Mango Languages

And the winners are…

We asked what Journeys you would take with more advanced language learning content from Mango Languages. The results are in and the following Mango fans are each receiving a  free Mango Passport Journeys One, Two and Three bundle! Congratulations and happy learning to everyone who submitted a response!

Tony from Redondo Beach said:

I have completed your free trial for Brazilian Portugueses over 38 times. Over the last 17 years, I have trained in the Martial Art of Brazilian Jiu jitsu, have met so many people who are Brazilian.  I am traveling Brazil in August and it has been time to finally learn the language.

With Mango, I am excited and your program is fun and keeps my attention with the interaction on screen.  

With the Brazilian Portuguese bundle it will open more doors for my in Brazil this summer and help with social projects I am doing the children such as “Kites for Kids!”

 Jason said: 

After my husband died in 2000, I started to travel with two ladies who grew-up in Puerto Rico, and are fluent in both English and Spanish. 

I wanted to learn Spanish and surprise my Puerto Rico friends with my accomplishment, so I began taking lessons from a college student. Unfortunately, I was having a terrible time trying to learn a new language in my late sixties.

Recently I discovered Mango Languages when it was offered through my local library. I was thrilled with the teaching method used by Mango Languages, and I was learning Spanish at age 70!

We are so thrilled and honored to have amazing fans like all of you. Your stories have touched us. Enjoy your courses and stay in touch. We all want to hear how your journeys unfold!

Theory Thursday: Mental Dictionaries

I’d like to share a couple funny and cute linguistics stories in this blog. I will be talking about how bilinguals recognize and speak words in each of their languages.  What? That doesn’t sound cute? Just hang in there.  I promise that this will be a cute but informative linguistic blog.

I am the mother of four children who are all bilingual in English and Spanish.  Some time ago I was sitting with my now nine-year old son (I think he was 7 or maybe 8 at the time) as he read to me “The Digging-est Dog” by Al Perkins.  He was doing an excellent job, but when he got to the page that reads, “I dug up fences, I dug up gates” without realizing his mistake he very confidently read, “I dug up fences, I dug up cats.”

So why would my son read “cats” instead of “gates”?   Obviously “cats” and “gates” don’t rhyme or even really look similar, at least not in English.  However, as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, my children are bilingual in English and Spanish.  Well, the Spanish word for “cats” is “gatos.”  Ahhh, you say! “Gatos” and “gates” look very much alike!  It is easy to see how he could mistake “gates” for this other word “gatos.”  What makes this case even more interesting is that while his brain apparently recognized the Spanish word “gatos” he produced the English translation for this word: “cats.”  Although my son was reading in English and produced an English word, “cats,” it is evident that his Spanish lexicon (or mental dictionary or vocabulary list) was still very much active.

On another occasion, my older son asked me if he could fill and use a salt shaker I had brought back from Cuernavaca, Mexico.  To which I replied, “No! You can’t use that! It’s a memory!”  Does it seem strange that I referred to a salt shaker as a “memory”?  Well, it may help to know that the word for souvenir in Spanish is “recuerdo” which literally translates to…you got it…“memory.”

Yet another time, I recall shopping for a digital video camera with my husband.  We had picked out the camera, a bunch of editing software and additional accessories.  My husband approached the salesman who was assisting us and asked, “So, how much for todo?”  The salesman just smiled and continued to talk about the different features of the products we had chosen.  My husband asked again, “How much for todo?” I was standing right beside my husband and could not figure out why the salesman was not answering him.  Until of course it dawned on me that while I understood my husband’s question, the salesman who obviously did not speak Spanish, did not, because my husband was mixing the two languages: English and Spanish.

The focus of research in bilingualism for a long time was whether or not bilinguals have a single lexicon (mental dictionary) that comprises all of the words they know in both of their languages, or separate lexicons.  And additionally, whether access to these is selective or not.  Multiple theories to address these questions have been proposed.

One of these, the hierarchical model, proposes that the lexicons are combined at the conceptual level but separate at the word representational level.  Basically bilinguals have separate “dictionaries” but that the entry for a particular word in each language links back to the same “meaning” or “concept.”

Another theory is the Bilingual Interactive Activation Model (BIA). This theory argues that letter strands activate possible lexical candidates (words) in both languages, which then compete for activation.

