Comments on: How to Learn Any Language on Scribd http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/ Chinese, Linguistics, Science, Cultural Observations and whatever else I feel like writing about Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:38:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: How to Learn Any Language | Xiaoniu 小妞 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-74787 How to Learn Any Language | Xiaoniu 小妞 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 09:54:28 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-74787 [...] a bit slower than others I finished reading How to Learn Any Language by Barry Farber. If you are interested in [...] [...] a bit slower than others I finished reading How to Learn Any Language by Barry Farber. If you are interested in [...]

]]> By: Prince Roy at-large http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42309 Prince Roy at-large Wed, 04 Apr 2007 03:43:27 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42309 the more I think about it, the more I realize there must actually be something to this technique. Tammet says that he 'sees' numbers as colored, textured shapes, and when he does a calculation the numbers bring up a new shape which he 'recognizes' as the answer. It still doesn't make sense to me on a certain level, but maybe for my next assignment I'll try it if they send me to study a foreign language. the more I think about it, the more I realize there must actually be something to this technique. Tammet says that he ’sees’ numbers as colored, textured shapes, and when he does a calculation the numbers bring up a new shape which he ‘recognizes’ as the answer.

It still doesn’t make sense to me on a certain level, but maybe for my next assignment I’ll try it if they send me to study a foreign language.

]]> By: Going to Xindian | Doubting to shuō: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42195 Going to Xindian | Doubting to shuō: Chinese, Investing, EFL and Being a Geek in Taiwan Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:32:58 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42195 [...] been studying from. It’s a technique integrated with flashcards that I got from the How to Learn Any Language document on Scribd. It was a surprisingly quick ride, maybe only 20 minutes to get to the end of [...] [...] been studying from. It’s a technique integrated with flashcards that I got from the How to Learn Any Language document on Scribd. It was a surprisingly quick ride, maybe only 20 minutes to get to the end of [...]

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42191 Mark Tue, 03 Apr 2007 12:07:19 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42191 PR, I'm curious about your reservations about the memory method. Did you read p.54-55? I kind of had one of those "oh, it's another one of <i>these</i> pieces of advice" reactions until I suddenly realized that I could recall the meanings of a dozen different words from as many languages after just one minute of reading. For me, at least, it was surprisingly more effective than brute force methods. Mnemonic devices are nothing new. Roman orators used them to great effect, memorizing speeches of thousands of words, and some of the same techniques are still used in the <a href="http://www.worldmemorychampionship.com" rel="nofollow">World Memory Championships</a>, today. PR, I’m curious about your reservations about the memory method. Did you read p.54-55? I kind of had one of those “oh, it’s another one of these pieces of advice” reactions until I suddenly realized that I could recall the meanings of a dozen different words from as many languages after just one minute of reading. For me, at least, it was surprisingly more effective than brute force methods.

Mnemonic devices are nothing new. Roman orators used them to great effect, memorizing speeches of thousands of words, and some of the same techniques are still used in the World Memory Championships, today.

]]> By: Shaun http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42177 Shaun Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:37:10 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42177 :D I'm sure it was worth a little lost sleep. The most amazing thing about Tammet is that he has incredible mental abilities yet he can still function socially. :D

I’m sure it was worth a little lost sleep. The most amazing thing about Tammet is that he has incredible mental abilities yet he can still function socially.

]]> By: Prince Roy at-large http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42096 Prince Roy at-large Tue, 03 Apr 2007 03:21:20 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-42096 Shaun, I hate you. I was all set to turn in at a decent hour last night until I saw your link for Tammet. Suffice to say, I didn't get to sleep until early this am. Absolutely fascinating. Shaun,

I hate you. I was all set to turn in at a decent hour last night until I saw your link for Tammet. Suffice to say, I didn’t get to sleep until early this am. Absolutely fascinating.

]]> By: Shaun http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41977 Shaun Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:27:50 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41977 He must think he was the original Brain Man. Check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Tammet" rel="nofollow">Daniel Tammet</a>. According to Wikipedia he knows 10 languages. He could probably learn more if he wanted. Tammet was featured on 60 Minutes when he rose to meet the challenge of learning Icelandic in a week. He did it and proved it by speaking Icelandic with TV reporters as a test. Here is a video: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/news?ch=334515&cl=1986447〈=en He must think he was the original Brain Man. Check out Daniel Tammet. According to Wikipedia he knows 10 languages. He could probably learn more if he wanted.

