General Discussion Discussions about languages and language learning in general, including certificates, language related work, cultural experiences in foreign languages, polyglots, philology, linguistics, etc. Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:16:46 +0000 Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:16:46 +0000 Welcome to the Language Learning Forum at Polydog http://polydog.org/index.php?forums/general-discussion.3/ Are today's language learners better than those who lived before the computer age? Mon, 30 May 2016 00:14:52 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/are-todays-language-learners-better-than-those-who-lived-before-the-computer-age.462/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/are-todays-language-learners-better-than-those-who-lived-before-the-computer-age.462/ Big_Dog Big_Dog
I think there probably isn't much of a change. I'm guessing the lack of tools in the past meant that natural skills were better, and people were more diligent. Of course I can't prove this, but the stories from previous times don't make it sound like there have been huge gains in overall language...

Are today's language learners better than those who lived before the computer age?]]> 4 Weird, Funny expressions Sat, 07 Nov 2015 09:47:21 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/weird-funny-expressions.434/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/weird-funny-expressions.434/ Marine Marine
I think it will be cool to share our discoveries.

So to start, a russian expression which make me laught the first time I heard it. The Russians use it to say that something is very clean and shinny.

"блестит как у кота яйца"​

Shinny like the cat's balls​
]]> 6 what are the russian equivalents of the following words Thu, 12 Mar 2015 07:12:58 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-are-the-russian-equivalents-of-the-following-words.425/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-are-the-russian-equivalents-of-the-following-words.425/ Эрагон Эрагон rubbing alcohol -спиритом
benzoyl peroxide перекись бензоила(or rather how do you say a lotion/solution containing/consisting of benzoyl peroxide).

thanks in advance]]> What makes languages hard - the kernel lexicon size? Tue, 10 Mar 2015 07:48:55 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-makes-languages-hard-the-kernel-lexicon-size.418/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-makes-languages-hard-the-kernel-lexicon-size.418/ Big_Dog Big_Dog this article recently, which states:

"Ever wonder why some languages are harder for adults to learn than others? The researchers point out that languages contain what linguists call a “kernel lexicon,” meaning a list of words that constitute 75 percent of the written language. If you know those words, you can make out much of the literature. These also are the words least likely to...

What makes languages hard - the kernel lexicon size?]]> 4 what does "збс" mean? Sat, 24 Jan 2015 21:51:55 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-does-%D0%B7%D0%B1%D1%81-mean.410/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-does-%D0%B7%D0%B1%D1%81-mean.410/ Эрагон Эрагон
What do you think?]]> 5 New Year's Resolutions 2015 Mon, 19 Jan 2015 10:46:51 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/new-years-resolutions-2015.404/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/new-years-resolutions-2015.404/ Bob Bob I resolve to listen every day.]]> 4 Captain Obvious Sun, 09 Nov 2014 09:25:08 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/captain-obvious.327/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/captain-obvious.327/ Big_Dog Big_Dog
Mandarin. Regardless of how long I've studied, or how well I seem to be communicating, I still get "There are 4 tones in Mandarin, you know!" every once in a while. This used to happen when I made tone mistakes. Native speakers thought it was necessary to teach me about tones, which was a...

Captain Obvious]]> 11 Is there an upper limit to the level one can reach? Wed, 29 Oct 2014 19:46:42 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/is-there-an-upper-limit-to-the-level-one-can-reach.391/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/is-there-an-upper-limit-to-the-level-one-can-reach.391/ neofight78 neofight78
In the world of chess, where every player...

Is there an upper limit to the level one can reach?]]> 11 What do you think of Timothy Doner? Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:16:13 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-do-you-think-of-timothy-doner.390/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-do-you-think-of-timothy-doner.390/ Big_Dog Big_Dog this article posted by Josquin over at HTLAL. Personally, I've often thought he is the youtube polyglot with most potential. He's reached a high level in 5 or 6 languages, and played with about 15 others. He's only 18. He seems to have better publicity and support than just about any other polyglot. But there are 2 things that makes him stand out in my mind.

1) His accents. Compared to other multi...