As with many questions in the field of Linguistics and specifically bilingualism, whether bilinguals have one or two “mental dictionaries” and how they access these is still not fully understood.  However, for me as a Linguist it is exciting to be able to point to and analyze these everyday aspects of real life and apply it to my passion for languages.

Have you experienced a situation where you interchanged your “mental dictionaries”?

Travel Tuesday: Combining Business and Pleasure

Working in events, I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel from time to time for work. Unfortunately, this was not the case for a recent trip to Puerto Rico taken by Jason Teshuba and Ryan Colpaert, our CEO and Director of Sales and Marketing, respectively. The rest of us Mangoes spent the week slaving away at the office while Jason and Ryan spent a week relaxing on the beach in sunny San Juan. Ok fiiiine, I will admit that their trip was not without purpose (and I promise I’m not still bitter). Our two jetsetters made their way to Puerto Rico to attend the 77th Annual World Library and Information Congress Conference and Assembly! The conference took place from August 13-18 and, according to the website, it brings together over 3,500 participants from more than 120 countries. The exhibition portion of the conference boasts over 80 exhibitors with a combined buying power of all delegates estimated at more than 1.2 billion dollars! Needless to say, it was an exciting opportunity for Mango Languages to attend the show for the first time, especially given this year’s exotic location.

Because most of our Mangoes are curious travelers and always seeking out cultural experiences, Ryan and Jason decided to extend their trip and get a little taste of what San Juan has to offer. And being a self-proclaimed foodie, I was most interested in what they actually DID taste. Jason came back raving about his new favorite food, mofongo. A specialty of Puerto Rico, the dish combines mashed plantains with any combination of meat, seafood, and vegetables. Traditionally, the dish is prepared in a mortar and pestle, but can also be made in a food processor, depending on how authentic you want your experience to be. Either way, I will selflessly offer to taste any mofongo you decide to prepare. I’ll bring the Puerto Rican rum.

Aside from food and drink, Jason and Ryan also took advantage of Puerto Rico’s famous rain forests. While in San Juan, they had the opportunity to take a tour of El Yunque, pictured above. Additionally, the guys caught an awesome cultural performance of native dances at the conference, shown in the video below. I’m thinking we should try this out in the office. Nothing like a little choreography to break up the work day!

That, coupled with lounging in the sun, does not sound like too stressful of a work trip, no? That, my friends, is what we call “fundipline.” A combination of “fun” and “discipline,” it is one of our core values we are always striving to emphasize over at the Mango office (and the creation of a new word exemplifies “innovation,” another one of Mango’s core values.. TANGENT ALERT). Work hard, play hard is what we are all about. Rather than fly in and out solely for the show, our Mangoes decided to take advantage of their time in a new and exciting place. I think it goes without saying that I will be joining the guys for the 2012 conference in Helsinki (where we will hopefully indulge in some Finnish sweet bread, called pulla). Until then, adios and hei-hei!

Can you recall a time where you have been able to combine business and pleasure to gain a cultural experience?

Meet Our Newest Mango, Emily!

How did you hear about Mango Languages? I heard about Mango Languages through a job posting that my uncle forwarded to me.  This led me to check out the Mango Languages website, where I applied for the position of Spanish Language Developer.  Then when Alan mentioned the possibility of the position of Project Linguist I got really excited because I could work as a linguist in the private sector.

What is your official title here at Mango Languages?/What is your job description? My official title at Mango Languages is “Project Linguist.” As a Project Linguist I do lots of awesome things, including waxing philosophical about syntactic theory, considering morphophonological implications in SLA research, puzzling over case assignment in zero-copula sentences in Arabic, and of course ensuring the highest quality content for all of the Mango Languages courses.   I think that its really cool that my job title has “linguist” in it since I have not only a B.A. but also an M.A. in linguistics.  What’s even cooler is that most people with degrees like mine in the private sector rarely get to do the job of a linguist while keeping the title.

Where did you work/study before coming to Mango? Before coming to Mango, I studied at Michigan State University and the University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.  When I was working on my M.A. I worked for MSU as the director of the Spanish Writing Center and my second year as a Spanish Instructor.

