Where did you learn English ?

[Atlas]

I've noticed a lot of non-english or american posters who can speak a very decent English, so my question would be for scandinavian, central European, south Europeans etc, where did you learn English ?

[Loki]

English is my second language (Afrikaans being the first). I mostly learnt it at school from the age of 7, but I liked the language and read many books at home in English. Also by watching English and American TV-programmes or movies.

[Absinthe]

By listening to heavy metal music, mostly :p

Of course I took classes, and my mom is also american, but what *really* motivated me to learn fast was the burning desire to understand the lyrics. ;)

[Arrow Cross]

Books at the start, but then I aquired a CPU... which is English... and well. I got an aquittal from going to English lessons in the last one and a half year of school, because I took an official, state-sponsored language exam.

Loved it. My classmates were all like: "Wtf? Him??..."

[TheGreatest]

In the Crib :)
(No... I don't mean a Club)

[HawkR]

I learned the basics from school, everything else from TV, friends, internett and so on.

[Hrolf Kraki]

By listening to heavy metal music, mostly :p


That´s how I began to learn some Finnish! :thumb001:

I wish foreign language programs could be viewed on American TV. Never will any network air a program that isn´t in English. Once the channel Bravo aired Lola Rennt with English subtitles, but that´s about it. We have the Spanish channel, but it´s a damn joke.

Few Americans know a second language, but it´s nearly impossible to learn one unless you really apply yourself. Outside high school and college, there are virtually no opportunities to learn a new language. Foreign language isn´t even taught until middle school.

What´s really funny is the lack of basic language skills by most people here. Few can adequately spell English words and can´t even begin to decipher the most basic foreign phrases. I could ask 10 people on the street what they thought "Hav en god dag!" meant and only 1 or 2 would know.

Leave it to the native speaker to derail the thread. Sorry, back to the specific topic.

I learned German in school and by talking to friends online. Reading grammar books helps me the most with grammar and reading news articles assists with vocabulary.

[Atlas]

That´s how I began to learn some Finnish! :thumb001:

Sonata Artica ? :p

[Hrolf Kraki]

Sonata Artica ? :p

Turmion Kätilöt.

Laulu:

-Verta ja lihaa
-Rautaketju
-4 Kaskyä

et. al.

[safinator]

Mostly from Internet and music.
Nothing learnt from school :D

[Damião de Góis]

On TV mostly. Not that it was my choice or anything, it wasn't my goal to learn english when i was 4 or 5 but as soon as i turned the TV on, that was what i listened to. By the time i got to learn it at school i already knew most of it.

[Hurrem sultana]

in school and by watching tv

[Unurautare]

kindergarten,school,college and too much TV.

[Mordid]

Sesame Street

[Veneda]

School and college to pass Business English Certificate, additional classes now to maintain my skills. Books, movies, TV and music were supporting factors.

[Mordid]

School and college to pass Business English Certificate, additional classes now to maintain my skills. Books, movies, TV and music were supporting factors.

y0uR eNglisz iz sUckz.

[polaciones]

School, school, everywhere.

[morski]

In the military. Now where is this TCBM silo?

[Comte Arnau]

When I was ten, the teacher asked me to tell the time in English. I failed in an epic way and everybody laughed at my ignoring such a simple thing. I decided then to study it harder, and that made me realize I actually liked languages in general.

Now I know that teacher had actually a very basic level of English. But I still thank her for humiliating me.

[Incal]

Films, music, computer games.

[Tchek]

Fun Factory on BBC when I was a kid; then videogames

[Siginulfo]

At school.

[Rosenrot]

Playing video games, watching friends and listening music. The fact my dad married an foreign woman help me to pratice.

Rammstein are teaching me German now.

[Lithium]

Mainly poetry, also music and movies.

[Tchek]

Rammstein are teaching me German now.

I tried Rammstein to learn German. Until I grabbed a map and realized I live 10km from the German border :D.



What I do is playing video games with German/Spanish subtitles and voiceovers.

I played 4 GTAs with Spanish subtitles and played PES (football game) with Spanish commentaries... this is an incredibely effective way to learn a language.

[The Alchemist]

I've always loved it. I learnt it in several ways, in this order:
1) Music
2) School
3) Travels
4) Many stranger friends
I still have many limits, my english is not perfect at all, but Apricity is helping me much in improving it, and this is one of the reasons i like writing here so much (for the despair of Mordid and the ones who hate me) :D :D

[Ushtari]

Well i happen to live in a country in Europe were movies are NOT dubbed


:coffee:

[leisitox]

At school, I have english as second language.
Im improving it right now,I speak fluid english orally.
I learn english playing Skyrim,Oblivion, and most of the games I choose are in english, helping me to improve. :D.
I only need to expand my vocabulary

[Leliana]

In school only, but our teachers were strict about their lessons.

[Albion]

I haven't learnt English yet. ;)

[R4ge]

I learned English in school (to become more proficient) but I learned the basics when I was young as I grew up in an English speaking country and English is my first and main language.

[MartelsHammer]

I am still learning...... I am currently teaching myself how to speak german (general). I may take classes.

[Matritensis]

I learnt the rudiments of the English language when I was in school,but only by reading about subjects that really interested me improved my level.I'm a fan of Osprey's books,and when I was younger they were only available in English.

[Albion]

Fun Factory on BBC when I was a kid; then videogames

How do you get the BBC in Europe? Is it broadcast there or do you have to point a satellite dish in our direction?

[Pallantides]

Music, Video Games and Movies.

