Sir Harry le Fise Lake

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I can't find any threads on learning the language, so let's start one - as to how folks have managed (or not ) with the lingo.

I got a Pons language course, 3 CDs and two booklets in a box, and one of those that promises to be 'easy and fun'.

Well, it is neither, IMO.

It claims to be for beginners. Now I know quite a bit of the basics, but it is still awfully hard, with the natives speaking at normal speed - making it very difficult to pick up the words. Fine if you can catch it, but very difficult for any genuine beginner, and working alone. (Which is what it's supposed to enable you to do.)

It has some good explanations regarding the grammar, and with other language notes, but don't buy this and expect to be nattering on after three months self study.

Pons appears to be a German-based publisher, but the Slovene course was prepared in Ljubljana (understandably enough).

On a more positive note, Pons does what seems to be a very good on-line dictionary service - see:

en.pons.com/translate?q=&l=ensl&in=en&lf=en

It's difficult for me to say for sure, but it looks better and more comprehensive than google translate.

Anyone else got any experience with 'teach yourself' type courses?

LP, H lFL

SloJohn

I purchased EuroTalk interactive, Talk Now Slovenian. Ok for the basic holiday stuff but I soon realised that I would never learn enough Slovenian at my age. As I have German heritage I default to asking "Sprechen sie Deutsche bitte"? Near the Austrian boarder where I am based I can get by with English or German and that's my excuse for not spending lots of hours the studying Slovenian language.

John.

Laura69

Hi, I speak several languages to fluency, but I have studied none using teach-yourself book. I think you need a teacher and a classroom in order to be explained the grammar compared to your native language and you need the stimulation of some classmates to have a conversation.
A teach-yourself course will be ok to learn the basics, but it would never do for me to improve my knowledge of alanguage, especially if the language is rather different to my native language.
Studying languages takes a lot of time and if you want to live permanently in a foreign country you have to put a lot of work in: reading books, newspapers, a lot of dictionary work, finding natives to talk to...
All of this is best achieved if at the beginning you have a teacher to help you.

billycornelly

thanks harry, even my girls who now are almost fluent in slovene use pons for schoolwork

scot47

If you have already acquired a foreign language, learning another one is not so tough. Those who have not achieved any level of competence in another language will have problems.
Language courses that say - learn this language in 5 days - or whatever are simply telling lies. Learning a language requires many many hours - and years of study.

billycornelly

totally agree scot, i got pretty good on turkish just by holidaying there but have now lived in slovenia for 3 years and am struggling with the lingo, might have to sneak in the school with the girls with the other 10 year olds to learn, happy new year to all, Billy

scot47

Alas, the learning and teaching of foreign languages has been declining in Britain. Every child should be given the opportunity of learning a language at school.

billycornelly

yes great idea scot, and let them choose, it would be an advantage for them on foreign holidays

scot47

Acquiring a foreign language is part of a broad general education. Most kids in the UK now are deprived of this.

Nadiza

Hello
I've been given from a old Slovenia friend a selection of books and old cassettes , that was produced by the university of Ljubljana, that give you step by Diy course ,
I'm looking in to getting this reprinted cd etc if there is enough demand ,
M&G isn't this your line of business ?
Scot47 dreznica is a wonderful place I'm not a million miles from you ,
Have some friends in the village .

scot47

Nadiza


I do not live in Slovenia. I have friends there.

Gordon Barlow

We all have a better reason to learn Slovenian today, since the advent of the US's new First Lady!