Gaining Language Skills from Video Games
Hey, I was wondering if I could pose some questions to our bilingual game loving deviants out there.
I think that video games can be very useful for developing language skills and I just wanted to know some people's experiences when it comes to video games.
I'm just going to throw out some questions I have and if you have any thoughts or views about them please let me know.
1. What was the first video game that you played/ enjoyed that was not in your native language.
2. What were the first words you learned from playing video games.
3. Was there any experience/ game mechanic in game that helped your language skills (i.e character dialogue, level upgrading, item finding, environment exploration)
4. What do you think of games that are made to help you learn a language
I know this is a bit of an odd topic, didn't know really where to put it but I thought I would start here.
Thanks Kellas
I think that video games can be very useful for developing language skills and I just wanted to know some people's experiences when it comes to video games.
I'm just going to throw out some questions I have and if you have any thoughts or views about them please let me know.
1. What was the first video game that you played/ enjoyed that was not in your native language.
2. What were the first words you learned from playing video games.
3. Was there any experience/ game mechanic in game that helped your language skills (i.e character dialogue, level upgrading, item finding, environment exploration)
4. What do you think of games that are made to help you learn a language
I know this is a bit of an odd topic, didn't know really where to put it but I thought I would start here.
Thanks Kellas
Comments8
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My first language being Greek, playing videogames really helped me improve my English. I won't be answering questions 1 and 2 coz I don't remember (
). However, as far as questions 3 and 4 are concerned: I will be eternally grateful to the makers of KOTOR II. I almost memorised every single dialogue line, which helped me enrich my English vocabulary and expand my knowledge on English grammar, thus passing my English Proficieny exams with flying colors...
). However, as far as questions 3 and 4 are concerned: I will be eternally grateful to the makers of KOTOR II. I almost memorised every single dialogue line, which helped me enrich my English vocabulary and expand my knowledge on English grammar, thus passing my English Proficieny exams with flying colors... 
1. Hard to remember, I started gaming when I was super young. But I remember the game I learned from the most, it was Baldur's Gate 2.
2. No idea, but I remember that my English teacher was surprised I knew what "torture" meant.
3. I played a lot of games that conveyed story through written text and dialogue, so that helped a lot for sure. I even pretended to voice act various dialogues to train my pronunciation and acting. Another cool thing about games is that sometimes, you encounter a word you didn't know, and you can deduce the meaning of the word from what is happening in the gameplay, or from what things look like.
4. I don't think that educational games that are made for the sake of education are very popular among children. Because learning in general is not considered the coolest thing to do, you know. Learning games for adults might be alright, the problem is that they will always be of much lesser quality than main stream games, and therefore less interesting. Unless a major publisher decides to fund a learning game, of course, and that is likely not going to happen.
2. No idea, but I remember that my English teacher was surprised I knew what "torture" meant.
3. I played a lot of games that conveyed story through written text and dialogue, so that helped a lot for sure. I even pretended to voice act various dialogues to train my pronunciation and acting. Another cool thing about games is that sometimes, you encounter a word you didn't know, and you can deduce the meaning of the word from what is happening in the gameplay, or from what things look like.
4. I don't think that educational games that are made for the sake of education are very popular among children. Because learning in general is not considered the coolest thing to do, you know. Learning games for adults might be alright, the problem is that they will always be of much lesser quality than main stream games, and therefore less interesting. Unless a major publisher decides to fund a learning game, of course, and that is likely not going to happen.
I picked up a bit of German from playing games set in World War II.
I thinq i LEADNER englich with video agmes
don't know, stupid words like entertainment, mission, needed, run, jump, the basics, etc.
about 4)... aren't those educational games or something?
odd topic indeed
don't know, stupid words like entertainment, mission, needed, run, jump, the basics, etc.
about 4)... aren't those educational games or something?
odd topic indeed
1. Final Fantasy VI (text was irrelevant in every game I played before).
2. Game over? lol
3. Only RPGs help and that is if dialogues can be paused. I tried other types of game like AC or Skyrim, but the fact that you don't have the time to check every word you don't understand doesn't allow for a lot of progress, you would need to have a good level already to make sense of it thanks to the context.
4. Is there such games? I found an obscure VN for learning japanese once but that's it. It's a good concept.
I love learning languages but don't rely too much on videogames because you spend more time doing all kind of actions than reading most of the time. Still, this is very motivating and it helped me a lot with English (when you can go through Planescape: Torment, you're set!). I recommend getting a translation of a game like Secret of Mana or Pokémon when you just begin (it's easy to have all kind of translations for emulated games). Games like Fallout 1/2 or Final Fantasy are good when you are intermediary. Overall, RPG are what you need to make progress.
Did you try it yourself?
2. Game over? lol
3. Only RPGs help and that is if dialogues can be paused. I tried other types of game like AC or Skyrim, but the fact that you don't have the time to check every word you don't understand doesn't allow for a lot of progress, you would need to have a good level already to make sense of it thanks to the context.
4. Is there such games? I found an obscure VN for learning japanese once but that's it. It's a good concept.
I love learning languages but don't rely too much on videogames because you spend more time doing all kind of actions than reading most of the time. Still, this is very motivating and it helped me a lot with English (when you can go through Planescape: Torment, you're set!). I recommend getting a translation of a game like Secret of Mana or Pokémon when you just begin (it's easy to have all kind of translations for emulated games). Games like Fallout 1/2 or Final Fantasy are good when you are intermediary. Overall, RPG are what you need to make progress.
Did you try it yourself?
My first language is English (although I'm trying to learn Swedish) but alot of my foreign friends told me that playing games helped them learn english.
There are a few language games that I've seen over the year but they always feel forced and unnatural to me, like they are trying to force the language down your throat rather than help you experience and enjoy the language you are trying to learn. Thats why I find it interesting when someone is able to learn a language through a game that wasn't made for that purpose.
Thanks for answering.
There are a few language games that I've seen over the year but they always feel forced and unnatural to me, like they are trying to force the language down your throat rather than help you experience and enjoy the language you are trying to learn. Thats why I find it interesting when someone is able to learn a language through a game that wasn't made for that purpose.
Thanks for answering.
Anyone will tell you that videogames helped them in learning English, it's the truth. But to be more exact, it's the immersion provided by it that helps. We're talking about games but it works the same with manga or novels. The thing is to have a real interest in the material itself so that it doesn't feel like work. If it's something you wouldn't do in English, then you will hardly find the motivation to do it in Swedish.
I don't know Swedish that much, but it shouldn't be too difficult grammar-wise. The big problem is finding translations! Even games are seldom translated into Swedish (or at least, I don't have any on my Steam, don't know about consoles). Good luck with that!
I don't know Swedish that much, but it shouldn't be too difficult grammar-wise. The big problem is finding translations! Even games are seldom translated into Swedish (or at least, I don't have any on my Steam, don't know about consoles). Good luck with that!