[Insuperable]

When I was really young I watched Cartoon Network LOL

[Riki]

School in Portugal.At least 10 Years.
Five GCSEs ,equivalent to foundation diploma taken In England.(Sponsored by Her Majesty the Queen:).
And one thing that I think really helped,is the way the TV in Portugal show's foreigner show's with subtitles instead of dubbed.

[Rødskjegg]

Learned it at an early age. Had a few American friends who spoke English in their home with their parents. Watched a lot of movies with them as well.

The stuff I learned at school was mostly topping on the English cake.

[Wulfhere]

Funny how the starter of this thread, all those years ago, didn't think to add an option along the lines of:

I both speak, and am, English.

[dralos]

from tv

[devothcka]

Music, movies and literature. From school, almost nothing.

[Virtuous]

Was my first spoken language until eventually I shifted to Maltese plus I learned it at school, on TV, books etc etc.

[SilverKnight]

In the US, ever since 4. I was the best in English reading classes in 1st grade in my first school, Brooklyn, NY 97'

[Γέλως]

Mostly in private courses, but also in school...and of course in the internet.

[Peyrol]

When i had an american girlfriend...long time ago (6 years ago) ( :( )...before my english was very little and stereotypical, like "hey yoo hàv to riid this book, is amaasing!"

[Vixen]

Private lessions since age 3, in school, and 10 years living in the US (age 7 to 17).

[Corvus]

At school but I think more or less self educated

[Matilda]

school and south park

[Gargoris]

Cartoon Network and Pokémon.

[Queen B]

At school. But my English is not that good. I got my degree when I was 13 y.o. and didn't speak/exercise English, for many years after.

[Vasconcelos]

I started having english classes since I was very young, since I attended a (well known) private school. I had classes until I was 16 or 17 years old, finished classes with 17/20 mark, which is pretty decent, I suppose.

After that I never had a single class again, and mostly keep in touch with the language on a daily basis via internet and tv.




On a curiosity note, my last english teacher was of african descent, we unofficially called him Morpheus because Matrix was popular back then, and he kind of looked like the character.

[Harmonia]

Mainly internet. I've learnt basics of English with help of internet, TV and improved my skills by reading English books and interacting with native English speakers.

[purple]

I first started courses with an American called Mr. John. He had glasses. Now I learn at school...

[Elbegast]

By watching movies, reading books, listening music, internet e and some private classes.

[ficuscarica]

school, internet, books, movies, longer trips to foreign countries...

Don´t know what to think about the language - quite useful and easy to learn, but also sometimes rather simple, almost dumb.

[Arne]

By watching Badman.

[Albion]

school, internet, books, movies, longer trips to foreign countries...

Don´t know what to think about the language - quite useful and easy to learn, but also sometimes rather simple, almost dumb.

It's simple so that you foreigners can learn it. :p

[Arne]

I started learning it by visiting Forums.
They often complained about my English.

[Mortimer]

a little bit from school but mostly from internet

[Corvus]

It's simple so that you foreigners can learn it. :p

It`s only simple if your mother tongue is German or Dutch.
Still, many of my compatriots are not able to communicate in English :D

[ficuscarica]

It's simple so that you foreigners can learn it. :p

The simplicity is certainly helpful, because it allows almost everyone to communicate, at least on a low level. :) Not that I want to bash the US, but I think the simple/almost dumb English we face today comes mainly from the US. I would go as far as to call American language and culture dumb, simple and superficial, yet is exactly that aspect that makes people (including myself) like it. Fast food may sum up the paradoxon of American culture best: Rubbish, but everybody likes it - and rightfully so. :D

[Corvus]

The simplicity is certainly helpful, because it allows almost everyone to communicate, at least on a low level. :) Not that I want to bash the US, but I think the simple/almost dumb English we face today comes mainly from the US. I would go as far as to call American language and culture dumb, simple and superficial, yet is exactly that aspect that makes people (including myself) like it. Fast food may sum up the paradoxon of American culture best: Rubbish, but everybody likes it - and rightfully so. :D

"Keep it simple", the foundation of every succesful marketing concept :thumb001:

[Onur]

It`s only simple if your mother tongue is German or Dutch.
Still, many of my compatriots are not able to communicate in English :D
No, English is quite easy to learn.

Despite the fact that my mothertongue is completely different than English without any similarity, it wasn't that difficult to learn for me. For example, comparing to learning process of French, learning English was just a walk in the park. Actually, i think this "simplicity" makes English as a bit banal. You know the dilemma called ugliness of simplicity.

Ofc some people have a skill to learn foreign languages while some doesn't and these people always have hard time to learn a foreign language regardless of how easy it is.


Btw, i learned English all by myself from movies, magazines and internet. I learned the primary basics in school but the rest by myself.

[ficuscarica]

No, English is quite easy to learn.

Despite the fact that my mothertongue is completely different than English without any similarity, it wasn't that difficult to learn. For example, comparing to (the) learning process of French, learning English was just a walk in the park.

Ofc some people have a skill to learn foreign languages while some doesn't and these people always have (a) hard time to learn a foreign language regardless of how easy it is.

A walk in the park, but apparently you have forgotten some corners of the park. :D;)

I make mistakes, too, but I just had to do this. :D Don´t take it personal please. :)

[Onur]

A walk in the park, but apparently you have forgotten some corners of the park. :D;)

I make mistakes, too, but I just had to do this. :D Don´t take it personal please. :)
This is an internet forum, not a grammar contest and i can do the same for any native speaker from England or USA.

[Walter Overdick]

I learned it from trade and exportation. I'm a spice exporter. English is some sort of worldwide lingua france. My native language is not so radically different from English and I also know some basic German.