Traveling is an experience one should not miss in his or her lifetime. Through traveling, one can learn more about the world and most of all about himself or herself. Traveling brings out the core within people: it teaches survival in a different territory and it also teaches one how to get along well with other people and appreciate their culture.

In traveling, an individual must prepare himself or herself before setting out on a journey in order to avoid undesirable mishaps which might come along the way. A traveler must be equipped with the necessary tools in order to have a wonderful and meaningful travel experience. One of the most important tools or skills a traveler can take with him or her is the knowledge of foreign languages.

If you are set to travel to a place where the language is different from your native tongue, one of the best things you should do before departing is to learn the language. If you are interested to learn languages for travel, how are you going to learn them?

The following are just some of the language learning tips and tools for travelers you might want to check out:

• Listen to language audio tools anywhere and anytime. Audio CDs and tapes for language learning are readily available in record shops and online; purchasing one on your target language is a great move since most audio tools help you become familiar with the language easily.
• Check out free language lessons online. There are many available tools such as audio and video which instruct various languages from English to Spanish to Farsi to Bahasa Malaysia to Russian and what have you. Free basic language lessons are easy to access on the internet and if you would want more advance classes, there are some which come with affordable fees.
• Language books are great help in learning languages. Most language books available in the market today teach the basics of your target language especially in vocabulary and grammar. You can take language books anywhere with you and you may practice your language skills by answering the exercises available in most books.
• Invest in language software. There are many available language learning software which makes language learning easier through interactive programs and you can learn languages at your own time and pace.
• Attend live language classes. Language classes may be available in schools and institutes in your community. Before you depart for a journey, these classes may help you familiarize yourself with the basics of the language as well as the culture of the place where it is spoken.
• Travel and learn languages at the same time by language immersion in the place where your target language is spoken! This option is a travel and language learning experience rolled into one. You will learn the language as you explore the sights and sounds of the country of your vacation!

Traveling is a fun experience and you can make it more enjoyable if you are able to communicate with the people of your destination. Learn languages now and have a meaningful and enlightening journey!

Knowing the information about the top ten most common languages in the world is already too ordinary. A simple browse on the internet will give you what you are asking for. Ranked in an ascending order, the ten most common languages worldwide are German, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Bengali, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, English, and Mandarin. But behind the ranking of these known languages, there are principles that help measure them.

The most general ideology in identifying common languages is to determine its number of native speakers. This “title” is achieved by Mandarin since it is spoken by over 1 billion people. China alone, with its population of 1.3 billion embraces Mandarin as their official language, which is the same also with Taiwan and Singapore. Languages like Hindi, Spanish, and English have more than 300 million speakers, following Mandarin’s record.

Distinguishing the number of speakers may perhaps entitle certain languages, but this is not the only standard used for such evaluation. English has less native speakers compared to Mandarin, yes, but it does have a large number of secondary speakers. English has an average number of 1,400 million speakers, as far as the secondary-language principle is concerned. Remarkably, this famous language is acknowledged worldwide, and is widely used for business and communication purposes.

The location where a language is spoken is another way to evaluate common languages. Some languages do have a large number of speakers but are only spoken in selected areas, while others are spoken in different countries but by fewer people. With a number of 53 countries globally, English has proudly taken this title as their official language. This is also the language used by international organizations, particularly the United Nations and European Union.

Identifying the common languages will surely add information to aspiring learners like you. This will serve as a guide to what language you want to study especially when it has something to do with your employment overseas or further studying on foreign countries. When you get to identify what language has the most numbered speakers, its level of influence, and its popularity, will certainly give you options that can fulfill your needs to learn a new language. Have you decided what language you want to learn? Determine why you want to learn a new language and the benefits that language can bring you.

The number of people learning languages everyday is increasing and the people who are learning languages are from various age ranges. From young children to adults over 50, language learning is more than just a fad but an endeavor that has various benefits.

In recent news about language learning programs in the United Kingdom, about a fifth or twenty percent of primary schools in England could miss the government target to offer language teaching by 2010.

