I used to be able to pick up languages fairly quickly, and I always attributed that to my involvement in high school choir. It really helped me to distinguish the different sounds, but now, with 4 years of deployment related hearing damage, my ability to even hear my native tongue is severely hampered. I can only go with the long remembered stuff I learned back when I could hear.
Duolingo is a cute and insidious language game. I finally quit it a week ago. I had a 2 1/2 year streak. I was working on 13 languages (but only about 6 consistently and 2 more that I had in HS and College.) I have my reasons for quitting, and I intend to find a different language learning platform at some point. I do think that there are some people who have the gift of languages, some have a talent for languages, and some can work hard and learn them. I think that other skills in life can fall in the same categories. And I do think that there are some things that even if you work really hard you will never be more than mediocre, but you never know what those things are, unless you try, and try again, and try once more.
Congrats on your streak and congrats on powering through.
I got about a 2 1/2 year streak myself (only 4 languages though). I’m considering moving over to the Rosetta Stone platform. Apparently you can get lifetime access to every one of their languages for 169$. RS is also an excellent program based on my experience with it.
I'm looking more those directions. Don't know about Babel, so good reviews. Hubby has Pimsleur for Chinese, but they are all just CDs, so he never listens to them. I will certainly look into that lifetime thing! Thanks for the heads up!
Yeah. It’s a big up front cost but apparently you can use that access on multiple devices so that way my wife and kids can use it to. Those upfront costs will be more than recouped in just a few years. At least that’s my thinking. I’m still trying to talk myself into it as I am incredibly cheap.
So it comes down to, how bad do you want to learn languages? Does their system work for you? (do they have a trial?) Do you think you/your wife will push to use them in the future?
If all those things are true, AND you currently have the finances to do it, then go for it, it won't get any cheaper.
I used to be able to pick up languages fairly quickly, and I always attributed that to my involvement in high school choir. It really helped me to distinguish the different sounds, but now, with 4 years of deployment related hearing damage, my ability to even hear my native tongue is severely hampered. I can only go with the long remembered stuff I learned back when I could hear.
Duolingo is a cute and insidious language game. I finally quit it a week ago. I had a 2 1/2 year streak. I was working on 13 languages (but only about 6 consistently and 2 more that I had in HS and College.) I have my reasons for quitting, and I intend to find a different language learning platform at some point. I do think that there are some people who have the gift of languages, some have a talent for languages, and some can work hard and learn them. I think that other skills in life can fall in the same categories. And I do think that there are some things that even if you work really hard you will never be more than mediocre, but you never know what those things are, unless you try, and try again, and try once more.
Congrats on your streak and congrats on powering through.
I got about a 2 1/2 year streak myself (only 4 languages though). I’m considering moving over to the Rosetta Stone platform. Apparently you can get lifetime access to every one of their languages for 169$. RS is also an excellent program based on my experience with it.
I'm looking more those directions. Don't know about Babel, so good reviews. Hubby has Pimsleur for Chinese, but they are all just CDs, so he never listens to them. I will certainly look into that lifetime thing! Thanks for the heads up!
Yeah. It’s a big up front cost but apparently you can use that access on multiple devices so that way my wife and kids can use it to. Those upfront costs will be more than recouped in just a few years. At least that’s my thinking. I’m still trying to talk myself into it as I am incredibly cheap.
So it comes down to, how bad do you want to learn languages? Does their system work for you? (do they have a trial?) Do you think you/your wife will push to use them in the future?
If all those things are true, AND you currently have the finances to do it, then go for it, it won't get any cheaper.
Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. I'm a writer and a preacher but have kept my nose out of politics. My hat is off to you.
I have been extracting myself from that world over the past few years. It's interesting, but it can easily consume you. I'd much rather write.