Easily Learn Spanish

Hi!

Let's be truthful now. What’s the one thing about the English language that really stops you progressing to where we want to get to?

Easy question – GRAMMAR of course.

Just the mention of the word “grammar” can cause many students pain. There is a widely held belief that before you can start to speak a language fluently, you must spend days, weeks and months learning the fundamentals of English grammar.

This by itself can create limiting beliefs –

“I can’t learn English until I learn the grammar”
"Speaking English is beyond me, I will never learn grammar"
“It is going to take me forever before I can speak English confidently”

This reason by itself can stop many aspiring English students in their tracks. The initial desire and motivation to learn English is lost. After a few false starts, the student gives up. Okay, I was there! I was in the very same position. I have tried to study so many grammar books, but none were able to help me overcome my limiting belief.

And then one day it dawned on me. At the time it was a revelation. It created a huge shift in my thinking. To explain, let me ask you this simple question?

"I have never yet seen a young child with a grammar text!"?”

The answer is clearly no! So how do we learn a language as a child? You must practice and practice the following - learn phrases, understand them and speak them. Sounds simple right? Well clearly the execution is not quite as easy as it sounds, but the principle certainly is.

So how do I apply this to my spoken English development? There are various learning techniques that are available that avoid you going through the torture of learning the fundamentals of grammar. Trust me - I wholeheartedly believe in this. I will discuss this in a future post.

There is nothing more frustrating than seeing potentially great English speakers giving up because of grammar. Continue to follow the updates at http://spokenenglishonline.com and I will share with you some of the readily available techniques to speak English with confidence and have fun along the way.

Take care, Poppy

Technorati Tags: english grammar, grammar, learn English, limiting belief, speak english, spoken english

An Italian dictionary isn’t a dictionary that will contain only terms such as Spaghetti and Italian sausage. In the modern world it can be a dictionary in the Italian language, or a translator from Italian to other languages.

Some websites have an Italian dictionary which includes Italian words and then their English translations. When using these Italian dictionaries keep in mind that the Italian language only has 21 letters in its alphabet. It does not have the letter J, K, W, X or Y. So none of those letters can be used to look up words.

The Italian dictionary contains these words – let’s look.  The a’s include abate which means abbot.  This isn’t one half of a comedy team but rather the head of a monastery.  Christianity and many other religions use the term.  The title can also be given to a clergyman who is not necessarily the head of the monastery.

Another word in the Italian dictionary is antarctico.  That’s Antarctic in English.  It’s the continent furthest south.  It’s on the South Pole.  The word comes from the Greek meaning opposite to the north.  That’s a good explanation.

In 1959 twelve nations signed the Antarctic Treaty.  Now 46 countries and all have signed it.  The treaty forbids mining or military action in the Antarctic.  The treaty was made to protect the ecology in the area, as well as to promote scientific research.  4000 scientists work there.  That information would more likely be found in an Encyclopedia.

The word Mafia isn’t found in the Italian dictionary. But the word malavita is. It means underworld. The Italian Mafia is also known as the Cosa Nostra. It’s a secret society with roots in Sicily. Its development was sometime in the mid-19th century. When Italians immigrated into the United States an offshoot of this organization was formed on the East Coast. The term mafia in America is used to refer to all Italian organized crime, rather than just Sicilian.

Autoritratto is found in the Italian dictionary. It means self portrait. Here the root auto can be seen in its meaning is clear – own self. Thus an automobile is something that moves on its own.

A look through an Italian dictionary can be quite interesting. The Italian language is rich in Latin and Greek roots that make our language work.

Technorati Tags: italian and english dictionary, italian dictionaries, italian dictionary, italian dictionary italian, italian to english dictionary

The Italian language is spoken by Italy’s 57 million people. Italian is also spoken in Austria, Switzerland and also Libya, Somalia and Ethiopia.
The Italian language is considered one of the oldest, most romantic languages in the world. Modern Italian is a direct descendents of Latin. Italy became unified as a kingdom in 1860 at that time many diverse dialects came together to form the Italian language we know today.Dante Alighieri is considered the father of the Italian language as it is spoken today. In the 14th century, the author of Divine Comedy is credited for unifying all the different dialects. Tuscan dialects are the basis for todays Italian…a bringing together of the languages of southern Italy and northern Italy. Learn Italian

Here are reviews of the best on the web Italian Language courses. The following are the best italian language programs available: Rocket Italian Language Software, Rosetta Stone Italian Language Software and Pimsleur Italian. There many others of courses, such as Lingo Italian, How to Learn Any Language and Berlitz Italian and for children, Power Glide Italian. Some other Italian Langauge products on the market are Giovanna’s Learning Italian Like Crazy, Performance Italian Language Learning Software, Surefire Italian Learning Package and Tell Me More Performance Italian.

