When learning a new language, it can be very helpful to be familiar with some basic grammatical terminology. Accordingly, a Tutorial Guide is offered here, entitled 'A Brief Introduction to Grammatical Terminology'. The purpose of this Tutorial is to offer an introduction to some of the terms used in the study of grammar, for the benefit of language-learners who may never have been taught the subject or who could do with some revision. The Tutorial is written entirely in English, and is also illustrated with examples drawn from English, with the aim of making it understandable without the need to have attained (as yet) any particular level of knowledge in the new language.
(File name (if downloaded): terminology.pdf)
Spreadsheets offer some useful facilities for producing resources aimed at aiding language learners. First of all, they can be employed to produce tables that may help learners to assimilate and memorise patterns in the language that they are studying.
By way of example,as an aid to learners of Welsh, it is possible to construct a table showing the effects of possessive forms upon the words that immediately follow them. These effects may consist in either the mutation of word-initial consonants or the insertion of 'h' before word-initial vowels.
(File name: mutations-possessives.xls)
As will be apparent, the different mutations are colour-coded (the key being set out below the actual table), while the insertion of 'h' is shown with the help of an additional colour (blue in this instance).
A second example can be seen in a table which relates to the numerals from 1 to 10 in Welsh. Again, the table shows the effects that these forms have in mutating the initial consonant of the following word. As will be apparent, the table is arranged in two columns. The first column indicates the form that the numerals take when they apply to a masculine noun, while the second column relates to the corresponding numerals when applied to feminine nouns. Where the feminine form of the numeral itself differs from its masculine counterpart, the feminine form is shown in blue.
(File name: mutations-numerals.xls)
Once you have downloaded these tables or any other resources from this Web Page, the files concerned will be stored on your computer. Consequently, if you want to use them again on a subsequent occasion, you can simply re-open them within the relevant folder on your system. There is no need to download them afresh.
If you wish, you can produce tables of your own, using spreadsheets.
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Furthermore, it is feasible to program spreadsheets in such a way as to provide other kinds of help. For example, when learning a new language it often proves a challenge to enunciate numbers fluently and unhesitatingly, especially in the case of relatively high numbers (as found, for instance, in dates such as 1950 or 2014). In order to provide a means of practising fluency in enunciating numbers quickly and without stumbling, it is possible to program a spreadsheet to produce a series of random numbers within a specified range (e.g. to generate an unpredictable series of different dates between the years 1900 and 2014 inclusive).
A slight complication, however, stems from the fact that spreadsheet programs may appear in different versions on different computers. In the case of the present example, two different versions of the program have been produced. It is suggested that you try Version 2 first, as it is the more recent. If, however, it does not work, then hopefully Version 1 will, if you try it instead.
(File name: numbers-v1.xls)
(File name: numbers-v2.xls)
If you are invited to enable editing of the file, then you should click on 'Enable Editing'.
In the spreadsheet there are two cells (or "boxes") in blue, which enable you to specify the range within which you want the numbers to be generated. Type the lowest desired number into the blue cell in column 1 and the highest desired number into the blue cell in column 2. A random number within the specified range should then appear in the yellow cell in column 3.
In order to generate further random numbers, press the function-key F9. (The function keys are often found in a separate row at the top of the keyboard. In some instances it may be necessary to hold down another key at the same time as pressing F9.) Each time a new number appears, you can try to say that number as promptly as possible.
The program can be used to practise not only cardinal numerals (1, 2, 3, ...) but also ordinal numerals (1st, 2nd, 3rd, ...). For instance, in order to practise dates between 1st and 31st, you can specify the range as running from 1 to 31. Then, when each new number appears, you can say the corresponding ordinal.