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Does reading help learn a language?

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by rudysteiner, Feb 14, 2016.

  1. rudysteiner

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    Hey everyone,

    I've recently discovered the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda because I've started watching the series HIMYM. Admittedly, it's not the best way to discover a poet, but I don't regret it in the least.

    After a quick Google search, I discovered his collection Veinte Poemas de Amor y una Canción de Desesperada, or Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Desperation. I've read a couple in English and one or two sonnets in Spanish, but considering he's a Chilean poet, where the official language is Spanish, I've considered buying the collection in Spanish because I've heard that reading/writing in the language you're learning will help you improve.

    Does reading in a foreign language help or is that a myth along with listening to the radio in your target language?
     
  2. Secrets5

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    Hello,

    I've heard that children under 13 can learn new languages more efficiently as their brain learns language in a different area than children after 13, and I've heard young children around under 7 teach themselves a new language through watching television. However, I'm not sure due to the different areas to learn the new language if this can be applied to teenagers and adults.
     
  3. rudysteiner

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    I've heard this too. I'd be fine if I didn't have to learn two languages at once. :lol:

    -----

    Typo fix: A song of despair, not desperation.
     
  4. Sultane

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    I've found listening to songs in German has helped me learn a bit. Also my German teacher gave me a few books to read so I'd say yes reading does help you learn a language. It makes sense as it gives you a chance to regularly practice even if you have no one to talk to in that language.
     
  5. blueshadedsoul

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    I had English classes at school when I was younger, but I learned most of what I know through reading and listening to it by myself tbh (I was actually 12-13 when I got more into it), so I'd say it does work. At least it definitely helps to become familiar with the language.
     
  6. ThatBorussenGuy

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    I'd say so; I've learned a lot of German from reading stuff and from watching (and listening to) my football team play every weekend (the broadcast is entirely in German).
     
  7. Michael

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    Listen to the radio (focused listening) helps, it's no myth. However watching tv, or movies with subtitles is way better. Also talk to natives. Ideally, you should practice every day for months at least, until you get a very basic set of skills. Then you can go after reading and grammar, most probably you'll have a little bit by then.

    I think it's a myth that you can learn a language only by reading. You can read the Canon by Arthur Conan Doyle for months, and learn it verbatim, and then being put on the middle of Trafalgar Square... Are you even able to follow someone's conversation?

    Learning a language means being able to communicate with natives on that language, being understood, the rest is called being proficient I think.
     
  8. eMei

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    The best way to learn a language is to actually speak it.
     
  9. rudysteiner

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    Yeah, I listen to Spanish songs quite a lot and I can understand most of what's being said in Spanish, I just need to be able to translate it into English. IMO, songs are miles apart from actually speaking, though. I was watching Blackfish last night, the documentary about SeaWorld, and the fiancé of the trainer who died at Loro Parque in Tenerife was speaking and I was stunned at the speed at which she was speaking. I have a long way to go.

    I can say a few phrases in Spanish and regularly converse in it with a friend via text, but until I move away, I'm going to practice reading/listening/writing as much as I can if I can't find a native speaker to help me improve the oral side of it.
     
  10. penelope

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    I like to think that I speak English pretty well (for someone who doesn't actually SPEAKspeak it, at least) and I've learnt it all by myself, by watching youtubers and reading fanfiction. :grin: It has helped me a ton and I should start doing it in Spanish and Swedish as well...
     
  11. Feelunique

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    I think it does a lot. I've been working with Russian and focused on the alphabet first. Wanted to be able to compare what I was reading with what I was hearing. My dear friend teaches me some things and words and I always have her send the text so I can look at while hearing it spoken. It works very positively. She will type something sometimes in Russian in the Latin alphabet and I'll type back in the Cyrillic alphabet. I've found for me that hearing and reading together have worked wonderfully on retaining what I have learned.
     
  12. Lazuri

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    Considering I learned English with the help of English movies, games and books along with a dictionary, yes--it works.
     
  13. rudysteiner

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    My friend and I correspond through French and Spanish and then we'll ask for translations we don't know into English. I do the hearing and reading together with one of my novels for lit and it works for me. Can I ask why you chose Russian?
     
  14. bubbles123

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    Yeah in my experience, reading is definitely a great foundation because it introduces you to words you may not yet know. It also gets you used to visualizing the words when you try to speak and listen to the language.
    So definitely read and look up words you don't know to familiarize yourself with the language and learn grammar rules.
    You should probably also look up grammar rules and how words are conjugated to understand it better.

    Once you're starting to get familiar to some words and phrases, you should practice listening and conversing in the language if possible because that's the best way to pick it up and challenge yourself.