Over the past couple of years, I’ve spent countless hours searching for the best methods for learning a foreign language, as well as the best materials for a selection of languages I would eventually like to learn. The single and simple truth I have discovered: the more concentrated exposure to the language you want to learn, the better.

Visit the language section of this site for more information, or jump right to lists of recommended learning materials for Spanish, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Ed Rondthaler On English Spelling, a short movie.

I’m so sick and tired of seeing “lose” misspelled as “loose” all over the web. This increasingly common misspelling has been loosed all over the web. The correct spelling? Lost. I love LOST. If Lose and Loose were to get in a fight, I think Lose might lose. Yes, that’s correct — Lose might lose. Lose would not loose, he would lose. You can say that a slut is loose. She lost something her first time, she did not loose it. I wonder where in the hell this misspelling originated from? Or if it even originated from hell?

In other news, people can’t spell “definitely.” It doesn’t come with an “A.” Nobody wanted to buy that vowel. “A” is stupid. I is better. NO! I AM better. Now we get the best of both worlds. I and the letter A used together. Crap, I should have quoted the “I.” People are going to think “I”‘m weird. Oh noes.

And yes, I really am tired of seeing “loose” instead of “lose” and “definately” instead of “definitely.” Maybe this well help someone spell these words correctly, or possibly use this knowledge to further irritate me and others.

I know the title of this post is How to Learn Any Language, and unfortunately, I’m not going to show you how. Fortunately, a book by the same title is available for little cost written by a man named Barry Farber: How to Learn Any Language, Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably, and On Your Own.

The one aspect of this book I’m going to concentrate on in future posts is this: the tools necessary for learning particular languages. There are a bunch of crap language products available; wouldn’t it be nice for someone to scour the internet and book stores to find the best stuff for self-learners? That’s exactly what I’ve been doing for about a year now. I’m really hoping my research helps people out (and am hoping I make a decent amount of money from affiliate sales as well).

If your goal is to learn Spanish for example, it’s a hell of a lot cheaper to purchase a few books and CD courses than it is for a four year degree at a university, or a language school for that matter. The only problem is knowing how to effectively teach yourself. Luckily, Farber’s How to Learn Any Language teaches you just that, all for the cost of an expensive dinner at a fast-food restaurant.

Oh, and by the way, I’ve started a site dedicated to language learning resources: LanguageJot. Similar name, focused content.

2008.10.28 Update

Visit the language section of JustAJot for more information. LanguageJot has been put on hold for a while.