kg and three thousand five hundred grams for 3 1/2 kg.

But ten thousand five hundred grams for 10 1/2kg
or one hundred thousand five hundred grams for 100 1/2kg
seem to be more difficult to say, until they become familiar.

For some reason it seems that saying one thousand five hundred grams for 1 1/2 kg is takes longer to become familiar with.

By the time they are comfortable with saying and one hundred and one thousand five hundred grams for 101 1/2 kilograms you can be confident that they have got to grips with this particular type of problem.

Jeremy Shiers is the father of four children. Jeremy has a BSc in mathematics and a PhD in Physics. For the last 17 years he has been passing on his knowledge to his children.

He has noticed that some parents do not do this which he believes is due to them making one or more common little mistakes. To read Jeremy's free report visit: http://sevenlittlemistakes.com/.

Jeremy has written another longer report describing in detail how he helped his children get started with arithmetic and maths. Visit http://startingarithmetic.com/ to download your copy.

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Advanced French - How To Approach Informal Spoken French

When they are first exposed to spontaneous conversations, learners of French often express surprise and frustration. "It's so fast", "It's not the French I was taught" and "I don't understand the accent" are typical comments.The problem comes from the fact that most people learn formal French through written materials in classrooms, books and software. The recordings associated with most teaching materials are made in studios from written materials and with professional voices. Although the language used on television, radio and in movies can be quite realistic, it is still not what you will hear on the streets.

If you aim to speak at an advanced level with native speakers, it's important to be aware of how spoken French differs from the written form. Here are some key things to watch for:

The sounds of the voice

The sounds of the language tell a lot about the speaker. You can usually tell the approximate age, level of education and gender of the speaker. Older voices are often more difficult to decipher than younger ones. Female voices are usually easier to understand than male voices.

There is of course the accent. Is it a sort of neutral broadcast accent that one hears in the media or a strong regional accent? Is the speaker from a certain region of France, Belgium, Africa, Quebec or Acadia?

One of the biggest differences between spoken and written language is how meaning is communicated by the sound of the voice. By articulating in certain ways, speakers can convey surprise, scorn, irony, anger, questioning, doubt, affection and all sorts of emotions that cannot be easily communicated in written form. Often we can detect if someone is lying just by the tone of voice. Or we might even say something like "Don't speak to me with that tone of voice."

Linguistic features of informal spoken French

Informal spoken language includes small talk or chitchat, casual conversations, telephone dialogues, pep talks, question and answer sessions and interviews. On the other hand, formal language is found in prepared speeches, lectures and conferences, movie and theater dialogs and radio and television announcements.

Let's say that you are overhearing a spontaneous conversation of friends sitting around a dinner table, what are you likely to notice from a linguistic viewpoint?

1. Slang, non-standard forms and colloquial expressions, many of which are rarely found in print. This can include coarse or extreme language.

2. Lots of body language with gestures, head movements and facial expressions.

3. Constant interactivity between participants in a question and answer format.

4. Simplified question forms. A very common pattern is to put the interrogative pronoun at the end, as in:

C'est quoi? vs Qu'est-ce que c'est? (What is it?)

C'est qui? vs Qui est-ce? (Who is it?)

Il arrive quand? vs Quand est-ce qu'il arrive? (When does he arrive?)

4 Short sentences with simple structures, often subject verb object. Simple tenses. No fancy subjunctives or literary tenses.

5. Plenty of repetition and rephrasing to ensure the other person understands, often starting with Autrement dit (otherwise said)

6. Interjections like: zut, merde, flute, hein, ho, c'est pas vrai, dis-donc

7. Abbreviations and clipped vocabulary. This may be professional jargon or shared terminology

8. Repeated forms: oui, oui,oui, non non non, absolument absolument

9. Systematic usage of pronoun ON instead of NOUS for "we"

10. Systematic usage of TU instead of VOUS for "you".

11. Incomplete sentences. Users may switch subject or change sentence structure in midstream. This is a big difference between ordinary users and professional speakers such as broadcasters, actors and teachers.

12. Fillers ("eh") and pauses marking time after words like "de...", "que...","je pense que..."

Often users will search for the right word, as in: Comment dire?, Qu'est-ce que je veux dire? disons...

13.Verbal tics: "si vous voulez", "si vous permettez", "vous savez", "tu sais" "voyez-vous", "permettez-moi", "comme on dit". This is similar to "you know" or "if I may" in English.

14. Uncorrected speech. Mistakes, confusion of similar forms, as in:

solidaire / solitaire

audition / addition

15. Usually a very limited vocabulary using the most common words in the language.

Stanley Aleong specializes in teaching foreign languages and believes that an effective strategy for achieving advanced proficiency in French or Spanish is to work with many carefully selected authentic examples. To learn more about some very effective learning tools based on this principle, visit Advanced French / Spanish.

