Owner: Free Language Blogs URL:http://freelanguage.org/blog Join Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:41:36 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: The Free Language Blogs are blogs related to learning languages, as well as the latest updates to the Free Language website. Free Language is a growing database of language-learning resources for learners of many world languages. Site statistics:Click here
Naked Translations Blog about English and French Translation 2007-06-26 08:34:28
I just ran across this interesting blog which has French
and English
translations of the entries.
From the site:
Reflections on words, expressions and the difficulties encountered on the bridge from the English to the French language.
Stripping a text bare to reveal its mechanisms, its internal logic and its meaning to then transfer it into another language as faithfully as possible while using appropriate terminology and style.
Visit this blog.
Subscribe
Subscribe to the English blog feed.
Subscribe to the French blog feed.
read more Read more:Translation
Entre Nous Blog for French Language Learners 2007-06-26 08:24:52
I came across this blog for French
learners this morning. It has text in French and English and consists of anecdotes and vocab lists regarding specific topics like visiting the hairdresser, etc.
From the site:
Linguistic, literature and current events immersion resources for students of French language and culture.
Visit this blog.
Subscribe
Subscribe to this blog feed.
read more
EnglishExperts.net - Um Bom Site para Aprender Inglês 2007-06-26 06:26:36
Acabo de encontrar um bom site para nativofalantes do português que querem aprender o inglês.
Do Site:
Bem vindo (a) ao English Experts – o blog que tem como meta ajudar estudantes de Inglês com dicas diárias. English made by learners for learners!
Meu nome é Alessandro Brandão, eu trabalho na área de Informática e tenho como hobby estudar Inglês. Muitos leitores do blog me perguntam há quanto tempo eu estudo esse idioma, essa é uma pergunta muito difícil, depende do ponto de vista. Eu poderia responder que eu nunca estudei inglês, pelo menos da maneira formal (em escola de idiomas). Por outro lado a resposta poderia ser: desde criança eu estudo Inglês. Na verdade eu estudei 1 mês em uma escola de idiomas, mas acabei desistindo por não ter me adaptado à metodologia. Adianto que não sou professor de Inglês, minha área é Informática e Administração. Sou um estudante da mesma forma que você, caro visitante!
Esse blog surgiu em outubro de 2006. No início a min
YouTube Localizes Interfaces for 7 New Languages 2007-06-22 19:05:15 Received an article via email:
YouTube
to Be Available in 7 Additional Languages
From the article:
The new sites — in French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese, Polish and Dutch — will feature local language home pages, videos, rankings, searches and comments, as well as partners like Rai, the Italian broadcaster, the French magazine Glamour, V2 Music in the Netherlands and Real Madrid, the Spanish soccer team.
Local sites also started on Tuesday in English for Britain and Ireland, with partners like the BBC. Other countries, including Germany, are to follow. “This is just the beginning,” Mr. Chen said.
YouTube, which Google bought last year, already has a global audience, with more than half of its viewers outside of the United States, Mr. Chen said.
read more Read more:Interfaces
Guardian Unlimited Free Learn Languages Resources 2007-06-20 13:59:51
Just ran across Guardian
Unlimited's education.guardian.co.uk language-learning resource website.
That is a mouthful.
From the site:
Your chance to brush up on your language skills with these specially selected articles designed to broaden your vocabulary and grammatical skills while also learning a little more about each country. There is also an audio of each article to listen to. You will need RealPlayer to listen to these clips.
read more Read more:Languages
, Resources
hellomandarin.com CLTV 2007-06-17 22:00:38
For Windows user only (plugin needed), this is a great resource for TV in Chinese on a variety of topics that you choose individually.
Visit this resource.
read more
Arabic and Chinese Rosetta Stone and Free Audio Course Downloads 2007-06-17 11:48:49 Keeping up with the updates... four new resources have been added.
Started to add commercial resources to earn some cash for improving the site. More on this soon.
