MultiLingual Media’s Post

Classic garbage in/garbage out: Some poorer-quality foreign translators into English don't bother learning to type an apostrophe, so they use their native language's keyboard layout and type an acute accent instead. They write things like "can´t", "don´t", etc. This makes spellchecking a nightmare, for one thing. However, right now I'm reviewing an otherwise very good machine translation where the AI has partially picked up that bad habit from the bad translators, and I have to be on the lookout and correct it.

I heard you're passionate about learning new languages. Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the process? I've got something that can help. It's a book. It's not just another language book; it's a complete roadmap to fluency. It covers everything from vocabulary and grammar to reading strategies, and it's tailored to your level, whether you're a beginner or intermediate. Imagine being able to speak, read, and write in your target language fluently. This book can get you there. Interested?" https://lnkd.in/dw7pp8c9

Sharing my hobby project on linkedin! This is software I made to help teach myself Finnish. So far, I generate en->fi and fi->en translation exercises and Finnish audio transcription exercises from scraped articles. Then I grade the answers with embeddings cosine distance, and track my progress over time. It's been fun learning React, LLM stuff, and, optimistically, Finnish. Since my time at Pandora, I've been interested in data-optimized learning (learning to appreciate a song == learning anything else), so that's coming eventually. If you're patient, check out my video or article in the comments. Kippis kaikille jotka opettelevat suomea.

Anyone who embarks on the study of a new language can notice that they assimilate it, to a large extent, by being exposed to that language. Whether it's by traveling to the country where it's spoken, conversing with friends, watching movies, or reading books in that new language. This is especially true when it comes to attempting to speak it. However, learning it precisely, sequentially, and efficiently involves a deeper learning process. In many cases, the need to learn a new language arises for social or professional reasons. And for both cases, it's also essential to learn to write it. In this regard, being exposed to a language is just the first step. Writing is a more rigorous, organized, and precise process than speaking, as writing requires greater attention to detail and is subject to fewer variations and errors. Learning to write in another language involves constant practice, the courage to explore various genres, and experimenting with them. Becoming familiar with different types of writing, such as emails, requests, poems, songs, diaries, novels, or love letters, allows one to begin assimilating basic aspects such as punctuation, as well as visualizing more complex processes such as structure, grammar, and cohesion. Exercising these skills can be exciting, as it allows one to address topics and genres that suit the individual interests, tastes, and experiences of each student.

Here’s a BIG misconception about learning languages - When people think about language learning difficulty, they often focus on ornate writing systems with thousands of complex characters or scripts. However, as a linguist, I evaluate language complexity based more on the nuances of the spoken tongue rather than the written form. Fluent conversation in any language depends most on grasping details like: - Pronunciation subtleties - Tonal or pitch variations - Inflection and intonation patterns - Regional and social dialects - Native cadence and rhythms Achieving authentic pronunciation and adaptive speech should be the primary markers of fluency. Writing is secondary for everyday talking.

I’ve recently discovered a dream tool which combines pleasure and utility. It really helps with learning languages from films and TV series! 📺   I’m talking about Language Reactor – a clever plug-in for the Chrome browser which changes Youtube, Netflix, and other platforms into a language laboratory 💪   It allows you to watch films and TV series in two languages at the same time by displaying subtitles in the original language and your mother tongue (or any other language of your choice).   But that’s not all.   ✔️  If you hover over given word, you’ll see its translation. ✔️  If you click it, you’ll hear how it should be pronounced and a window will pop up with more details about it – translations, examples of how it can be used, links to dictionaries (Cambridge, Pons, Reverso, Glosbe, etc.). ✔️  On the other hand, right-clicking allows (registered users) to save difficult words to a special list, which you can return to later and even export it to Excel or Anka.   This list lets you listen to the whole subtitle again, remember the translation, and open the window with details about it.   🎉 There’s no need anymore to look up words in the dictionary, copy them, or write them down in your notebook.   There’s even a button to automatically stop the video after each subtitle. Alternatively, you can add words without stopping and go back to them later 😉   In this way, Language Reactor helps to understand the main message, to practice your listening, and to work on your vocabulary in a convenient way.   The weekend is coming and I can’t wait to have pleasant study session and discover new functions while watching my favourite films.   🙋 What do you think of Language Reactor? Would you like to try it?   If so, in which language? 🌍   #balajcza #learninglanguage #tools #online #LanguageReactor

"📚 Happy to share a recent insight that caught my attention on my teaching journey! 🌐 In language education, I've rediscovered the enduring power of storytelling. Explore why and how stories can enhance language learning in this article. 🚀 With AI at our fingertips, there's a chance to creatively use narratives through writing, listening, and even making our own videos. Let's consider transforming our teaching methods for a more engaging and effective learning experience! 🎓 #LanguageLearning #TeachingInnovation #StorytellingInEducation"

According to DeepL, the writing assistant can polish business texts regardless of the writer's language proficiency... repost by rbhall.com