| Topic Name: |
Starting salary and your school |
| Message Name: |
MSA vs. dialect, etc. |
| Date Posted: |
03/16/2006 |
| In Reply To: |
Totally agree with you cm492 in regard to being in the culture. In my experience, learning a language is as much soaking in the culture, learning the nuances and body language of locals, etc. and that can only be replicated in a small way in a classroom. However, classroom learning does give you a structural foundation to build on. The PLUS in going abroad, is that each time you step OUTSIDE the classroom you can build on the foundation. Having said all that, current work and other circumstances may not permit going abroad so Middlebury is a good alternative/starting point. |
| Message: |
I agree, when you are learning beginner or intermediate level skills an intensive program is great. Once you get to an advanced level, real experience in a country where the language is spoken is key. It just depends on what skills you are looking for. If you want to be able to read newspapers and literature in Arabic really well, studying MSA at Middlebury is great. If you want to learn a dialect, of course, America can't offer you much.
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