What is your Spanishdict?
With all the recent changes to the site, it got me thinking a little about what Spanishdict is actually all about. Of course, there are many discreet parts to the site - the forum, flashcards, video lessons, other material and lessons, chat room, dictionary etc. Just looking at all the different user names around the site, I probably recognise about 10% at the most - and I've been a regular visitor on here for over a year now.
So, just out of interest..... what is your Spanishdict? What parts of the site do you use / not use? Do you interact with other members or usually just browse etc? Which parts of the site do you find the most useful / fun / interesting?
This is, of course, not an official member feedback or anything like that. In fact, asking this on the forum probably means it won't be seen by quite a lot of regular users lol.
Ok me, my Spanishdict:
I am here to learn Spanish - period. When I first found this site I took all the video lessons. I thought they were excellent - perhaps that's the reason why I was so disappointed with all the errors in the new learning material (eg quizzes). Fix them and this site will be back to being number 1!
In order to further my Spanish, I try to make time to browse the forum every day. I take part in at least 1 of the 'word of the day' threads, and any other 'learning' threads that look interesting (eg Heidita's 'Lets talk about' threads). When doing these I will use the reference section, conjugate and dictionary to help with my sentence construction. I also try to help people with their English if I notice an error or a more natural way of saying something.
I visit the more social threads (eg International Cafe, Encouragement Island) very occasionally and probably post on them perhaps once a week or so). I browse the titles of other threads and if something catches my eye I will take a look - but I probably only open up perhaps half a dozen of these threads per day.
To be honest (and I hope this doesn't sound arrogant, because its not meant that way) I very rarely look at any Spanish that has not been written by a native speaker or one of the very few (perhaps half a dozen or so) other people who I consider genuine advanced speakers. This is because I am still easily confused and I do not want to (even subconsciously) pick up any bad habits or errors. I will read people's English if it looks funny or interesting - I then spray my votes around based on this.
Soooooooo, that's it for me! In summary I use the forum, dictionary, reference section, conjugate. I never use the chat, flashcards, or other learning materials.
32 Answers
I love the sense of community -- Darn it!, half of my friends have either left or been kicked out...
I love expert personal coaching on corrected threads by fully bilingual speakers -- Darn it! most of the bilingual speakers have left or are on the way out...
I love the way I could use advanced features reading Spanish posts, such as double-clicking a word -- Darn it!, that feature is nearly useless now and gives "No quick translation found" on any conjugated verbs, and most other words...
I love the dedication given by so many unpaid volunteers who seem to be available around the clock -- Darn it!, most of them got kicked in the teeth for their troubles and are leaving...
I love that the site attracted so many truly talented and intellectual people, such as Lazarus1907, who could give superb insight into.. Darn it!, people like that are the first to leave when there's systemic problems with the site's mission.
Oh, well, I could go on and on about what used to be my SpanishDict.... :(
What?? You don't read my posts?? 
I mainly use the forum, and help when I can.
And I like to give smart-alec answers when they seem necessary. Maybe you have noticed?
I'm still going through the lessons, but I switch back and forth between my resources to keep things fresh.
My SpanishDict has been the people on this forum. Granted the lessons are great (when I have time to do them) but the interaction with Spanish speakers from all over is the big attraction along with all of the fun that Heidi brought to the site.
My biggest attraction is the practice to keep what Spanish I know fresh, while I continue to learn more. The forum motivates me because there are always surprises for me. People ask questions, and much of the time it saves me from asking the same question myself. Why didn't I think of that?? Wow- that's a good question! I've probably asked the fewest questions of any long-time forum members.
I've made friends, and that adds motivation too. I need all the motivation I can get, because I live in circumstances where Spanish is almost never heard.
I also like to help others. Sometimes, teaching something makes it go from "known" to "unforgettable, innate". There's plenty of opportunity here for that.
When I first joined SpanishDict last June, I barely knew any Spanish. My intention was to learn as much Spanish as I could before I would travel to Mexico and Central-America for three months (am leaving this Saturday). At first I only did the Spanish lessons, but then I discovered the forum, and I started spending more time there, and less time doing the lessons. Lately I haven't done any lessons, I probably ought to though. I am trying to participate more and more in competitions where I can practise my Spanish, and I am trying to log in every day, and even some days, several times.
I also use the translate and conjugate section from time to time. Well, that is mostly what I do here. I like this site!
Earlier i got normal greetings like hello , bye , good night etc. translated from the internet and just tried to use them whenever possible . This january i joined spanish dict. and im really happy i did. i mainly use the flashcard part of it and use it for asking questions. this is the first question im answering as i am a beginner and can't really answer the translation or the grammer related questions although i try sometimes. i try to visit spanish dict. everyday but dont get time because of studies , school etc. what i like the most about spanish dict is people don't make fun of you if make a mistake in your post or ask a not so intelligent question which really happens in some websites. looking forward to learning more spanish. 
