They always say that immersion is the best way to learn a foreign language, and a new experimental Chrome extension aims to recreate the feeling of language immersion by mixing up the languages you see while browsing the web.
It’s (aptly) called Language Immersion for Chrome, and it comes to you via Use All Five and “some friends at Google Creative Lab.”
Language Immersion for Chrome is an experimental extension that aims to simulate the experience of being immersed in a foreign language. By switching certain words and phrases from English into a language of your choice, the websites you already visit can provide a way to experience the world from a different perspective.
So the extension won’t throw you into the deep end and just turn everything into Spanish, for instance. But you will be gradually exposed to more words and phrases in the foreign language of your choice. “It’s domingo, I have to go to la iglesia,” for example.
Any language that’s supported by Google translate is available for the extensions (64 in all). Features include roll-over, which will let you hear the unfamiliar word pronounced, and the ability to click on any translated word to return it to English.
“Language Immersion for Chrome is very much an experiment. That means the translations won’t always be 100% accurate, and it probably won’t turn you into a language genius overnight,” say the creators. But is looks to be a lot of fun as well as a learning experience – at the least a very unique way to experience the daily internet grind.