learning languages

Wrote and sent off two articles, then did more packing and prep for our trip to Vienna. And cramming in as much last-minute German as I can, of course. :-)

As I've mentioned before, I love languages. I'm not near fluent in any except for English, but I know a smattering of German, Japanese, and French. I used to study a bit of Swedish, though now I can't remember how to say anything in that language except for "My hovercraft is full of eels."

I plan to eventually study some Japanese again, probably within the next year or two. Hey, Worldcon's in Japan in a few years...who knows? Maybe I'll actually go.

Anyway, I've been looking at several types of German self-study courses over the past while and have come to some conclusions:

- I need to see the written language to learn it. I can't just absorb through listening. Therefore a course that is entirely audio doesn't work for me unless I also have materials (not necessarily connected to the course) with written language as well.

- I need to hear the language. A LOT. I can't just absorb through a written course. And just one audio course isn't enough for me. I need to borrow or buy other audiovisual and other audio materials, or listen to the many audio samples on the Web. This also helps me from getting too cocky; listening to a regular German radio program, for example, is a humbling experience, and helps emphasize how listening to an instructor speak slowly and clearly is a far different thing than day-to-day conversation in the country itself.

- I suck at memorizing the usual travel phrases you find in the small tourist language books. I need to be able to understand at least some of the basics of the grammar.

- It takes me a long time, and a lot of repetition. Those "Learn German In 30 Days" books/courses are not written for me. I need to go through material over and over and over and over again, as well as trying connecting it with other things I've learned. Then go over and over it yet again.

But y'know what? It's fun! I used to love learning secret languages and deciphering codes as a child (made up some of my own, too), and I suppose this is just a grown-up version of that passion. I know I'll never be really fluent in any of these languages, but I get a huge amount of enjoyment in the process as well as the hope that maybe, someday, I'll at least have learned enough to be able to communicate with someone in another country in their own language enough to have it qualify as a simple conversation.

To those of you out there fluent in other languages, I'm curious: Did you learn the language(s) yourself, or take a course? If self-study, any tips? Did you use flash cards, for instance? Intensive study in a short time, or gradually over a number of years?

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