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Originally Posted by soulsedition
I don't know, there is a school in middlebury, Vt. Great language school but the name escapes me right now. I believe this is where the bulk of the CIA,FBI, and DIA students go for language training. I was looking into it, to prep for SF. As far as Basic understanding of grammar being greater than Immersion I'd have to disagree to an extent. I Set foot in Iraq with no prior knowledge of the Arabic language, and after 4 months was the unofficial 'tank platoon translator' Now i did learn many, many bad habits, and mostly slang. But i still believe in a 'throw them in and they'll learn to swim' principle. Unless of course someone's life is on the line, or when prior planning is an option..
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I totally agree with NDD, not only because he is a medic and knows things, but a great deal of communication skill is not limited to grammar but body language. Body language is picked up through a knowledge of the culture of the country, which, by the way often varies from region to region. It is not enough to talk like a duck, you have to look like one and walk like one to be totally effective in the flock. Having had to be able to pass myself off at a distance for something other than a US troop, while my grammar and vocal skills were not the best I was able to look like and walk like the duck even though I might have sounded more like a duck hawk.
Jack Moroney