I speak Spanish and Catalán (Mallorquín) fluently. I started learning Spanish at a young age, and I learned Mallorquín when I lived in Mallorca for 2 1/2 years.  At first I wasn’t too happy about having to learn it because it was forced upon me. Basically, if you go to the public university in the Balearic Islands you have to take half of your classes in Catalán (this is commonly known as a language-maintenance strategy).  Later on after I got the hang of it I really started to appreciate the language and the sense of belonging that it afforded me (yup, when you learn this language you become one of the “cool kids”… something that I never was in high school).  I also speak some French, which I learned partially when I was living and Spain and then later on when I lived in Paris.

What do you love the most about Mango Languages? My favorite thing about Mango is the company culture and its general “openess.”  I feel like everyone is accepted for who they are, and we’re all equals. The positive reinforcement and its means of recognition (the Big Deal Bell, The Gong, the Little Deal Bell) is also really impressive. Also, we get to listen to music and I get to decorate my cubicle. Plus the fiestas, you can’t forget those.

Do you like to travel? If so, what was your best trip? I love love love loooooove traveling.  I have had two best trips: one that I took to Costa Rica in March right after I finished my Comprehensive Exams for my M.A. and one that I took to Greece in March of 2007.  Both trips involved lots of eating and sitting on beaches.

Welcome to the Mango Team Emily!

Let’s Talk About Organic Learning!

When I was trying to learn a foreign language in the past, there always seemed to be a rude awakening at the end of the course.  I could no longer acquire new information as soon as the course book ended, the audio tape finished, or the class was over. It was frustrating to know that I spent so much time trying to learn a language and couldn’t continue to build on what I knew after the intense learning method was over.

I wish Organic Learning was incorporated into the different language learning methods I used to try.

Mango’s organic learning lessons are designed to help users continue increasing their vocabulary and cultural insights outside of the Mango lessons! These lessons are focused on teaching you to ask a variety of useful questions and use vital communications that allow users to ask about a word they don’t know, request additional information about any given subject, get clarification from the person they are speaking to, and more. The more you implement organic learning, the more you’ll be able to learn after the end of the course!

Intuitive Language Construction integrates vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, culture, as well as comprehension and retention strategies into organic learning to make Mango a fun, easy, and incredibly effective resource for foreign language and ESL users!

We can’t teach you every single one of the thousands of vocabulary words that make up a certain language, but we can teach you how to find out this information as you use the language. For example, you may find yourself in Spain and not know the name for a specific fruit you want to buy at a farmer’s market.  After using Mango, you would be able to point to the fruit and say, “Come se dice (point to object) en Español?” which means, how do you say (this) in Spanish? (Literal traslation: What is this called in Spanish). Not only will you now learn the appropriate word, but this technique will allow you to engage in conversations and grow more confident in your communication skills.  It’s a win-win, if you ask me.

See it in action – try a lesson for free!

Also, watch our methodology video to see all the unique features of Mango Languages courses.

Language List (Individuals)

The Ethertons Review

Here’s a review from  The Ethertons’ blog!

“Phil and I have been wanting to learn Spanish. We figured that way we could communicate the basics if necessary when we get to Arizona.
Phil never took a language in school and I took one semester in college but struggled to catch on.
I was very excited and optimistic when given the chance to review Mango Languages software. Mango offers many language choices; we picked Spanish.
We have had it for a few weeks now and I am blown away by the results. This is an awesome Language Program! Phil and I could both say greetings after the first lesson. Phil has picked up way more than me but has used it more. I have picked up more in the first 3 lessons than I did in my entire semester of college Spanish.” Read More…

A Taste of Mexico

What Mezcal was served in for the tasting

Last month, I was invited by Vicente Sanchez the consular of Mexico for Michigan and Ohio to a Mezcal tasting event for a celebration of the 2010 Mexican bicentennial anniversary.

The tasting was a truly unique and fun experience. I learned so much from the host at Migual’s Cantina. If you are wondering what the difference is between Mezcal and Tequila there are many including how many times it is distilled and even the use of the worm is in debate.