The National Foundation for Educational Research or NFER says that the overall language provision in primary schools is increasing. There is a target for language lessons to be available to UK students aged from seven to eleven by 2010 since languages will become compulsory on the following year.

Educational ministers have said that the strategy to get pupils learning earlier was working. Many primary schools are already offering language programs to the young because in 2004, language courses have ceased to become compulsory for secondary school pupils after the age of fourteen.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has commissioned NFER to establish the progress being made by language programs in primary schools. The results have found that in 2008, 92% of the primary schools in the UK were offering languages in some form. The results show a 22% increase form the previous number of primary schools in 2006. The researching body has also found that majority of the primary schools were “making good progress” towards offering the full course privilege.

The research results of NFER however, have found that up to 18% of the primary schools in England will not be able to offer language programs in their schools. A higher fraction of schools, just about 26%, may not be ready to implement language programs as part of the required curriculum in the year 2011. Almost 30% of primary schools are not currently offering language learning to their pupils.

Some of the reasons why some primary schools are not offering language programs to their pupils is that they are experiencing difficult circumstances such as school meals and such. Another of the major barriers the NFER has found was the lack of time to fit language programs into lessons.

A research study by Cambridge University has found that a majority of head teachers in schools feel that there is a lack of continuity linking the primary and secondary school language learning. Almost 50% of the head teachers asked for the research have said that a language should be compulsory after the age of fourteen for most pupils. If students learn languages from primary school and continue until secondary school, they will most likely learn languages better and have use of what they have learned in future endeavors.

In the world of languages, the terms “linguist” and “polyglot” are used quite often. The word “linguist” may perhaps be recognizable to a lot of people, while “polyglot” may not. Are these two words the same? Or are they actually different?

In order to know if they are similar or different, let’s first define these two words. According to the online dictionary, a linguist is defined as a person who has the capacity to learn and speak foreign languages. He is defined as a person who studies linguistics, the science of languages and its origin, signification, and application. Lastly, the dictionary clearly characterizes “linguist” as a polyglot, a person skilled in many languages. Now, to define the word polyglot: it is a person that speaks, reads, and writes in several languages. Basically, a polyglot is a person who speaks several languages.

Reading the definitions above seems to divulge that a linguist and a polyglot are two similar terms. Yet, The Hindu, India’s National Newspaper gave details on the differences of the two words. It says in the article that a linguist is “someone… [who] is usually interested in understanding how a language works. He is keen on figuring out the rules of the language, rather than in learning how to use the language.”

“A linguist may or may not have the ability to speak several languages. A polyglot, on the other hand, has the ability to speak several languages. He may not be able to tell you anything about the rules of the various languages he knows, but he will be able to use them quite effortlessly in order to communicate.”

“A linguist, on the other hand, will be able to provide you with a great deal of information about the rules of a language. There are many polyglots in India. A linguist can be a polyglot, but a polyglot need not be a linguist.”

Do you agree with the columnist’s definition? The dictionary recognizes that linguists are similar to polyglots. Yet the mentioned article describes them as very different words with different functions. Do you have any reactions? Feel free to respond.

Pidgin language, as defined by Wikepedia, is a simplified language that develops as a means of communication between two or more groups that do not have a common language. This simplified language was applied in trades and business states of affairs, since both groups should find themselves communicating through a common language. The term “pidgin” came from a Chinese intonation of the word “business”. It was originally termed as “pidgin English”, a term used when Chinese people dealt business with English-speaking merchants. As time passed by, it changed and it became a simplified, blended language.

Pidgin language is not confused with the native language because it’s, in fact, learned as a second language. It may not be as outstanding compared to another known language, since many people think of its inconsistency, but it certainly serves as a form of lingua franca between two groups of people communicating.

