LLPC: Chinese

One of the best ways to learn a language is through incorporating it into your daily life, and a seamless way to incorporate it in is through finding TV shows, songs, and movies in that language. Here at the LRC, we embrace various ways of learning languages, and so we have created a blog series called Learning Languages through Pop Culture (LLPC) dedicated to helping you learn languages through popular culture!

TV & Movies

Office Girls- This Taiwanese hit drama follows a group of 'office girls' - young women who are completely happy with being a low-level office lady

Prince of Lan Ling - A historical drama that follows a celebrated prince known for his victories on the battlefield

Hayate the Combat Butler- A Taiwanese reverse Cinderella story

Triple Tap
When financier Ken Yao (Louis Koo) stumbles upon a plot to kill a police officer, he takes action into his own hands.

All these TV shows can be viewed at dramafever.com

Music

Guangdong Music FM radio http://tunein.com/radio/Guangdong-Music-FM-Radio-993-s96574/

Taipei Pop Radio: http://tunein.com/radio/POP-Radio-FM917-s112505/

http://www.chineseradio.com/program.html

http://www.live365.com/stations/bluemonty

LLPC: Spanish Version

One of the best ways to learn a language is through incorporating it into your daily life, and a seamless way to incorporate it in is through finding TV shows, songs, and movies in that language. Here at the LRC, we embrace various ways of learning languages, and so we have created a blog series called Learning Languages through Pop Culture (LLPC) dedicated to helping you learn languages through popular culture!

TV

Violetta - A Spanish musical tv series about a talented girl who moves back to Buenos Aires after living abroad for several years and discovers her talent at a music school.

Aurora - After her body was frozen for 20 years, Aurora+ wakes up to find her life completely changed. 

The Time in Between-The life of a seamstress during the Spanish Cviil war, from rising to fame to her service to the British Secret Service.
All these TV shows can be viewed at  http://www.dramafever.com
:

Some other great resources for Spanish news are:

Yabla Spanish ( https://spanish.yabla.com/) Yabla has dozens of Spanish TV, documentaries, sitcoms, and sports news catered towards learning the language. It offers a one-of-a-kind interface that allows you to look up the definitions of the words in the  subtitles by clicking on them onscreen.

Hulu Latina- http://www.hulu.com/latino

Music

Knowing that there are numerous amounts of musical styles and artists, one of the best ways to gain exposure into the world of music in different languages is through radio shows and podcasts. Here are a few of the more popular ones:

http://tunein.com/radio/Spanish-Music-c57945/

Live 365- http://www.live365.com/genres/latin%20pop?mode=3

LLPC: Korean Version

One of the best ways to learn a language is through incorporating it into your daily life, and a seamless way to incorporate it in is through finding TV shows, songs, and movies in that language. Here at the LRC, we embrace various ways of learning languages, and so we have created a blog series called Learning Languages through Pop Culture (LLPC) dedicated to helping you learn languages through popular culture!

TV

Running man - A reality TV show which tests the endurance and strength of the most famous Korean actors and actresses through missions and races.

Boarding House No.24 - A sitcom about a man who, in an attempt to find his lost grown son, brings six young strangers to live in his house to find out who he/she is.

You are all surrounded (Comedy)-Lee Seung Gi stars in this police comedy as a rookie detective with a genius IQ who ends up butting heads with the hot-tempered team leader of the crime squad,

All these TV shows can be viewed at:
http://www.dramafever.com

Music

Knowing that there are numerous amounts of musical styles and artists, one of the best ways to gain exposure into the world of music in different languages is through radio shows and podcasts. Here are a few of the more popular ones:

:

Singalong FM: http://tunein.com/radio/TBS-FM-951-s3046/

K-Pop Love: http://www.kpoplove.com/

KM Studio Classical - http://streema.com/radios/country/South_Korea

Busan MBC FM - http://streema.com/radios/country/South_Korea

LLPC : German Edition

One of the best ways to learn a language is through incorporating it into your daily life, and a seamless way to incorporate it in is through finding TV shows, songs, and movies in that language. Here at the LRC, we embrace various ways of learning languages, and so we have created a blog series called Learning Languages through Pop Culture (LLPC) dedicated to helping you learn languages through popular culture!