My preferred was Rocket Italian. So you have just a few months to study the Italian language I believe this Italian software software is for you. Not only is Rocket Italian effective in teaching you Italian, it was fun! Alex Marino, as the host and narrator, keeps things moving along with his sense of humor , this keeps the interactive lessons light and humorous. He teams up with Rome native Maria DiLorenzi who’s perfect and distinct roman accent will have you pronouncing italian words like a native. It doesn’t take long before you can imagine yourself walking the streets of Rome with Maria pointing out the sites. She will become your virtual Italian friend in a short period of time.The interaction between Alex and Maria will keep you engaged and focused. The program is entertaining which makes it easy to learn the language. The complete Rocket Italian Premium package includes 31 Interactive Audio Lessons, 31 Grammar & Culture Lessons, and the full range of MegaItalian software-based Learning Games. In summary, the program is very effective and fun and the price of $99 is a steal (regular price $299: The limited sales price was still in effect). Their customer service is great also! The amount of students worldwide who have learned a langauge from Rocket Languages is now 352,510 (July, 2009). Learn Italian

The next program I looked at was the Rosetta Stone Italian Language Software. I alway felt the Rosetta Stone approach to teaching a language was fascinating. The Rosetta Stone method unlocks your natural ability to learn a language. If you have failed with other methods before, you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll learn with their method. Learn naturally, no translation or memorization required. Stay motivated with a range of activities and exercises. Speak confidently and expand your conversational skills using Rosetta Stone’s speech recognition software. the Rosetta Stone program makes language learning easy and fun. In my opinion, the Rosetta Stone Italian Language program is the most powerful language software product available. For both individuals and professionals and with customers like NASA, Pitney Bowes, U.S. State Department, U.S. Army, 10,000+ schools you would be in pretty good company.

Rosetta Stone Italian uses a combination of interactive audio lessons, games, word association techniques and a unique organic teaching system that gets you to think in Italian…you may even have dreams in the Italian language! The Rosetta Stone Software is quite expensive, but, it is more then worth it. It is, by far, the most comprehensive and thorough Italian language product on the market. Learn Italian

Pimsleur Italian is perfect if you only want to learn conversational Italian. Pimsleur’s goal is to get you to speak the Italian language quickly. The program teaches you the most common vocabulary and grammar and teaches you ways to handle various common social scenarios.

The Pimsleur program is completely audio based, using CDs. So if you are an audio learner then you will enjoy this course, but for visual learners the program’s one-dimensional approach may present a problem. If you are taking a vacation and need a dose of the Italian language then I recommend this course.

Pimsleur offers several products but their flagship program is the Italian Comprehensive Series. The Italian Comprehensive 1 Course is priced around $200. The entire Italian Comprehensive 1,2 and 3 package retails for $600. Pimsleur courses are available on the internet.

Technorati Tags: how to speak italian, italian language, italian lessons, Learn Italian, learn italian language, Learn To Speak Italian, learning italian, speak italian

Many times when people want to translate between Hebrew and English they will use a Hebrew dictionary.  This could be a dictionary that describes different words in the way they looked in ancient and modern Hebrew.  Or it could be a translation from one language to Hebrew or back.

One Hebrew dictionary is a biblical dictionary offered by the Ancient Hebrew Research Center.  This biblical Hebrew English dictionary shows the modern and ancient Hebrew writing for a word.  Then it shows the way it’s pronounced.  Then it gives the English translation.  For example av, the transliteration, is the word for father.  Mother is eym.  E-ven is stone.

Another Hebrew dictionary is found online.  It’s a Hebrew glossary.  Once again this one shows the Hebrew words is written by their letters, the transliteration, the English word, but then adds a description of the meaning.  For example here Abba means father.  The complete explanation says it’s an affectionate way to say father, like dear father.  This one gives a lot more information.

Another word from this Hebrew dictionary is Adam Kadmon.  This means primordial man.  This type of being was produced by the divine as an interim step between divine and human.  This is the image of God, in human form, from which all people were created.

