Using WoW as an education tool (semi-long)

[Multibocks]

Ok so I can see I'm about to quit WoW again, ya ya we've all heard it before - you'll be back. I figure I "waste" about 35 hours a week playing this game. It's cheap entertainment and I like it, however I feel it's also an addiction. (Let's not turn this into that argument, however.) I was thinking about EQ (everquest) and how neat it was that I could learn while playing ( I use the term "learn" loosely.) Words like rapture, enthrall, mesmerize, torpor and alacrity were never part of my vocabulary, but I learned to use them after EQ. Anyways I want to take that to a new level.

WoW also uses strange terms that I never bothered to look up/use before as well. However, I want to do something different. I bought volumes 1-3 of Rosetta Stone Spanish (Latin American) in effort to learn a new language. Now I made it to the finish of the second volume before WoW again took my full attention. What I was thinking was: Since WoW is clearly so addictive for me, how about using that to my advantage? This isnt a new idea, but to me it makes sense. What I want to do is transfer my teams to a spanish server and force myself to learn. I know my drive to play will override my reluctance to put the effort into learning.

I can foresee a few problems though. One that immediately comes to mind is that no one on an english server speaks correct English. NOT-AT-ALL. Terms like STFU, OMG, TMI and just terrible sentence structure in general would, most likely, be prevalent on a Spanish server as well. I'm really torn on this one.. Do I learn broken Spanish or struggle through my Rosetta Stone that is completely lacking in fun and feels like work?

There are a few other things to worry about. If I dont transfer all my teams there is always a possibility I will give up and go back to an english server. So that entails: 1. Transferring 1 team and deleting the rest (ouch) or 2. Paying lots of money to transfer all. Another issue: Can you just set "Spanish" from the config file? Or do you have to reinstall WoW? Do I have to rewrite my macros? This could be problematic in that macros are already semi-difficult in my native language... I couldnt imagine the horror when I dont know how to spell things correctly. Do I need a spanish keyboard? Do they even allow US -> Spanish server transfers? I might have to resort to deleting all my teams and restarting...

Anyways lots of questions and I'm hoping that I can pull this off. I don't know if anyone has done this, but if you have I would be most thankful for assistance.

Peace out!

[Seraphaw]

I have done the same thing as you are describing, but I started a new character using a german language pack on a german server.
The results were not satisfying. You wont learn proper language from 12-17 year olds, I can tell you that much. You might be able to pull
it off by sitting next to a spanish-english wordbook most of the time (but think of all the slang that young people uses), this will be no easy task.

I wish you good luck, but don't transfer off your character just yet, try and create new ones and level them to 30~ and see if you can increase your vocabulary.

[Coltimar]

A few recommendations:

1) Eat at Mexican restaurants and engage the servers in conversation. I have been around Central American culture and Americanized Hispanic culture my whole life. If you make an effort most of those servers will appreciate you trying and may in turn try to teach you something in return. Much of the problem many Hispanics have with 'Gringos" is that we don't respect them or their culture. Showing an interest in their language will go a long way to reduce those feelings.

2) Spanish, like any language, has 3 dimensions: a) spoken b) grammar (reading and writing) and c) heard. A and C are often lumped together as conversational but they should be separate. Take a Spanish course and you can speak Spanish. Then try to take what you know to a Spanish speaking country and find out that you can speak but not understand.

3) Dialects. A friend of mine that I used to work for owned a successful computer business in a medium sized town (450,000 + people). He wanted to start an organization for Hispanics in that town. They had people from Dominican (like him), Puerto Rico, El Savlador, Costa Rica and Bolivia all attend their meeting. What he discovered is that these people who spoke Spanish from birth counld not communicate! The language varies so much from country to country. If you get on a Spanish speaking WoW server you will find a lot of this.

Why do you want to learn Spanish? If you have a good enough reason, and you keep that reason posted somewhere you can see it you will be motivated to learn it. Muscling through RS will give you about 1/3 as much knowledge as you will need. If you are passionate about it, and you devour it, you will learn a ton more. Maybe just roll new a new team on a Spanish server. Do you have any Spanish speaking friends? Bug the snot out of them. Take a vaction to Mexico. Generally, however, any place in Mexico you visit will speak English very well. There are tons of ways to meet your goal and I like the idea of marrying WoW and Spanish. Just be careful not to make an expensive mistake that you can't undo.

[Multibocks]

Well I do have spanish speaking friends, but they prefer to speak in english since it's not as much effort. (I'm sure my broken spanish can get annoying.) Learning a new language takes a lot of effort and while using it at a mexican restaurant can be helpful it's just not frequent enough to be a discernable difference. The reason I am choosing to do it in WoW is that I will have no choice, but to speak spanish and I wont have any out (i.e. this sucks, ok everyone start talking in english.) Immersion really is key to getting it down, it needs to be used frequently and without mercy. Another thing that comes to mind is I wont be hearing these people and that can make spoken conversation difficult.

