If the MTC is so good at teaching languages, then we should all be speaking the language we learned in the MTC years after we returned. Speaking a non-native language for two years that narrowly focuses on certain topics, and that is forgotten soon after returning - that isn't success when teaching someone a second language. It's limited functionality at best. So here are my questions:

1) What language did you learn?
2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?
3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?
4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?
5) How well would you say you speak now?

I learned Spanish but I minored in it at BYU before I went. I served my mission more than 20 years ago and I still speak pretty much fluently although I'd be nervous to say I'm fully bilingual. I can talk to anyone about anything but if I applied for a bilingual job, I'd be upfront about not being at a native speaker level. I do read books in Spanish and watch Spanish TV when I get a chance in order to keep up my skills.

However, recently a friend of mine who went to the Dominican Republic on a mission back in the 80s, saw some writing in Spanish and tried to convince me it was Portuguese because there were so many words he didn't recognize - it couldn't possibly be Spanish, in his opinion. He learned Spanish in the MTC, didn't use it and lost his ability to speak it. Maybe it wasn't a priority for him to become or stay bilingual but the "blessing" of learning a foreign language on his mission seems to have been revoked.

For those who cultivate the language...
I know some among many who never lost it.

I went to France in the early eighties and I am still fairly fluent in the language, however I believe that is due to having taught at the MTC after the mission for 4 years. I don't think I could forget it now if I tried. That said, I have forgotten alot of words, but can still get by, as evidenced by having attended a few French meetups in the last year and I have been told by native speakers that my French is quite good.

I would love to go back to France now to be able to spend some time getting better at it.

1) Spanish
2) Yes, three years study in high school.
3) 41 years ago. Spring 1974-Spring 1976
4) No.
5) Still fluent.




Edited to correct incorrect responses.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2015 05:59PM by moose.

Switzerland in the early 80's...learned german and I can't remember much at all. At this point I could get to the train station and bathroom and mormon church. In my defense, the swiss all spoke english and I used that as much as german.

I served in Korea almost 40 years ago. MTC was called LTM back then. The 2 months in Provo were very unproductive as far as learning the language is concerned. Looking back on it, I sincerely believe that if I just headed to Korea at the beginning and bypassed Provo, my language skills at the end of 24 months would have been about the same. To answer your question, these many years later, I can speak, read and understand the language maybe as well as a first or second grader. Also, 2 months after returning home I enrolled at BYU. I took a 4 unit Korean class and they gave me 20 CREDITS OF 'A'. Freaking sweet!! You didn't know that the author of this comment was on the dean's list, did you?

1) Portuguese
2) No
3) ~12 years
4) No
5) Poorly. I try to read it as much as possible, but I get few opportunities to practice speaking. Those we were teaching regularly thought I was Brazilian, but nobody would make that mistake now.

1) German
2) Some. Took German in HS. I only needed about a week in the MTC to pass my HS German skills up.
3) 25 years
4) Not necessarily. I did use it in the Army a bit and got to travel to Germany with work a few times. I did not really use the German there - church German does not help with IT technical German.
5) Not too bad. I do keep up with a few people so I read and write pretty well. At this point what fails me the most is vocab and idioms.

1) Spanish

2) No

3) 40 years ago

4) Used it for a double major at BYU and did study short story writing in Spanish. Then didn't use it at all for about 10 years.

5) I still speak excellent Spanish, use it every day all day where I work in a half English/half Spanish environment. My beautiful Argentine accent has suffered and I have picked up way too much Mexican and Central American accent. (No offense to those from those countries, but I loved my "Castellano" accent from Argentina.) And I sound a little more like a gringo that I used to I'm afraid.

I never served a mission, but I'm fluent in Spanish.

When I lived in Iowa, there were some "Spanish-speaking" missionaries trained at the MTC. Their Spanish was horrific.

There wasn't an individual Spanish-speaking ward in Iowa City at that time, so the Spanish and English speakers would go to the same ward. They would have a missionary translate into a microphone, and the Spanish-speakers could listen to a translation on the ear phones. They'd miss whole parts...

Shortly after I got baptized, guess what my calling was?

"Sacrament meeting interpreter..."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2015 04:22PM by godtoldmetorun.

1. Russian
2. No. Not at all
3. 2 years
4. Majored in it right earn I came home
5. I understand most conversations. I'm a little rusty right now.

Oui oui ma chérie, and I've used it to my advantage... :)

1) What language did you learn?

French

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?

Yes, studied it for five years in school and spent a few months living in Paris

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?

I came back from my mission 31 years ago.

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?

I read a lot of French literature, but that was because the language gave me a lot more reading material. When my manager at my former job learned that I spoke French, I suddenly found myself the point of contact for all our customers in eastern Canada.

5) How well would you say you speak now?

I am still fluent in French.

When I was on my mission, I was actually rather appalled that most missionaries couldn't speak the language beyond talking about the LDS church; they simply did not have the vocabulary to discuss much of anything else.