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Why to Choose an English Russian Technical Translation?

A translator is a must have if you are in some foreign country and are clueless of the language spoken there. For instance, a majority of Russian entrepreneurs visiting foreign countries for their business deals hire translators, who are fluent in both English as well as Russian for communicating effectively.

Not only if the Russian entrepreneurs, but also if you would like to make some business relations with Russian counterparts, then language might come as a big obstacle. Particularly, when it comes to discussing technical specifications and devising business strategies, it becomes necessary to overcome the language barrier. A Russian may learn English and vice versa. However, what if one is asked to do a PhD on a technical subject in English and then do it all over in Russian. Sounds messy, isn't it? Hence, it is ideal to choose to English Russian technical translators, as they make the whole process easy.

English Russian technical translation is quite different from the usual translation. In fact, a Russian English technical translator has more hold on the vocabulary than an ordinary one. They are well equipped technically with a proper knowledge on the conversions of units from Russian to English. Moreover, they know how English technical terms read in Russian. With the help of a good technical specialist, you can execute an effective communication with Russian counterparts, which can help you create good business relations with them.

For instance, there are a few peculiar units such as mkm in Russia. Such units do not occur in SI (Standard International) units. On the contrary, a non-Russian technical person may find difficultly in understanding English conversion for mkm. Thus, a technical specialist plays an important role here. Moreover, he plays a pivotal role in executing result-oriented business discussions. In fact, finding English Russian translator is not too difficult. You can refer to any genuine translator's website, which you can find using any popular search engine.

Russia is a big hub for business and can act as good pivotal point for your business too. Especially, if you have a marketing firm and intend to sell Russian products in your country, then hiring a technical translator is certainly a smart choice. It is ideal to hire an expert in the field than hiring a casual translator. English Russian technical experts involve only the expertise in the field. They are a group of people, who are both qualified as well as talented. Thus, it is quite evident that there is a lot of difference between technical translator and usual one.

Visit English Russian Technical Translation website if you need quality translation.

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Learn Spanish Anywhere With Learning Spanish Videos, But Be Considerate

I love traveling and I like picking up new languages. But some languages are easier to pick up than others. Spanish is one of the languages that I picked up pretty fast. I guess it may have a lot to do with my love for Spanish football, flamenco and Spanish classical music.

A few years ago I made a trip to Spain to learn to play flamenco guitar from a master flamenco guitarist in Jerez. I prepared for the trip by watching lots of learn Spanish videos as well Spanish movies which had both English and Spanish subtitles for easy reference.

Portable

The good thing about these learn Spanish DVDs is that you can take them anywhere. Wherever I go, I would bring along my portable DVD player so I could watch my learn Spanish DVDs. I would watch them on the plane, on the train, on the ferry or on the bus. This practice has caused me to miss my stop more than a couple of times while traveling on a bus. I would advise those who intend to watch videos on bus journeys not to do so on short trips lest you risk missing your stop too.

For Better Audio

When I watch learn Spanish videos at home, the audio comes through my huge speakers. However, when I watch them while I'm on a train, I naturally use headphones. What I discovered is that with headphones you can better hear how certain words are pronounced. I am not sure if it is because I use s $200 headphone set but the words just sound clearer.

Be Considerate

One word of advice when using headphones; try not to annoy the people around you especially if you are on the plane or train on a long journey. Watching Spanish movies is not a problem. The problem arises when you watch and follow the instructions on learn Spanish DVDs. You might find yourself happily repeating the words while totally unaware of your volume.

Practice common courtesy by just listening to the learn Spanish videos while in close proximity with other passengers. After all, you do not want to find yourself on the 6 o'clock news or on YouTube for causing discomfort among fellow passengers.

Summary

Watching learn Spanish videos is a great way to pick up Spanish. Knowledge of a new language opens up a new world of culture and adventure and makes it very easy to make new friends and travel to new Spanish-speaking places.

Amelia Warmheart is an avid traveler but a lousy cook. When not traveling or recovering from jet lag, she shares tips on where to get gifts that range from something as simple as learn Spanish videos or Spanish for children DVDs.

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Learning Language in Spanish Does Not Have to Be Hard - Learn To Speak Fluent Spanish Now

Learning a second language is always a good idea. In the United States today, Spanish is almost as prevalent as English. Consider this, how often do you hear English repeated in Spanish? That is a good reason for learning Spanish. But a lot of people have difficulty with learning new languages. What follows are some helpful tips and a few tricks you can use to make things easier to learn language in Spanish. Learn to speak fluent Spanish now!

Get a course on CD. If you're feeling shy about learning a new language, CDs are great to use. You will be able to listen to someone pronounce the words and use them in sentences. CDs contain the same learning material as used in a classroom, but there will be no stress about talking in front of a class. And it's great because you can listen to your CD just about anywhere. You can just use a CD player, or you can download lessons on an MP3 player and you're all set! So there's no single location where you must learn.

