Federica Lupis's Blog, page 6
October 3, 2021
Why is it easier to understand a language than to speak it?
Have you ever met someone whose mother tongue is different from that of their parents?
Unless you live in North Sentinel Island, one of the few places on earth untouched by the modern world, I bet you have!
When I was living in London, for example, I met many people whose parents came from all over the world, and my first question was always the same: ‘Oh, so can you speak your parents’ language?’
At the time, I had never heard of passive bilingualism – the ability to understand a second language without being able to speak it – so it took me a lot of ‘No, I can understand what they say, but I can’t speak their language’ before I realised my assumption was wrong.
In some cases, parents refrain from speaking their language for fear of confusing their kids. In others, children stop learning or using the language for fear of being excluded by their peers.
But passive bilingualism is not just a thing of immigrant families. It can happen to someone who has lived in the same country all their life. For example, in Italy, where several dialects coexist with the national language, it is quite common for people to understand a dialect without being able to speak it.
Based on the above scenario, we can assume that a good understanding of a language is due to exposure. So, if we lived with a Mexican family – besides enjoying their amazing food – it would be easier to understand Spanish.
Why doesn’t the same apply to speaking a language?
In this article, we’ll explore the main reasons why. Enjoy!
The power of Science
The first reason we might be better at understanding a language than at speaking it is pretty simple. Language comprehension and reproduction are handled by two different areas of the brain.
This may explain why a good understanding of a foreign language doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ll be good at conversation.
When we start learning a language, we usually focus on exposure. We may read, watch movies and write in a foreign language, but we tend to put off speaking. We work hard on the ‘comprehension side’ of the brain while the ‘conversation side’ remains dormant.
For some reason, we believe that more grammar exercises, reading or watching movies will make us fluent, but this strategy never seems to work. Why? Let me explain with an example.
Imagine that you want to get good at public speaking. I doubt you’d just read hot tips on Reddit or watch the greatest public speakers of all time on YouTube. You would learn this skill by giving public speeches and improve through experience.
Likewise, if you want to get good at speaking a foreign language, you need to talk more and work on the ‘conversation side’ of your brain; there’s no way around it.
Photo by ,krakenimages on ,Unsplash
The power of Context
Suppose you’re in Bali visiting one of their magnificent temples. At some point, a group of tourists start speaking their language to you. They smile, pretend to click on a camera and point to you and then to them. What do they want?
As surprising as it may sound, they want to take a picture with you.
Don’t ask me why and how this tradition started – if you know, please message me, and solve this mystery – but I’m pretty sure my friend and I have taken more pictures with people from all over the world than we have taken of ourselves.
I think this little story can help us see the power of context when it comes to understanding a foreign language.
Let’s go back to the scenario above. This time, a group of Chinese tourists approach you and start speaking Mandarin to you.
As chance would have it, you are learning Mandarin and can understand ‘photo’ and ‘together’. Regardless of whether the Chinese tourists use their body language or not, you might look at them in surprise (‘Maybe I look like George Clooney?/Monica Bellucci?’), but you would probably understand what they want.
This is exactly what happens when we are learning a foreign language.
When we read something, watch something or talk to someone, we don’t have to understand every single word to decipher the message.
On the other hand, when we want to say something, we have to remember foreign words and know how to put them together – or move our body until the other speaker understands what we want or begins to question our mental wellbeing…
Based on this fact, I think it is fair to say that understanding a foreign language is way easier than speaking it.
The power of Emotions
Put your hand up if you’ve ever had a glass of wine and felt your speaking skills have improved in the blink of an eye.
Well, you’re not alone.
Science and context aside, emotions play a crucial role in our ability to speak a foreign language.
Before we even say something, our mind is clouded with a thousand thoughts: ‘What if I say something stupid?’, ‘Will they get my accent?’, ‘I’m totally going to make a fool of myself!’
This definitely has an impact on our ability to speak a language.
If we just spoke and cared less about making mistakes, we would see that they are necessary for learning. Mistakes help us improve, and most of the time, people can still understand what we’re saying.
Would you care if someone learning your language used the wrong tense or preposition? Or would you be amazed by their efforts and admire them?
I’m sure you would all opt for the latter.
So next time your thoughts try to get in the way, tell yourself:
‘I want to care less and talk more’.
At first, it will seem like a bit of a battle, but eventually, you will defeat your mind and speak the language as well as after having a glass of wine!
