Learn all 24 EU languages

General discussion about learning languages
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SophiaMerlin_II
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby SophiaMerlin_II » Fri Jun 03, 2016 10:25 am

I'm somewhat interested in how people would approach this if it were their goal.

With this many different languages in this time frame, would you consider it important to learn IPA? So that, for example, with SRS, you could have a "true" pronunciation on the back.

Obviously, an input heavy approach would be difficult, given the amount of time available. Would people suggest L2 -> TL instructional materials, so that one would be able to spend more time out of NL?

Would you create shorthand ways of writing down grammar rules for various languages? Would you real parallel texts in 2 languages? How much speaking practice would you aim for in each?
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EU23
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby EU23 » Fri Jun 03, 2016 10:35 am

By asking my original question, I never thought I would generate so much interest. Taking into account all the feedback, I am now seeing my challenge as more of a linguistic experiment. Having said that, it will always be a challenge to me (my personal challenge).
In answer to a comment regarding my preparation, once again, I can draw upon my past experience of working in a university’s language centre, which offered courses in 24 different languages. My role gave me an insight into not only language teaching techniques but also into the reasons why ordinary people decide to study a language. From being in a language learning environment, I discovered that there are many reasons for wanting to learn a language such as family connections to a language, work reasons, wanting to gain an understanding of a different culture and, believe it or not, following a holiday romance.
The one thing which did notice was that although there are many reasons to learn a language, there are many more reasons for giving up.
In my opinion, preparation is the key, and yes I am preparing for the case in hand which is to improve my Polish to B2 (my ability to read and to understand is pretty good but I will need to be tested) and  getting to a Spanish B1 or B2 level.
This is turning into a long post, so I would suggest, if you are interested, that you read my blog, http://learn23eublog.wordpress.com
which I will be updating every Thursday (starting next week). In addition to this, I have created a Facebook page, so you can see how I’m getting on.

https://www.facebook.com/Learn-23-EU-27 ... page_panel


Finally, due to the fact that I’m now seeing this as more of an experiment, I have listed the questions to which I hope to find the answers:
 
Which languages did I find harder to learn than others?
Was it easier to learn languages from the same family group?
What kind of issues did I have with ‘false friends’?
Which languages were easier to retain?
Was I able to successfully separate the languages?
 
Please note this list is not exhaustive and only includes questions that have just popped into my head. :D
 

 
 
 
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby PeterMollenburg » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:25 am

If I was younger, single and had LOADS of free time I would challege you to a12 year duel and enter the same crazy challenge or experiment. I would not 'win' asI have a majorly hindering affliction known as perfectionism, but it would be VERY interesting indeed to join you/challenge you in such an undertaking. Perhaps I'll do it anyway (in secret) and spring it upon you 10 years in that I've beaten you to the chase. Okay joking, but it would be supercool if more than one person started this project simultaneously with their own methods, order of languages and number of languages tackled at once. I have a lotto ticket i'm yet to check, if i've won big, expect some stiff competition. Otherwise perhaps I'll (again) take this on in secret but give myself the rest of my life to do it. Look out if i get hit by a bus next week! If I do, seriously no sleep allowed for the next week and a super brain and memory installed- any surgeons about?

I'm not belittling this project btw- I seriously find it really interesting.
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby Henkkles » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:56 am

SophiaMerlin_II wrote:I'm somewhat interested in how people would approach this if it were their goal.

With this many different languages in this time frame, would you consider it important to learn IPA? So that, for example, with SRS, you could have a "true" pronunciation on the back.

Obviously, an input heavy approach would be difficult, given the amount of time available. Would people suggest L2 -> TL instructional materials, so that one would be able to spend more time out of NL?

Would you create shorthand ways of writing down grammar rules for various languages? Would you real parallel texts in 2 languages? How much speaking practice would you aim for in each?

