I learned a new language by accident

So I've never had a spanish class or studied the language and never really thought about speaking it. I can't understand when people speak spanish in front of me and never paid any attention to it.

Today while I'm sitting in the laundrymat I am bored because I forgot to bring a book so I am just reading all the various signs posted on the walls.

To my amazement it turns out I can read spanish, not fluently, but well enough that I can tell what everything is saying. I even tested this.

Usually the spanish sign is posted right next to an english one so I went all over the laundrymat, picked signs that I had no idea what they meant, and purposely did not look at the english version first. After I read the spanish writing I verified it with the english one and I had pretty much nailed it.

I then went over to the little bulletin board and found myself able to understand the advertisements people posted that were in spanish.

I've a little experience in spanish, just from living in Arizona but this suprised me. I have no idea where I picked up the ability to read a foreign language. I still can't speak it beyond the words sesame street teaches you but apparently I can understand the words.

Is this normal?

reply to post by Hopechest


I learned to read Spanish by reading it off boxes that I stocked.

Originally posted by zonetripper2065
reply to post by Hopechest

 

I learned to read Spanish by reading it off boxes that I stocked.

Isn't that something?

I had never even tried to pick it up though. I guess it just happened.

Is this how children learn languages I wonder? Just kind of pick it up?

reply to post by Hopechest


Precisely, look at it long enough and start to recognize it.

Try reading a book in Spanish before making that claim.

reply to post by Hopechest

Thats interesting, I've had a couple of Spanish girlfriends and traveled there quite a lot without knowing much of the language, but when there, you're immersed in the language and its very easy to pick it up and after a week or two I could pretty much understand what was being said. Communicating back is another story though

Unfortunately not all languages are as easy to master. I live in Bulgaria now and the language is a NIGHTMARE, coupled with the fact that the alphabet is totally different makes for a very slow learning process.

Translate this

reply to post by Severin


That is the strange part however, I'm not immersed in it whatsoever.

I have tried to read a book, well a website article, and many of the words I couldn't understand, I had no familiarity with them. However, I did know enough of the article to piece together what was being said.

Now that didn't shock me as much as the speed I could do it. I'm naturally a very fast reader and I could basically skim the article and tell you what it was about just by picking up the words I knew.

That is probably more due to the fact that I've been a student forever and a day but it was still suprising.

Im learning russian Atm because i have a few russian friends. I started out reading childrens books to help me! Because theres no signs in russian in England (Well not as i know). But if there were im sure i would have done the same

Originally posted by TheDoctor46
Im learning russian Atm because i have a few russian friends. I started out reading childrens books to help me! Because theres no signs in russian in England (Well not as i know). But if there were im sure i would have done the same

Hi Doc
I learned Hebrew from children's books as well, the first success was good night moon. I'll never forget the feeling of triumph when I read it and understood it.

My education was continued by my kids. Bless them

Sometimes I'll watch a tv show in Spanish. Usually they talk way to fast for me, but if you put on the closed captions you can read it. That way you are reading and hearing the words at the same time.

Just a thought.

reply to post by Hopechest


English has a fairly high percentage of Latinate words, so you could have spotted some familiar words. Also, do you speak French, Italian or Portuguese?