TV and Soap Operas

Lindenstraße is a TV soap opera set on the street of the same name revolving around the lives of very unique, unusual characters. 
http://www.ardmediathek.de/tv/Lindenstra%C3%9Fe/Sendung?documentId=5280&bcastId=5280

Ard Media Athek - Feeling like some German TV to feel well-informed about German news?

From politics to TV shows, find out what's happening at http://www.ardmediathek.de/tv or http://wwitv.com/television/81.htm

On the other hand, if you're feeling a bit more for comedy

Myspass -http://www.myspass.de/myspass/ (German Sitcom)

Music:

Knowing that there are numerous amounts of musical styles and artists, one of the best ways to gain exposure into the world of music in different languages is through radio shows and podcasts. Here are a few of the more popular ones:

Die Nueue- Popular music http://dieneue1077.de/

Antenne Bayern Chillout

Antenne Koblenz (Top 40 songs)

Electrosonic.fm (Electronic, house)

FFH Digital Die 80er (80s music)

All these radio stations can be listened to here:

http://www.listenlive.eu/germany.html

Learning through Pen Pals

At the LRC, we strive to bring as much diversity in languages as possible, from Hindi to Korean to Arabic. Although we have numerous books, language learning programs, and mentors, we recognize that another really important way to master and keep a language is to colloquially use it often.  

Online language partners:

There are a plethora of online communities where you can find people who you can connect with and talk to in different languages. All of these allow you to filter for people who speak certain languages that you would like to learn and who would like to learn the languages that you speak. Also, most allow you to sort through the list of people with additional preferences such as age, gender, and location (time zone).  This way, there is an equal exchange.

Without further ado, here are some of the various sites we have gathered that allow you to do that:

My Language Exchange

ITalki

Language-Exchanges.org

Language Kompis

Shared Talk by Rosetta Stone

Online Language Learning Resources

Photo credit: algogenius via flickr.com

Many language learners might ask: how can we learn language? Ten years ago, the answer might have been read as many books in other languages as you can, devote your time to understanding textbooks, and do as many grammar exercises as you can. However, because of the internet, we can now learn foreign languages in a way that is fun and even facilitates making foreign friends! This blog post will explore the online resources in language learning, particularly the online language learning websites and language learners’ blogs.

Language Blogs

Lots of language blogs are started by language learners who have succeeded in learning foreign languages and living in another culture. Their blogs often share the experiences of living in another culture and give language learning tips. Here are some blogs:

•        Fluent in 3 months

This blog consists of language learning tips from Benny Lewis, who did poorly in his language classes while he was a student, but is now a “full-time language hacker”. He was awarded the title of National Geographic’s Traveler of the Year. This blog introduces readers to his story as he travels the world to learn new languages.

•        Ellen Jovin

     Jovin started this website after she gave herself a long term project: to learn as many of the languages spoken around New York City. This blog chronicles her linguistic adventures, some misadventures, and the mental and physical fallout she experiences while studying various languages. This blog also has a directory of learning-resource reviews for other people seeking to learn a new language or reinforce old skills.

•        The Polyglot Dream

Luca’s blog provides language learners a unique way of learning languages. He wants to provide language learners with the techniques to study foreign languages with optimism, passion, effective methods and experience. His belief is that anyone can learn a language and learning languages is a life enriching experience. His blog posts and videos can be found in various languages.

The blogs listed above are all general language learning blogs. There are also many other blogs devoted to learning certain languages, for example, All Japanese All the Time, Women Learning Thai, DW World Deutsch lernen.

Online Websites

Online Language Learning websites are now quite popular among language learners. They are usually composed of online lessons and language learning resources. Several have features that connect you with native language speakers to practice your targeted language. There are also websites that help you find language partners and make friends around the world. Here are some websites that have been rated among one of the best:

•         Busuu

Bussuu is one of the biggest language exchange communities. Learners who have some understanding of the language can get more from this website. This site provides the learners with all kinds of language learning approaches: reading, writing, listening and speaking. In addition, the Busuu app enables learners to have their lessons or review materials on their tablets and phones. Some features like printable PDF review files are only available through the paid Premium membership with a seven day trial period for free.