Fried Grasshoppers, salted and served with nuts

What I found interesting is the how you taste, with what you taste and how the traditional drink got its start. Here are a few of my non-scientific findings:

• Mezcal got its start with the Spanish Conquest and was used to convince the native Indians to work in the mines.
• There are over 200 different kinds of Agave plants and at least 150 are grown in Mexico
• When drinking Mezcal you should make a kissing face with your lips and sip.
• Before drinking Mezcal, you should produce a bit of saliva and when the sip is taken you should move the liquid across all your taste buds.
• Mezcal has a strong smokey flavor and can make you cough the first time you drink it.
• Mezcal is usually served as a shot, with a side plate of fried larvae ground with chili peppers and salt and cut limes. (notice picture of the grasshoppers – yes I tried them and am not a fan but I tried it! )
• Supposedly Mezcal is one of the only alcohols that will not give you a hang over. It comes from a polycarpic plant which starts to digest as soon as it hits your tongue.
• Just like with other drinks here are high end and low end Mezcals.  But note many are handcrafted.

This was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the very rich and old culture of Mexico.  I am so glad I was able to attend this unique experience and taste at bit of Mexico.

Do you have a drink or food that is a tradition for you and your culture?  Please share with us!

Guest Post: Preventing Cognitive Overload

I am pleased to introduce Christopher Craft our Guest Blogger this week. He teaches kids Spanish and Latin at CrossRoads Middle School. He is also nearing completion of a PhD in Educational Psychology and Research at the University of South Carolina.  Christopher has a B.A. in Spanish and a Master of Education degree.  He speaks fluent Spanish, his wife is from Peru, and he has two bilingual daughters (ages 8 and 4). Find out more about him here.

Learning a new language can be overwhelming.  As a foreign language teacher I have seen students get quickly overloaded resulting in a mentality that “I’m just not good at Spanish.”  This mindset can effectively hinder the learning of a foreign language.  If you are embarking on the journey of learning a foreign language as a self-directed learner, you must take into account some principles inspired by our knowledge of the human cognitive architecture to make sure you don’t fall victim to the same mindset.

People often tell me that they wish they spoke Spanish.  When I offer them the many resources online to help them do just that (i.e. Mango Languages) they are often excited.  When I follow up with these folks they often cite a lack of time or motivation for the lack of fluency in the desired language.  Underneath it all is likely a sense of overload.

To prevent cognitive overload there are certain principles that you can implement when attempting to learn a foreign language.  First, it is necessary to practice “chunking.”  Chunking occurs when you take information in chunks to avoid overload.  This is precisely why phone numbers and social security numbers are chunked; to make them easier to remember.  Applying this to the learning of a new language is easy; simply make sure that you don’t take in too much at once.  Start slow, and make sure you really learn the first few lessons.  It can be daunting to see that there is so much that remains before you are “finished” learning.  You must remember that the learning of a foreign language never ends.  In order to prevent cognitive overload, first consider chunking your information and taking it slow.

One way to aid your chunking is to rehearse the information you are learning.  Find ways to practice the language.  Find reasons to say the words you are learning.  Teach someone else the new words and phrases you are learning.  This mental rehearsal will aid the information to be transferred into long-term memory and retained for a long period of time.  You have likely experienced this rehearsal before; perhaps when learning a phone number.  When someone tells you their phone number, you have likely found yourself repeating it in your head until you can write it down.  This is rehearsal.  The more you rehearse the basics of a foreign language, the better foundation you are laying for future learning.

A third principle to take into account is the need to take breaks.  Consider your working memory to be a bit like a water glass.  If you are adding water at a steady rate, at some point you will reach the top and water will no longer be able to enter the glass.  Your working memory functions similarly, in that when you reach a level of “fullness,” no more information can enter.  Even more troublingly, if you do not take care to take a break now and again, you can reach cognitive overload.  When this happens, the working memory empties and all the learning that had recently happened will be lost.  It is as though when reaching a level of our glass being too full, instead of just spilling over someone were to dump the entire glass of water out.  This can leave you frustrated and without desire to continue.

Using the principles of chunking, deliberate rehearsal, and regular breaks you can maximize your chances of developing fluency in a target language.  Just as your body needs rest when doing work, your mind does as well.  Take care to be mindful of your learning and adjust as needed.  I wish you the best of luck on your continued journey towards foreign language learning.

How do you prevent Cognitive Load?

