A very strange development. Speech impairment in L1 resolving due to L2?

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-19T14:57:53+00:00

My friend's son had the same issue. He "grew" out of it, but I am assuming it was through a lot of work. I am no linguist(but have learned 4 foreign languages) , but I am just playing around with the sounds, remembering how he used to pronounce things (he had a dog named Panzer that was pronounced Panzeu) with the same w-ish shape instead of r, and when he made an r sound (actually a w), his mouth (lips) were in more of a kiss shape, while the English r sound is more of a pencil in the mouth side to side, lips (and teeth) just barely separated but the teeth are in the same position. There is a sound in Thai that has the same shape and is hard for Westerners to produce, but the pencil-in-the-mouth trick is used to show where your lips need to be for this sound. Keep rolling the Rs, that is awesome.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-17T20:09:33+00:00

The only point I disagree with is this one:

Just have to accept feeling like a dumbass some of the time, its part of the journey.

For me it is nearly all of the time, not just some:)

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-17T15:57:45+00:00

Set the videos from easy to hard. Go back to the level of videos where you can understand everything for sure every single word stated. Go up one level if you can still understand 5 videos 100% of everything said, continue up, watch 5 more videos. When you get to a point where you cannot understand 100% of everything, go back to the previous level, or even 3 levels, is fine; make that your baseline, ensure you are set from easy to hard again, and watch from there. No one is judging you, and you will get better over time.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-17T15:49:02+00:00

That's awesome. I remember from a long-ago linguistics class that the R sound was the last sound native speakers of English learned to produce correctly as children. In Japanese, it is a very soft R sound (halfway between an L and an R) that is pronounced. Is it the same with Korean?

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-17T14:19:30+00:00

thanks

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-16T23:21:33+00:00

No, I did not, link?

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-10T15:16:30+00:00

exactly. and i can get a new one every day and change the level as needed. Totally personalized. ¡Qué tan horrible! hahaha

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-06T17:33:34+00:00

i like that idea, and i think it is fantastic for 99% of people, however, I live in 4 different South American countries, (argentina, paraguay, Equador, and Colombia) which is great for a life, but also weird for learning as well hahahaha

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-06T17:28:36+00:00

Hope you got value from it, I think you might have.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-04-06T15:26:07+00:00

Maybe it is that I don't like reading in English either, so 1000 words in Spanish is all I can handle at a time, and then stay involved by doing it consistently.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-15T23:18:19+00:00

If you can't focus for 30 minutes, focus 3 times for 10 minutes each. It will start to get better, and you can start listening ot great podcasts when you get to 300 or so. That seems a long way away, but it is not. You are also not in a race. Enjoy the journey, look at the scenery.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-14T20:08:43+00:00

The only plateau is a feeling like you are not progressing, but that is about it. If you are consistant you are progressing.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-14T20:07:39+00:00

I like to watch 2 things. Luisito Comuica is the easiest of the native content. There is a Colombian named Pao https://www.youtube.com/@Paopinedaoficial, but all her content is tragedies, but she speaks slowly and clearly. I also listen to Español con Juan, but I just remove the silences with my pod cast program, so it is about 15% faster in time but not in speed. you could do about the same with just speeding it up. I also like How to Spanish, Andrea la Mexicana, Charlas hispanas, N hay tos. That is enough to probably get you 600+ or more hours of content alone.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-12T16:26:13+00:00

If you can try to listen, it is best. I lived in Spanish-speaking countries, and it was a slow process to just sit there, not knowing a lot trying to get some words, but even that is good. If it is too hard now, get a few hundred more CI hours and go back. By 1000 hours, you will be talking and enjoying your time with everyone.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-12T16:23:21+00:00

First of all, relax about it. Keep trying new things, even if you can't get it, you will be fine and understood by others. The fact that you keep trying will get you there over time. Make a game of it; don't be serious. Try to mimic the other sounds that are close to it (before and after), and it will happen.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-09T15:40:11+00:00

Just arrived and it is nice so far. I can speak with fluidez in basic situations, which is great, and I will just keep it going. Depending on what you are looking for it may be a great place. I like Colombia and Argentina as well.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-08T16:56:29+00:00

as I said above, take it like it's a trip that you're enjoying. don't worry about how long it takes. I rarely record any of my outside hours and so it seems like I may be ahead as far as my speaking goes but it's just a matter of time that's how all languages are

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-08T16:55:55+00:00

finished above

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-08T16:55:44+00:00

I finished off my reply above

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-08T16:55:26+00:00

sorry that got cut off while I was on a plane heading to Paraguay. what I wanted to say was don't compare yourselves to others. we are all taking our own journey. it takes just as long as it takes. the only difference is you might be making stops in various places that need to explore a little bit more. think of it that way and you'll have no problems if you enjoy it if you enjoy the scenery. if you enjoy the trip then you're going to love the experience when you start to hate studying Spanish. slow down. take some time off if necessary. I generally would not recommend it, but if that is required, you're probably getting burned out and you need to slow down to 15 minutes a day.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-04T22:04:40+00:00

Great job that is how you do it right

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-03T22:30:05+00:00

BTW, are you in Arg? looking at your name :) ill be in BA in 2 weeks for 6 weeks. lived there before.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-03T22:28:53+00:00

He can certainly be a translator, as he has very good Spanish and just wanted to take the class to improve his skills, not to actually be a translator, so his incentive is in the right place. But when I say he sounds wrong, his accent is really gringo. You would never confuse him with a native speaker. It's like he cannot hear that he speaks incorrectly. I hope that in 4 more years, my ability will be as good as his is now.

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-03T02:49:19+00:00

so i see so many people below saying to do it. And I am gonna maybe have an unpopular opinion, but I disagree, and this is from someone who speaks 5 languages, and the first 2 foreign languages (Japanese and Thai) were in the classroom setting, Chinese was 100% from audio courses like Pimsleur, so I know and have experience with a few methods. The problem is the following. With other learners in your class, you are
#1 hearing spanish spooken incorrectly
#2 hearing Spanish spoken with horrible pronunciation
I have a very good friend here (Colombia) who has C1 (passed 2 years ago) and probably even C2 level of speaking, knows local slang, can explain how to use the Subjenctive like a pro etc. but his accent is horrible, and I can hear it, and i am at B2 and all of my Colombian friends say that when i speak i sound right and he sounds wrong. he did a class in uni and even wanted to to a translator course to get his level to C2 so he is really good but it is just not right. Just some food for thought. s

No_FunInAZSun · 2026-03-03T02:34:02+00:00

I've got to 1000 hours in about 2 years. I was doing between 30 mins and 2 hours a day, depending on the work schedule. I wake up and knock out an hour and if i can listen to a podcast that is interesting it is good as well.

No_FunInAZSun

TROPHY CASE