In my opinion everyone should know IPA, the basics of phonology and phonetics, introduction to syntax and historical linguistics (especially pertaining to their language of interest).
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby s_allard » Fri Jun 03, 2016 12:17 pm

No need to wait 12 years to see the results of this experiment. Why not aim to learn two languages to a given level in the next 12 months? I think a B1 in each language is doable, maybe a B2. The key step is to put money on the table and register now for an exam in six months. Then the stakes are real. Otherwise it's easy to find excuses for not being ready. Think of it as being the ultimate TAC.

As a matter of fact, this is an idea for a TAC. A group of people interested in a language agree to sign up for a given exam. And everybody then logs their preparation. Think how serious this could be. I wonder how many people would be game enough to attempt this. I'd be willing to do this for the Spanish DELE C2 set for November this year. Any takers?
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby SophiaMerlin_II » Fri Jun 03, 2016 12:58 pm

s_allard wrote:No need to wait 12 years to see the results of this experiment. Why not aim to learn two languages to a given level in the next 12 months? I think a B1 in each language is doable, maybe a B2. The key step is to put money on the table and register now for an exam in six months. Then the stakes are real. Otherwise it's easy to find excuses for not being ready. Think of it as being the ultimate TAC.

As a matter of fact, this is an idea for a TAC. A group of people interested in a language agree to sign up for a given exam. And everybody then logs their preparation. Think how serious this could be. I wonder how many people would be game enough to attempt this. I'd be willing to do this for the Spanish DELE C2 set for November this year. Any takers?


JLPT 3 is ~B1, but I can't even imagine being at a JLPT 3 level by X-mas. I'm basically an A0 right now. My current goal is JLPT 4 NEXT x-mas. Then again, 6 months is "a long time" and it might be possible. Really gets my brain ticking.

I think, that since JLPT3 is more passive (no writing or speaking portions) that maybe I could do it. I think I'll do this. Bye-bye Spanish and Esperanto.
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby jeff_lindqvist » Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:02 pm

Ani wrote:I have been rolling this over in my head. I don't know if this is an interesting thought or not, but I wonder if it was ever considered to spend a considerable first portion of time learning ALL the languages to a certain level? As it has been pointed out, it is very tiring to go back to basics. I can't even imagine doing that every 6 months so.. would it be sensible to try and spend the first, maybe 2-3 years, bringing each language to A1+ with a robust SRS deck that possibly includes all the audio/phonetic helps you need to sort out the pronunciation for all the languages, and a good portion of the grammar, and then begin studying more carefully in rotations while maintaning the A1 level of the untouched languages?


As had been said before, many of the languages are related, which would make your suggested A1+ journey even easier. For some language combos it could be a matter of... weeks? "Going back to basics" - I can't see it happen, unless the OP is very unfocused and/or doesn't do anything to maintain the level in the previous languages. Of course, some people find similarities helpful while others find them confusing.

Now, I'm not saying this is an easy project, but I'm pretty sure that some people I've met would be glad to try, and be likely to succeed.
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby PeterMollenburg » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:31 pm

s_allard wrote:No need to wait 12 years to see the results of this experiment. Why not aim to learn two languages to a given level in the next 12 months? I think a B1 in each language is doable, maybe a B2. The key step is to put money on the table and register now for an exam in six months. Then the stakes are real. Otherwise it's easy to find excuses for not being ready. Think of it as being the ultimate TAC.

As a matter of fact, this is an idea for a TAC. A group of people interested in a language agree to sign up for a given exam. And everybody then logs their preparation. Think how serious this could be. I wonder how many people would be game enough to attempt this. I'd be willing to do this for the Spanish DELE C2 set for November this year. Any takers?


I like the idea, but i'm not taking on any other languages until i'm satisfied with my French. So why not sit the exam for French? Is it not unfair to go for an exam in a language one has already been studying for a considerable length of time while others are just beginning?