Here are the latest four additions:
Download Free FSI Mandarin Chinese
Language Courses
RosettaStone
Learn Mandarin Chinese Language Software Level 1 (Commercial)
Download Free FSI Arabic
Language Courses
Rosetta Stone Learn Arabic Language Software Level 1 (Commercial)
We'll keep on working to make it happen here.
read more Read more:Audio
, Downloads
Practice Chinese with Volunteers through Connecting China 2007-06-15 09:28:52
I was sent a link to Hello Mandarin PracticeChinese
through ConnectingChina
.
There are resources there for learning basic phrases for different situations such as business, survival, youth, etc.
You can also find Chinese volunteer teachers through this website, which is pretty cool.
From the site:
I'm a student in China.I love to talk with my foreign friends who are from all over the world about China.I love this proffesional that can make you knowledgeable in many feilds.I'm sure I will be a competent teacher and a good friend of you!
read more Read more:Volunteers
9 Tips for Learning the Spanish (or any) Language 2007-06-14 14:53:48
Just came across a list of 9 tips for language learners.
From the site:
Relax! Learning
a language is a long, difficult process. You are going to have ups and downs all along the way, and it is guaranteed that you will make a million mistakes. There will be days, even weeks, when you feel like you are making no progress, and even times when you feel that your Spanish
has gotten worse. This is all completely normal, so just DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
Learning a language is a process, and just like any other process it takes time. All anyone really needs to do to improve their Spanish (or any other language) is RELAX, PRACTICE, and GIVE IT TIME; and you are guaranteed to get better!
Read more and see all the tips.
read more
11 Common Mistakes of Intermediate Spanish Learners 2007-06-14 14:44:58
Just came across a great list of 11 mistakes that intermediate Spanish
learners make.
From the site:
A major distinction between an intermediate and advanced speaker of any language is the person’s ability to communicate as a native speaker would. An advanced speaker is able to express her thoughts in the same way the native speaker does, while an intermediate speaker does not have the same “feel” for the language and thus relies on sentence structures and cognates of their first language to communicate in the foreign one. This intermediate speaker is normally still understood, but there is something unnatural and awkward about the way their phrasing.
This ability to think and communicate as a native speaker would, is only learned after much practice and many hours of listening to native speakers until one way just sounds more natural than the others. However, to help with the process, I have compiled a list of a 11 common errors I often hear intermediate Spanish speakers make, Read more:Common
, Intermediate
Rojas Free Spanish Language Podcast 2007-06-14 11:00:16
I just ran across another a free podcast for learning Spanish
.
From the site:
No English is spoken here. These podcasts are for the Intermediate and Advanced Spanish Speaker who would like to sharpen their Spanish skills. The fine points of the language will be presented and explored through a variety of topics to include; music, history, culture, food. A new podcast is published every Sunday evening. Native Spanish speakers may also find themselves intrigued.
Visit this resource.
Subscribe
Subscribe to the Rojas Spanish Podcast
.
Subscribe to the Rojas Spanish Podcast via iTunes.
read more
4 Free Spanish Lesson Podcasts Reviews on TheEcuaTraveler.com 2007-06-14 10:52:46
I was sent a link to a review of four podcasts with free Spanish
lessons.
From the site:
Lately I have been seeing more and more websites offering free Spanish Lesson podcasts. I think this is a fantastic idea, and could be really beneficial to anyone planning a trip to a Spanish speaking part of the world.
I think most people would agree that it is definitely beneficial to learn a little Spanish before attempting travel through a Spanish speaking area of the world. But, let’s be honest, trying to learn a language out of a book is extremely boring, and doesn’t even provide you with necessary practice in pronunciation and listening comprehension.
Spanish Lesson podcasts can fill that gap, and give you an opportunity to improve your listening comprehension and practice correct pronunciation. Plus, podcasts are free, so why not spend a couple of hours a week using them before your big trip!?
To help you on your way I looked over a number of sites offering Spanish Lesson podcasts and Read more:Podcasts
Info about the Devanagari Alphabet on Omniglot.com 2007-06-14 10:46:30 Just ran across info about the Devanagari alphabet on Omniglot.com.
From the site:
The Nāgarī or Devanāgarī alphabet descended from the Brahmi script sometime around the 11th century AD. It was originally developed to write Sanksrit but was later adapted to write many other languages.