What do you think of Timothy Doner?]]> 1 Why is it easier to write than to speak? Thu, 23 Oct 2014 11:12:00 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/why-is-it-easier-to-write-than-to-speak.355/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/why-is-it-easier-to-write-than-to-speak.355/ Big_Dog Big_Dog
"I assume you mean conversation when you say "speak". There can be many reasons; I think it depends on the individual. If you often write, but rarely converse, for example. Or it might not even be true. When I first started writing Russian, I had already been conversing for 2 years, so writing was...

Why is it easier to write than to speak?]]> 19 2014 Novi Sad Polyglot Conference vids and reports Wed, 22 Oct 2014 22:55:12 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/2014-novi-sad-polyglot-conference-vids-and-reports.367/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/2014-novi-sad-polyglot-conference-vids-and-reports.367/ Peregrinus Peregrinus
2014 Novi Sad Polyglot Conference vids and reports]]> 2 Tool for reading Japanese Wed, 22 Oct 2014 03:13:44 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/tool-for-reading-japanese.382/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/tool-for-reading-japanese.382/ hua hua hua hua 花花:D]]> 1 Thinking in a Language Wed, 22 Oct 2014 01:10:08 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/thinking-in-a-language.249/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/thinking-in-a-language.249/ Cainntear Cainntear Note - This is a discussion that broke out from the thread exit plan for isolated vocabulary.


I don't see it as a practical solution as I still don't know what it means or how to do it. As far as I...

Thinking in a Language]]> 29 What gender do you prefer for language exchange? Thu, 09 Oct 2014 22:26:54 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-gender-do-you-prefer-for-language-exchange.309/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-gender-do-you-prefer-for-language-exchange.309/ Big_Dog Big_Dog 25 How do you like your textbook structured? Thu, 09 Oct 2014 04:47:13 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/how-do-you-like-your-textbook-structured.349/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/how-do-you-like-your-textbook-structured.349/ Big_Dog Big_Dog a post by Chung, I got interested in the concept of an ideal textbook structure. Here are some examples of different structures I've seen in text books that worked well for me:

Thai for Beginners - vocabulary, dialogues, sentences, grammar, test, writing system, writing test.

Penguin Russian - key expressions, grammar with sample sentences and exercises, vocabulary, text and or dialogues...

How do you like your textbook structured?]]> 5 the impermanence of the net Thu, 09 Oct 2014 04:33:43 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/the-impermanence-of-the-net.215/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/the-impermanence-of-the-net.215/ Peregrinus Peregrinus
the impermanence of the net]]> 11 What skills take the longest to assimilate? Tue, 07 Oct 2014 20:48:18 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-skills-take-the-longest-to-assimilate.324/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/what-skills-take-the-longest-to-assimilate.324/ Big_Dog Big_Dog here. But that's off topic. What I wanted to talk about are those skills that just don't want to sink in. More specifically, I'm talking about reading, writing, listening, conversing, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Do you have an Achilles' heal? Do you work on something forever and ever, but see little results when you go to...

What skills take the longest to assimilate?]]> 15 Free online courses: study groups...? Sun, 05 Oct 2014 16:00:04 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/free-online-courses-study-groups.340/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/free-online-courses-study-groups.340/ Cainntear Cainntear
So I wondered about maybe setting up a study group with people here, to help chum each other through a language-based course. It would feel a bit more... human.

I've just started doing a course on corpus linguistics, which I studied...

Free online courses: study groups...?]]> 1 Chinese is the new English Sun, 05 Oct 2014 05:13:28 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/chinese-is-the-new-english.328/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/chinese-is-the-new-english.328/ Lance Manion Lance Manion 16 Viki - ENDANGERED LANGUAGES Global entertainment access for all Wed, 24 Sep 2014 01:16:10 +0000 http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/viki-endangered-languages-global-entertainment-access-for-all.322/ http://polydog.org/index.php?threads/viki-endangered-languages-global-entertainment-access-for-all.322/ biTsar biTsar Viki: Endangered and emerging languages on Viki

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So when Shklyaev stumbled upon a website called Viki —an online platform that licenses movies and television shows from around the world and opens them up for crowdsourced translation—he realized it would be a perfect place to bring his translation efforts. Shkyyaev and his team are now translating into Udmurt everything from...

Viki - ENDANGERED LANGUAGES Global entertainment access for all]]>