•         Livemocha

When there is new material in the lessons presented, Livemocha will break it down for the learners, but reassemble the parts in the end so that the students can revisit and apply what they have learned. This site provides learners with networking options while studying foreign languages. Livemocha allows learners to have virtual classes or an online session with a private tutor. The online community is a Facebook-style networking page with chat options and friend suggestions.

•        BBC Languages

The courses in BBC Languages are completely free. It is a great source for the beginners in foreign language learning. The website under each language covers the basic information one needs to know about that language and the country where the language is spoken. This site also provides various online resources in listening, speaking and exercises for writing and speaking, which have hints and sample answers.

The websites listed above are chosen because they are typical language learning websites, which have features in well-structured lessons, encourage online networking, and new language acquisition. There are also other good websites that can help with language learning, such as Conversation Exchange and Duolingo.

Language Resources in the Five Colleges

"A Different Language is a Different Vision of Life"

-Federico Fellini

Students of Mount Holyoke college or any of the Five Colleges in the Pioneer Valley that are part of the consortium (Amherst College, Hampshire College, Smith College or University of Massachusetts, Amherst) have access to the language resources that are provided by all of these colleges. The resources accommodate varying student interests, from those who are pursuing an academic degree in a language to students who want to learn basic conversational skills that can be employed during their visit to a foreign country. Below are some of the resources that are offered by the Five Colleges:

Amherst College

Amherst College offers formal courses in the following language areas: Asian Languages, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, and Spanish. At Amherst College, the resources for these language courses are provided by the respective language departments.

Hampshire College

Hampshire college offers courses in different languages and about different cultures including: American Sign Language, Chinese, Spanish, and Sound, Image and Narrative: A Multidimensional Approach to Japanese Culture. In addition, Hampshire College offers language courses during J-term so students can learn a new language or improve on the language they are currently learning.

Mount Holyoke College

Mount Holyoke College offers formal courses in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Ancient Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Sanskrit, and Spanish.

In addition to the resources provided by each department for their respective languages; The Language Resource Center at MHC has abundant resources for those looking to improve their language skills. The LRC hosts various events like language breaks and Question & Answer (Q&A) sessions. The language breaks are held regularly throughout the year and each language break showcases the culture, traditions, festivals, and cuisine of a specific country. Not only do these events let you immerse yourself in the culture of the country, you also get to try delicious food!

Delicacies at the Afghan Language Break!

The Language Resource Center has various online learning resources available, so students can learn in their own time and at their own pace. If you are a student of Mount Holyoke College, then you will need to login with your username and password in order to use most of the resources. If you are taking a language course in MHC but are not a student here, then you will need to activate your guest account in order to use the resources. More information about this can be found at this link.

Smith College

Smith College offers formal courses in the following: Asian Languages, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, and Spanish. At Smith College the language resources are offered by the respective language department.

University of Massachusetts

Some of the language courses that University of Massachusetts offers are:Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese. All the resources for  these languages are offered by a single department, Department of Language, Literature and Cultures.

The Five College Center for the Study of World Languages

The Five College Center for the Study of World Languages offers resources for the study of languages that are less-commonly taught. Some of the language courses that are offered are: Swahili, Turkish, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, Urdu and Persian. In addition to these the center also offers supervised independent study courses in the less commonly taught languages. Some of these languages are: Afrikaans, Amharic, Shona, Twi, Wolof, Zulu, Albanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Georgian, Modern Greek, Hungarian, Modern Irish, Norwegian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Bangla/Bengali, Burmese, Dari, Filipino, Malay, Mongolian, Nepali, Pashto , Thai, Tibetan, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole.

Lang Media

More resources for the less commonly taught languages is provided by Lang Media. You can find more information here about planning tools, study abroad, internships, volunteer opportunities and career information. Click on the links below to find out more!

