Charlize Theron Is Ready To Learn A New Language
Charlize Theron is officially inspired! The actress wants to learn how to speak Spanish and the 33 year old is ready to start taking lessons.
While working with Mexican director Guillermo Arriaga on The
Burning Plain, she picked up a few phrases... but the bad ones.
"Of course he taught me the dirty stuff!
I had this fantasy, ‘cos I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, that I would learn Spanish before I shot the movie with him, that he would be really impressed with me, that he could direct me in Spanish but of course it never happened"
Charlize thinks that since she lives in California, she might as well pick up the language and is upset she hasn't done so in the past eight years.
"I’m really embarrassed to say that I don’t speak Spanish, I’ve lived in California for eight years and I just think it should be a prerequisite, you should be able to speak Spanish if you live in California."
I have Rosetta Stone for Italian which I have been utterly neglecting the last few months. But I too think it's a wonderful thing to pick up a new language. I was afraid to start since I am in my 30s, but I let go of the excuse and have started to give it a go.
Any INO readers start trying to learn a new language as an adult? After college I mean. What methods worked best for you?
Photos by WENN.com
You can learn Spanish by watching telenovelas!
63969 points
I would LOVE to learn a new language!
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If immigrants live in California, or anywhere in the U.S., they should learn to speak ENGLISH! I am so tired as a taxpayer of paying for all this bilingual sh!t. In schools, airports, local and state governments!
I couldn't agree more!!!!!
I agree with you. Bilingual stuff in schools, especially w/Spanish speaking, is more a hinderance than a help. When i moved to the US i was put in ESL but they only spoke Spanish (i don't speak Spanish) so i was forced to learn English the hard way. Needless to say i was out of ESL in 6 months, meanwhile the one's that had been in there speaking their native tongue never left! These programs should be rectified to actually help the person learn English.
ABSOFU(KINGLUTELY.
oh ignorance+ intolerance... sad :(
I find comments like yours nothing short of repulsive.
When one chooses to to make the United States of America their residence, they do so with the knowledge and understanding that English is our official language. Were you unaware that english is our official language? Perhaps that is your "ignorance." I speak english and CHOOSE to learn other languages as I so desire, not because an illegal immigrant population has strong armed me into doing so.
What I so detest about open minded liberals like yourself, is that freedom is not something to be shared with those who do not share view. There is only freedom for other like-minded liberals. I believe this is what the thinking man would call "intolerance."
So sad how you turn your nose up so that you might put others down :(
I'm attempting to learn French and Italian. Right now i'm reading materials in those languages but i think i'm going to try the Rosetta Stone. It's important to actually hear the language being spoken and then try to speak it yourself.
I did take French for 3 years in highschool but it was a joke. I really wish the US school system took languages as seriously as they do in Europe. Thankfully i already know another language besides English so maybe it'll help me with learning another new one.
1110 points
Don't worry, all Europe countries don't take language learning seriously. In Northern countries (Finland etc) they practice a lot and I know people who learn very good English. I don't know for other countries but here in France learning languages is often a joke, as you say :D students are bad at languages -except some of them- and especially orally.
I do know that in Portugal you start learning languages in like 5th grade, so at least they are much more exposed to it than in American schools.
I was completely humbled when i went to Switzerland and i went into a store in Biel/Bienne (the only bi-lingual city in Switzerland), where sales person spoke fluent German and French. When she heard me speak to my sister in English she started speaking to me in English also. I felt like a loser because i couldn't even ask a little question in french LOL.
How about it should be a Pre-Requisite to speak ENGLISH when living in California? It's ridiculous that don't have English as our national language... simply ridiculous.
I never found learning languages a difficult thing,beside my mother´s tongue i can speak 4 other languages,i took at school russian for many years and some english but just the basics,the rest i picked from leaving in different places and travelling,when i moved where i live now i had to learn english cause the native language is very hard,since i had some basics in english took me 3-4 months to start speaking freely with no problem,then i picked the native language here and spanish from backpacking trough mexico.I never have trouble switching between languages,but has been like 14 years already that i don´t live in my home country and to say the truth i don´t think i am fluent in any of them,even my own,not anymore:))))
p.s. all this after the age of 20,so yeah if you want to learn is never too late.
Perhaps you should learn a little humility before you pick up another language. It might serve you better.
Before preaching about humility to me,maybe you should start learning things for a change,will serve you better in life,isn't it sad and lonely being an angry,bitter,envious,negative person?
1935 points
I usually love her, but right now not so much. To live in California, or anywhere in the US, you should speak ENGLISH! And not just for the Spanish speakers, for every language! Why should we all bend over backwards to accommodate them when they're all moving to our country? I don't mind they're here (if they're legal!), I mind that we can't communicate. My dad and grandparents had to learn English when they came over from Croatia... why shouldn't everyone else??