1. French and Malagasy

2. None

3. About 15 years

4. I've traveled to Europe several times and took a couple college classes in French, but I still read a lot of French stuff and keep contact with old friends

5. Still fluent. When I go to France I can blend in quite well. Just a gift I have for that language and culture.

1) Spanish - Castellano.

2) Never spoke it prior to the LTM (I was in 1 of 2 branches located at BYU's Knight Magnum Hall).

3) Served 1976-78 in Madrid, Spain (37-39 years ago).

4) Graduated from a non-Mo private expensive university on full scholarship. I walked into the language department, spoke to the chair person for 20-30 minutes in Spanish, and my language requirement was waived for my BA. I was able to take other courses in my major to make up the credits needed for graduation. I haven't used the language much. I did have a great conversation with my high-end furnace installer (could have been a male-model) about 15 years ago who spoke a little English and was working in American to make good money. He was from Malaga, Spain.

5) I only speak casually when needed. I don't care for the South American/Latin/Mexican accents that are spoken around here, and I have a tough time understanding the local Mexicans. I love listening to and speaking the Castellano accent with the soft "c's and z's - the theta." For me, it's similar to having a love affair as an American with the British accent.

PS: love your posts, CA girl

You can come talk to me - I went to Spain too. My mission president told me I was wasting my time learning the Spain accent but I ignored him because I also love to hear it. I even got my kids Rosetta Stone with the Spain accent as soon as they were old enough, because even though their school taught Spanish from kindergarten, I wanted them to speak "properly."

I can still speak southern

France Paris mission 1979-1981
Jr. High French pre-mission
One french college class after mission
Still can get by, but far from fluent.

I go to every french language film that comes to town, and try to keep up with out cheating by reading subtitles...I end up needing them.

One's vocabulary is pretty narrow learning a language as a missionary.

Not many people in my community speak Zarahemlan, so I haven't practiced in years. Oddly enough, I can still remember a lot of it if I think hard enough, so I think I could regain some level of fluency fairly quickly, but at the moment I don't think I could carry on a conversation.

As long as you can still say "And it came to pass" you can always get by, I'm sure.

And it came to pass that you're right!

blueorchid, you read my mind. I was about to post, scrolled down, and smiled to see that you beat me to it.

1) What language did you learn? - German
2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission? - three years of high school
3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission? 1978 -1980
4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)? - Minored in German Lit, used in Grad School, did Grad School internship in Frankfurt, occasional visits for work
5) How well would you say you speak now? Materially fluent, without accent, but takes a few hours to get back up to speed.

1) French
2) 1 yr of high school French
3) 30 years ago
4) got a double major...one was in French
5) I live in Quebec...I get by pretty well, but I work for an English company, and My wife speaks English so I don't practice that much.

1) What language did you learn?

Mandarin Chinese

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?

Heck no!

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?

Lessee, 2015 - 1978 or so, geez 37 years! OMG ... ;)

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?

Several BYU courses, various attempts to reboot

5) How well would you say you speak now?

Pretty rusty compared to the old days. But I can still remember many words and phrases and could hold a basic conversation. I enjoy recognizing a portion of Chinese characters when I see them.

With all the vast resources of the internet, medium to advanced Chinese instruction still sucks.

Now, more simply.

(Japan West/Fukuoka, 1973-75)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2015 05:39PM by steve benson.

1) What language did you learn?

Hungarian

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?

Uh, no.

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?

10 years

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?

Sometimes I read Hungarian news websites. Other than that, I haven't done much and probably never will. It is hard to think of a good reason to focus my efforts on Hungarian when ROI would be higher for going to the gym or studying Spanish.

5) How well would you say you speak now?

Not fluently, I'm sure. But it has been many years since I have even tried.

Went to Japan. Didn't have a stick of knowledge of Japanese before. Its been around 35 years ago. Tested out of 20 hrs credit at University when I returned.

Travel to Japan several times a year and try to keep up on it. Married a Japanese. Thanks to satellite TV I can watch Japanese TV. Internet has put a new help aid out there too that wasn't available pre-internet days.

Still I wouldn't consider me native level and I have never taken any skill level tests. The more I think I know the more I realize how little I know.

Missionaries only know religious vocabulary and get lost easily if talking about anything else. Last time in Tokyo I took a pair of misshies out for dinner. They seemed lost with simple restaurant jargon. Its a shame to have the opportunity to learn a language and then to let it go upon return.

1) What language did you learn? Spanish

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission? 4 years of HS and one semester of college, so no, I did not "speak" it. ;-)

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission? 20+

(As in 20 + 10 or more years.)

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge ? I took a minor in Spanish. I never watch futbol in English if it is available in Spanish, they don't do it right. I use Spanish in my job a little. I speak Spanish in my daily life a little.

5) How well would you say you speak now? I speak fluently but with a slight accent that cannot pass for a native. On my mission for the last half of it I could pass for an Italian (they don't butcher spanish the way Norteamericanos do.) I can choose how argentine I get with my accent these days, the same way I can speak, or not, with a British, SOuthern, or whatever accent in English. Not perfectly, but I can come close. My vocabulary is larger than it was on my mission, but my fluency is slightly less. I never dream in Spanish anymore.