Video Interviews with Five College Students

Study Abroad Programs

Summer Language Intensive Programs in the U.S.

Summer Language Intensive Programs Abroad

Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

Professional & Scholarly Associations

Translation: A Good Way to Put Your Language Learning into Action

 photo credit: zinjixmaggir via photopin cc

 

Many people say languages are not important and at Mount Holyoke College it has been a topic that has had some debatable opinions. One reason languages are important is because the study of languages can open up many doors for people who continue to study them. One of the many professions available to languages learners is Translation/Interpretation.

There are various types of translating that one can do. The spectrum ranges from literary translation to technical translation. Unfortunately, Mount Holyoke College does not offer a major/minor for Translation but there are certain classes students can take through the Five College Consortium.

The University of Massachusetts (UMASS) offers various Translation and Interpretation courses for undergraduate and graduate students. They also have special certificates for students interested in Translation/Interpretation.

Outside of Mount Holyoke College and the Five College Consortium students can find translating information by joining the American Translators Association. This Association is for people interested in becoming a Professional Translator. The website offers resources and information for prospective translators/interpreters. Through this website students can also find out about the annual conferences hosted by ATA and perhaps attend them.

Here's a clip from the American Translators Association's 54th conference in San Antonio, Texas:

Learning Korean Through Kpop and Kdramas

Are you a language learner and find yourself "burned-out" from the usual studying techniques from time to time? Flashcards and quizzes are helpful but sometimes they can make you stressed or bored. Language-learning can be challenging and intensive but it doesn't always have to be that way. It can be fun while also being educational. You should try to find a proper balance between intense studying and fun studying techniques. Why not try mixing in some music and movies in your target language during study time?

For the Korean language learners out there, this article will hopefully help you find some resources, information, and encouragement for finding unconventional ways to learn the language. You can learn Korean through Kpop and Kdramas!

Korean Pop:

Like many Asian languages, the Korean language is often imagined to be difficult because it does not follow the Latin alphabet and it's often mistaken to be similar to Chinese characters. Actually, Hangul (the Korean writing system / alphabet) is a syllabary, which means the shapes of the letters are related to the features of the sounds they represent. So once you've got the alphabet down, you can very easily start reading Korean even if you don't know what you're saying. The more you read Korean out loud, the better your pronunciation and accent can get. You can use these new skills to read some of the Korean novels and comic books we have in the LRC (on the leisure shelf) or to read the lyrics of your favorite Korean pop songs!

How to follow along with Korean pop lyrics:

1. Find a song on Youtube, play it, then in another tab search for the lyrics (ex. to find SNSD's "I Got a Boy", Google "I Got a Boy Hangul"), and follow along by trying to sing as much out loud as you can.
2. Just find the lyrics/hangul (without the music) and if you know the tune of the song sing without the music. This approach is a good first step.
3. Search for the karaoke or instrumental version on Youtube. For more popular songs (like SHINee's "Lucifer") you'll probably be able to find a version that has the lyrics on-screen (sometimes in both Hangul and romanization). But for other songs, I'd just recommend pulling up the karaoke/instrumental in one tab, and in another tab focusing on the lyrics. Note: This approach only works if you're very familiar with the song, just as with any English karaoke song.

I don't recommend relying completely on the romanization but if you're having difficulty keeping up with the song, maybe glance at the romanization first to get an idea of how it sounds. (Romanization is the Korean language via the Latin script; i.e. seonsaengnim vs 선생님 for the word 'teacher'). Unlike Chinese romanization, I feel that Korean romanization is not very accurate or helpful but it can be when singing along to Korean songs. 

Another approach is to pick a song that you like and print out the Hangul lyrics (not the romanization). Keep it with you wherever you go, and when you have free time you can read through it to the tune in your head. After time, you'll become very familiar with it and possibly even memorize it. If you're taking Korean languages at MHC or one of the 5-Colleges, you can work with your tutor to try and translate it. That way you do know what you're singing when you're singing along. 