Tammet was featured on 60 Minutes when he rose to meet the challenge of learning Icelandic in a week. He did it and proved it by speaking Icelandic with TV reporters as a test. Here is a video: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/news?ch=334515&cl=1986447〈=en

]]> By: Prince Roy http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41968 Prince Roy Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:57:27 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41968 I'm really starting to harbor serious doubts about his credibility. He says that when he was inducted in the Army in 1952, he “was tested and qualified for work in 14 languages”. I have no idea what that means. Honestly, I find it hard to believe the Army would have done that for a draftee during the Korean War (I can see them testing him in maybe two or three languages, but <i>fourteen</i>?). He is also conveniently vague about what he did in the Army. He says he 'covered' the Helsinki Olympics in summer of 1952, and in 1956 the US Air Force invited him to Hungary as a journalist. Has anyone actually heard him speak all these languages? I don't doubt that he may have learned basic phrasebook conversation, but until I see more evidence, I will withhold judgment. Based on his limited sections on Chinese in his book, though, I'm not all that convinced he is very proficient. I’m really starting to harbor serious doubts about his credibility. He says that when he was inducted in the Army in 1952, he “was tested and qualified for work in 14 languages”. I have no idea what that means. Honestly, I find it hard to believe the Army would have done that for a draftee during the Korean War (I can see them testing him in maybe two or three languages, but fourteen?).

He is also conveniently vague about what he did in the Army. He says he ‘covered’ the Helsinki Olympics in summer of 1952, and in 1956 the US Air Force invited him to Hungary as a journalist.

Has anyone actually heard him speak all these languages? I don’t doubt that he may have learned basic phrasebook conversation, but until I see more evidence, I will withhold judgment. Based on his limited sections on Chinese in his book, though, I’m not all that convinced he is very proficient.

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41949 Mark Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:07:08 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41949 It is really hard to say how much "being qualified for work in 14 languages" according to the military means. You would probably have a better idea than I do. You could try searching Baidu for him, but I don't know that it would be very successful, considering he did his Chinese learning in the 1940's. Maybe Range or Patrick could search in French and see if anything comes up about him. It is really hard to say how much “being qualified for work in 14 languages” according to the military means. You would probably have a better idea than I do. You could try searching Baidu for him, but I don’t know that it would be very successful, considering he did his Chinese learning in the 1940’s. Maybe Range or Patrick could search in French and see if anything comes up about him.

]]> By: Prince Roy http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41928 Prince Roy Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:14:05 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2007/how-to-learn-any-language-on-scribd/#comment-41928 interesting. I googled Farber and while I found anecdotes by him about all the languages he's studied, and the same from others writing about him, I couldn't find anything about his language ability by a native speaker of one of his languages. Nothing on You Tube either. This causes me to wonder how well he actually knows these languages. For example, I noticed that his descriptions of certain Chinese sounds in his book are not very accurate. His methodology looks interesting as well. I'm curious to see how it works for you. I guess I'm one of those skeptics he writes about when describing "Harry Lorayne's Magic Memory Aid". It is based on mnemonics, and I just wonder if it is really a good use of time to create 'vivid associations' around each vocabulary word rahter than spend that time on teh word itself. Let us know what you find. interesting. I googled Farber and while I found anecdotes by him about all the languages he’s studied, and the same from others writing about him, I couldn’t find anything about his language ability by a native speaker of one of his languages. Nothing on You Tube either.

This causes me to wonder how well he actually knows these languages. For example, I noticed that his descriptions of certain Chinese sounds in his book are not very accurate.

His methodology looks interesting as well. I’m curious to see how it works for you. I guess I’m one of those skeptics he writes about when describing “Harry Lorayne’s Magic Memory Aid”. It is based on mnemonics, and I just wonder if it is really a good use of time to create ‘vivid associations’ around each vocabulary word rahter than spend that time on teh word itself. Let us know what you find.

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