Anyways, I plan on taking a break from WoW soon as I play it too much. I will continue using Rosetta Stone, but I will augment it with this idea. Who knows if it will be successful :)

First things first, I gotta figure out what is necessary to play on a spanish server!

[Ogloo]

ive thought of this before 2.. but yeh the same problem.. but i guess it would be fun if ur just trying to learn to get around..

[Multibocks]

Well my google-fu is weak. I came up with a few posts talking of the same idea (most were trying to learn european spanish) but no one actually has a guide on how to do it. Now I found an old post for the beta ('http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=5974217472&sid=2') of the spanish client, but it's (of course) in spanish. Haha, what a catch-22.

Me: I want to learn spanish!

Blizzard: Well here's a guide on how to install the Spanish beta!

Me: But it's in spanish?

Blizzard: Yep.

Of course, Blizzard does not need to cater to people trying to learn spanish. However that beta is old and I know the released client is out. Just not sure how to switch over....

[Redbeard]

If your level of willpower requires you to delete your characters to stop you from playing on an English speaking server then whats to keep you to whatever program you artificially contrive to keep yourself speaking Spanish?

At any rate, the servers probably wont be a super large amount of help in formally learning the language. If its anything like the US server youll be able to pick up a good amount of slang though, which is another skill (maybe) =)

Not to derail, but my wife is looking into getting some of that rosetta stone software... you guys have much luck with it? How is it?

[Multibocks]

Rosetta is incredible for learning lots of vocabulary. However, it doesnt teach you much in sentence structure and for that you may find yourself fumbling in spoken conversation. I'm not sure what exactly you were asking in your first thought. I believe the answer, if I understood the question, is that the addiction of WoW is what will keep me using my "artificially contrived program." Let's be honest, I dont think I could walk away from WoW forever. I know at some point it will pull me back in...

[Coltimar]

Not to derail, but my wife is looking into getting some of that rosetta stone software... you guys have much luck with it? How is it?It's amazing. I got the Korean version for my trip last summer and I quickly was able to at least navigate the language well enough to not die :) The Spanish version is excellent as well. That's all I have used.

[Clanked]

I used to play a game in which 75% of the population was Singaporean (sp?)
Turns out the only things I really learned of their language was mostly just cursing, sarcasm, and trash talk.

The experiance was mirrored when I played TFC for a German clan one year. I was bored, had some free time after school which was right as their matches started, and I had heard that they had some really skilled players. Again, I learned most of the trash talk, and curse words that normally go along with competition.
To this day I still remember how to say:
I've got the flag. / They have a sentry gun up. / Security is down. / Good game.
So after playing with them for 6 months, I could effectivily understand and communicate things needed for match play without thinking about it. However, none of that really translates to real life usage.

So if you do try and use WoW to learn the language, you will have to actively seek out conversations with people about their lives and whatnot. If you don't, you'll only learn whats commonly used in WoW. Looking for Group etc.

[Malekyth]

I think playing on a Spanish-speaking server could be a valuable part of your language-learning arsenal. It won't do the trick alone, or even with some phrasebook-ish recordings, but it's far superior for learning Spanish than *not playing on a Spanish server!

If you're interested in going all out, I highly recommend this book for inspiration and technique: http://www.amazon.com/How-Learn-Any-Language-Inexpensively/dp/0806512717/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236577910&sr=8-1 The author outlines his method, which mingles respect for an individual's pace with supremely greedy time-management skills. He goes into good uses for textbooks, foreign media, flashcards, playing WoW on a Spanish-speaking server (OK, no, but it still fits!), etc. ... basically attacking the language on as many different fronts as possible, keeping it interesting and diverse. The book isn't just useful, but I think it'll be a really fun read for anyone interested in learning a second language.

Anyway. :) I'm a language fan and am happy you're trying something new. Good luck with it!

[Lost Ninja]

Not directly connected but:

A long time ago I bought an RTS called Warzone 2100, for reasons that I now forget it refused to install with the English language version so I had a choice of IIRC German or Spanish. Never having enjoyed what German I learnt at school I installed in Spanish and while I wouldn't say I became proficient I did learn quite a bit, before a patch was released and I could install in English.

The OP has the right idea IMO but it won't be enough, it took 10 weeks spent in Chile before I really got the hang of the language and even then I wasn't great.

[Multibocks]

This isnt the only tool I am using to learn spanish....