French Words that Don't Have an Equivalent in English

At our I Want To Learn French webpage, we help you decide on the best software for you to learn French.

We are firm believers that learning languages is an excellent way to expand your mind. Indeed, one interesting thing about different languages is that each has a vocabulary which sees reality in slightly different ways. In fact, there are words which express concepts that don't even exist in other languages.

For example, with French:

English supposedly has the largest vocabulary of any languages in the world (7x more words than French !), and well-educated people typically know less than 10% of them. There would be too many English words and nuances that do not exist in other languages (thousands in French, Italian or Japanese), but much less the other way round. Here are examples of the occasional French words that do not have an exact translation in English, or not in a single word.

Read more at http://www.eupedia.com/europe/missing_words_english.shtml

The list is really fascinating, and it really makes you see how various people can see the world so differently.

Why is English the only language with a different word for pineapple?

At our English Learning Course webage, we review some the most popular English language learning software to help you tackle the sometimes weird and nonsensical English language.

Just to prove how weird English is, look at how EVERY language in the world, it seems has a similar word for pineapple. But, no, not the English!

Look at this chart:

Source: http://www.theyareweird.com/2011/04/really-english-language-why.html

I mean, really, it's like they WANTED to make English difficult, isn't it?

Well, if it makes you feel better, even English speakers get confused by their own language.

Good luck on your English language learning goals, and I hope that you achieve all that you desire!

The Top 10 Spanish curse words (not for children!)

At our Best Spanish Learning Software webpage, we help you choose from among Rosetta Stone, Fluenz, Rocket Spanish and others to see what is best for your needs.

Some of the programs, for example, focus on spoken Spanish more than written Spanish.

If you do want to learn conversational Spanish, here are some interesting facts:

The Spaniards have an alarmingly rich vocabulary of swear words and vulgarities – ranging from one-word cusses to full-sentence chants like 'me cago en todo lo que se menea!'. When speaking to a typical Spanish man, it's almost strange not to hear a full sentence with anything erm… crude. Mind you, I adore the Spanish language: combined with expressive hand gestures, it's full of vigor, passion and emotions. The Spaniards for one, have always captivated my heart with their sultry linguistic demeanours.

Read more at 

Very interesting, and funny.

Interesting Blogs about Learning German

For all of you who are interested in learning German, here is a list of blogs that you may find interesting:

