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Foriegn Languages

The Midge

The Midge

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I'm wondering if it is just me or an Autism thing. I find learning languages very difficult.

It might be that the conversation "This pen is blue" or introductions and conversation seem pointless. Or perhaps it is overcoming the social phobias to practice the phrases I learn. Maybe I can't get my head around different grammar construction.

Or maybe it is a result of being English. Our default is to speak very loudly and slowly and hope someone comes along to help us out.

The net result is that I tried to learn languages but end up abandoning or forgetting everything.
 
I find learning languages difficult, but I'd always put it down to Dyslexia, although mine is mild. I'm sure there are some here on the spectrum who have learnt a few different languages quite easily, so must just be that some find it an easier thing to do than others.

I'm in Wales, so we had compulsory Welsh lessons up to age 16, and compulsory MFL (French or German at my high school) up to age 14 with the option to continue for GCSE and/or A-Level. I can speak neither Welsh (I have some basic understanding, as all our signs etc are bilingual so you see it all the time) nor German.
 
tree said:
I didn't know what "MFL" was. o_O

Modern Foreign Language.
Modern language - Wikipedia

This wiki mentions kids in Wales having to learn Welsh until
until they are 16.
Click to expand...

Ahh sorry, I just assumed everyone knew what it meant :oops: Yes, Welsh all the way to GCSE (general certificate of education) and then you can choose to do it at A-Level too. We are taught Welsh from the time we start school...which really shows how bad I am at learning languages...or maybe how bad the teachers were :p
 
I treat languages as a system, and I can learn pretty fast, provided that I have access to proper explanations on the grammar. I don't think I would do very well if I had to learn without much structure, or on the go as I hear people speak.
That being said, I can be extremely embarrassed to use the language I've studied, so I might know it, but don't have much to show for it.
 
I can understand better than I can speak anything I've tried to learn. So if someone talks to me I may be able to understand them but can't really respond lol... I think if I had more practice and hands on talking that I would be able to do so easier though.
 
I love learning new languages, but I have only had success in reading - not speaking. In my mind, I can see the words I want to say, but what comes out is closer to blah blah blah blah. Then I go pick up a book and pat myself on the back for my valiant effort.
 
I think it depends on the person. I took French through middle and high school, and it was always one of my best subjects. I even took college level French in high school. After that, I tried to learn Russian on my own, but didn't have enough affordable resources, so I started learning Japanese, which I've been working on for months. I guess you could say it's one of my special interests
 
I've been terrible with language since I learned french and english as a child. My memory is awful for remembering grammar, some how english is what I grew up reading and it seems to be all I remember, yet some words I only know in french. I read french well, but don't write it well. Always wanted to learn spanish, and understand it, but I learned it later in life, and I have a hard time remembering anything but phrases.

Funny thing though, I learn pronunciation easily, so I'll say phrases in another language and sound like I'm a native of that language. It's happened so often that I'll speak a few phrases in something like italian or russian, and people will try to continue the conversation. And I'm lost. It seems I'm good at mimicking accents.
 
Learning french as a was compulsory in the schools I went to from grades 1-9. I didn't learn very much. I had a bad attitude as a student and felt like I was serving my time like a prisoner and made no effort. Especially not with french. Many other students were in the same boat. There was an attitude also of "We are not in Quebec, why should we have to learn this?" This was reflected by many parents as well. It was a small town, small minded way of thinking. Later in my teenage years I encountered some kids in the city sometimes who could actually speak french. "Where did you learn?" I would ask. They would tell me just at school. Amazing what can happen when you put some effort into it.

Obviously now I wish I had made an effort to learn. Even if it is like a prison sentence. You have to be there, you might as well make an effort and get all you can out of it. I of course would not have heeded that sentiment as a stubborn kid. I can say I understand enough french to read the sign along the roads in Quebec but not much beyond that.

