Language Learning Stack Exchange
Language Learning Stack Exchange

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Is Duolingo effective in learning to speak languages?

I have been using Duolingo to learn a multitude of languages. I have learned plenty of vocabulary. But is it effective for learning to speak?
bleh
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What factors affect the ability to read aloud in a foreign alphabet?

What cognitive skills and other factors (types of exposure, practice, knowledge of the language, etc.) affect one's ability to read aloud fluently in a foreign alphabet — or even in one's native language/alphabet? Are there any studies which show…
SAH
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When does a native reach certain CEFR levels?

The language skill is a process that takes time. If you're a native you still don't jump right into C2. I was wondering at what age/education level do natives reach certain language level of their mother tongue (as defined by CEFR). I've tried…
Ister
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Should I start learning another language even if I haven't mastered the last one?

I have studied German for the whole year last year. But I want to study other languages too. I haven't mastered German yet, and I am seeking advice whether I should start learning a new language together with German. My issue is that I know learning…
Bwrites
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How useful is passive "background" listening?

I have seen many different opinions regarding the usefulness of, say, having a radio program on in the background while you work, do chores, etc. Some say that simply being able to hear the sounds and rhythm of the language will help promote further…
eefara
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How do I make sure that I don't speak different languages?

So, at home, I speak "Chinglish" (a mix of Chinese and English). I talk to my friends in "Frenglish" (a mix of French and English) and currently learning Japanese, so I sometimes get confused with Japanese and Chinese. I constantly get confused…
bleh
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Graded readers for Japanese?

As several other questions already mentioned, graded readers are a good resources for extensive reading, at least for people who are not yet sufficiently proficient to read texts written for native speakers of the target language. For languages that…
Tsundoku
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What is this phenomenon called when someone uses an "uncommon" word in his target language that is similar to one in his own language?

Suppose someone is learning words in a foreign language, and uses an "uncommon" word in his target language that is similar to one in his own language. For instance, the Spanish word for "mortgage" is "hipoteca." So the Spanish-speaker learns and…
Tom Au
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Can reading aloud be an alternative to practicing speaking skills with other people?

The reason might be that we can not easily find people with the same language that we learn or just feeling more comfortable when we read out loud and try to make correct sounds by ourselves.
aettanany
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What factors make a language difficult to learn from the learner's POV?

Are there any studies which address which factors—if there are any—have more influence on the learner to consider a new language as difficult to learn? Factors could be: The mother tongue of the learner How many languages the learner speaks at…
Medi1Saif
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Is it important to be able to spell words?

Being able to write in a language is certainly an important skill, but is writing by hand that important? Since a lot of communication is done digitally, I am wondering whether it would be sufficient to roughly know how to spell a word rather than…
永劫回帰
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How can learning a second language improve my skill with my native language?

When learning another language, one will often have to wrap their head around sentence structures, conjugations, and other quirks not found in their native language. Such things can include word order (such as the Spanish subject-object…
Hatchet
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Ups and Downs of learning from non-native speaker rather than native speaker

Usually, people will learn from someone that is fluent in that language and is a native speaker, allowing them to learn from those to truly know the language. Others, though, learn from non-native speakers who also know the language quite well.…
Anthony Pham
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Explaining the difference between 'very' and 'too' to native Chinese speakers

The Indo-European languages that I know (Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish) all make a distinction between "too" (meaning "to a higher degree than is desirable, acceptable or allowed") and "very"(it is "used for emphasis"). However, I have…
Tsundoku
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Will learning ASL interfere with other languages I am learning?

I am learning Italian right now. I've heard many people say that learning multiple languages at once is a risky idea, since you can easily confuse them. However, would that apply to ASL? I've heard ASL has its own grammar, but I would not lose any…
Sir Cumference
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