Language Studies

[FrozenChosen]

I know many members are xlingual (where x= the prefix corresponding to the number of languages you know). I am a history major, and what's worse, I'd love to be a history professor, so I'd need to be able to read several languages (apparently Ebonics isn't good enough). "But Daniel, no one here is interested in your life goals," you might say. Which brings me to my question...

Do any of you know any good language study computer programs? Have any of you used them? What are they? Did it significantly help you?

At college I plan on taking the following:

3 more 4 hour German courses (have already done one course)
4 - 4hr Latin courses
4 - 4hr French courses

This is just for undergrad work. If I get accepted to a MA/PhD program, I'd obviously spend some extra time refining those languages, and learning a few more. Other languages I'd like to add would be Classical Greek (for starters), Arabic, and lastly Hebrew.

Any advice would be helpful!

 

[DanielC]

Pope: How are you a history major when you're going to take 48 hours of languages? Unless you intend on being a War Eagle for six years. Sheesh.

I speak Romanian and can read a bit in Italian (its pretty close to Romanian) and Greek, and I'm working on Hebrew. But I'm pretty sure that the language lobe of my brain is retarded, because I have a tough time with languages. Judging by your aspirations, you're probably better at it than I am. I don't know of any programs to recommend, but you may want to consider studying in Europe for a while - maybe Italy. If you learn one romance language well its easy to read the others after just a bit more study. Italian will get you the closest to Latin, and you can use it as a springboard for French.

Interesting selections for a historian. I have a degree in history too, but I always thought in would be cool to speak a language that consists primarily of clicking and popping sounds.

 

[RamistThomist]

If you can handle Greek and Latin, everything else comes easy. I know he is not looked on favorably, but Doug Wilson does give an able defense of learning Latin in school. For one, it gives you an amazing control of English.

Check out this cool link, http://www.gileskirk.com/q_a_frame.html, by George Grant for a reason to study Latin.

Regards,

 

[FrozenChosen]

[quote:85d228afe9="DanielC"]Pope: How are you a history major when you're going to take 48 hours of languages? Unless you intend on being a War Eagle for six years. Sheesh.[/quote:85d228afe9]

Well it's kind of a tenative plan. Certainly not very refined. But wittle it down to 40 hours, because 8 of those are core, factor in that I had a semester of core under my belt before I walked onto campus, add the three, divide by two, carry the nine, and it might work.

There is a course available for each language after two semesters of that language are completed called "Reading Proficiency in Whatever" and I may take that and see how well it pans out.

Also, they give us a TON of electives. Like, a metric ton. I don't really know what a metric ton is, because I'm not using my electives on sciences. Eep.

 

[JohnV]

In early grade school I learned the language of the ancient Phonecians. My teacher said it was important to learn it first. So, she taught me Phonics.

 

[DanielC]

[quote:d1e99b7f8c="FrozenChosen"][quote:d1e99b7f8c="DanielC"]Pope: How are you a history major when you're going to take 48 hours of languages? Unless you intend on being a War Eagle for six years. Sheesh.[/quote:d1e99b7f8c]

Well it's kind of a tenative plan. Certainly not very refined. But wittle it down to 40 hours, because 8 of those are core, factor in that I had a semester of core under my belt before I walked onto campus, add the three, divide by two, carry the nine, and it might work.[/quote:d1e99b7f8c]

What? It would seem your electives aren't in math either. Don't you only carry things after adding and multiplying? I could be wrong though - I didn't take any math in college. Are you in RUF down there?

 

[FrozenChosen]

Basically all I'll ever need to know is subtraction.

1945-1941 = 4 = length of US involvement in WWII

Yes, I go to RUF. It's awesome.

I've only been at college for one year. When I first went off, the only friends I had at Auburn went to BCM (Baptist Campus Ministries). I read [i:d338d9da75]Chosen by God[/i:d338d9da75] as soon as I got there, which put me at odds with most of the BCM kids. Then I studied a bit of Open Theism and I saw that it was being hinted at a lot by some of the ministers (one was from Dallas Theological Seminary). Eventually I left (but not after making some heads turn and look a Calvinism in a better light), hopped around campus ministries (except for like the charismatic stuff) because that was where my other friends went, but eventually thought:

"Daniel, aren't you in the PCA, and don't they have something JUST for you? Like, RUF or something?"

So I went to it and loved it. I still love it just as much as the first time I went. The thing I absolutely love about RUF is it's dedication to work with churches. A lot of Baptist churches have tons of college programs, but BCM never worked with them, and those church programs never sought to work with BCM. RUF serves as the college ministry for the two PCA churches in the area, and stays involved with them. I think it's just how a campus ministry should work.