Well..I have to learn German right now, I speak 3 other languages and all i can say, German is the hardest by far. It gives me head aches..
It's never too late, the desire to learn is hopefully enough.
If you're really fortunate, traveling alone is great, worked for me. Nothing is as effective as learning through necessity. Better yet, if the right opportunity presents itself, take a lover who speaks no English. To all those who believe we should be English speaking only, I say English 1st - not only. Accepting other languages withing our culture not only teaches us about our own language but it also serves as means to be more accepting and globally minded. I always thought it unfortunate that foreign languages are merely electives after elementary school,
i would really like to learn spanish. My sister is marrying a man from spain this summer and i think it would be great to be able to communicate with them..how is the rosetta stone program? anyone out there ever use it? any good?
I am learning tamil...and i am white....i have very close friends who are tamil and speak it and being around them i am submerged in it. they also take the time to explain and teach me and i also inquire often about stuff. i also enjoy the music very much so i hear it quite frequently.
wow, I am surprised that there are so many close minded people writing comments. The world is changing, cultures are blending. Why not educate yourself by learning another language? To know more than one language you are only going to be bettering yourself. Knowledge is a gift!
I think you are misunderstanding some of the comments. I don;t think folks are saying that it is worthless to learn another language. I can't believe anyone could argue that point. What they (and I ) are saying is that the language of the U.S. is english and if you immigrate to the U.S., you should make every effort to learn thel anguage so that taxpayers don't have to pay the high cost of turning this nation into a bilingual country. This is not Canada.
oh well it is expensive to go to college too huh?... if you are going to avoid high cost... I always thought knowing more was better.. not it so happens that is not true?? how sad!
What's most irritating is that Americans expect everyone to speak English when they travel to other countries... France, Spain, Russia, Brazil, you name it.
They'd go: what the hell? they don't speak English?.. what's wrong with them? can I speak to your manager? does anybody speak English around here?
Like they just expect the world to speak English so ppl can serve them better when they travel.
I totally agree with you. I am from Spain and I HAD to learn English, but americans cannot accept that other languages may gain in importance. Shame on you, narrow-minded. Following this logic, why don't they speak Navaho language?
i'd say that not only americans behave like this, other english speakers do it as well.
for now, i only speak portuguese and english, assume that i'd be a bit confused if i went to a non-english speaking country and found nobody who could speak it. as i think of this possibility, i'd do my best to learn a bit of their language before getting there.
the thing is, here in brazil people are used to doing their best to be the nicest as possible to the tourists, so "we" work our asses off to understand them - no matter where they came from. some people would say we're underestimating ourselves, whilst they should be trying to speak portuguese or at least spanish. i don't see it this way, not for me, i always take it as an opportunity to learn a new language and culture.
for those who refuse being receptive and patient with somebody who don't speak your language, i wish they'd chill out a bit. and for those who are visiting a different culture, i wish they'd try to learn the basics and not to expect everyone to speak their language.
Back to the topic: I started to learn German when I was 28, and as Anonymous said, it is really difficult, but not impossible. Although I am not specially gifted, I speak quite fluently now (after FIVE years), but I also practice a lot because my boyfriend is German. Most of the other students in my class are in their 30, 40 and 50, and they are better than the teenagers, they work very hard to learn.
The older you are, the better reason you have to learn a language! It's been proven that learning a new language stimulates the brain and can ward off diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's. I think everyone should keep learning languages. My grandpa's retired and he's been taking some Spanish lessons, and I think it can be a fun and educational experience for everyone.
Personally I love languages and what I like is that you can see the world from a whole different perspective -- read the news in another language, talk to someone from an entirely different background.
One thing I do is I get a book like from the Teach Yourself series and I work through it. Once I am more proficient, I read in that language and I just read things that I would want to read anyways. If there's a new popular book (like the Twilight series) I read it in another language. Harry Potter is also great language practice because it's available in sooo many different languages and if you've already read them, it's easy to follow along.
i'm brazilian, took an english course like 8 years ago, been reading gossip blogs for a long time, worked with native english speakers and consider myself fluent. by the time i took the english course, i took spanish classes for 6 months then quit it. i think i can understand most of it.
right now i'm trying to learn italian with a couple of friends of mine who have been staying in brazil for awhile now.
the easiest way to learn a new language is having contact with it and don't be shy.
btw, i'm 21 and wish i could learn and be fluent in as many languages as possible. x;)
HOPFULLY SHE LEARN HOW TO SPEAK SPAISH FAST BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME
I think its pretty impressive that she is planning to take up spanish, even though it is for part in a movie, it'll still count as learning a language eh! I hope she learns it fast!
Learning a new language is always fun and fascinating. Learning all those fascinating and tongue twisting new words is always a fun challenge :)
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