Learning a language

[bunn]

How long do you reckon it takes to learn a new language to the point where you can have simple conversations with native speakers of that language?

Specifically, how long do you think it would take for someone who can already speak at least two languages to learn an unfamiliar language, when they are in an environment where the unfamiliar language is spoken by everyone and they are working on picking up the language as the main thing they are doing?   Assume that the person has the assistance of someone who can speak both languages, and that the structure of the language is similar to those already known.

I reckon two weeks would be more than enough, but then my attitude to languages is a bit Top Gear.  Pp, who has A's at O Level in several languages he can't speak at all, feels that two weeks is a ludicrous underestimate. 

Comments

[bunn.livejournal.com]

... but in the context of writing fiction, I suppose the key thing is less the 'how long would it take a confident person prepared to give it a go' so much as 'how to convince the reader that the character is such a confident person'. :-/.

[hhimring]

If your fictional speaker learnt Old English or Ancient Welsh in pretty much the same way--neither of these were formally taught in schools when they were current, after all--he may have previous experience to build on.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Good point!

[hhimring]

If your fictional speaker had happened to pick up a bit of Latin vocabulary as well, it might help him with the French/Latin component of modern English. Although there are quite a number of early Latin loans in Welsh as well, I believe.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

He's King Arthur (he has, of course, returned because the Hour of Greatest Need is coming up) so I'm pretty sure he would have Latin. I'm thinking he probably grew up bilingual in Old Welsh and Latin, and then picked up Old English later, which should, I think give him all possible speed advantages.

I don't really want to defer the hour of greatest need for six months while he puzzles over textbooks :-D

[carmarthen.livejournal.com]

...does this involve Cthulhu eating Parliament? :D

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I think I've decided that Jormungandr would provide more comprehensive Parliament-eating services than Cthulu, and he's arguably more geographically / thematically appropriate.

But in general, yes. :-D

[carmarthen.livejournal.com]

Oh boy, that sounds excellent!