Author Topic: How did you learn English? (Read 35617 times)

Luth · « **on:** March 26, 2006, 04:13:20 pm »

Eya dear NTSMS fellows!!! The question is clear: how did you learn English? Some of you (a lot of you, in fact) have a very good English, even when it's not your mother language.

My strange case: I studied English at school, until 17 years (just before University), and I have to recognize that my English level was very low. It's supposed I had to have the level to have success in First Certificate by then, but I have to say that I hadn't it, never! Neither in my best dreams! English was not my favourite subject, and I found it quite difficult, althought I passed the exams (with the minimum note to succeed). When I started the University I studied no more English, and for long years I only practiced it with some readings in English for my studies (only some articles in magazines and so on).

The turning point was 2 years ago, when I entered Megatherion, and I was forced to read in English... and I NEED to reply in the forum! My first posts were... uhh... mmhh... short, full of points, no connectors, terrible sintaxis, worst vocabulary... With some effort I achieved to be understood... wooow. But the main battle was the chat: first chats were absolutely stressing for me: I have never had a chat in English before, and by the time I was trying to understand the previous sentence (with the help of a dictionary), 10 more sentences were written... it was so hard for me to take part of the chat! But again, with a lot of practice I improved my reading and understanding speed, I every time need less the dictionary and my mind gained velocity to compose sentences in English. And then was the NTSMS thingy, and mainly THIS FANTASTIC, AWERSOME FORUM!!!!

Well, there's one year since I read (professional reading) in a Publishing house, and some of the books are in English, so there's more practice. But I would't be able to read this (so, I would have lost a chance for a job) if I hadn't entered and practiced English in the forums. And now I've decided to study English... again! This time, because I enjoy learning English and I'd like to obtain the First Certificate.

When I had to study it in school, I didn't like English a lot, and now I study because I enjoy it. Even so, I know I have A LOT to learn, a lot to improve... but my English level's is a lot better than only 2 years ago.

What's your experience? Have you learnt English only in the school, for your own, it's your second languange... Tell us, please! B)

Elizabeth · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2006, 04:32:10 pm »

Hmm... My English-learning history is not that complicated as yours, Luth! (btw, you have gained a cookie truck, since you opened a new topic)

I started learning minimal English in primary school, back in Argentina.

The "turning point", as named above, was when I moved up to Romania: my tyrant father made me learn massive Romanian and English. I was lucky, 'cause I had excellent teachers for both subjects. I still keep contact with them!

Anyway, I'm supposed to "learn" English at school as well, but you cannot call our lessons as productive. Still, forums and books help a lot. While learning Romanian and English, I didn't practise my hebrew, so I forgot most of it :bawling:

Namarie!

Luth · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2006, 04:39:22 pm »

*eating the cookies*

*munching them*

Mmmph....

*swallowing them and drinking some wine*

I see... I know that it's very important having good teachers! Luckily the teacher I currently have is a good one. And practice is more important than learning grammar and having exams, right (at least, this applies for me). And you had to learn not one, but two languages at same time...

Good luck with hebrew, btw!

Sirius13 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2006, 06:45:14 pm »

Hey Luth! I think your English has improved vastly since I first read your earlier posts in Megatherion. Don't get me wrong, I could always decipher your meaning, but now you are so much more able to express yourself!

Have a gold star!

My story: Well, you know, I had to understand English to post in Forums, but I could not speak a single word. So I prayed to Notessomes and asked her to gift me English. I prayed real hard and left some birthday cake for her, and the very next day I found that I was fluent in English. This was good, but also a great shame, as I also found I had completely forgotten my mother tongue! I don't even remember what language it was!

That is my happy (and very true) experience with the English.

Luth · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2006, 07:00:08 pm »

Dear Rick, do you mean you can't speak Spanish anymore? I still remember the long philosophical discussions we had in Spanish (but damn you, you beat me with Russian tonge!). Don't you remember any Spanish neither Russian now??? :bawling: Notessomes powers are ever high and mysterious, you must to be very careful when you ask something to her!

