History: Learning

Source of version: 62 (current)

There are various ways of learning Lojban unique to the individual learning it, but to help you get started here are some suggestions. There are also [Non-English Lojban Materials|learning materials available in non-English languages]. Here are the links for learning Lojban. ✔ [http://www.lojban.org/tiki/wavelessonscontinued] - is a popular textbook ✔ [http://lojban.github.com/cll/] - is the full grammar ✔ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZjSTUK3hFI] - is a good introductory video ✔ [http://vlasisku.lojban.org/] - is the dictionary ✔ [https://sites.google.com/site/slovlacukt/file-cabinet] - is an alternative offline dictionary ✔ [http://www.memrise.com/courses/english/lojban/] - is a great place where you can learn lojban words online. Just register on that website, try several courses and use the one that you like most ✔ [http://lojban.org/jboski] - automatic grammar check of what you write in Lojban (which is unique among all languages!) with English glossing (i.e. translation). ✔ [http://camxes.lojban.org/] - Even better than the previous item. But without glossing. ✔ [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/lojban-beginners] - a community. This is where you can ask any questions. ✔ [http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=ckule%2Cjbosnu%2Cjbopre%2Clojban] is a chat where you can make friends and ask for help for learning lojban (in #ckule section). Other resources: ✔ [http://facebook.com/groups/lojban/] - the group in Facebook ✔ [https://plus.google.com/communities/105661163321603750740] - the group in Google Plus. !Get started with a book To get started, you will need to begin reading one or more of the Lojban [Books], such as *the freely available online introductory ((What is Lojban?, The Book|What is Lojban?)) *the learning text [http://www.tlg.uci.edu/~opoudjis/lojbanbrochure/lessons/book1.html|Lojban for Beginners (aka L4B)] (((Lessons Errata|L4B Errata))) *and the reference book ((The Complete Lojban Language)). These books will teach you about how to read and use Lojban; what the different types of words and grammatical constructs do, how to use them and interpret them; how to express yourself Lojbanically. They will not, however, teach you vocabulary, style, spoken flow, nor other aspects involved in really learning about and using a human language. __IMPORTANT NOTE:__ Since the publication of most of the books, there has been a change to the semantics of Lojban articles known as [How+to+use+xorlo|xorlo]. These changes simplify the grammar in that aspect and are not difficult to grasp. Please keep this reform in mind when consulting the official reference grammar, as it was effectively published before the approval of xorlo. !Get started following a class As it happens, this fall 2011 semester contains the first ((Lojban Class at Rice University)). Following that page will give you resources associated with the class. __ALSO!__ Any even partially experienced Lojbanists willing to help / refresh should follow the class and notify [mailto:jandew%2Blojban@gmail.com?subject=Lojban Course at Rice University|Joe Anderson] (IRC:djandus) of any issues. There is also a thread with the same title on the mailing list. !Quick reference A separate page has been set to collect [http://www.lojban.org/tiki/jbo_cheat_sheet|cheat sheets] to be used as quick reference and as an aid for memorization. !Try out new interactive learning tools New online tools for self-directed learning are constantly being developed. One such tool is the language fluency game [http://whereareyourkeys.org/|"Where are your Keys?"]. For Lojban, go to website [http://lodockikumazvati.org/|"lo do ckiku ma zvati"]. Another tool is ((wavelessonscontinued|Wave Lessons continued)). A web site dedicated to learning vocabulary called [http://memrise.com/|Memrise] has word lists for Lojban gismu and cmavo, ordered by usage frequency. It also features smaller lists for certain groups of cmavo that share similar caracteristics. !Choose a source of vocabulary The Lojban books and games teach you how to use Lojban, but they don't help you learn the whole vocabulary. For that you will need [Word Lists], and flashcard sets from a site such as [http://smart.fm|smart.fm], which is probably the most popular online flashcard site with Lojbanists. Another flashcard site gaining popularity among Lojbanists is [http://memrise.com/|Memrise]. Other options include [http://ankisrs.net/|Anki] (downloadable; Lojban decks are downloadable within the program), [http://quizlet.com/|Quizlet] (it's online; register and join the lojban group; downloadable from Quizard on iPod/iPhone and from Kaka Flashcards on Android devices), [jMemorize instructions|jMemorize] (downloadable) or [http://www.lojban.org/files/software/logflash.zip|Logflash] (if you are more technically inclined and like MS-DOS). Also, take a look at the [http://jbovlaste.lojban.org|jbovlaste dictionary] and its (unfortunately) English-only user-friendly frontend [http://vlasisku.lojban.org/|vlasisku]. You will need to have read a little, from one of the learning texts, about Lojban to know what kind of words you need to learn and thus how to effectively search for definitions. A set of [Pronunciation|pronunciation guides] are available to help you speak Lojban. !Read lojban texts Try reading a progression of proofread (proofed by at least one lojbanist in addition to the author) lojban [Texts In Lojban|texts], starting with short-and-easy through to long-and-difficult. For example, read [la teris. po'u lo tirxu cu vitke zi'o le barda tcadu|Terry the Tiger] (you can listen to this one too!), then one of the Berenstain Bears books, for example [The Berenstain Bears and the Prize Pumpkin], then [Le Petit Prince|The Little Prince]. For conversational text, try [Everyday Lojban B01|Everyday Lojban], [phrasebook|Phrasebook] and [Simple phrases]. !Connect with the community The two most active points of communication for the [The Lojbanic Community|Lojban community] are the [Lojbanic Forums|Lojban forums]. Many Lojban students find the ((Lojban IRC)) chat room to be very valuable for getting their questions answered quickly when there are others around on the network. One can also try practicing their Lojban with others in a reasonable approximation of conversational speed. Depending on your preferences, anyone of these will meet your needs. For those unfamiliar with mailing lists, there is a [http://www.lojban.org/tiki/forum5|web forum interface] to it, which some prefer. A good idea is to familiarise yourself with common expressions such as [Greetings|Lojban greetings] to get you started in chatting Lojban with other Lojbanists. The Lojban [IRC cheat sheet] provides some useful fundamental vocabulary. ---- Not quite a learning material, but the ((Beginner's Mailing List)) is an appropriate place for beginner's to ask questions. !Google+ hangouts There is the [https://plus.google.com/111885648105308968553/posts|group ]in Google+ where you can videochat in real-time with other lojbanists. Both classes for beginners and advanced learners are planned. Just check out for the last messages on hangouts (the term that denotes videoconversations in Google+) ! !What's next? Continue memorizing the vocabulary and using Lojban as much as you can! Chatting with the community can help you with this. Writing a personal diary or performing translations, are other possibilities. Lojban means different things to different people; for some it is a linguistic curiousity -- a test-bed for language experimentation; for others a way to expand their mind or discipline their thought; the desire for precise expression; a new way to look at languages; a fun way to meet and communicate with friends; entertainment; a challenge; art; software application; the list goes on! What will Lojban mean for you? Once you know what words you want to learn, you could try [Software assisted learning|additional memorization software] to vastly improve your vocabulary. Chatting regularly on the [Lojban IRC] channel is another way of using your vocabulary in real time. Some start [http://community.livejournal.com/lojban/|blogs or diaries], others translate music. [http://laxmahispajispaji.blogspot.com/|la laxma'i spaji spaji, the bilingual Lojban/English blog], can be helpful for learning both how various English idioms may be translated into Lojban, and how to use a wide range of Lojban cmavo (mainly in a narrative tone)