http://ebestlanguagelearningsoftware.com/best-german-learning-software/

Hiding my IP to learn German | Language on the Move | Education - Hiding my IP to learn German | Language on the Move. Monday, December 10, 2012; German Language; Add a comment. You've probably never heard of Easy Hide IP, an admittedly obscure software that allows you to surf the internet as if ... 7 Cool New Ways to Learn German - VentureVillage - Here are our pick of the next-gen German language learning tools that will have you fluent in no time. Want to learn German? How to get started. – Smarter German - I want my students to learn German very well and damn fast. But being fast on my feet at least as far as languages are concerned and being highly rational I do not always find my expectations matched. People often just want ... German celebration for Xmas, learn German vocabulary | 12speak ... - German celebration officially start the 11th November, St Martin day. For that day, children use to make lanterns and bring them to the procession. Then from the 1st December every child gets one advent calendar: each day ... How children can learn German creatively | Today I Learned ... - Guest post. Children pick up their native language as they go along, by watching those around them interact, listening to them talk, working out meaning, Learn German: A 3 Month Challenge | Love 2 Type - I have a German language exam to pass early next year. Unfortunately, it doesn't come cheap at 5000 pesos + travel expenses since exam is held in Manila once / twice in a month and 3 times per year in … Continue reading ... Educate Yourself Without School | High Existence - You can learn German, listen to the latest Indie Music through NPR, get the NBC nightly news or really anything that you want. It's all on ... For this particular endeavor, try searching "site:.edu ______" and fill in the space with what you want. Listening to Language Educators | ED.gov Blog - Sara Hofler, the Principal of the Paragon School in Orlando, Fla., makes sure students in her specialized K-12 program for students affected by autism or Asperger's Syndrome, learn German. People often ask her why such ... German « Learn languages - Learn German today This is a German course that… is a fun way of learning German reduces your learning time by up to 50% can help you instantly speak, read and understand German. Learn German today! Reasons for ... German Online Teacher | German Online Tutor - My name is Daniel and I am a professional German language trainer with five years of experience in private language schools, universities and online. I have a degree in education, political science and economics, I am a ... German Sounds « Learn German with G - Consonants (right consonant = voiced) 1) [d͡ʒ] and [ʒ] occur only in words of foreign origin. In certain varieties, they are replaced by [t͡ʃ] and [ʃ]. 2) [ç] and [x] are allophones in complementary distribution. [x] occurs after ... Learn German-ish 001 - Learn German (ish) free podcasts - Length 0:34 download podcast 001 Paul Wheaton learns German with Susanne Schneider. Paul shares about Hogan's Heroes. Susanne is a native German speaker, and learned English in the 5th grade. They both know ... Where to learn German in Coimbatore? - SimpleGerman.com - Coimbatore is a emerging developing city in Tamilnadu state of India. If you are looking for a place to learn german, unlike chennai there are only few places available where you can learn german. There is one Goethe Insitut ... Why learn German language? - SimpleGerman.com - What does one have an motive to learn german? Here are the main reasons why most people prefer to learn german as their second language. 1. German language is the second most widely used language in Internet next to ... How To Learn German | pressurewashingbusinesstips.com - A standard pressure washer can be useful but there are some pitfalls to it. It will require gas and it can be especially loud. Also, it may be too strong for things that one is trying to  handle. Learn german online free audio « myupdatez - English brochureLayout Typesetting ICG wwwicgonlinecouk147Learn and live the Willkommen LR 120 224 rrFFLTTUVEZr54r505r LR 225 549 rrFFLTTUVEZr54r505r LR 550 784 rrFFLTTUVEZr54r505r LR 785 944 prepare ... Those German Bands Singing In English | EuroKulture - Meet Eurokulture's editors EuroKulture Lost & Found in Translation: Blogging European pop culture 10. Have your heard of Scorpions? I'm not referring an insect, but the band who sings the famous song Wind of Change. Ten years ago, I listened to this song for the first time. Language Log » Ilse Lehiste again - Arnold's news yesterday about Ilse Lehiste's passing was a sad coda to Christmas. It was from Ilse that I first heard of the three degrees of phonemic length in Estonian consonants and vowels, and about Halbdeutsch ("Half-German"), the German-Estonian mixture created by Estonians eager to achieve upward mobility during a period of German rule. It was only half-German because the German rulers didn't want Estonians to learn German, so that Estonian German-learners had little access to full German.

Things Expats Find Weird About Germany

At our Best German Learning Software webpage, we help you to decide which program is best for you: Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More, Fluenz, Rocket Languages.

For those that want to learn German because they will be visiting or even living in Germany, be prepared for some subtle culture shocks.

Here are some interesting observations by one expat in Germany who has listed 10 things she finds weird:

2. "Thanks" means "no"
Confusing, no? Let me tell you how! If you are at the bakery, and the person behind the counter asks you if you would like your bread sliced, make sure you say "Bitte" (please) or "Ja". If you go the (perhaps overly) polite Anglo-American route of saying "thanks", your bread will be handed to you, nicely wrapped, but whole.

Read more at: http://charlotteotter.wordpress.com/2006/08/17/10-things-i-find-weird-about-germany/

Interesting Blogs about People that Want To Learn French

At our I Want To Learn French webpage (http://ebestlanguagelearningsoftware.com/i-want-to-learn-french/), we give you some good reasons why learning French is useful.

Of course, we aren't the only blog around about learning French.

Here is a list of other interesting blogs about people that also want to learn French:

• Wailele a me Wailani » Blog Archive » Monolingual, Bilingual ... - I want to learn French because it is a nice language and has a rich cultural background. I want to learn Hawaiian because it is part of my cultural background. Latin would be a good language because most of the words we ...

• I want to learn French/Italian…. | BreOfficialSite - The title says it. For the past few weeks, I have been wanting to learn a language so bad. I tried to learn online from videos but I find that I learn best when someone is actually teaching " me" and not a thousand other people as ...

• I Want To Learn French - learnfrenchfastnow - Blog - One thing you will hear people saying is, "I want to learn French". Many people want to learn this language because they are going on holiday to a French speaking country, for fun or because they are going to live … Continue ...

• *Competition* Learn French With Max and Mathilde « Writings ... - Follow me on Twitter and Tweet 'I want to Learn French with @MoolBoots and #win a Children's book http://wp.me/p14X28-11X ' (Again leaving a comment to say you have!) SO a possible four entries, you must do the first one ...