Pidgin language is distinguished by its simplicity because it is easy to understand. Its grammar and phonology is basic, including vowels and morphophonemic variation, and it usually consist of uncomplicated clausal structure. Pidgin language reduces or eliminates syllable codas, the compression of consonant and vowel sounds, and it simplifies the use of reduplication to represent plurals superlatives, and other parts of speech. For example: “She goes to the store” is the correct form for an English sentence. Pidgin language will just simply say this as “She go store.” Even if it doesn’t agree with the standards of English, the goal of Pidgin Language is to simply communicate. As long as the recipient understands what is being said, pidgin language is considered as a language fit for communication.

To others, they may not embrace pidgin language as high-standard compared to other known languages. Yet if only people will see this as a way to communicate and express thoughts, feelings, and emotions, regardless of its flaws, pidgin language will always be considered as a system to decode information.

Spanish and English are two different languages yet the fusion of two diverse languages makes Spanglish understandable to many people that speak both languages. The same happens also with Michif (mixture of French and Cree) and Cappadocian Greek (mostly Greek with many grammatical endings), Spanglish is considered one of the mixed or hybrid languages.

As we mentioned before, Spanglish is a combination of English and Spanish articulated by speakers in many regions of the United States near the boundaries with Mexico. Despite the fact that there are indeed speakers of Spanglish, various locations in Spain and Latin America take serious opposition on the cultural mixing between English and Spanish.

Bear in mind that there is a distinction of Spanish language in Spain and Latin America, and Spanglish is neither one of them. It is not even a dialect or a pidgin language. Spanglish is mostly related with Latin American Spanish, spoken by the immigrants living in the US. It is basically a mixture of a word or group of words from Spanish language added with English.

Also, Spanglish is often used by English native speakers to spice up their sentences with Spanish words. This is generally observed in children who had just migrated to the US and are adjusting to the change of speaking English. They intend to familiarize the country’s native tongue but usually end up mixing it with their own language, thus hearing themselves speaking Spanglish instead. One example would be: “Te veo ahorita, me voy de shopping “, which means “See you later, I’m going shopping” You can see that they include English words in Spanish phrases, but also sometimes English words are changed to sound more Spanish, such as in this example: Parquear is used instead of the correct Spanish estacionar, it derives from the English verb ‘to park’ (eg. park the car).

Based on the article that discusses what Spanglish is, some language purists have condemned this kind of mixed language, “arguing that it weakens both Spanish and English and that it sounds ridiculous or is a sign of poor education.”  On the other hand, other people state that “Spanish and English are living languages, and the blend of both is simply one more facet in their evolution. This blend of English and Spanish has also allowed people to bridge cultural and linguistic gaps, especially in border communities, and this is a notable accomplishment.” Do you agree with this? Feel free to comment.

The moment you read the title of this article, you probably got intrigued. But you know, there is no such thing as “the best method” in learning languages. There isn’t any best way to learn a language, because it always depends on many factors, each person is different and this is why there are different methods. A learner may effectively learn by using one of the many methods available, the same method might not be as effective to other students. There are numerous ways for learners to learn languages depending on their ability, personality and choice.

Taken from an article about ways in learning a language, the author discusses three methods that are really interesting. One of the methods mentioned, is the use of immersion programs. According to the article, many language teachers agree that immersion is an excellent way to learn a language. When students learn in a country where the language learned, they are surrounded by people that have that language as their native tongue, which allows students to have better chances to learn it even after class. When students apply their knowledge through conversations and constant practice, makes learning easier and more effective. That is why language schools are highly recommendable in this method. This will excellently create a great foundation to learners.

Enrolment through conversational classes is another method in learning languages. Universities and colleges offer these types of language programs, to members of the community and registered students. After you have dominated a language, conversational courses are excellent to maintain your level. Tutorials and private classes are also good options. These methods require students to learn more outside their class, since dedicating only 3-5 hours a week to learn a language during class is not enough time to dominate a language in a short time span

Other students prefer to learn a language by themselves, because of different reasons, one being lack of time to go to class or travel to make an immersion course. Books, audio tapes, online courses, software, multimedia, etc can be bought in local bookstores or the internet and are preferred by a lot of students to learn languages all by themselves. Some students choose these courses as a strategy to begin a course; they learn the basics before traveling to do an immersion course or just try to see if they enjoy the language before they enroll on a normal classroom language course.