And thanks for the compliment. I know I've improved a lot, mainly because my vocabulary has increased, and I've fixed some grammar too... but the vocabulary it's the most important! I almost don't use the dictionary now, while I ever had it besides me some time ago

Any other English experience?

Tzar-0 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2006, 08:01:07 pm »

Hi,

To begin with, my english hasn't ever been really good, and I've always thought that your english, luth, was better than mine (I know I know....it is not difficult...

)

I began learning english at school, when I was 14. Well, Before that I had already studied dutch since I was 9, but I always speak better english than dutch anyway (even when I just started learning english).

After some years,I found Therion and then, megatherion, but I was really stressed to post because I didn't understand most of the messages of the forum. After a few days, Ereshkigal added me on her msn list...IT was more stressing....my first chat in english....I was always with my dictionnary and I was also ready to use the translators I found on the net (and almost scared to talk to her because I was affraid of not being understood....but she was kind

B) ) and thanks to her I felt here on NTSMS, and I met other people speaking english.

I think that my english has improved a lot because of the forum and the people I met here.

Last year, at the end of my oral exam in english...the teacher asked me : "Roland, why did you wait the end of the year to speak english like this...why did you say nothing during the class ?" (or somthing like this).....it is always good when someone tells you that your english is better !

Now, at university I only have 3 credits of english I think ....

Ereshkigal · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2006, 08:29:08 pm »

Well...I went to a bilingual school here in country since I was in 3rd grade (9 yrs old). All my classmates already knew English. My teacher was from the US, and she only spoke English. Half a day was dedicated to courses only in English, the other half were courses only in Spanish. I had to stay after school for reinforcement classes. Eventually I got better and by the time I was in 4th grade I had no problem with it. So English was the most important part of my school's education. I graduated having a degree as if I had gone to school in the US, and also with a high school degree here in my country.

The mos helpful experience was living in Texas surrounded by people who could only speak English. It really helped me out

.

So that is my story

ViruS · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2006, 08:31:34 pm »

Hi .

My story :

I learned english becouse i am a gamer and to play the games you need to undertand the menu . So at first was very hard but in a very short time the menu games was easy to translate
At school english for me was a joke same as spanish :bawling: . English you can learn from readin books and having a discusion with a native one ,don't know that's my story of learning english ..It's an easy language

and Luth as i was telling the other members you are not the English Killer Nr.1 sorry to tell you that news

I WANT TO LEARN SPANISHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH | Ely will help me and also i need a teacher ( hope Ely will help me with this one )

( Damn i can;t undertand a word but i really want to learn it > to read the spanish topics and reply at the same time

I think is not to much soo please help me.

deathdancer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2006, 07:59:39 am »

Too many cartoons when I was little.
Too grate schoolteacher.

After that I was very good at english but I had troubles writing it.
Like now

But forums helps

Aluqak · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2006, 02:29:41 pm »

Hi Luth!
How did I learn English?

... honestly I don't know.
The beginning of my story goes almost like yours. English classes at the school. I had very good grades, but my school was very far from being bilingual... so, I was very good in basic grammar (the subject + verb + complement thingy)... but I had almost zero vocabulary and a below zero level in more "advanced" things like prepositional verbs and stuffs like that. However, at that, time I and some friends were completely addicted to two things: heavy metal (80's stuff) and computer games. Games such as Leisure Suite Larry, Police Quest, Space Quest and so on. For the youngesters: These games were in English you actually had to type the instructions to your character. Thus, the lyrics of my favourite songs and the instructions to finish those games were my mains sources of vocabulary.
Then, at the university, I just HAD to read in English... try to get a up-to-date biology (or any science) book or paper in other language than English... good luck!
After a couple of very hard sesions strugling with all those readings, I got an average level. After finishing my university I moved here, where I improved my hearing and conversation level... and then one day I was talking to someone and I just realized that I was talking in English without any effort (I was even thinking in English :w00t:). These days, I don't have to many opportunities practice every day (I live in the French part of Canada, where English is almost inexistent), but when you move away from Québec you only have one choice: speak English.
So, that's my story: an addition of informal personal experiences and barely any formal English classes.

