learning english
3 layers to learn: LINGUISTIC fluency (flow, pace, tone), SOCIAL proficiency (knowing how to do something as the local people do), CULTURAL literacy (to "read" the situation and know the name, the significance and reason for local people's way of living). Some things you learn by study, others by doing, and others by asking or observing.
5 parts at highest level of learning to aim for: to express and to understand HUMOR, POLITICAL expression, RELIGION, EMOTIONS, and LITERARY creation (poem, speech, story, etc).
Balancing between fluency (speed, rhythm, word choice and non-verbal messages of face, gesture, tone of voice and so on) and accuracy (word choice to control meaning carefully).
Your best teacher is your own ears and eyes (when you have learned enough language to socialize): other places to pay attention to word choice, rhythm and meanings are the radio programs (some give the written transcript as well as the audio recording to listen to); examples,
news stories in morning and afternoon including Saturday morning & Sunday morning (National Public Radio, cf. American Public Media, Public Radio International) - or type keywords to find older stories
interview and talk-radio: Fresh Air, Diane Rehme, On Point Radio, TED radio hour, The Connection
longer conversations: Moth Radio (live stories recorded), This American Life
special project (1950-55, again 2005-2010 and continuing today) This I Believe (short essay of personal belief, searchable by main theme or topic of the recorded personal essay)
special project (traveling recording truck for personal memories), Story Corps
special project, Talkin' about Talk ("The Year of Languages" essays about languages in 2005)
Context to study for fast knowledge of the people who speak the language:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Basic_English_word_list
[many languages give their words to the English Dictionary; for example... just type the language you seek]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Spanish_origin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_French_origin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Arabic_origin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Japanese_origin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_language_influences_in_English [picture]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_spelling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_words_not_widely_used_in_the_United_Kingdom
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_words_not_widely_used_in_the_United_States