A simpler approach is to listen to Korean music every day/night. It doesn't have to be Korean pop per say (if that's not your thing), but Korean pop tends to be very catchy (as with any pop) and therefore can stick in your noggin better. I used to listen to the song "Life" by SHINee every night while I was falling asleep and now I know the entire song by heart. I'm not even an auditory learner! That's why I believe this is the best approach even though it's so simple and obvious. The more you listen to the song, regardless of whether you read the lyrics or not, the better you will know it. 

Korean Dramas:

If you get your homework done and find yourself with some free time, you should grab a snack and a drink, make a nice, comfy spot on your bed, and find yourself a Kdrama to watch. Technically, you could claim that this is part of your homework, since watching Kdramas is a fantastic way to learn the Korean language (and culture!). Not only are you listening to the language but you are following along with the subtitles. It won't be long until you recognize certain words or sayings. This learning strategy also helps train your mind to lose your native accent and pick up the Korean accent when speaking Korean.

Where to find:

There are many sites that have free, English-subbed Korean dramas for your viewing. Here are a few-

• Viki (Watch FREE global TV: K-dramas, K-pop, J-dramas, Taiwanese dramas, Telenovelas, Anime & more -- all subtitled in your language by fans just like you!)
• DramaFever (Watch Korean Dramas, Telenovelas, TV Shows and Movies for Free. Subtitles are in English. No registration required.)
• MySoju (Watch Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hong Kong, Taiwanese Drama, TV Series and Movies.)
• Netflix (Not free, but if you already have access to a Netflix account, Netflix offers lots of popular Korean dramas -- all English-subbed!)
• Youtube (Many Korean dramas appear on Youtube either with clear English subs or the option to choose subtitles or not.)

What you learn:

• New vocab! If you're taking a Korean class at MHC or one of the 5-Colleges, you should be learning Korean vocab weekly. However, if you regularly watch Korean dramas, you'll find yourself picking up more vocab and phrases--oftentimes things that are helpful in the classroom (like "I don't know", "Help me", and "Wait a minute"). You'll probably also pick up common/popular sayings that you otherwise probably wouldn't learn in class (i.e. the jokingly-said phrase "죽을래"/jug-eullae which means "Do you want to die?"; kind of like how English speakers will jokingly say "I'm gonna kill you!" when their friend embarrasses them). You'll also find that sometimes you'll receive vocab to learn one week and it's already stuff you know from watching Korean dramas!
• Culture! Even if you have no plans to ever travel to Korea, learning the culture of the language you're learning is always important. By watching Korean dramas, you'll become familiar with daily life in Korea. You'll also learn about birthday traditions, holidays, habits, etiquette, etc. Warning: You shouldn't completely rely on Korean dramas to represent the Korean culture. That would be like relying on American soap operas to represent the American culture. (I'd recommend that if you're interested in learning more about Korean culture, try throwing in some Korean variety shows in with your daily Korean dramas).

What to watch:

I've run into some people who claim they don't like Korean dramas but when I ask them why that is they'll say something generic like they don't like how "over-dramatic" it is or how "fake" or "childish" it is. Oftentimes they'll bring up one of the popular Korean dramas they attempted like Boys Over Flowers or Playful Kiss. Of course, some people really just don't like Korean dramas, but if they can't give a real excuse then usually I assume they just didn't know what to watch. Saying "I don't like Korean dramas" is like saying "I don't like Disney". There are too many different kinds to just hate them all! 

Here are some genres-

• Action/Thriller - ex. City Hunter, IRIS, etc.
• Comedy - ex. Personal Preference, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, etc.
• Family - ex. Just Like Today, More Charming by the Day, etc.
• Food - ex. Flower Boy Ramyun Shop, 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, etc.
• Historical/Period - ex. Faith, The Moon Embracing the Sun, etc.
• Medical - ex. Brain, General Hospital, etc.
• Melodrama - ex. 49 Days, The Snow Queen, etc.
• Music - ex. Beethoven Virus, Dream High, etc.
• School - ex. Boys Over Flowers, Playful Kiss, etc. 
• Sports- ex. Punch, To the Beautiful You, etc.
• Romance - ex. Secret Garden, You're Beautiful, etc.