I'm not sure what my language ability actually is then. I've taken interest in learning Spanish and have a spanish learning program I have not put to use yet.
 
xudo said:
I find learning languages difficult, but I'd always put it down to Dyslexia, although mine is mild. I'm sure there are some here on the spectrum who have learnt a few different languages quite easily, so must just be that some find it an easier thing to do than others.

I'm in Wales, so we had compulsory Welsh lessons up to age 16, and compulsory MFL (French or German at my high school) up to age 14 with the option to continue for GCSE and/or A-Level. I can speak neither Welsh (I have some basic understanding, as all our signs etc are bilingual so you see it all the time) nor German.
Click to expand...
I would like to learn Welsh as I have Welsh heritage. Mind you the pronunciation and spelling of place names is hard enough.

Come the England V Wales 5 Nations (Rugby Union) the family is at civil war.
 
Pariah Dog said:
Learning french as a was compulsory in the schools I went to from grades 1-9. I didn't learn very much. I had a bad attitude as a student and felt like I was serving my time like a prisoner and made no effort. Especially not with french. Many other students were in the same boat. There was an attitude also of "We are not in Quebec, why should we have to learn this?" This was reflected by many parents as well. It was a small town, small minded way of thinking. Later in my teenage years I encountered some kids in the city sometimes who could actually speak french. "Where did you learn?" I would ask. They would tell me just at school. Amazing what can happen when you put some effort into it.

Obviously now I wish I had made an effort to learn. Even if it is like a prison sentence. You have to be there, you might as well make an effort and get all you can out of it. I of course would not have heeded that sentiment as a stubborn kid. I can say I understand enough french to read the sign along the roads in Quebec but not much beyond that.

I'm not sure what my language ability actually is then. I've taken interest in learning Spanish and have a spanish learning program I have not put to use yet.
Click to expand...
I remember my first French lesson. It was horrible. we turned up at class and the teachers just started talking to us in French. I had no idea what was going on. Some of the class went to primary school and already had some. I guess I went non verbal and hated the subject from the start.

I think that was bad teaching. Mind you know one had really heard of Asperger's/ autism back then.
 
I found spoken languages to be very difficult. Sign language on the other hand made much more sense to me. I learned it much faster and retained much more of it seven years after taking it in high school.
 
The Midge said:
I would like to learn Welsh as I have Welsh heritage. Mind you the pronunciation and spelling of place names is hard enough.

Come the England V Wales 5 Nations (Rugby Union) the family is at civil war.
Click to expand...

The pronunciation (and spelling to a degree) isn't a problem if you live in Wales because frankly you have no choice but to learn :p

Ahh the rugby :D During the Six Nations, the Welsh will support whoever England are facing ;)
 
Mia said:
I've been terrible with language since I learned french and english as a child. My memory is awful for remembering grammar, some how english is what I grew up reading and it seems to be all I remember, yet some words I only know in french. I read french well, but don't write it well. Always wanted to learn spanish, and understand it, but I learned it later in life, and I have a hard time remembering anything but phrases.

Funny thing though, I learn pronunciation easily, so I'll say phrases in another language and sound like I'm a native of that language. It's happened so often that I'll speak a few phrases in something like italian or russian, and people will try to continue the conversation. And I'm lost. It seems I'm good at mimicking accents.
Click to expand...
Wow. You communicate very well here, though. I take it English is your first language. I thought you were a grammar natzi; maybe I’m wrong. :p
 
Kirsty said:
I thought you were a grammar natzi; maybe I’m wrong. :p
Click to expand...

No, not at all. English was the first language I spoke and read. My mother taught me both english and french before I went to school (or I may have initially taught myself to read and she taught me to write I'm not quite certain). Don't recall any grammar lessons, so often I'll have to sound out or read the tense beforehand to decide if it's correct. With english I can't tell you how many times I've read it, or written it and decided it looked funny or odd.
 
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Languages can be difficult for me because there's a lot of here and now processing going on. But I think traditional textbook methods are more difficult for me - I think using Pimsleur to get started and familiar, then going to the textbook grammatical way makes it more do-able. I think I don't get enough practice to really learn.
 
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