• NaBloPoMo « My Present Self - I want to learn French. I took an introductory course during my second last semester of university, but had to drop it. I still have the books, though, so I'm going to try to teach myself. French is also, rightly or wrongly, one of ...

• What language is hardest to learn? - The Hot Word - Dictionary.com - I speak english and I want to learn French so badly! I know German would be the easiest for me. The hardest language would probably be.. (if dead languages were included) Latin. FISH on March 27, 2012 at 6:16 pm ...

• Win $500 To Les Composantes | theglitterguide.com - love! Karrieharper. All 3 done! How exciting :) Karrie harper. Mchris344. Awesome giveaway! http://waitforthesignal.blogspot.com Sabrina Heise. Yet another reason I want to learn French… waitforthesignal {at} gmail {dot} com ...

• I Want to Learn French. Bonjour Monsieur Mademoiselle! | The ... - I Want to Learn French. Bonjour Monsieur Mademoiselle! UncategorizedJuly 24, 2012No comments · Tweet. In an interesting conversation with my friend yesterday, I was asked this: "If you wake up and discover that you can speak another ...

• Another reason I want to learn French | Bark: A Blog of Literature ... - I've been reading books in translation lately, or by writers who are fluent in more than one language. One of my goals for this year is to broaden my.

• Why It Pays to Learn a Language « Learn Native Language - The first benefit of trying to learn a language besides your native tongue is simply the ability to speak with people who also speak that language. This can include all the people from the language's native location, such as ...

• Review: The Kids Can Press French and English Word Book | Tea ... - This book is a great introduction to French vocabulary and helps to lay a useful foundation for the formal study of French.

• Poetry: Arthur Rimbaud, "Being Beauteous" « Colinology - Some poets make me want to learn a language because so much of the edge and power of poetry is lost in translation. Arthur Rimbaud is such a poet. I want to learn French just to be able to read his poetry. I think pieces like ...

• A Case for Language Mangling | I'm Late for My Nap - Belgium, a relatively small country, has three official languages: French, Flemish (also called Dutch) and German, the first two being the most common. Three native languages squeezed into an area so small creates an ...

The Aztec Account of the Spanish Invasion

At our Mexican Language website, we explain how Mexican Spanish is heavily influenced by Aztec and other languages which still survive and are officially recognised by the Mexican Government.

Did you know that the Aztecs wrote an account of the Spanish invasion?

Here is an excerpt from a very interesting article:

An Aztec account of the Conquest of Mexico? Preposterous.
It is common knowledge that those manuscripts that escaped destruction by the Conquistadors were gathered up under the direction of the first Archbishop of Mexico, Juan de Zumarrga, and reduced to ashes. In " The Conquest of Mexico," which remains the classic account of the event in English, William H. Prescott writes: "None of the Aztec compositions have survived." He does mention the name Sahagun and says that he is aware that some of his translations of Aztec prose still exist, but does not pursue the matter.

Read more at http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/682-the-aztecs-speak-an-aztec-account-of-the-conquest-of-mexico

Which are the World's Most Influential Languages?

At Best Language Learning Software we help people to achieve their language learning goals by helping them choose the best software for their needs.

But what if you are unsure about which language you want to learn? Or which language is the most useful?

An interesting objective/scientific analysis was made to determine which languages were the most influential in the world.

Here is an excerpt from the article which explains how they arrived at their results:

Every language, including Yanomami, is the most important language of the world - to its speakers. Rather than "important" we shall here, therefore, use the world "influential" in its stead. Chinese is a very influential language, no doubt about it, but is it more so than English? Clearly not. The number of speakers is relevant but quite insufficient for a meaningful ranking of languages in order of current world-wide influence, the stress being on the word "world-wide". There are many other factors to be taken into account and this is what we shall attempt to do in the following

Read the full article at http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/reprints/weber/rep-weber.htm

Once you have figured out what language you want to learn, whether you Want To Learn French or are looking for the best English Language Course check us out, 

Rosetta Stone former employee answers your questions (honestly)

At Best Language Learning Software we give honest review s of the most popular software brands like Rosetta Stone, Rocket Languages, and others to help you make the best choice.

For those who want to get the inside scoop on Rosetta Stone, you can't do much better than this. A former Rosetta Stone employee has a Reddit page where he answers your questions.