The name Devanāgarī is made up of two Sanskrit words: deva, which means god, brahman or celestial, and nāgarī, which means city. The name is variously translated as "script of the city", "heavenly/sacred script of the city" or "[script of the] city of the Gods or priests". The origins and meaning of the name are uncertain.
Visit this resource.
read more Read more:Alphabet
Learn Spanish Online for Free Guide from theecuatraveler.com 2007-06-13 17:05:49
I was just sent a link to a free guide for learning spanish online for free.
From the site:
In researching for my recent post Free Spanish
Lesson Podcasts I sorted through a wide variety of Spanish Education websites. It was actually a pretty daunting task, because there is SO MUCH information on the web about learning Spanish! Like any other topic on the internet, some of the information is great, a lot of it is pretty bad, and many sites are just trying to sell you something, which makes picking out quality Spanish resources an intimidating task.
In my infinite wisdom I have decided to take on this great challenge of finding the best free Spanish learning websites on the net, and even take it one step further by compiling them into one easy-to-follow, Online Spanish Education Program.
The program I have put together is divided into 13 key lessons, and is targeted at the beginner-level Spanish student. Each lesson includes links to written information about a particular grammar topic Read more:Guide
A Mouthful 2007-06-12 22:45:34 Actually, this is part of where my specific work is leading the Free Language Project: a free and open, interactive interface with dynamic real-time tools that enhance and accelerate the language-learning process.
read more
Pinoy Podcast for Learning Tagalog Filipino 2007-06-11 17:02:14
Just came across a free podcast for learning Tagalog.
From the site:
Learn to speak Tagalog now (for free!) to give you the advantage when you travel to the Philippines.
Subscribe
Subscribe to PinoyPodcast
.
Subscribe to Pinoy Podcast via iTunes.
read more Read more:Learning
, Filipino
Sonhos... Acredite Neles 2007-06-10 18:45:45 Eu vi isto numa ilha privada na Bahia, Brasil, e gostei muito:
"Sonhos!!! Acredite neles."
"Dreams!!! Believe in them."
read more
French in Action, Free Comedy Videos for Learning français 2007-06-10 18:28:51
Just came across a unique resource for learning French
through a series of humorous videos!
You have to sign up for an account to gain access to the videos, FYI.
These are "very 80's".
From the site:
A video instructional series in French for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 52 half-hour video programs, audiocassettes, coordinated books, and Web site
This series uses active participation to increase fluency in French, while introducing French culture. Pierre Capretz’s proven language-immersion method is presented within a humorous teleplay with native speakers of all ages and backgrounds. The storyline of an American student and a young Frenchwoman's adventures in Paris and the French countryside is reinforced by Dr. Capretz’s on-camera instruction. The series is also appropriate for teacher professional development.
Visit French in Action
.
read more Read more:Learning
, Comedy
Learn Spanish with Destinos, an Introduction to Spanish Soap Opera 2007-06-10 18:25:18
Just came across a unique resource for learning Spanish
through a series of video soap operas!
You have to sign up for an account to gain access to the videos, FYI.
From the site:
A video instructional series in Spanish for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 52 half-hour video programs, audiocassettes, music CD, video and audio scripts, and coordinated books
Destinos teaches speaking, listening, and comprehension skills in Spanish. This telenovela, or Spanish soap opera, immerses students in everyday situations with native speakers and introduces the cultures, accents, and dialects of Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. Understanding of Spanish and appreciation of many Hispanic cultures increase as students become absorbed in the mysterious and entertaining story. Closed captioning in Spanish can be used as a teaching and literacy resource. The series is also appropriate for teacher professional development.
Visit Destinos.
read more Read more:Introduction
Fokus Deutsch Free Video Soap Operas for Learning German 2007-06-10 18:09:56
Just came across a unique resource for learning German
through a series of video soap operas!
You have to sign up for an account to gain access to the videos, FYI.
