Hello everyone,

This might sound weird first, but I am serious about this: I cannot improve my English.

I have been learning English for 7 years now, I studied American Literature for 4 years and graduated from a college, but the thing is; I am doing my best but I cannot improve my English. I am just speaking, writing, and being able to read, hear/understand the way I have learned so far. If I am using a true grammar right now, it is because I always say something only if I am completely sure it is grammatically accurate.

I have got two major problems:

(A.) I love to read e-columns and e-news in English, but whenever I read a newer page, I always find at least ten words that I don't know, which makes me sad and quite mad. I am clicking a random news page right now for example.. and here I write the new words to learn: Permeate, drain, capping bank bonuses, bootcamp, war vets, overturn, juncture, inauguration, tepid, veep, fallacious, distraught, scurry, niche, curb, pre-remuneration... and so on.

They must be easy words, just ordinary words that are used in daily life I guess, or they are all known but not used.. anyway, I learn and learn and learn and it never ends , I always find numerous newer words to learn when I read. You might think I know enough, but I actually do not. It is so painful that if I won't look up for the words I don't know, I am unable to understand well whatever I am reading. I do wonder if one day I can read a newspaper in English and need not to look up for newer words!

By the way, while doing my best, I am wasting my time for unnecessary words I believe. Take this for instance; I had this 'short' conversation with a ten-year-old American boy. He was a hyper active boy and I said to him: "I think you are overstimulated". Guess what, he didn't know what overstimulated meant, he asked to another person what it meant, and that boy is a very clever one. Then I asked to myself: "What is wrong? Do I waste my time by trying to learn random words?". Because it is apparent that we are not speaking the same language! At that very moment, I said to myself in silence "damn! I always believed that I knew English well, but I just couldn't even make a right sentence and have a conversation". It was a letdown for me. I think that English is spoken all over the world, in different continents, and it is that what makes this language very rich of vocabulary, but I don't want to learn unnecessary words like "overstimulated"(I don't know if it is but let's consider it so). Because that young person is able to speak English properly, but I am not, though I know some more complicated words than him. The same boy didn't know what "inedible" means either when he was 7. I just don't want to learn words like that, I just want to learn necessary ones and be able to respond any situation while speaking..

(B.) Unfortunately, I cannot understand most of the lyrics in pop, rock and rap songs and conversations in American movies for instance and I almost understand no single word in British English (That's not the same with some TV shows, namely "Top Gear" for example, but I watched an English made movie once, and it was so tough for me). I need lyrics, and subtitles from time to time, and I do wonder how you people can do it without subtitles and lyrics..

Now I am preparing a two month intense English language program for my own to have a progress, to take a serious step in English. In that period, I am planning of watching at least one movie each day (with subtitles), writing diaries and at least a three-page-long critical essays everyday and listen to English speaking radios while falling asleep and at any other time if I am not doing the other things above.. I think keeping a diary of each day might help me the most as it is shaped by our experiences, for example I have learned these ones recently: unleaded gas, welding mask, nail trimmer.. I will be glad if you tell me more, structural things that I can add into the program.

This has taken much longer than I imagined but lastly; I am not in an English speaking area, and there is no opportunity for me to learn this language in an English speaking area. If you have read the topic till this point, thank you first, and please share your opinions, write to me what you think, and give me your advice please.

Overstimulated is a common term Irmbrielle. Keep it in your vocabulary. Just ask people occasionally what a word or term means, or, what would be a proper word or term for what you want to say. PM me any time, I'll be glad to help you. There is nothing wrong with improving your vocabulary. I wish more people would do the same.

Why not?

mine isnt understood...

You actually know english far better than many Americans, Canadians, English etc..

Even somebody born into the english language is always learning new words and such, so don't be too hard on yourself!! You're doing great!!

Where are you from? Originally??

because you've picked what's commonly known as the Bastard of all languages to learn.

deefXckingjay,
I don't think it is the American people who are problematic. I read academic essays written by American writers, I listen to radio channels from Canada.. what could be wrong with them? But when it comes to speak with a person, I have problems owing to the reasons I mentioned above.

For example, I do remember that I read something like "blah blah spent his time off blah blah" in a movie magazine. When I asked to a person (an American) in my Skype list how he spent his time off, he asked: What is spend off?

colonelbleep,
That would be great! I will PM you from time to time. Thank you.