Let’s continue to delve into words from this Hebrew dictionary.  Mabul is a flood.  Specifically this is the flood from which Noah escaped in the arc.  For the Hebrews he was actually Noach.  

More words from the Hebrew dictionary are being presented. Maggid is a speaker or more specifically a preacher.  This is a specific type of preacher who tells stories where moral lessons are related.  These types of stories have specific formats.  It begins with an introduction.  Then follows the exposition, or body of the story.  Then there’s a conclusion in which the moral lesson is described.  

Makkot is found in the Hebrew dictionary.  It means stripes.  These aren’t the stripes you would find on clothing.  Instead they are the stripes that come from lashings.  In Hebrew tradition these are administered by court decree for some crime such as bearing false witness. Imagine if that could be done when people lie in courts in the present.

Now for a final word from the Hebrew dictionary.  It’s well known.  Rabbi is this word.  It means a master or teacher.  These were originally ordained by the Sanhedrin.  The Babylonians had an equivalent - Rav.

The Hebrew dictionary can be very interesting.  Use Google to find out more.

Technorati Tags: biblical hebrew english dictionary, hebrew dictionary, hebrew dictionary translation, hebrew english english hebrew dictionary, hebrew english translation dictionary

Learning a new language can be a fulfilling experience. If you have access to the internet, you have access to some great resources to learn online spanish. We will discuss what some things are to look for in this article.

Choosing a course that is time and user friendly. If you took a course in school, you have to make sure you are on time and follow the schedule of the school. The same is with online live lessons. You might be the type of person that needs to study and learn at your convenience. Doing it this way, keeps you motivated and willing to learn. You can learn when you have the time and do not have to worry about missing other events in your life.

Make sure that you find a learning tool that is fun and does not cause you to have to strain your brain to learn. If you get bored or tired, chances are you won’t be too excited the next time you have time to learn Spanish. Games are a great way to exercise your brain to learn spanish easy.

Check your local college. They might be able to recommend someone who can teach you for a very inexpensive price. This is not web based but it is a worth noting.

Look for Spanish teachers that are on the web. Do a google search for a teacher of Spanish who lives near you. Have the first meeting with them in a public place. Make sure you feel comfortable with them and that they are someone you can get along with and learn from.

Some of us feel more able to learn using one method over another. One person is able to absorb better by listening and another by reading. Find a course that has the tools that you think will work best for you.

Also, find a course that teaches you how to memorize the Spanish words. Rote memory is not best. There are techniques that you can use to help you remember what words mean by linking them with an English word. To find anything related to English Spanish, visit English Spanish.

Technorati Tags: Learn Spanish, study spanish

Nothing beats the Oxford dictionary for describing the English language.  It has a stellar reputation.

The Oxford dictionary has been around for over 100 years. A society of linguists believed a more complete dictionary was needed. They began from step one to look at the language.  The project was much larger than they first thought.

The development of the Oxford dictionary had taken a big step in 1879 when the society made an agreement with the Oxford University press to begin work on a new dictionary of the English language. At that time it was known as being New English Dictionary. It was planned to be four volumes, 6400 pages. The idea was to include all English vocabulary from 1150A.D onward. They thought it would take 10 years to complete.

Five years into the creation of this early version of the Oxford dictionary they had only reached the word ant.  It was time to adjust the schedule.  One problem was the constant evolution of English.  While working on new words they were constantly changing the descriptions of the old ones.  That’s not easy while looking at seven centuries of language.

For four decades work on the Oxford dictionary continued.  More people were brought in to help.  It had expanded to ten volumes.  It covered 400,000 words.  It was now the authority on everything having to do with the English language.  The initial 10 year mission was finally completed 30 years late.

As soon as this first version of the Oxford dictionary was finished work began on a new version.  A supplement published in 1933 expanded the dictionary to 12 volumes.  The next revision came in 1957.  A new supplement was finally finished and published from 1972 through 1986 in four volumes.

In 1982 the task of bringing the Oxford dictionary into the modern world began. The editors began transferring it from paper to electronic format. The cost of this project is $13.5 million. It took five years to complete. The result of this electronic transfer was a second edition published in 1989. This printed version is 20 volumes containing a total of 22,000 pages.

The Oxford dictionary later was published on CD-ROM, and is now available online.  What an interesting journey from concept to the present.