Another important point is that students can acquire knowledge in language depending on the methods or tools he or she may use, some methods might be more effective for building vocabulary and others might be better to practice grammar. A student can learn a language in a quick span of time by just observing how a certain language is written and spoken. Some people have the talent to learn a language fast, after they learn two languages; it is all downhill from there. Some people say that the more languages you learn the easier it gets, probably because they can use the roots of words they know and apply them to remember words in other languages.

Which methods have you tried? Among the ones we have discussed in this article, which ones you think are more effective? If you happened to use either one of these methods and really helped improve your language skills, then this method or combination of methods is the “best method for learning languages”.

Image by Zador Spanish schools Spain via Flickr

Learning the native accent is the essential way in learning a foreign language. In other words, in acquiring the necessary factors in learning languages, a learner must diligently learn the original accent of the language he is learning. However, a recent study from the University of Haifa illustrates that “perception of second language speech is easier when it is spoken in the accent of the listener and not in the ‘original’ accent of that language.” Why is this?

Take this an example. An English learner decides to learn French. The study from the mentioned university confirms that the learner’s French learning will be a lot easier in understanding if he will use it in an English accent rather than French’s native accent. A blog entitled “Teach the Foreign Language in the Accent of the Listener?” discusses that based on the researches, “this is important [in] determining the cognitive factors associated with understanding and learning foreign languages…”

This Blog states that understanding the language in its beginning stages, “a non-native accent would be more helpful than a native accent…” Yet, there is an exemption to that theory. As the learner continues to learn a foreign language, he must improve to learn the native accent of that language. In that way, learners must be exposed to several native and non-native speakers in order to improve his or her listening skills. French, for example, must be properly pronounced with its appropriate accent, not just in knowing the respective French terms with its corresponding subject-verb agreements.

This case study actually questions the effects of the learner’s learning aptitude between native language teachers and non-native ones. Nonetheless, “as long as the student gets enough input in the target language outside of the classroom, it really shouldn’t matter what accent the teacher has,” says the report. “Most classes meet a few hours per week, which is not sufficient enough for learning a language, so the student needs to listen and study as much as possible on his/her own.”

Upon reading this article, perhaps there are queries and reactions regarding this matter. Do you agree that it is easier to learn a language with a teacher that pronounces words in other languages with the student’s accent? If you are currently learning a foreign language, I believe you have something to say regarding this study. Feel free to share your opinion.

In Edson, Alberta, Canada the populace with the passion for something international can now turn to their local library for free and interactive instruction on how to learn a new language. The Edson Library has a free program offered online called Tell Me More. It is a program that is free for anyone who has an Alberta public library card.

With Tell Me More, different languages can be learned. English speakers can learn French, Italian, Dutch or German and many other languages. Learners who are new to Canada and would want to learn English can learn English. The participants of the program log in to the internet program using their library card number and then they choose whether they want to learn either the spoken elements of the language or grammar, or both.

Tell Me More starts off by asking the participants to take a placement test which will assess what level of difficulty of the language they should tackle. The program then gives the users the opportunity to take advantage of a lot of individual lessons. The lessons range from reading questions and typing answers to listening to questions and answering back. One of the amazing features of the program is that the participants of the program will be able to learn various lessons at his or her own pace.

The Edson Library provides a headset with microphone and earphones so that the language learners can repeat what they have heard and exercise their oral skills of the language that they are learning. At the library, a computer has been set up in a quiet room so that participants can have access and use Tell Me More.

Tell Me More participants who can access the program at home should have a microphone and speakers for their computers in order to use the interactive features of the program.

The organizers of the program hope that Tell Me More will catch on since there are patrons of the library who are looking to learn different foreign languages. Aside from these patrons and a number of new Canadians, who are looking forward to learn English as a second language, the program is expected to be beneficial to the locals.