Many of our readers are learning French or other languages. If you’re one of these, or know someone who’s studying a language, I’ve got a really special announcement today. AND I need your help!
Since starting this blog, I’ve had so many questions about language learning, and so much interest in it, that I’ve decided to publish an e-book on the subject. Along the way I’ve been learning a language myself, as have many of our expat friends. Languages have always been a passion for me, but like a lot of you I’ve struggled with the best way to study and practice.
PHOTO: Learning a new language takes a lot of effort. But it always helps to study with a friend.
I’m calling my book a min-E-book since you can read it in an hour or so. Here is the title:
How to Learn a New Language with a Used Brain The BEST Way to Learn a Second Language, and Survive the Experience
The book will not be a textbook for learning French. It’s a book on the best way to GO ABOUT learning a language, French or otherwise. It will be available to read on all devices or your computer and I’m expecting it will cost $2.99. More details on that as it progresses.
I’ve researched the topic extensively to put together a specific learning program. I’m also drawing on the experience and advice of folks who are actually in the process of learning a language or have done so sucessfully, including our ex-pat friends and YOU, our francophile (and French) readers, who are quite a worldly set of folks.
So this is where you come in. Throughout the text I’d like to put tips from friends and readers who have discovered something that works for them to make language learning easier. This could be a technique for learning or for practice, a specific program or aid that you’ve found and like, and so on. I would love it if you would share your experiences. I'm really jazzed about making this a community book! Those of you added some tips in the comments section last week after I mentioned the book, I’ve noted those and je vous remercie beaucoup.
Here are some specifics: You can put your tips in the Comments section but I prefer it if you email me directly at lynn.mcbride@southernfriedfrench.com. I will use only first names in the book, unless you specify otherwise. If you have a blog, I will put a link to that as well. Unfortunately I will not be able to list all of the tips in the book, as there are bound to be some duplications, space limitations, etc.
Thanks for joining me on this adventure. Merci et bisous!
BOOK GIVEAWAY: The Drawing was held today. Felicitations to our four winners. Thank you to all who entered, and especially to Kristin for her gift of the books.
Favorite Reads: Speaking of languages, here’s my very best tip: Get a great French-English dictionary and USE IT! On my computer (and ipad, and iphone) I have the Ultralingua French-English dictionary, available for Windows or Mac. So easy to just look up a word/phrase/verb conjugation with a click or two! I’m happy to have Ultralingua as our new sponsor, a perfect fit. Just click on the green link, left top of post, to get the info.
Zip over to The Daily Basics e-zine this week if you'd like to read my article, "Keeping it Real and Rustic In France", about those rusty, dusty flea market finds.
In the COMMENTS: Speaking of language, Lacey asks about je t’embrasse, a closing for a note between close friends that means ‘hugs’ (literally ‘I embrace you”). Bisous or Bises is another closing, meaning “kiss kiss”, just like the French do on each cheek. And once again, lots of bisous for those who jumped right in with language tips. Herm, your funny book suggestion, "Lynn's Castle Casseroles" will have to wait!
Our Reader's Blogs: Everyone loves to dream about Provence, so don't miss An American Girl in France. There you'll meet a fat cat named Turkey and another called TFP (Tiny Fat Princess), who terrorizes the neighborhood dogs. Our reader Cindy is a blue ridge artist with quite an eclectic collection, find her at The Art of Cindy Walker.
14 thoughts on “The BEST Way to Learn French”
Merci beaucoup Lynn & Kristin – I can’t wait to read the book!
Salut Lynn,
Salut Lynn,
Good luck with the e-book! Sounds like a great idea. Having studied French now for a couple years, I look forward to new ideas and learning what works for others.
À bientôt
À bientôt
One aid is allowing yourself to feel clownish. You’ll learn pronunciation much faster if you let your lips and tongue and vocal cords perform outlandish imitations of a French speaker in spite of how foolish these physical changes will make you feel (sort of like a version of Charles Boyer singing “‘sank heaven for leetle girls”). Another way of thinking about this: self-consciousness stunts your progress.
Bonjour tout le monde!
As a former high school French teacher, I would say that, for the most part, learning language in a classroom setting is unsatisfactory. It’s great for memorizing verb conjugations and vocabulary but isn’t SPEAKING always the challenge? I believe the KEY to learning a language is being willing to TAKE THE RISK to put yourself out there, to make mistakes. I find my best students are not the A test-takers- they are the ones who speak up and have fun with the language!
I studied Spanish in Madrid at a class where we studied in a book, did homework, and studied conjugation of verbs. I really applied myself to it 3 or 4 hours a day, as I had the time to do so. My Spanish remained poor. I went to Berlitz, and shared a class with a friend, the teacher and ourselves did conversation only- we would bring in the newspapers or HOLA magazine, and just start speaking. The teacher would get us to use 2 tenses in the sentences, always pushing us- this was fantastic and I progressed quickly.
The best language experience I had was 3 weeks at the Institute de Francaise in Villefranche-sur-Mer. It was INTENSE, but one of the best experiences of my life. After that I followed up with THEIR teachers for private lessons, and I will continue to do so.
Regarding tapes and CDs, I very much like PIMSLEUR.
Best
Beth Craig
No suggestions, but wanted to congratulate you on the project — sounds great!
I will definitely buy it. I need all the help I can get. No hints for learning, just hopefully a better student with your book. I am also waiting for the Castle Casserole book.
Mike Kane is so right! What he said is especially true in France. The French are usually amazed (and highly appreciative) if they know that you’re a native English speaker trying to kick off the conversation in French and apart from doing your linguistic development a world of good, it’s a great icebreaker too!
Must put in a plug for the Larousse French dictionary for iPad and IPhone. Also available for android phones. Cheap app but very authoritative with all the vocabulary you’ll need (including slang and some pretty strong stuff to be carefully used in polite company) together with conjugations for French verbs. Oh, it also gives you pronunciation too!
Finally, if you want to really get to get to speak everyday French comme les francais, buy “The Complete Merde” by Genevieve ( available on Amazon). as the title suggest, it’s got all the stuff you wouldn’t repeat to your maiden aunt ( carefully graded using a star coding sytem) but it’s also full of perfectly innocent everyday French slang and idioms.
Congratulations on the new book you are writing!
I am in a weekly informal French conversation group with folks who mostly speak much better French than I do. I also find that if I *want* to learn new vocab I do best by struggling through recipes… (grin) and I can get French TV on my phone! It *all* helps, a mon avis.
What a terrific idea. This is something I have been struggling with so I am looking forward to the book! My plane leaves for France Sept. 7 – hope the book is out before then so I can be a pro!
Darlin’ I’d dearly love to help you out but as much as I love France and the French language I haven’t any advice on learning it well. My southern accent makes me so intimidated to actually use what little French I know. I can read it better than I speak it and I can’t really “hear” it when it’s spoken to me unless it’s très lentement! I might just have to have your E book. Who knows, it could help me.
All the best with it,
V
Like so many others, I can’t wait for the book. No fabulous tips, except to have patient friends who will laugh with you and then gently help you correct your mistakes! And a large supply of champagne doesn’t hurt!
Great concept…; I teach French online and I am having a great time with students all over the world…
Skype and a Smart Board do the trick… It’s fun and it works.
Working with a native speaker is the key, I think.
I studied Spanish and English with native speakers and always felt they gave me 200% of themselves.
Georges
http://www.wix.com/provencao/ghc-online-services#!