I had been studying Spanish at evening classes for many years before I joined SD in July 2009. I didn't go on the forum until 2 months later.In those days I didn't use the computer very much prefering to use my large (and very heavy ) Spanish dictionary . At first I mainly used the dictionary, reference section and Parlee's lessons of course. Then I strayed into the forum........ and became an addict !
I also changed my studying habits. SD has helped me become more computer literate ( although there are still somethings I haven't mastered)
I still attend Spanish evening classes and often use the facilities on SD to do my homework. The downside of this is I am spending more time at the computer and getting less exercise ( I am not lifting heavy dictionaries so much).....so I need to go to the gym more often!
I visit the site nearly every day but sometimes I only have time to catch up on what is happening.
If time permits I try to answer word of the day or the picture caption quizzes but I usually only do this if I have time to correct any errors in my posts.Sometimes I revise by doing the lessons.
It is only work and family commitments that currently prevent me making more use of the wonderful facilities. In the future, I would like to to reconnect to Skype and do the chats (which I really enjoyed).
What I like the most about SD is exchanging conversations, writings, jokes and so on with English speakers. I like to observe the way they write, how they use English expressions and all their comments. I think these kind of things can't be learned from any book. Also I like to see the mistakes made by English speakes when they write in Spanish because some of them are related to a direct translation from English to Spanish and this is very curious because I make the same mistakes but in the opposite direction. Direct translations are not good! jeje
Of course it is also very gratifying to see that there are hundreds of correctors who help and correct you with everything you write. I think this is priceless.
I mainly use the forum and the games. I've got enough learning materials to get through with the OU course. The support on here is great, I think it would be much harder to do distance learning without it.
When I first joined SpanishDict I did lessons 1 through 3. Now I just redo a lesson if I come across the concept in reading and find I don't remember how to use it myself.
I use the dictionary often.
I use the conjugator infrequently but I still use it.
I use reference articles whenever there is a subject I need to know about that I already have the pre-known vocabulary to search through the reference articles for. Otherwise I google it.
I don't use the chat room or the flash cards
And clearly I visit the forums.
Well Billygoat, I'm slightly past my sell-by date as a student. I came upon the site by chance, asking for a translation in order to write abetter e-mail to somebody in Spain. Then I decided to join Paralee's course. From time to time, when I feel strong enough. I find her rather a strain , all those white smiles and everything is just so easy.. However, after only about three visits to the site I got hooked on questions and answers. I found myself spending hours trying to find out what a ' doublet ' is ( an ancient waistcoat, and that is in English) and other most useful words I would never, ever have thought of looking for. I love trying to find answers. I love the various 'Palabras del día' , I try to do at least one every day and I'm actually prepared to get up in the middle of the night if I should think of an improvement before the correctors see my effort. Luckily they are in a different time-zone. I only use the bits of the site that I like best but I use those a lot. I'm afraid I've only ever looked at very few flashcards, but I love to see the efforts everybody makes to find pictures and make good and sometimes very funny answers on the words of the day. I've yet to venture onto Skype. However, what makes the site is its people. There are any numbers of automatic translators. ¡ Viva Spanish Dict!
I started by using the dictionary for writing sentences and conjugations. Then, I noticed the lessons. Finally, I discovered the forum and I was hooked. I really love it for the community of learners. We really have a special friendship and one that continues on Skype. Now, I am not sure what is going after today. Does anyone know?
I began to use SD a year ago, to translate and look up verb conjugations. I did not join SD, however, until two weeks ago, when I began to take Paralee's lessons. They are amazing -- one can learn so quickly with her explanations. After one of the lessons I discovered the Q&A. I now go to the Q&A forum briefly 2 or 3 times a day. (I work on a computer all day, so it is easy to take a break from work and see what's new on SD.) I have excellent comprehension skills, but can't speak a word of Spanish --- so I am using the Q&A to practice "recall", a step beyond the "recognize" where I am now. I try to find 3 Q&A questions per visit where I can make an attempt to compose a sentence. Afterwards, unless prohibited by the question instructions, I use a dictionary and the conjugation pages to correct my own errors, then I submit.
A recent post listed all the sites that one can go to for "listening" practice . This site is the best for actually interacting with others - the next step in our learning journey.
P.S. I have a son who is fluent in both French and Chinese. (He learned to have a love of languages from me, at an early age.) To my disappointment, he won't help me with either of these, for fear I will undo his language skills. What a better way to learn a language than to share the journey with someone? As a result --- I am not learning French, and I am not learning Chinese. Instead, I am learning Spanish with you, the SD community. This makes you a part of my family. Hug.
I posted this thread first thing this morning when I was feeling really positive. With all the shenanigans this evening, I feel like that guy in the Airplane movies.............................'looks like I chose the wrong day to give up smoking!'
To me, SD is the people who contribute. From the beginner asking a question to the natives and advanced students who volunteer their time to answer, help, teach, support and encourage.
I use the flashcards and the lessons, but these things could be found anywhere. Without the wonderful people who make this place what it is, SD simply would not be anything all that special and I wouldn't spend half the time I do here.
