Twitter as a Language Learning Tool
This video and post on the Around the World in 80 Mays blog on “How to start learning Italian” had one especially good tip for practicing a new language. Create a twitter account and practice your language of choice with quick 140 character updates. The kind of things people post to their twitter account are usually very conversational and to the point. I think this is a great idea.
I’m thinking of creating a similar post of language resources for languages I have attempted to actually learn in depth, Russian and French. Before traveling to any new country I get travel fluent. Travel fluent means that I’m not scared if nobody speaks English because I know just enough of whatever the language is to get by. I may not remember much of the three-weeks of Italian cramming now, but I could reactivate what little I do know on the plane next time I go back. I have attempted to get travel fluent in Italian, Spanish, Croatian and Chinese. In South America and Italy I was really glad I did this, but other places I was mostly just less freaked out and found someone who spoke English quickly so it didn’t matter. It was nice to know that if necessary with a lot of gestures and my “travel fluency” I can get by.
In Chile my travel spanish saved me 50% off the cab ride from the airport to the hotel. The English only speakers paid double what I did. Of course the fluent spanish speakers paid even less than I did, but I counted it a small victory.