From the site:
A video instructional series in German for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 48 fifteen-minute video programs, audio CDs, and coordinated books
Follow the story of Professor Bob Di Donato and Marion, his assistant, as they create a German course using a “German studies” approach. They weave together minidramas set in Germany, interviews with native speakers, and documentary footage on history and culture, all of which help increase fluency in and comprehension of the language. The narratives, presented in natural, authentic German, cover topics such as school, employment, travel, and personal relationships. Time codes on the videos make it easy to find specific segments. Levels 1 and 2 address vocabulary, topics, and structures for basic communication in German; level 3 continues many Read more:Learning
, Deutsch
Many Site Additions are Stacking Up 2007-06-07 12:56:21 It's been a while since I have announced the latest resources to the blog subscribers. Here they are:
Beeld South African News in Afrikaans
Beginning Indonesian Learn Bahasa Indonesia Course
Learn Basic Bahasa Indonesia Phrases at Expat.or.id
SEASite Indonesia Resources for Learning Bahasa
World Nomads iPod Lingo Indonesian Language Podcast
World Nomads iPod Spanish Language Podcasts
World Nomads iPod Japanese Language Podcasts
World Nomads iPod Italian Language Podcasts
World Nomads iPod Mandarin Chinese Language Podcasts
World Nomads iPod Hindi Language Podcasts
World Nomads iPod French Language Podcasts
Learn Arabic Free at Speak7
italki.com Free Skype VoIP and IM Language Partner Community
Study and Learn Afrikaans Easy at EasyAfrikaans.com
Improve Your French with the Lille Podcast from France
Improve Spanish with Español Podcast or Spanish Podcast
Taste of Russian Podcast with Free MP3 Audio and PDF Transcripts
We also published a newsletter for May 2007:
Read the May 2007 Free Read more:Stacking
tasteofrussian.com Taste of Russian Free Podcast 2007-06-07 11:10:43
Just got an email about a new podcast for learning the Russian
language.
From the site:
Welcome to our Russian podcasts 'Taste of Russian'. If you wish to improve your listening and speaking skills in Russian, we are glad to help you.
Be sure, it isn't a boring Grammar course, it is a real chat on different topics which can be heard in everyday life. It is a chance to listen to the native speakers talking at home, at work, at the shop, at the party, etc.
If you are interested in, you can download both MP3 files and full transcripts of any podcast on the site. It's absolutely free. We plan to post our podcasts once a week. You can put them onto your iPod and enjoy them whenever you like and wherever you want.
Visit Taste of Russian.
Subscribe
Subscribe to Taste of Russian Podcast
.
read more
Free Language Learning Journal 2007-06-05 10:01:25 Get your Language LearningJournal
for FREE!
* Contains articles on the teaching and learning of languages
* Applied linguistics, language policy, current and topical issues
* Ideas on and experiences of practical classroom teaching
Click here to get your free journal!
read more
Writing Systems, Glyphs and Scripts from Around the World 2007-06-05 07:34:26
Just came across a really cool image list of writing systems from around the world on the Omniglot website.
From the site:
There are a number of different ways to describe writing and writing systems.
Writing systems are both functional, providing a visual way to represent language, and also symbolic, in that they represent cultures and peoples.
All writing systems use visible signs with the exception of the raised notation systems used by blind and visually impaired people, such as Braille and Moon.
Visit the image list page at Omniglot.com
Visit the "What is writing?" page on Omniglot.com
read more Read more:Systems
, Scripts
, World
On-Line Korean Language Resource 2007-06-04 15:07:45
From the site:
Korean
, a language spoken by about 63 million people in South Korea, North Korea, China, Japan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia. The relationship between Korean and other languages is not known for sure, though some linguists believe it to be a member of the Altaic family of languages. Grammatically Korean is very similar to Japanese and about 70% of its vocabulary comes from Chinese.
Visit Omniglot
read more Read more:Resource
Hebrew Alphabet: Judaism 101 2007-06-04 14:25:18
From the site:
The Hebrew
and Yiddish languages use a different alphabet than English. The picture below illustrates the Hebrew alphabet, in Hebrew alphabetical order. Note that Hebrew is written from right to left, rather than left to right as in English, so Alef is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet and Tav is the last. The Hebrew alphabet is often called the "alefbet," because of its first two letters.
Visit Judaism
101
read more Read more:Alphabet
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