Saturday, April 16, 2011

100 reasons to snail mail #2

LANGUAGES

Through letters you probably won’t learn a foreign language from the basics (although who knows, maybe someone did it;) ) but it’s a great way to practice and improve the languages you’ve been already learning for a while. Usually in daily life there aren’t many occasions to write long texts if it’s not for homework. When you write a letter you need to create a longer text, look out for the right grammar because it must be understandable for your penpal and you won’t be able to explain what you mean a moment later when you’re not clear enough like you could do it when speaking. It might be difficult at the beginning but you’ll quickly get more confident. Moreover, in letters usually are brought up various topics so it’s a great opportunity to broaden your vocabulary. If you’re writing with a native speaker you might also get to know colloquial speech and slang words. All this is a lot of work but at the same time a lot of fun so you’ll learn with a great pleasure. I bet all snail mailers who have been corresponding in a foreign language would agree with me about that and can confirm making progress after exchanging some letters.


You don’t need to write only with native speakers of the language you’re learning but find penpals from different countries who know a common language with you and learn some expressions in their native language. Maybe you’ll learn how to write your name in a different alphabet? Or how to say greetings in some exotic language which none of your friends around know? :)

 If you're into penpalling and want to share your experiences in your blog according today's reason, please link back here and make a comment that you made an entry :)

5 comments:

  1. This was such a great read and I can't wait to write mine tomorrow, I'm just so tired now as its been a long day.

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  2. So very true. I learn how to write my name in Korean through pen palling :)

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  3. I'm working!!!

    Oh, just the weekends and maybe Friday but more than ten hours a day... so I feel I worked half of a week. At least I like the place, well I'll tell more about it in the next missive.

    It's an interesting idea this you had, I've read the previous topic and I've realized about a couple of people posting about it and I was going tot ell you to write something like the last paragraph you have in this post. It was sounding to me like that game I used to play in school sometimes. The teacher would tell a story, while a couple of people would be outside the door waiting. Then one would tell the story to one of those who didn't hear that. Then this last would call one more from those outside and repeat the story. In the end the last would tell the story and it would be totally confused and anything was equal anymore it was such a g«funny moment.


    So I realized you had the idea and some people were already doing what is usual here give credits in first place to others, not having at least spent some time to write the proper credits of things. I guess that more than ever it is necessary and we help each other by giving credits and making proper hyper links so people can go and read/see the others.

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  4. J, that's exciting news, especially that you sound much happier now:) I am writing to you so I hope to hear your news soon;)

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