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Most people who took Spanish in HS or College are familiar with a Spanish dictionary.  Like all things this has now improved.  Now anyone can easily translate between Spanish and other languages.

One of the best of this new brand of Spanish dictionaries is Google.  Its translation service can translate from many languages to many languages.  Spanish is one of the these.  It can translate single words, phrases, sentences, or even entire paragraphs.  They aren’t perfect but they’re better than nothing.

For years on the Internet AltaVista and its Babel Fish have the market cornered on translation.  A Spanish dictionary was included.  That means translations from English to Spanish and vice versa.  But people wondered if it was accurate because a block of text translated to Spanish then back to English was greatly altered.  Some people found this a useful feature.  It could be used to rewrite something.  But overall the translations weren’t very accurate.

Google’s Spanish dictionary is another story.  If a phrase is translated from English to Spanish and then back from that Spanish to English it’s usually identical to the original phrase.  This benefits people who want accurate translations.

A translator isn’t the only Spanish dictionary.  Oxford has a Spanish dictionary.  Not only does this dictionary translates, and also offers definitions and pronunciations of both the English and Spanish words.  For example, look up the word water.  The result shows that the Spanish equivalent is agua.  It’s a feminine noun but becomes masculine when it’s singular.  The entry goes on to show all sorts of other Spanish verbs that mean water in different contexts.  It’s a very useful tool.

Looking up mother in the Spanish dictionary brings us the Spanish madre.  The transitive version is mimar.  She mothers me is the transitive form.  But for mother tongue the Spanish use lengua materna.

The Spanish dictionary has the word jacket.  You wear a chaqueta.  The jacket of a book has a different Spanish word.  It’s sobrecubierta.

It seems that when it comes to a Spanish dictionary, Oxford’s is the best and most useful.

Technorati Tags: english to spanish online dictionary, online spanish translation dictionary, spanish dictionaries, spanish dictionary, spanish only dictionary

The Oxford dictionary is the final authority on the English language People respect it a great deal whereas individuals all over the planet are utilising this when they have an interest in learn how to speak english.

The Oxford dictionary is over 100 years old.  It was founded in London in 1857.  A society of word experts believed the dictionaries of the time were lacking. Their plan was to begin from square one. They had no idea what they had begun.

In 1879 Oxford University press began work on what would become the Oxford dictionary.  At that time it was known as being New English Dictionary.  They would break it into four volumes with a total of 6400 pages.  It would go back as far as 1150 AD.  The goal was to finish the work in a decade. It is a good thing that this dictionary exists as we see parallel publications depending on whether or not someone is concerned with how to speak spanish.

Five years into the creation of this early version of the Oxford dictionary they had only reached the word ant.  Clearly they were behind schedule.  One problem was the constant evolution of English.  They had to keep track of new words as well as the new meanings of old words.  That’s not easy while looking at seven centuries of language. The Enlish language is so important and as mentioned above many follow the example set by this dictionary and the context is relevant when connected to how to speak chinese.

For four decades work on the Oxford dictionary continued.  Many new editors joined the project.  The dictionary had expanded from the original concept of four volumes to 10 volumes.  It covered 400,000 words.  It quickly became the ultimate authority on the English language.  40 years later the initial mission was accomplished.

It wasn’t even in people’s hands before the editors began revising the Oxford dictionary.  It reached 12 volumes with a supplement in 1933.  1957 was the next major change.  A new supplement was finally finished and published from 1972 through 1986 in four volumes.

In 1982 the task of bringing the Oxford dictionary into the modern world began.  The editors began transferring it from paper to electronic format.  It took $13.5 million to accomplish this.  Five years later the task was finished.  The result of this electronic transfer was a second edition published in 1989.  It includes 20 volumes each with a little over 1000 pages.

The Oxford dictionary later was published on CD-ROM, and is now available online.  What an interesting journey from concept to the present.

Technorati Tags: how to speak chinese, how to speak english, how to speak French, how to speak german, how to speak italian, how to speak japanese, how to speak spanish, learning to speak english

Latin is the forefather of Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Romanian and the language of Italy can be traced back to somewhere in the later part of the tenth century. However, it was only four centuries later that the Italian language was formalized and a standard language began to take shape.

Now, over 70 million people speak Italian. While there are numerous communities of speakers in Croatia, Slovenia, Malta and North and South America, the core group of Italian speakers lives in the Vatican, San Marino, Switzerland, and of course, Italy.