Use labels in your environment. Do this in as many spaces as you can, whether at home, work or even in your vehicle. This way you will get used to associating the correct words with the correct items. When it comes to speaking a new language, you don't want to make silly mistakes. If you take the time to learn what words really mean, you won't do what some tourists and other novices of a language do, and make mistakes that can be humiliating. By using this technique of labeling objects, you'll be absorbing all the right names for things, and you'll find yourself picking up the new language quite naturally.

Practice makes perfect! Don't worry about how you look or sound, it's important to always practice speaking Spanish. Even if you aren't great at putting together whole sentences, using the words you know in place of your native language regularly will help commit those words to memory. So if your new language is Spanish, then just try to use "cena" instead of "dinner" and in place of "one" use "uno." The words will feel like second nature to you, in time. This way you'll be able to understand the words when you hear others speak them. This technique will really help you understand your new language when you talk to others who are fluent in it.

There are lots of reasons to learn another language but figuring out the best way to learn that language can be tough.

You might be thinking about driving to the closest bookstore and getting a book about it. Taking a class is also a good idea, as is getting to know people who are already fluent in the language. There really are many options to learn Spanish or other languages. Be sure to have lots of fun!

So, if you are looking to learn language in Spanish, here is a highly recommended tool for you to take advantage of. Thousands of people, just like you, all over the world have used this fun and effective multimedia Spanish course to hasten their learning, while having a lot of fun in the process. Don't let your inability to speak fluent Spanish now hold you back any longer. Click here to open up a whole new world of Language in Spanish.

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How to Learn Japanese: 3 Must-Know Differences Between English and Japanese

Japanese is a great language to learn, but it can be difficult, especially for native English speakers. That being said, you can make the learning process much easier by understanding three important differences between English and Japanese. This article will discuss those differences.

Formality

In English, it's perfectly acceptable to speak the same way to everyone, within reason. For example, you would say the phrase "Good morning," to your spouse, your boss, your pals, and to a complete stranger. Things are quite different in Japan. There, you must speak differently to different people, based on their age and their relationship to you.

To illustrate, I'll discuss the following Japanese morning greeting:

"ohayo" (informal) or,

"ohayo gozaimasu" (formal)

When you get up and see your kids and your spouse, you would say, "Ohayo." When you arrived at your office and saw your boss, on the other hand, saying that could get you fired! To your boss, you must use the more formal, "Ohayo gozaimasu."

What about your colleagues? To most of them, you would speak formally, saying, "Ohayo gozaimasu." To the ones you have developed close relationships with, though, you could drop the formality and say, "Ohayo." When speaking to strangers, always use the more formal version.

How important is this? Very! Speaking informally to strangers, superiors, or those older than you is quite rude. To get a better understanding, imagine that you have a teenage daughter.

Now imagine that she brings a teenage boy home for dinner. This boy comes into your home, approaches your elderly father, and says, "Hey gramps, what's up." What would you think about his manners? I suspect that while you may not throw him out right then and there, you probably wouldn't have him back either. Learning how to speak Japanese with proper formality will ensure that you do get invited back!

Word Order

In English, we order our sentences in the following way:

Subject + Verb + Object.

As an example, let's look at the simple sentence, "I love you." In this sentence, the verb is "love." The subject is "I," and the object is "you."

Therefore, we write the sentence. I (subject) love (verb) you (object). Japanese sentence structure is a bit different. In Japanese sentences, word order is as follows:

Subject + Object + Verb

Our sample sentence would look like this (Romanized).

Watashi wa (Subject [I]) anatao (object [you]) aishiteru (Verb [love]).

Understanding this one fundamental difference between English and Japanese will greatly increase the speed at which you learn Japanese grammar--remember it.

Subject and Object Markers

This is fairly straightforward. The Japanese language has subject and object markers, and the English language does not. Using these markers correctly can be quite challenging. Here, though, I will just give you the basics.

Let's look at the sample sentence, "I ate Japanese food." The markers we will use, in Romanized form, are "Wa" and "Wo."

English word order: I ate Japanese food.

Japanese word order: I Japanese food ate.

Japanese word order with markers: I wa Japanese food wo ate.

"Wa" marks the subject "I," and "wo" marks the object "Japanese food." As you get deeper into the Japanese language, you'll learn more about how these markers can be used to make subtle changes to sentence meanings. For now, though, just be aware that they are there, and try to use them properly when speaking.

Summary

Mastering the Japanese language can be challenging. We can make it far less difficult, however, by comparing it directly to the English language. Remember the difference in word order, the use of subject and object markers in Japanese, and the various formality differences between the two languages and you will have great success learning the Japanese language.

Go to my Rocket Japanese Review now and try out the best Japanese course on the web for FREE.

Click Here to get more language learning tips on my blog.

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