To actually know what the sound of a language you're trying to learn is a good thing.

[kay_mulan]

MangoLanguages dot com
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If you are somewhat familiar, or you want to "brush up" your memory for those course/s you took in high school or university/college, this site is a good place to start.

For those looking to pin down the exotic, or if you want to "just try" something (i.e. learning listening skills, in a different language) that you've never heard of before, this is a fairly straightforward, good freebie website with languages as a main interest. Have at it!

Comments

[sollers]

No Welsh. Scottish Gaelic yes, but no Welsh. Not happy (plays into the hands of people who still say "But it's not a proper language, is it? It's just noises").

[kay_mulan]

Well, yes. No Welsh. How sad. But why Scottish Gaelic, I wonder? Why not just Scottish. :laughs: Yes, I guess all proper languages are "just noises," too!

The only thing I know how to say in Scottish, minus names of places and people, is "wee bairn"...my little baby.

[sollers]

Other languages are not usually referred to as "just noises" loudly, in public, regardless of who is listening. The last time I overheard it was last year, actually in Wales, and it is abominably offensive. I've never heard French, German, Spanish or any other language the speaker didn't know referred to in that way.

[kay_mulan]

Well I meant that in civility and mild frivolity, I say mildly back.

[sollers]

No human language is "just noises". Even the sounds made by many animals are more than "just noises" as they too may involve communication.

If someone perceives any language in this way, it is nothing to do with the language; the person perceiving is at fault for dissing someone else's language. There's a big difference between "I can't understand this" and "There's nothing to understand".

[kay_mulan]

Yes, yes of course. I do understand that you are quoting people you don't agree with who you say indicate that a language that you care about is to them, "just noises" as per your quote of them.

No disagreement here.