I took one semester of French at BYU (no prior foreign language schooling). Was called to the French East Mission (southern France and French-speaking Switzerland) 1968-70. Had four weeks of LTM at BYU. By the time I arrived in France I had memorized all the discussions (yes we still memorized them in those days) and could speak French fairly well.

I made it a priority to learn to speak it as well as possible and without too much accent. I spent 9 months in the mission home as the Member Secretary and then as the Mission President's secretary.

When I returned to BYU I took a test to get credits for French and then took a couple of more classes, but did not go for a degree. For several years I would talk to myself in French while driving in order not to forget the language. I traveled to France periodically on vacation and always was able to get around quite well.

At the age of 51 I decided to learn Spanish, and my knowledge of French helped a lot with that. I took classes at a community college and one at the local university. Also read lots and lots of novels in Spanish to improve my vocabulary. Now I give presentations in Spanish, including weekend seminars. Recently got back from a week in Dominican Republic where I gave six talks.

Now my Spanish is considerably better than my French, but I can still get by very well in French.

1) What language did you learn?

Spanish, and served in the Cal East Mission,
2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?

Nope, not at all
3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?

71 - 73

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?

I married a native of Mexico. Her parents spoke very little english, so my spanish got a workout for quite a few years until we divorced.

After returning from a mission, I attended a university outside of Utah that was in the process of starting a Spanish immersion program. I taught in that program for a couple of semesters. My degree required a foreign language, and I tested out of 16 semester hours. That was two full years of language class that I did not have to attend, but got full credit.


5) How well would you say you speak now?

I travelled to Mexico 2 years ago on vacation, and after a couple of days, felt very comfortable conversing with the locals. I conversed in Spanish in hotels, restaurants, cabs, and tours, even if they started the conversation in English. I speak Spanish occasionally as part of my work, but not often, and have had to beef up my vocabulary to do so. I would say my skills are now passable, but not native fluent. I have to think about formulating the sentence before I say it now, when it used to just flow.

The two months I spent at LTM/BYU back then taught me only the basics of the language. I thought I spoke very well until the first day in the mission and was introduced to a family from Cuba. Missionaries seldom take time to broaden their vocabulary and only learn how to speak "religion" in the foreign language, and not much else. Some of the missionaries struggled their entire missions with the basics, not even learning how to conjugate verbs correctly, or use proper tense. I was quite embarrased for them.

I was lucky, in that I had an unrecognized ability to learn Spanish quite easily. The So Cal mission also exposed me to the various dialects from Spanish speaking countries all around the world. I learned how to speak in the dialect that was spoken to me, which endeared me to most that I came in contact with. I could tell their country of origin within the first sentence they spoke, then would adapt my accent and dialect to match.

1) What language did you learn?
German

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?
Some.

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?
30

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?
I took college classes, but didn't major in it. 15 years ago I had a job that allowed me to use it.

5) How well would you say you speak now?
I would be considered conversationally fluent. I read German newspapers (thank you internet!) and books in German. I still have a good enough accent that I still have Germans thinking I'm from Schwabenland.

But, you know something funny? A couple of months ago my father asked if I still speak German. (He does.) I told him "Of course dad." He replied, "Oh. I thought since you left the church, that would have been taken from you."!!!! Talk about twisted.

Heidi GWOTR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> But, you know something funny? A couple of months
> ago my father asked if I still speak German. (He
> does.) I told him "Of course dad." He replied,
> "Oh. I thought since you left the church, that
> would have been taken from you."!!!! Talk about
> twisted.

Oh BROTHER - that such a ridiculously Mormon comment.

1) What language did you learn?

Hmong

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission?

Not at all

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission?

15 years ago

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)?

Got some language credits at the local university

5) How well would you say you speak now?

I can remember a few phrases. I can barely understand anything spoken in Hmong. I watched Gran Torino and hardly understood a thing when they spoke Hmong.

1) What language did you learn? Portugese

2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission? No, but I spoke a little Spanish. My mom is a Spanish teacher, it helped me learn quickly due to the many similarities.

3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission? 18 years ago.

4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)? I did work for two companies that had customers in Brazil so I was the go to guy. Brazilians were impressed with my proficiency.

5) How well would you say you speak now? I live in the Atlanta area so I run into Brazilians from time to time. I can still hold a conversation. Most people I talk to initially think I'm Brazilian. I did work very hard to speak well, I didn't want to sound like a dumb American.

1) What language did you learn? Spanish
2) Did you speak it at all prior to your mission? Very little
3) Approximately how long ago did you serve your mission? 15 years
4) Did you do anything after your mission to cement your knowledge (College major, live abroad, bilingual job etc.)? Majored in Spanish, taught it for years as well. For about two years I worked as a translator.
5) How well would you say you speak now? Conversationally fluent, okay accent, academically poor, however it comes back easily (within a week or two traveling through Spanish speaking countries I was speaking it as well as I did at the end of my time as an undergraduate).

I don't think that being a missionary will make someone bilingual for the rest of their lives. It still takes effort.