Here is an excerpt:

I worked for RS for years, and have used their programs in versions 2, 3, and 4 for 7 foreign languages. I know which of their programs work, which don't, and why.
I have invited a few other former employees to join me here, and will update with their usernames so you can keep an eye out for their responses

You can read more at http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/urxjv/iama_former_rosetta_stone_employee_who_speaks_8/

Enjoy!

Dog Commands in Other Languages

At Best Language Learning Software we know how fun and useful learning new languages could be.

When you get to live in other countries, you see all sorts of things you never really though of when you were learning the language in your home country.

For example, what about dog commands?

Mango Languages gives some tips:

What's the best way to look super cool at the dog park?
Telling Sparky to stay in five different languages of course.

Give these commands a try:

Read more at http://www.mangolanguages.com/blog/foreign-language-pet-commands/

Learn Languages With a Live Native Speaker

At Best Language Learning Software we give you advice on how to choose the best software according to your needs.

There are other ways of learning a language, too, of course.

One newly emerging method is by linking you up via mobile phone to native speakers in the language you want to learn.

Here is how the Verbling app is described:

After joining, the startup automatically pairs people that want to learn Spanish and are fluent in English, for example, with the opposite — those who are fluent in Spanish and want to learn English. It's immersion via reciprocity. Users are matched by their experience levels and are encouraged to switch back and forth between languages (by an accompanying timer), with the system suggesting various prompts and targets along the way.

Read more at http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/30/verbling-classes-new-languages/

Interesting stuff

 

Words That Don't Exist in English (But Should)

At our Best German Learning Software page, we help you choose the best program to learn German, according to your needs.

One of the great things about learning a new language is finding out words that don't exist at all in English, and are untranslatable.

Here is an excerpt from a fun article all about that subject:

#8. Kummerspeck (German)

Means:

Excess weight gained from emotional overeating.

"Kummerspeck" translates to "grief bacon," a word that finally acknowledges that when we are under a crushing weight of sadness or stress, many of us skip alcohol and narcotics in favor of delicious fried meats.

Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article_19695_9-foreign-words-english-language-desperately-needs.html#ixzz2E3VA5wJM

 

Hidden "Dirty Words" in Normal English!

At English Learning Course we help you choose the best software to learn English.

However, even native English speakers don't know some of the more interesting facts about the English language.

Like, for instance, did you know words like Orchid, Porcelain, Vanilla, Avocado and other such common words actually refer to male and female genitalia (private parts)?

Here is an excerpt from a very revealing article on the subject:

1. Orchid
Oops, you just said: Testicles
Take a look at certain orchids' roots, and you'll probably notice that they look like testicles. If not, you've set yourself apart from multiple generations of language-makers that simply couldn't help but name the whole plant family after this snicker-worthy observation. Our contemporary word for the flower, introduced in 1845, comes from the Greek orchis, which literally translates as "testicle." Speakers of Middle English in the 1300s came up with a phonologically different word—inspired by the same exact dirty thought. They called the flower ballockwort from ballocks, or testicles, which itself evolved from beallucas, the Old English word for balls.

Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/139380#ixzz2DuFcXoqM 

--brought to you by mental_floss! 

What a fascinating language English is!

US Marines pay $1000 per month if you are proficient in another language

On our I Want To Learn French webpage, we give you lots of good reasons to learn French.

Well, here is another one: the US Marines will pay you $1000 extra per month if you are fluent, not just in French but in any language. Your certification doesn't really matter, just your practical fluency.

Here is an excerpt from the online article:

Do you know any other languages? if you do, you may be eligible for an extra $1000 added to your paycheck every month. Master Sgt. Barvan Lav, the communications chief aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., does, and is one of the few Marines here who take advantage of the military's Foreign Language Proficiency Pay.
The FLPP allows Marines to earn up to $1000 extra a month for knowing up to three different languages, according to Marine Administrative Message 733/07. To qualify, the service member must pass the Defense Language Proficiency Test annually. 

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/98256/uncle-sam-wants-you-learn-language#.ULo_2OTHvoI#ixzz2Dp6mQhqi

So getting Rocket French or another language learning program can be a worthwhile investment, and pay you back many times over.

Rocket Languages 2013 Edition is now available

At Best Language Learning Software (http://ebestlanguagelearningsoftware.com/) it is no secret that we rate Rocket Languages very highly, because it delivers high quality and very affordable prices.

