The Evolution Of The English Language
One question that I am frequently asked is "am I too old to learn Spanish?" or "am I too old to learn a foreign language?" The answer to that question is "no, you are never too old to learn a language." But these are actually excuses for not a foreign language more than they are inquiries about learning a foreign language. Let me borrow a story from history that I hope will encourage you to eliminate your excuses and start learning your language of choice.
Don't believe it? You might be surprised if you were to go back and look at some of the things you've said. Look at some messages you've sent, and then consider saying the exact same words in a face-to-face or a telephone conversation. Sound a little rough? Don't feel too bad, it happens to the best of us, just try to keep this in mind the next time you're typing out an email or instant message.
It may seem ridiculous that learning Spanish can help improve your English. However, that is actually the case. Like English, Spanish was based from the latin language. However, Spanish is nearer to Latin. If you manage to learn Spanish, you can use the knowledge to learn more English words you do not know before. Also, the Latin background you will have from the Spanish language can help you determine appropriate words to use in your daily English discourses.
Learning Greek is learning the language that is 3,000 years old. Not many know that the Greek language has influenced most of the European languages, even English through some French and latin words that are already part of mainstream English. It is also the best documented language on the globe, spanning over 34 centuries. That follows after the Greek civilization has been the most studied perhaps. Some of the words made popular by the Greek language are mathematics, philosophy, astronomy, democracy, theatre, among others.
In the background, the television anchorman started to talk into a microphone, explaining to his unseen viewers this great new technology, with the eager face of an expert and an uneasy stomach because he was not sure what exactly he was talking about.
quotes in latin English poet, Alexander Pope is credited with writing, "To err is human; to forgive, divine." This is one of three best-known quotes from his poem, An Essay on Criticism. Other famous quotes from the same poem are "a little learning is a dangerous thing" and "fools rush in where angels fear to tread." Pope didn't create the phrase "to err is human," which originates from an ancient Latin proverb "Errare humanum est." Pope merely expanded on it.
Probably the best way to learn how to speak Spanish (or any language) is to actually take a class in a class room setting. However I don't know many people that have that kind of time. The second best thing is to find a program or class you can take online that is interactive. Something that requires a microphone where you speak the words they tell you and it will let you know if you are pronouncing the words correctly. All interactive programs will force you speak out loud and learn how to carry on a conversation.
