What's the best way to learn a foreign language ...

[Onlooker]

... when you have negligible foreign language aptitude?

[LostinVA]

1. Immersion

[bikebloke]

2. It depends...

In grade school, we were taught French (can you believe public school in Virginia). It was pretty much memorizing dialogues by rote. I took German in high school, which was same, with some grammar thrown in. Later, I took an adult education class in Swedish (having discovered social democracy was a good thing, I though I might want to emigrate there). We had a very good instructor. A mix of things. I learned a lot from her. And once you get the second language, others come easier. Your brain learns to shift gears.

Immersion is the best way. If you can't get into the environment, then there's the Internet. For myself, if I can read it, I can learn it. So with dictionary in hand try a foreign language news site. Then there are tapes and learning books. I've seen some CD courses for the computer. Lots of audio/visual exercises, but had read mixed reviews. With French, I have vocabulary, but not enough structure. It's different from person to person. Try what you can and see what works best

The BBC has some free online language courses.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/

[Tripper11]

3. I would honestly say to live there would be the best.....

I used to live in Korea in the early 80's and when you got off the compound and into the country itself, you really had to make an effort. Most people in the world know a little english and you can generally get by one way or another, but total immersion into a country I think would be the best way.

[SOteric]

4. Fall in love with a native speaker who doesn't speak English.

But short of that, some combination of learning from a native speaker and immersion.

[TheBaldyMan]

5. if you want to learn arabic, I heard the US army are recruiting.

total immersion in a culture for months a t a time and it's paid time too.

[CBHagman]

6. There's really no substitute for having to speak it.

I learned German in high school and then majored in German education in college. Frankly, there are a lot of details of grammar and pronunciation that I simply didn't learn by heart until I had to teach them. :blush: But the best experience of all was living in Germany, both during a month-long summer course and in a two-semester exchange program. Once you have to make phone calls, order food, and ask for directions, you're getting somewhere.

If going to a country where the target language is spoken isn't an option, look for a local club or society that allows for conversation in the language. Consider taking an immersion course at a school or university.

Best of luck!

On edit: Don't forget to go to movies in the target language. A university, library, art house movie theater, or really good DVD rental place can be a godsend here.