With that, we are glad to see new 2013 edition is now available to everyone, and it is free for members who bought previous versions of the software. That's part of their great value.

Here is a quote from their release:

We like to think that one of the things that really sets us apart from the crowd is the research and development that goes into our courses. We started, way back in 2004, by finding out what actually works for second language acquisition, then we kept on improving until today we can offer you the latest greatest Rocket Languages courses yet.

You can read more here: http://www.rocketlanguages.com/blog/2012/the-2013-edition-of-rocket-languages-is-live/

And visit http://ebestlanguagelearningsoftware.com/ to get your copy of Rocket Languages today.

Best Way To Learn A New Language

At Best Language Learning Software, we explain some of the different language learning philosophies and how they influence Rosetta Stone, Rocket Languages, Fluenz, and others.

Here is an article which goes into some more detail:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Way-To-Learn-A-New-Language&id=7392322

This Man Says You can Learn a Language in 22 hours

At Best Language Learning Software we explain some of the different language learning philosophies behind learning a language.

Joshua Foer, writing in the Guardian (UK), says he learned how to speak Lingala (spoken in the Congo region) in just 22 hours:

I have never been particularly good with languages. Despite a dozen years of Hebrew school and a lifetime of praying in the language, I'm ashamed to admit that I still can't read an Israeli newspaper. Besides English, the only language I speak with any degree of fluency is Spanish, and that came only after five years of intense classroom study and more than half a dozen trips to Latin America. Still, I was determined to master Lingala before leaving for the Congo. And I had just under two and a half months to do it. When I asked Ed if he thought it would be possible to learn an entire language in such a minuscule amount of time using Memrise, his response was matter-of-fact: "It'll be a cinch."

 

The full article is here:

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/nov/09/learn-language-in-three-months

It is a very interesting method: memorising in a fun way the most common 1,000 words in a language. It is another language learning philosophy/technique that you can add to your bag of tricks.

There's no reason, I think, why you only have to stick with one method.

Aztec Language and Mexican Spanish

At my Mexican Language page (http://ebestlanguagelearningsoftware.com/mexican-language), we look at how Mexican Spanish is influenced by Aztec, Mayan languages and others.

Did you know that Spanish is not even the official language of Mexico?

Here is an excerpt from the Wikipedia article:

Spanish is the de facto national language of spoken by the vast majority of Mexicans, though it is not defined as an official language in legislation. The second article of the 1917 Constitution defines the country as multicultural, recognizes the right of the indigenous peoples to "preserve and enrich their languages" and promotes "bilingual and intercultural education".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Mexico 

There is language learning software to help you learn Mexican Spanish, which is also the widest spoken variety of Spanish in the US, for example. Check out my site for more.

Rosetta Stone Sucks? One Woman's Opinion

At the Best Language Learning Software website, we review different language learning programs, like Rosetta Stone, Fluenz, Rocket Languages, Instant Immersion, and others.

Rosetta Stone is the most well-known and best marketed, so millions use it. But lots of people just DO NOT like it at all. Check this video out: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtEsOj6dLfY

Wow, a pretty harsh opinion on Rosetta Stone, but a lot of people really do share her feelings.

Here is an interesting Reddit post from a former Rosetta Stone employee, basically calling it a cookie cutter approach that is only useful for some languages:

http://www.reddit.com/r/tabled/comments/usvjg/table_iama_former_rosetta_stone_employee_who/

I am not bashing Rosetta Stone, but you really should look at it very carefully. It has worked for millions, remember. But just not everyone.

Best Spanish Learning Software

This is a very helpful review of the main Spanish language learning software programs: Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More, Fluenz, and Rocket Languages

Best Spanish Learning Software

Coffee Break French

This website explains Coffee Book French pretty well

Read more about Coffee Break French ...

Mexican Language

This website has interesting info on Mexican Spanish

Read more about Mexican Language Forms ...

I Want To Learn French

Good reviews of French language learning software


Read more at I Want To Learn French | Best Language Learning Software ...

Best Language Learning Software

This is a good site which explains the difference between Rosetta Stone, Tell Me More, Fluenz, and Rocket Languages

Read more at Best Language Learning Software ...

English Learning Course

Interesting comparisons of different English language learning software

Read more about English Learning Courses ...

French For Dummies

Here is a good breakdown of the different French for Dummies books


Read more about French for Dummies ...