Context, Context, and Context
I find that learning grammar, vocabulary, phrases, and articulation, is very important in learning Spanish, or for that matter, any language. The biggest hurdle for me, and I think I'm speaking for others as well, is the "context" in which we apply our words etc. How do we learn context? Immersion? It is certainly can be done by textbook, but that source has it's limitations. I appreciate any comments. Thank you so much.
4 Answers
I got this question once in my ESL class:
What does "pupil" mean?
Well, it means two very different things depending totally on the context.
1) We have ten pupils in our class (this would tell me that you are probably talking about a number of students)
2) My pupil was dilated at the doctor's office. (this context tells me that you must be talking about the part of your eye.)
How do we learn context? Immersion?
I think we learn it in conversation, not necessary in an immersion environment. Sometimes a Spanish sentence won't make sense to me, i.e., Construyeron una quinta, and then it will dawn on me that the word has more than one meaning. The light bulb goes on and then I understand the word in context and what the speaker intended to say.
Some words, like echar and poner, have so many meanings that standing alone they almost have no meaning. Then there are the prepositions, which are a nightmare in both languages.
Easier than you think:
- read books in Spanish
- watch movies in Spanish
- read newspapers in Spanish
- watch TV series in Spanish
...and so on and so forth. My fluency in English comes mainly from those... combined with practice talking after I my confidence reached the necessary level.
You have to use the language under natural conditions - conversations with Spanish speakers, reading newspapers and books, listening to the radio, watching television and movies, etc. The words only have meaning within sentences and paragraphs.
Studying vocabulary lists and reading textbooks is fine for memorizing words, not so good for learning a language.
