Re: Learning languages

Though it's often difficult/impossible to find resources for self-teaching,
my advice would be-- learn a non-western language, or failing that, one of
the less common European ones. At least for conlanging purposes, the one
thing one wants to do is jog the brain cells out of their familiar
grooves/ruts.

If one is near a largish college/university, it might be possible for a
"civilian" simply to ask the instructor for permission to sit in on a
language course.  (It probably contravenes all sorts of regulations, but
frankly, if the "Beginning Armenian" or "Tagalog" course has 9 official
students, a 10th unofficial one isn't going to bother _the instructor_,
IMHO)

For a lot of younger people (here in the US, at least) who are essentially
virginal in terms of exposure to anything resembling formal grammar, Latin
is often enough to do the trick. (And for the adult learner, one doesn't
have to worry about "correct native" pronunciation...........)