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Beginning three languages at once - too ambitious?

Right now I am taking a gap year and have enrolled onto weekly German and Italian beginner classes. I will be learning Italian from scratch but I have self-taught myself to speak some basic German (writing and spelling not so much) so I think I will at least have a head-start in the German classes.

However, somewhere down the line I would like to take on some uni modules in Classics - so I am wondering if it would be wise to enrol on a Latin course during my gap year as well? I do have some basic knowledge of Latin and do have a genuine interest in learning an ancient language regardless of whether it will be useful to me or not.

I am wondering if this idea is too ambitious... Has anyone here learned more than 2 languages at once? What are your thoughts/advice?
Yes it is too ambitious. No university will let you do two languages from scratch let alone three. Knowing the basics isn't enough, you have to have an A level in at least one of the languages you study. If you're not A2 standard in any language then you will have to limit yourself to studying one language at degree level, although there is nothing to stop you taking other languages at the university language centre in your spare time.
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Asparagustus
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Original post by Snufkin
Yes it is too ambitious. No university will let you do two languages from scratch let alone three. Knowing the basics isn't enough, you have to have an A level in at least one of the languages you study. If you're not A2 standard in any language then you will have to limit yourself to studying one language at degree level, although there is nothing to stop you taking other languages at the university language centre in your spare time.


Sorry I should have made it more clear, these language classes I am planning to take in German and Italian are not related to my degree, but solely for my own pleasure with the possibility of continuing them at the language centre the following year.

Although, in regards to learning Latin for the Classics modules I have the option of selecting, these will be part of my degree and a knowledge of Latin (or ancient greek) would be desirable - but not absolutely necessary.
Any tips for self teaching yourself a language? Always wanted to but don't know where to start
Original post by Asparagustus
Right now I am taking a gap year and have enrolled onto weekly German and Italian beginner classes. I will be learning Italian from scratch but I have self-taught myself to speak some basic German (writing and spelling not so much) so I think I will at least have a head-start in the German classes.

However, somewhere down the line I would like to take on some uni modules in Classics - so I am wondering if it would be wise to enrol on a Latin course during my gap year as well? I do have some basic knowledge of Latin and do have a genuine interest in learning an ancient language regardless of whether it will be useful to me or not.

I am wondering if this idea is too ambitious... Has anyone here learned more than 2 languages at once? What are your thoughts/advice?


I'd say far too ambitious, to do at once. It's fine if you started them let's say 1 this year, another 1 next year, or the year after, and the same for the next, but it would be difficult, and counterproductive; I'd imagine you could be far more efficient by doing 1 language as opposed to 3.

Original post by Asparagustus
Sorry I should have made it more clear, these language classes I am planning to take in German and Italian are not related to my degree, but solely for my own pleasure with the possibility of continuing them at the language centre the following year.

Although, in regards to learning Latin for the Classics modules I have the option of selecting, these will be part of my degree and a knowledge of Latin (or ancient greek) would be desirable - but not absolutely necessary.


Original post by Chrollo-Lucilfer
Any tips for self teaching yourself a language? Always wanted to but don't know where to start


I, to be honest, don't advise self-teaching a language (as in not all of it), because I can't imagine how I'd do it easily. But it's largely possible.
- Learn the alphabet of the target language
- I'd personally buy a book, like one for GCSE; I'd recommend (though never gotten around to using it) GCSE Essentials (target language), if they have them. They are actually very thorough, format very user friendly (if you can apply that to a book), and go beyond GCSE in terms of breadth. (Doesn't include much A level grammar though, but most of AS stuff.)
- I think, you kinda need to learn a tiny bit of vocab to apply basic grammar, then you learn vocab and grammar side by side.
- Use a program called Anki; there's the desktop version, web version and app, which all can synch, to make your own vocab sets. Takes a bit to get used to, but it is the most efficient tool you can use for grammar. Honestly. It's hardly debatable.
Again, though, you need to figure out how to use it first.
- when you get to a level standard, I'd get a book called "Zeitgeist Grammmar" for German, though I don't know other language equivalents.

Very thorough on grammar, and easy to use.
- I'd say learn how to write short essays about certain topics, or yourself, and get them corrected. Don't be afraid to get it wrong, as long as you learn stuff when you get it corrected. It's best to go out of your comfort zone.
At GCSE I done that, and my preparation for exams was constantly decorated with red pen, but I consistently got top marks (full on some occasions).
- learn how to say, this part may be easier with someone who actually speaks it.





tl;dr (Cleaner version)
- Learn alphabet (also including how to say them)
- Buy GCSE Essentials (target language)
- Learn vocabulary and grammar alongside each other; progression kinda depends on each other.
- Go out of your comfort zone.
- Use Anki, the program, the web version, and the app, all of which synch with each other.
- Buy (for German) Zeitgeist Grammar book for A level standard.
- Don't learn vocabulary from lists other than your own, as they're not going to be relevant to you.
- Like at GCSE (if you done it), there are four main areas; those being speaking, reading, listening and writing. I'd focus first on writing and reading, if you cannot do all.


- essays, new words in a sentence perhaps, use an app called Linq, use eTandem, for German, I could probably help a lot, like tips for grammar (but I won't include them, that could go on forever here.) This would probably be too advanced for ages, but a thing called "langsam gesprochene Nachrichten", meaning "slowly spoken news", haven't personally used it much at all, but it might help with pronunciation.


Sorry these are all ramblings; it was kind of like a stream of consciousness.

German alphabet really easy, if you want help with any German request.

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