Viking mythology and all that goes with it

I prefer written material, but that's mostly because my hearing has taken a bit of damage over the years, i.e. I've always been too dumb to wear earplugs when I should.

German's popular enough you should be able to find free beginners lessons of pretty much any kind online, might be enough to let you figure out what kind is going to work best for you.
 
Oh, I see. Why German? There are many languages that are less complicated and therefore much easier to learn. I didn't find German difficult myself, but it's not necessarily a good language to start out with. Spanish and Italian, for example, are a whole lot easier, more staright forward, sort of. And living where you are, you'd have a bigger chance of ever getting to hear it spoken. If you can't surround yourself with a language, it makes it much more difficult to learn it, so I'd recommend starting with a language that you can at least hear spoken "au naturel".
 
I was always under the impression that German wasn't that hard, at least for an English speaker. Then again, I've never gotten off my ass and learned it, either. Spanish is probably easier to learn, the rules are pretty simple, and after that it's just a matter of vocabulary. I used to be pretty good at Spanish, but I really didn't use it for like 15 years and, well, I forget things. Plus, rapidly spoken words and bad hearing are a bad mix.

I really should bump German up on the list, but everyone I know who speaks German also speaks pretty good English. Which means my lazy ass keeps skipping on it.
 
Oh, I see. Why German? There are many languages that are less complicated and therefore much easier to learn. I didn't find German difficult myself, but it's not necessarily a good language to start out with. Spanish and Italian, for example, are a whole lot easier, more staright forward, sort of. And living where you are, you'd have a bigger chance of ever getting to hear it spoken. If you can't surround yourself with a language, it makes it much more difficult to learn it, so I'd recommend starting with a language that you can at least hear spoken "au naturel".

because im German. that or Lithuanian. lol
 
If you want to learn a language better - LISTEN to it first; just throw it around in your head, then, as you start picking up words, learn how to spell. The more you listen to actual conversation, the more you learn about syntax and grammar. That's how it is with me at least.
 
I would say so, I know in my area they have plenty of "Learn Swedish" cd's to play and listen too - some of the better ones though are for the computer, and those can probably teach you how to speak much faster and better because they all usually have a conversation program that talks to you about everyday things (pre-recorded conversations, hundreds of them about everything).

I think those programs usually cost around $40, but I can't be sure, I've enver had the money to buy them when I'm in the area :(


I'd suggest finding out what kind of learner you are (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.) - they have sites, and a lot of professors (especially the Psychology departments out here) swear by them - just google "4 learning styles", or "learning styles".
 
Spanish and Italian are easy? Since when...
I took Spanish in high school and it was the hardest class ever...it confused me. When I was learning some Norwegian it seemed easier, but I didn't keep it up since there is no one around here that speaks it and my Norwegian friend disappeared for the time being (its a long story haha). I hear plenty of Swedish around here though hehe, so maybe I will learn that instead :) Finnish didn't look too bad...grammatically I understand it to a point. It is not too big of a jump from Serbian even though they are completely different language families. Plus the pronounciation is easy for me. I haven't tried anything else...I can understand some Russian and that is about it. Maybe I will go learn Icelandic with Bates hehe.

Speaking of languages (an ealier discussion on this thread)...runes are indeed a written language. I was discussing this with one of my professors (Prof. Roth) and to quote him "Damn right runes are a written language!" So according to basic language theory runes are a written language just not an alphabet...so who are the people disputing this exactly?...just curious. Maybe I will ask my archeology profssor and see what he says about it.

p.s. Tyra, I tried to PM you weeks ago about translating those Swedish pages on the Viking dress patterns, but it didn't work. :( ...I know its been a while but I am finally ready to use them now haha.
 
I find Romantic languages to be pretty easy, if written. I have trouble with English when it's spoken, so I have doubts about my ability to ever "speak" another language. But that's fine, since I'd rather read then talk to most people anyway. :) I've never really studied a Germanic language, except English, but when trying to read the "how it works" parts, all the inflections and tenses and stuff really hurt my brain. Of course, English is like the laziest language ever and isn't really Germanic any more, it has like 2 tenses and the rest is pretty much vocabulary and grammar.

Fuck that - get a girlfriend from your country of choice!
Somehow, even if I invoked the need for knowledge... I doubt my wife would approve :( And the only ones I know who know the languages I want to are either family or taken. :p
 
English isn't a "lazy language at all...it's just an incredibly ambiguous one :p

Now Sanskrit....THAT is one hell of a precise language!
 
English is the only language out of the seven or so I've had to study in school that has more exceptions to the rules than things that follow the rules. It has more borrowed grammar and vocab than the other ones, too. Spanish is simple when it comes to grammar, and most of the vocab is very close to either English or Latin. Having said that, if you want to make it easy to learn languages, you have to start with Latin. Then you have all the foundations to learn all the other ones.

DragonKeeper - something screwed up with my PM function, so I never got your PM. Can I still help you with something? PM me if it's not too late. I'm guessing these may be the patterns from www.historiska.se, right?

Bates, you should look at those patterns, too. I'll PM the addy, but the site has been screwing up for about a week now, so I have to look and see if it's working.-T
 
English also is bassackwards when it comes to structure compared to many other languages too...Ugh it sucks to learn if you're a native English speaker.


I definitely agree with the latin statement though.
 
Bates, you should look at those patterns, too. I'll PM the addy, but the site has been screwing up for about a week now, so I have to look and see if it's working.-T

Sure, I'd be happy to check them out. Happen to know of any for hats? My bald head needs one, and I've only found rather terse descriptions, but no pictures or patterns, i.e. nothing I can work from without just making it up. Haven't had a chance to do much reading lately, been too busy crafting away. :)
 
hey, anybody know where I can get a chain like this one?
I dont want an uber expensive one either.
oh, and I dont want that actual chain type. just like the attachments. having having a chain where they attach at the back of the neck, annoying as hel!