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-03-20

• Fishing in Scotland and Ireland | Europe Forum | Fodor’s Travel … http://bit.ly/9oTglT (via @globtrot) #
• Food wasted by US & Europe could feed the world 3 times over http://ow.ly/1eYeO (via @joycecherrier @dudeman718) (via @Alyssa_Milano) #
• Just saw someone walking through OCC with an @MangoLanguages reuseable bag (via @14Bikes)–awesome! Want one? #
• 10 Steps for Optimizing the Brand for Social Search http://ow.ly/1jiYb (via @SocialNetDaily) #
• @crafty184 ask your sales guy. in reply to crafty184 #
• Did you know today is mothers day in the UK? #
• @crafty184 he is not random.H e is a friend of mine that is seen every Tuesday. not holding out. Ryan has all your deets for shipping. in reply to crafty184 #
• @ceiligirl69 thanks for sharing! in reply to ceiligirl69 #
• @sracamargo thanks for passing this info along! in reply to sracamargo #
• Mango Languages has great feature: visual pronunciation comparison! Move over Rosetta Stone! Our patrons use Mango…FREE! (via @ebreref) #
• Impress your friends St. Patrick’s Day; learn to speak Irish! So easy – click on Mango Languages. All you need is a library card (via @ncld) #
• looking for more information about Mango languages, does it teach Spanish? http://ebr.lib.la.libanswers.com/a.php?qid=5394 (via @ebreref) #
• Excited that we are in @crainsdetroit this week. Great Article Nancy – thanks! http://ow.ly/1l9lw #
• Looking for a couple of people who have used Mango & seen a dramatic change in their lives, easier communications skills, etc. #
• RT @shacharlotte: Russian language debate renewed in Ukraine: KIEV, Ukraine, March 15 (UPI) http://bit.ly/9jbvEc #
• with the weather getting warmer and the sun shining brighter, we are eagerly anticipating the first sunburns to… http://bit.ly/99xcCL #
• For #TravelTuesday … St. Patrick’s Day themed travel. Who has got a lucky clover I can borrow? (via @travelblggr) #
• @BMorePRGuy thanks for noticing the @crainsdetroit piece. @Mingberg is our neighbor. He is a trouble maker! in reply to BMorePRGuy #
• @StCharlesLib thanks for sharing! in reply to StCharlesLib #
• Ireland Facing SEVERE Shamrock Shortage Ahead Of St. Patty’s Day http://bit.ly/awEnib #
• @PTACofSC Thank you! in reply to PTACofSC #
• @ACEevent Thank you! in reply to ACEevent #
• @EnglewoodPublic That is what we thought! in reply to EnglewoodPublic #
• Cool–Transportation Secretary emphasizes development of bike lines across America http://su.pr/18UNKF (via @fastcompany) #
• Can’t wait to see everyone at #PLA2010 – Make sure you stop by Booth #1441 to get your mango smoothies and Mango Bag. #
• Want to learn French? Nice review of Mango. http://ow.ly/1nYjE #
• Great shout out for Mango on how to Learn Hebrew on http://www.43things.com http://ow.ly/1o02w #
• It’s Irish!: Today at the Community Stage from 1 to 5 p.m., we’re playing Irish-themed movie… http://bit.ly/9wx6Xm (via @ParkCentralLibr) #
• Escape the Chill in Prague’s Passages #travel http://bit.ly/8XY4wz (via @travelitup) #
• Did you know-once you learn Spanish, a Romance Language, it opens the door to easier acquisition of other Romance Languages? (via @bocabeth) #
• @mtiller did you get your question answered? Be glad to help. in reply to mtiller #
• Mangoes Are Popping Up Everywhere http://bit.ly/aOboay via @AddToAny #
• @mtiller Yes. We offer two programs to the library and more languages. What do you think of Mango? We welcome honesty! #
• FYI @mtiller Unfortunately I can’t reply in DM since you are not following us. I will be happy to reply in public if you would like #
• I posted 3 photos on Facebook in the album “Libraries” http://bit.ly/d7r9DM #
• We got new Mango coffee mugs! They are sweet! http://bit.ly/97AEEs #
• Nice story about learning Japanese to talk with relatives. http://ow.ly/1oDoM #
• THIS WEEKEND: National Day Of Unplugging http://huff.to/b3Cd4b #