Unilang Language Learning Month

[Junesun]

Hello everybody,

I recently read about the Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month), which basically means that thousands of people, not just from the USA, try to write a novel of at least 10000 words in a specified month. I heard that it's a great motivation for all those who always wanted to explore their creative side and who never found the time. This event brings people together as well, since they're all facing similar problems at the same time.

Last night, I thought that perhaps Unilang could have a similar event for language-learning? There would be a high goal and it would be an opportunity for people to explore just how much of a language can be learned in a month, given fierce determination. Perhaps everybody should study the same language that month, so that people share everything and can compare how they're going about it and how much they achieve. In that case it should be a language that many members have on their "wish to learn" list. But if that is too much of a presumption, it would be imaginable to leave the language choice open and still have such an event.

What do you think?

Judith

[proycon]

Great idea!!!

[Malcolm]

Perhaps everybody should study the same language that month

Is everyone supposed to write the same novel for the National Novel Writing Month?

[Kathy]

Yes, I also think that would be interesting. The main problem, I guess, would be the choice of the language to be learnt by everybody.
May be two languages would be easier to choose. I think, if everybody tried different languages, that would not be such fun...

[E}{pugnator]

Wonderful idea!

I suggest having two very distinct languages, so that the range of choice is wider.

These languages should have lots of resources online, at least one reasonably good course, better if they had two.

At least one of these languages should be written with the latin alphabet.

We should avoid very commonly-learned languages such as German, French, Italian, Spanish 'coz then we'd have most people already beyond the beginning level, and it's harder to check how much u've learned once u've passed the beginner's level.

I already have one suggestion in mind...

[Malcolm]

I already have one suggestion in mind...

Hungarian? no way!

[CoBB]

Why? It's FUN!

[Malcolm]

Why? It's FUN!

Lol yeah I know, I already learn it myself...

[E}{pugnator]

No, not Hungarian.

[Sido]

(remember I have all my life long):

I have not, so choose well !!
Not indo-european
With easily accessible resources
Why not indonesian ?
http://home.unilang.org/babelbabble/index.php?n=16&t=7

[E}{pugnator]

Lol! My signature has nothing to do with the Language Learning Month's choice

My suggestions for this first month are:


Swahili

Armenian


I know good resources for both languages. Swahili has simple phonetics. Armenian is Indo-european but doesn't look much like the indo-european you are used to. It has an alphabet, not a logographic writing system.

[ekalin]

Interesting idea, but I'd only take part if I had a real interest in the proposed language(s). However, I could perhaps use a month to develop further one of the languages I am learning...

[Kubi]

Nice idea. I'd probably join and can only hope that I don't give it up midway (I tend to do it if I don't have a sound reason for learning that language...).

Edit: As for the choice given between Swahili and Armenian, out of laziness I'd go for the first: it saves me learning an additional alphabet

[E}{pugnator]

Ok, Kubi, that's why people suggested having two options each month You can pick the one you find easier or you can try a more challenging one - or both .

That means some people will be learning Armenian, others Swahili, others both of them and we will evaluate our efforts by the end of the month. (I write this in case someone thinks I'm proposing a choice for electing ONE language for the month, I'm actually proposing we have TWO options each month and these are the two ones I recommend).

[Guillem]

Nice challenge!
I think I'll go learn some Armenian, as it fascinates me and I find its alphabet really beautiful! What a shame I'm so bad at learning new alphabets... (any tip for this, guys?)
But even with the difficulty added, I just finished my exams today, so now I have some spare time for giving it a try

/me feels free