The Italian language is well known for its beautiful and diverse dialect. Some of the many linguists have even made statements about their being different types of languages spoken throughout each Italian city. Infact, the Neapolitan and Sicilian languages are nearly indiscernible as an Italian language, while the Tuscan, Romanesco, Umbrian, and Laziale dialects hold true to what is believed to be the Italian standard.

The Italian alphabet consists of twenty-one main letters, with an additional five being used solely in foreign names. Most of the vocabulary for this language comes from Latin, however Italian manages to refresh simply by the borrowing of words from German, French and English. Other countries have also been known to borrow words from the Italian language, using them to describe art, music, and foods.

Italian grammar is also Latin based and therefore shares its main features with the other Romance languages. As with these languages, word order most often follows the order Subject-Verb-Object and so on with nouns determined by gender and number, finding agreement with adjectives, while verbs agree with their subjects and are placed based on person and number.

Learning Italian is simple if one of the Romance languages is already part of your arsenal because there are numerous likenesses. However, learning to speak Italian seems to be very popular with those who speak English as well as other Germanic languages.

Learn More : Italian Phrases

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{A quality Spanish Language CD program will have you quickly learning Spanish as a second language.  However, many people will question whether there are any real reasons to try to learn Spanish as a 2nd language.  But in North America the population of Spanish talking people is increasing at an astronomic rate, and this language is common in many other countries around the globe.  If you’re looking for a promotion or for a new job the undeniable fact that you can speak Spanish will weigh heavily in your favor.  A large number of corporations need staff who have some amount of expertise in a second language, most notably Spanish.  Even if you simply use your new knowledge for your own purposes there are many tactics that a second language can be of benefit to you.  You can conduct conversations with new Spanish speaking friends or take advantage of your language talents when traveling abroad.}

{You can use a Spanish language CD to begin your lessons as this is one of the speediest and most pleasurable techniques to learn the language.  With a CD program you can make the lessons fit into your schedule.  This is the most flexible and easiest method to learn a second language.  A Spanish language CD program allows you to be in complete control of your lesson schedule and you can move forward at a rate that you determine to be the most snug.} 

{With the speak Spanish software, learning and improving conversations is increasingly easy.  You simply follow the steps that are provided with each session.  The steps are easily followed and you may repeat any step that you have trouble with.  The lessons are designed to be fun and the goal is to understand the material so it truly doesn’t matter how often you repeat the steps along the way.  With a Spanish language CD you can review the material and practice your answers till you are satisfied with your responses.} 

{One reason that ordinary classroon instruction is frightening is that it makes many people feel pressured.  They often measure their progress not by how much they have learned, but by how well they do compared to their piers in the course.  The class is pressured to progress at the same speed and this can be too slow for some and, at the same time, too quickly for others and this could make folk lose interest in attending the class or studying the material.  The lack of personal one on one time with the instructor can also be a stumbling block for those attempting to learn a language in one of the more standard classroon environments.} 

{The learning environment for a Spanish language CD is the sort of setting that places you at ease.  You are the one who controls the course and there are no time constraints or demands concerned.  You are a class of one and you don’t have to feel that your progress must match that of somebody else.  Adjust your pace and progress to your learning style and relax so that you can entirely like this unique experience.  It does not matter if you take weeks, days or months to finish the course, because you are calling all of the shots.  You can utilize the talk Spanish software when you choose and practice your speaking talents as often as you feel the urge.} 

{You don’t have to fret about class schedules, driving, parking and arriving at a specific time.  Since you are in complete charge of the lesson plan you can prepare the times and schedule that fit your life instead of trying to fit your life into some other person’s schedule.  If you do not have some time for a lesson there is no problem you simply make up a Spanish lesson when it is convenient for you and there’s no penalty involved.} 

{A flexible learning opportunity is what a Spanish language CD series provides for you.  You can use this handy teaching method in the class setting of your preference if it is in a park or your dining room at home.  There is no stress and fret about meeting attendance necessities or covering an outlined amount of material.  You’ll never miss any class work or end up lagging behind because there are no scheduling demands that must be followed.} 

{Choosing to use a Spanish language CD or talk Spanish software can be your most important step on a trail of self discovery and enjoyment.  This is a chilled and stress free way to experiment with self paced learning and it is extremely exciting for most students.  Discovering the joy and pleasure of learning Spanish through a CD could open many new doors and opportunities to you that you did not even know were waiting.}

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