Learning new languages

[ÜberBen]

I have a little question:
Do you think that Duolingo is a good place for learning new languages? I've learned a bit of German and Esperanto there, and I'd like to know whether is learning there effective. Also, do you think it's fine to learn multiple languages at once? Feedback would be appreciated.

[Qxentio]

I have a little question:
Do you think that Duolingo is a good place for learning new languages? I've learned a bit of German and Esperanto there, and I'd like to know whether is learning there effective. Also, do you think it's fine to learn multiple languages at once? Feedback would be appreciated.

It's nice for learning the basics and for repeating things you need to use a lot. But to really get the feel for a language, you need to go past Duolingo and talk to actual people or at least consume media in that language.

From what I remember from my classes on language acquisition, it is fine to learn multiple languages at once, but there should be a clear line of separation. For example, you learn German one day and Esperanto the next one. Or you study German in the morning before work and Esperanto in the evening afterwards. Don't mix up lessons and vocabulary.

Edit: By the way, have some pickles and tea! And since we're on a linguistics board here, I feel obliged to tell you that you forgot the trema above the Ü in your user name.

[hwhatting]

Welcome!
We had a thread about using Duolinguo not so long ago, where some people shared their experiences.

[ÜberBen]

It's nice for learning the basics and for repeating things you need to use a lot. But to really get the feel for a language, you need to go past Duolingo and talk to actual people or at least consume media in that language.

Oh, I see.
I want to learn (Not necessarily in this order):
-Spanish
-Japanese
-Korean
-Hungarian
-Swedish
-Irish
Can you recommend me some good sites/sources to learn these languages from?

And since we're on a linguistics board here, I feel obliged to tell you that you forgot the trema above the Ü in your user name.

My bad- I didn't know how to change my username (and if it was possible at all).

[Vijay]

I love learning all kinds of languages (and have studied pretty much every kind of language you can think of that isn't a conlang), but I don't care much for Duolingo. I used to do online translation work, and I feel that Duolingo is like doing that work without even getting paid for it. I've never really understood what other people see in it. I visit it every now and then just for fun because more language practice never hurts, I guess, but I get bored with it pretty quickly, much more so than with books, for example.