Some of the above are interchangeable (as in, some that are listed as romance could be in the comedy section or like some of the melodrama could be in the romance section, etc). Either way, it just shows how many genres of Korean dramas there are and that you're bound to find at least one that you like. Depending on what you're interested in, whether that be romance, comedy, or history, with some patience and determination I can bet you'll find a drama that fits your fancy. And each different genre will give you a different supply of vocab and culture (i.e. Medical dramas will probably give you lots of medical vocab and Historical dramas will give you some information about Korea's history--though I wouldn't rely totally on this as they are historical fiction dramas). 

Soundtracks:

Now that you've become used to both Korean pop and Korean dramas, it's time to tap into the wonderful resource of soundtracks from your favorite K-dramas! If there's a Korean drama or movie you saw that you liked very much, I suggest you find the OST (Original Soundtrack)--which can be found in playlists on Youtube--and listen to/learn those songs! Soundtracks are nice because they have a great mix of upbeat pop songs and mellow ballads. Another great plus to discovering soundtracks is oftentimes they'll open you up to bands and groups you otherwise wouldn't have known. For example, after watching Boys Over Flowers and listening to the soundtrack, I really loved the song "Because I'm Stupid". After some research, I realized that song was by a K-pop group called SS501 and one of the members, Kim Hyun Joong, was one of the main characters--Ji Hoo--in Boys Over Flowers. Over time, I fell in love with SS501 and I'm thankful that I saw Boys Over Flowers because I'm sure I probably otherwise wouldn't have found SS501 or at least wouldn't find any connection to it. (And SS501 has some great songs that I've since learned and memorized). 

Other Languages:

Now the best part is, these techniques don't only apply to the Korean language. You can apply these techniques and approaches to any language you're learning. Every language has its own music, movies, and culture. Movies in some languages may be harder to find than others, but if you're dedicated I'm sure you'll be successful. (Even if not, you still have other alternatives like music and cultural games).

A great resource for learning other (non-Korean) languages via movies is Mango Languages Premiere. Mango Languages is one of the language-learning softwares we have available at the LRC. After you make an account, you can pick a lesson. Now they are adding movies to their lesson lists. With these movies you can choose to watch it in two modes: "Movie Mode" and "Engage Mode". Movie Mode lets you watch the movie normally without any interruptions or distractions. However, I'd personally recommend Engage Mode, as during the movie it will help teach you the dialogue, grammar, and culture in parallel with the movie in short lessons and interactive content. Currently, Mango Languages Premiere offers movies in Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish (Latin America), but if you check back regularly, you'll find it's slowly adding more. Here's a great intro video about Mango Languages Premiere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YJy50B4Jxg&list=UUzI2R1PIUnNTe2_x59L0sBQ So if you want to sign up for a Mango Languages account, just come into the LRC and speak with the consultant who's on duty! 

If your target language is not one of the above, there are still many fun learning techniques available all over the internet and the world. Here are a few links of sites that are very helpful for any language you're learning: 

• www.memrise.com - Learn vocabulary through mnemonics--little snippets of imagination/humor that makes things easy to remember.
• www.lang-8.com - Have Native speakers correct your writing.
• www.rhinospike.com - Get any foreign language text read aloud for you by a native speaker.
• www.forvo.com - All the words of the world pronounced.
• www.italki.com - Another free site for finding language exchange partners.

I'd also recommend looking through Benny Lewis's blog www.fluentin3months.com. Benny Lewis is a polyglot (knows several languages) who now writes a blog packed with encouragement and “hacks” about speaking languages as quickly as possible, as he travels to learn and speak the languages himself. Beyond busting several myths about language learning, he also offers many insightful and incredibly efficient techniques to learn your target language all completely free and available all over his website! As a language learner myself, I have absorbed so much knowledge and confidence from Benny Lewis and would recommend his blog (and new book!) to any language learner out there!

Image Sources:
https://flic.kr/p/7D2Whc
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