Learning A New Language While Learning A New Language - GDG DevFest NL, November 2017

My talk from the GDG DevFest Netherlands about learning Dutch and Kotlin at the same time.

Description:
It turns out there are a lot of things that are similar about learning a human language similar to one you already know and a computer language similar to one you already know. Some things being super-similar provides a huge leg up, but there are plenty of false friends in both types of language, and there are plenty of differences which make you wonder why you ever thought these things were similar in the first place. This is a tale of the triumphs and perils (and eerie similarities) of learning Dutch as a native English speaker and Kotlin as a developer with a good grip on Swift.

Transcript

1. Learning a new language while
   Learning a new language
   GDG DevFest NL | Amsterdam | November 2017
   Ellen Shapiro | @DesignatedNerd | justhum.com
   

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6. !
   

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7. ✌
   

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8. !
   

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9. !!!!!
   

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12. !
    

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16. vs.
    

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17. ANYWAY
    

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23. ->
    

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25. Fail hard.
    Fail often.
    

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26. Fail hard.
    Fail often.
    Learn.
    Improve.
    

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27. Spreekt je Engels?
    

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28. (iedereen spreekt Engels)
    

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29. Amsterdam
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    

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30. Amsterdam
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: Oh don't worry, I speak English!
    

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31. Amsterdam
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: Oh don't worry, I speak English!
    [rest of conversation in English]
    

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32. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    

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33. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: [smiling and waiting]
    

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34. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: [smiling and waiting]
    ME: Uh, mijn...maaltijd met een creditcard?
    

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35. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: [smiling and waiting]
    ME: Uh, mijn...maaltijd met een creditcard?
    THEM: Nee, we accepteren alleen pinpas.
    

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36. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: [smiling and waiting]
    ME: Uh, mijn...maaltijd met een creditcard?
    THEM: Nee, we accepteren alleen pinpas.
    ME: Uhhh...ik heb niet...
    

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37. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: [smiling and waiting]
    ME: Uh, mijn...maaltijd met een creditcard?
    THEM: Nee, we accepteren alleen pinpas.
    ME: Uhhh...ik heb niet...spreekt je Engels?
    

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38. Nijmegen
    ME: Kan...ik...uh, betaal...voor...
    THEM: [smiling and waiting]
    ME: Uh, mijn...maaltijd met een creditcard?
    THEM: Nee, we accepteren alleen pinpas.
    ME: Uhhh...ik heb niet...spreekt je Engels?
    THEM: Of course, I lived in New York for three years!
    

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41. You will try to make a new language
    bend to fit
    the language you know
    

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42. Naar vs. Near
    

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43. Ik woon naar het station
    !=
    I live near the station
    

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44. Java-style Singleton
    private var instance: SomeService? = null
    fun getServiceInstance(): SomeService {
    if (instance == null) {
    val retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
    .baseUrl("https://example.com")
    .addConverterFactory(GsonConverterFactory.create())
    .build()
    instance = retrofit.create(SomeService::class.java)
    }
    return instance as SomeService
    }
    

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45. Moar Kotlin-ier Singleton
    val instance: SomeService by lazy {
    val retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
    .baseUrl("https://example.com")
    .addConverterFactory(GsonConverterFactory.create())
    .build()
    retrofit.create(SomeService::class.java)
    }
    

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47. Especially early on, examples
    seem contrived
    

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52. ANYWAY
    

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56. Keep going
    

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57. Keep going
    (it will eventually make sense)
    

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58. Friends
    

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59. True Friends
    exactly the same
    computer -> computer
    student -> student
    weekend -> weekend
    

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60. True Friends
    exactly the same
    computer -> computer
    student -> student
    weekend -> weekend
    map -> map
    filter -> filter
    

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61. True Friends
    exactly the same close enough!
    computer -> computer werk -> work
    student -> student oranje -> orange
    weekend -> weekend tekst -> text
    map -> map
    filter -> filter
    

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62. True Friends
    exactly the same close enough!
    computer -> computer werk -> work
    student -> student oranje -> orange
    weekend -> weekend tekst -> text
    map -> map struct -> data class
    filter -> filter enum -> enum class
    

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63. False Friends
    

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65. !
    

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67. Slim
    

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70. reduce
    

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74. False friends are easier
    to remember
    

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75. Words or concepts with
    no equivalent
    

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76. Gezellig
    

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77. via StuffDutchPeopleLike.com
    

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82. Lekker
    

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83. Lekker!
    

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89. async / await
    

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91. Obligatory Summary Slide
    

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92. Verplichte Samenvetting Dia
    

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93. Verplichte Samenvetting Dia
    → Fail often and hard. Learn from your failures.
    

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94. Verplichte Samenvetting Dia
    → Fail often and hard. Learn from your failures.
    → Resist the urge to bend a new language to fit one
    you already know
    

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95. Verplichte Samenvetting Dia
    → Fail often and hard. Learn from your failures.
    → Resist the urge to bend a new language to fit one
    you already know
    → Don't worry if the initial examples seem contrived.
    

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96. Verplichte Samenvetting Dia
    → Fail often and hard. Learn from your failures.
    → Resist the urge to bend a new language to fit one
    you already know
    → Don't worry if the initial examples seem contrived.
    → Find your friends, true and false.
    

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97. Verplichte Samenvetting Dia
    → Fail often and hard. Learn from your failures.
    → Resist the urge to bend a new language to fit one
    you already know
    → Don't worry if the initial examples seem contrived.
    → Find your friends, true and false.
    → Keep trying. You'll figure it out eventually.
    

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98. ! Bedankt! !
    

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