<p>I am currently a junior, but b/c of a slight mix up/confusion, i have not taken any foreign languages...i realize that it is too late to take the normal 3-4 yr requirement that colleges want to see..but instead i want to self study a language...i am thinking of spanish..but i am wondering if this is doable? and how many hrs. would i need to achieve a high enough level?</p>
<p>Do you know/have experience with any languages(other than English)?
Are their any places in around you like a China Town/Spanish Harlem were people usually speak a language other than English?
What would be a "high enough level" for you? conversational? fluency?
Learning languages come easy for some, extremely difficult for others, how long will it take to reach your desired level will depend a lot on this, you should pick a language in were you can get some type of immersion in and people to help with your speaking</p>
<p>yeah...i am bilingual in chinese...b/c my mom is chinese, and i lived in china for 12 yrs...
ehh., i am not sure about how high my level i want, of course eventually i would like to be semi-fluent..:)..
i guess i will try spanish first to see how easy it goes..</p>
<p>I think you should try to really prefect your Chinese, since you already know it,
or if you don't want to go that route for whatever language you try to learn try to immerse yourself in the language and culture of were people speak the language, it's prbly not gonna go easy, but you can be an exception,
for Spanish best tip is to watch Spanish/Latin American TV</p>
<p>Yeah, for Spanish, learn some basic vocab/grammar. Then watch telenovelas on Telemundo. :) If you're not into that, try Spanish radio stations, magazines, and news broadcasts.</p>
<p>But I agree, it might be a good idea to become super fluent in Chinese first.</p>
<p>well..the thing with my chinese is..i've taken both ap/sat 2, so i have "proof" of my fluency...
and apparantly colleges will see my lack of motivation if i do not have another language...</p>
<p>but besides colleges, i really do want to become a polygot..not by the end of high school..but that is one of my goals in life..:)</p>
<p>Self learning is bad. Try a afternoon/night class at a local college, or something like that instead.</p>
<p>oh..why is that? i've always heard self-studying was easier to do so..b/c you can go your own pace or whatever..</p>
<p>^Yes, but you have no one there to correct you, or act as a model for correct pronunciation.</p>
<p>true..but for spanish, i have friends who are in spanish 2 and 3 that i would be able to ask..and the spanish teacher at the school..</p>
<p>People in Spanish 2/3 aren't useful. You need a native speaker if you truly want to get the language down right imho.</p>
<p>You do not need a class to be in contact with native speakers, though. And if you don't have any native speaker friends, you could borrow a Pimsleur CD from the library for pronunciation.</p>
<p>It doesn't take long to learn Spanish pronunciation. 99% of the time, each letter sounds the exact same. The accent is always in the same place (second-to-last syllable) unless otherwise indicated. Spanish doesn't have as many seemingly arbitrary rules as English does (silent m! the "i" sounds like a long "e"! no, the accent goes there!) nor is the difference between vowels as subtle as in Chinese.</p>
<p>Anyway, depending on your learning style, classes can be helpful or huge wastes of time. If you are intense and extremely dedicated, classes will only slow you down. If you are lazy and unmotivated (no offense; I am speaking hypothetically), then classes will serve to give you an extra push.</p>
<p>oh thanks so much CC lurker!!!
i am extremely motivated, and i know if i were in a normal spanish class at my school..it would be such a waste of time...i think i am going to try, and if it doesn't work out then oh well..sucks for me..</p>
<p>Spend 4 - 8 months in a Spanish-speaking country.</p>
<p>Seriously. That's all the time it takes to perfect (at least, compared to us) a language like Spanish.</p>