I Can Haz Spanish Lessons: Cat Pictures Now Have A Purpose

[BainsBane]

It's no secret cats rule the Internet. Now, just flipping through cat pictures can be an educational experience. A new iOS app called Cat Spanish teaches 1,000 basic phrases by showing you flash cards of cute cats.

"It's the most ridiculously silly, but yet ruthlessly effective way of learning conversational Spanish," says Ed Cooke, founder of Cat Academy, the group behind Cat Spanish.

For example, when learning the phrase "I need help," the app shows a cat tangled in a tree. Users memorize the phrases through repeated tests.

"By contemplating the picture, you're really thinking about what needs help: You press the button, you pay attention because it's cute and then the connection happens between the word and the visual imagery," Cooke explains.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/11/26/247337248/i-can-haz-spanish-lessons-cat-pictures-now-have-a-purpose?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

[stevenleser]

1. That particular pic comes in handy whenever you see a quote from Ted Cruz.

Rim shot

[BainsBane]

3. Even worse

A news clip of him speaking.

[Xipe Totec]

2. Hobble Hizzpanyol?

[LadyHawkAZ]

4. Cute!

Not on Android yet though. Sigh.

[BainsBane]

5. You can always use it on your home computer

[freshwest]

7. How, though? I see it's an App. Aren't they for phones? Please tell me how this works. TIA.

[BainsBane]

8. This website

http://www.catacademy.com/

[libdem4life]

6. I've seen more than one human in this exact pose..definitely not praying to the Ceramic God

as they'd have you believe.

Back to language, what a fantastic way to learn. Who'd have thought that cats could become Master Teachers...other then them, of course.

[Arugula Latte]

9. Wait, providing laughter, smiles and a sense of warm fuzziness isn't a purpose?

[BainsBane]

10. Good point

But you can now get that warm, fuzzy feeling while learning a foreign language. Win, Win!

[Aerows]

11. I needed that picture a few minutes ago on DU

:bleh:

[BainsBane]

12. I've needed it for several days

Funny how these things come full circle.

[myrna minx]

13. I love it! I think I'll add it my resume.

2014 Graduate of the Cat Academy - with honors.

[BainsBane]

15. or A PhD in Kitty-Literature

[Trailrider1951]

14. Oh that's a great idea!

But the Germans have a different take on the OP's picture:

Ich trinke das Wasser.

I guess it would work for any language.

[BainsBane]

16. trinke = drink?

I drink the water?

[Trailrider1951]

17. Yep

But it's mostly dogs that do that.

[BainsBane]

18. no me gusta

[BainsBane]

19. I like kitty Spanish

and Kitty Portuguese a lot better than rape porn. Just sayin.

[red dog 1]

20. Me gusta'

Una gran manuera de aprender Espanol!

[BainsBane]

21. Kitty Indonesian too

Question to anyone who knows: When "Indonesian" is referenced as a language, do they mean Javanese? I know there are many different languages spoken within Indonesia.

[rucky]

22. Ay Chihuahua!

[BainsBane]

23. Bilingual

?1343410784000