Elizabeth · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2006, 03:47:08 pm »

All this is very interesting, but daaaamn my hand is aching! I just wrote 15 A4 pages full of fysics problems.

Ooouuch!

P.S. This post should go to the "Sorrows of the Elf" topic, I know.

Markus · « **Reply #11 on:** March 31, 2006, 09:29:18 am »

Hi folks,

I learned English the usual way: School + personal use.

I had English courses at school. I never even took an intense course, but the language came so easy to me that I was good enough to read (and understand

) English books. First I read simpler books - Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz - but later I dared to read classics like Shakespeare, Milton, Blake. I still prefer to read books in English if they were written in English originally.

And, of course, I used the language a lot on the web. With a hobby like astronomy you need to read a lot of English articles (or even books) if you want to stay updated, and in the Therion community English is the main language, too.

And that's about it.

Cheers!

Markus

Luth · « **Reply #12 on:** March 31, 2006, 09:33:53 am »

Quote

Hi folks,

I learned English the usual way: School + personal use.

I had English courses at school. I never even took an intense course, but the language came so easy to me that I was good enough to read (and understand ) English books. First I read simpler books - Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz - but later I dared to read classics like Shakespeare, Milton, Blake. I still prefer to read books in English if they were written in English originally.

And, of course, I used the language a lot on the web. With a hobby like astronomy you need to read a lot of English articles (or even books) if you want to stay updated, and in the Therion community English is the main language, too.

And that's about it.

Cheers!

Markus
[snapback]8002[/snapback]

So... there's no High Priest secret? No invocation? No secret wisdom from the darkness? Damn, I thought you had some interessant history behind your good English

:nanana:

Markus · « **Reply #13 on:** March 31, 2006, 09:37:50 am »

Quote

So... there's no High Priest secret? No invocation? No secret wisdom from the darkness?

If so, would I tell?

Luth · « **Reply #14 on:** March 31, 2006, 09:39:27 am »

To me, your Queen... YES!

Markus · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2006, 11:15:24 am »

Well, to be honest to my queen: There is an invocation that will lead you to perfect English if done properly. It consists of 365 syllables that have to be spoken within 120 seconds in a complicated rhythm, with precisely defined breathing pauses and in perfect Oxford English pronounciation. You only get one attempt. If you fail, you'll never be able to speak again - due to a knot in your tongue.

Cheers!

Markus

Elizabeth · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2006, 01:11:38 pm »

So Luth, you better take English learning step by step, cause you don't want to knot your tongue!

Luth · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2006, 11:08:24 pm »

I think that the better will be learning it for my own... any good advice to reach so good English like Markus or Aluqak's one?

Markus · « **Reply #18 on:** April 01, 2006, 08:31:27 am »

Umm... my Inklisch iss not so koot, you knou, becoes I comm fromm Dräsdn!

TheOFFman · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2006, 10:45:54 pm »

Quote

Eya dear NTSMS fellows!!! The question is clear: how did you learn English? Some of you (a lot of you, in fact) have a very good English, even when it's not your mother language.

Thank you!

Quote

but my English level's is a lot better than only 2 years ago.

Really? haha, I remember chatting with you while I thought that you are a man.

Quote

What's your experience? Have you learnt English only in the school, for your own, it's your second languange... Tell us, please! B)
[snapback]7933[/snapback]

Elementary school (from 4th to 8th class) - I had good teacher and I learnd basics.
Highschool (4 years) - I had bad teacher and I did learn english at all, I was just learing some lessions I had to, but I was never preparing for tests. I guess I leand english in that period the most cause I got PC and I was playing many RPG and adventure games, and I was watching movies.
College (now) - I have english but I am not learining it.

I spend much time online reading english sites, I am watching movies (without subtitles, cause I am too lazy to find some). But, I don't know how good I am at english. I mean I can understand alomost everything but I never really talk on english.

News:

Author Topic: How did you learn English? (Read 35617 times)