Making the competition fair would be really tricky.
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby s_allard » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:49 pm

PeterMollenburg wrote:
s_allard wrote:No need to wait 12 years to see the results of this experiment. Why not aim to learn two languages to a given level in the next 12 months? I think a B1 in each language is doable, maybe a B2. The key step is to put money on the table and register now for an exam in six months. Then the stakes are real. Otherwise it's easy to find excuses for not being ready. Think of it as being the ultimate TAC.

As a matter of fact, this is an idea for a TAC. A group of people interested in a language agree to sign up for a given exam. And everybody then logs their preparation. Think how serious this could be. I wonder how many people would be game enough to attempt this. I'd be willing to do this for the Spanish DELE C2 set for November this year. Any takers?


I like the idea, but i'm not taking on any other languages until i'm satisfied with my French. So why not sit the exam for French? Is it not unfair to go for an exam in a language one has already been studying for a considerable length of time while others are just beginning?

Making the competition fair would be really tricky.

Maybe I did not express myself properly. I didn't think of this as a competition to see who wins or who doesn't. The idea was more one of setting specific goals with a concrete commitment, i.e. by registering for the exam. I don't think people will deliberately register for an easier exam just to pass the exam. I think most people will shoot for higher rather than for lower.

The reason I bring this up, even though it will probably go nowhere, is that on this forum and on HTLAL we continuously see people announcing grand intentions, making all kinds of claims about their proficiency or asking questions about how to reach advanced levels. And in reality very few people do actually sit the tests. We have people like cavesa, emk, serpent and others whose names I have forgotten who are to be congratulated because they actually passed those tests.

In the case at hand of the EU languages I'm waiting for the person to register for the tests and then we'll see how serious this whole thing is.
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Re: Learn all 24 EU languages

Postby PeterMollenburg » Fri Jun 03, 2016 11:54 pm

s_allard wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:
s_allard wrote:No need to wait 12 years to see the results of this experiment. Why not aim to learn two languages to a given level in the next 12 months? I think a B1 in each language is doable, maybe a B2. The key step is to put money on the table and register now for an exam in six months. Then the stakes are real. Otherwise it's easy to find excuses for not being ready. Think of it as being the ultimate TAC.

As a matter of fact, this is an idea for a TAC. A group of people interested in a language agree to sign up for a given exam. And everybody then logs their preparation. Think how serious this could be. I wonder how many people would be game enough to attempt this. I'd be willing to do this for the Spanish DELE C2 set for November this year. Any takers?


I like the idea, but i'm not taking on any other languages until i'm satisfied with my French. So why not sit the exam for French? Is it not unfair to go for an exam in a language one has already been studying for a considerable length of time while others are just beginning?

Making the competition fair would be really tricky.

Maybe I did not express myself properly. I didn't think of this as a competition to see who wins or who doesn't. The idea was more one of setting specific goals with a concrete commitment, i.e. by registering for the exam. I don't think people will deliberately register for an easier exam just to pass the exam. I think most people will shoot for higher rather than for lower.

The reason I bring this up, even though it will probably go nowhere, is that on this forum and on HTLAL we continuously see people announcing grand intentions, making all kinds of claims about their proficiency or asking questions about how to reach advanced levels. And in reality very few people do actually sit the tests. We have people like cavesa, emk, serpent and others whose names I have forgotten who are to be congratulated because they actually passed those tests.

In the case at hand of the EU languages I'm waiting for the person to register for the tests and then we'll see how serious this whole thing is.


Well in that case I think it sounds like a good idea. I intend on (and have had this goal for some time) on sitting French exams. I sat and passed B1, no huge achievement but now i'm preparing myself for B2 and aiming for the C-levels. I'm happy to declare I definitely will sit B2 French in November (the next time I can here). I may even sit C1 at the same time (there will be me and my clone)... ok around the same time (Nov). However that I'm undecided on. I don't need a goal to push for that as i'm already aiming for C1 and won't sit it too early. But I do feel ready for B2
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