~ ~ ~
To sum up, we are usually better at understanding a language than speaking it because:
• We focus on activities that help us improve our comprehension skills and neglect speaking.
• Context and other clues make understanding a language easier.
• The fear of making mistakes when speaking can hinder our progress.
The best way to get better at speaking is to practise more and worry less about making mistakes. Fortunately, there is no need to knock back a bottle of wine every time we want to speak a language without difficulty!
Thanks for reading.
See you next month!
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September 3, 2021
They’ll tell you: ‘You can’t do this’. Don’t listen.
One day after school, I marched towards my mum’s car with my arms crossed and my face covered in tears.
‘What happened, honey?’ my mum asked.
‘Nothing. I don’t want to talk about this. Nobody understands.’
‘Okay, but you know I’m your mum, and I’ll always be on your side…’
‘Cars will fly’, I said. ‘They’ll see. One day, cars will fly.’
My mum paused for a second, then smiled and said, ‘Of course they will. Why shouldn’t they?’
‘You believe me?’ I said, wiping my tears away. ‘I told A. cars will fly one day. Like in Back to the future, you know? And he’s been going around telling everyone I have the brain of a monkey. We landed on the moon; why shouldn’t we learn how to fly a car?’
I was 10 at the time and thought I had just lost all my credibility in the eyes of my schoolmates.
‘Honey… people will always try to put you in a box. Let them talk and continue to follow your heart’.
I’m not sure my mum actually believed cars would fly one day, but she was open to the possibility, and that meant the world to me.
The next day, A. was waiting for me at recess.
‘Here’s the monkey’, he said, laughing out loud. I turned around smiling and said, ‘I’d rather have a monkey’s brain than yours.’
A. was taken aback by my reaction, made a funny face and walked away...
(And just in case you’re reading, dear A., the technology is already here, and we may be able to use flying cars as soon as 2030. Will you try one?)
Photo by Naomi Tamar on Unsplash
This childhood memory came back to me recently when someone asked me: ‘Why are you learning Japanese? It will take years before you can talk like a child. Aren’t you wasting your time?’
‘Yup. Probably.’ I said as I continued to sip my drink.
I didn’t react. I like to think I’ve matured, but it may have been thanks to the wine… Either way, that’s when I got the idea for this article. Enjoy!
‘You can’t do this.’ ‘Yes. I can.’
Let’s face it: sometimes learning a language sucks. It’s hard enough when we try to make more space in our seemingly limited memory. The last thing we need is some cheap advice on how our life would be better if we just stopped trying.
These free consultants, who are kindly volunteering their time, are very clear about the outcome of our endeavour and the reasons for its failure. They range from ‘It’s hard’, ‘Where will you find the time?’, ‘Aren’t you too old?’ to ‘Why don’t you learn programming? Or cybersecurity? Even investing would be more useful!’
Well, thank you very much. Maybe I can give you my passport, and with some tweaking, you can take my identity?
Okay… I’m getting carried away. But I know how hard it is to put your heart into a project, only to be greeted by the voice of ‘mature’ and ‘reasonable’ advice.
You are doing something amazing.
You are not just learning a language. You are embracing a new way of seeing the world, a new culture, a new way of thinking!
And despite my stinging remarks, most free consultants mean no harm. They’re just trying to help.
The real reason we react is that we start doubting ourselves...
When A. told me that cars would never fly, I was more upset at myself than I was at him.
I doubted myself and was angry for believing such ‘nonsense’, but as soon as I regained control, A.’s words lost their power. There was nothing he could say to make me change my mind.
So, in retrospect, I should have called this article:
‘You’ll tell yourself you can’t do this. Don’t listen!’
When learning a language, self-sabotage could range from ‘It’s too hard’, ‘Where will I find the time?’, ‘I’m too old for this!’ to ‘Maybe I should learn programming? Or cybersecurity? Why not investing?’
In case that rings a bell, your memory is not playing a trick on you. This is exactly what free consultants would tell you.
Do you want to know the solution?
Treat your self-doubt like you would treat a free consultant. Ignore it!
Doubt will always try to creep into your life and make you give up on what you really want to do!
When this happens, ask yourself a simple question:
‘If I were a millionaire and I didn’t have to worry about working, studying, taking care of the garden or the house… would I learn a language?’
If your answer is yes, the rest is nothing but some background noise!
Thanks for reading. I’ll catch you all soon!
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This newsletter was brought to you by EsoutacheCreations, one of a kind Jewellery. Handmade in Italy with love.
Thank you! Go to the Italian version.
To read my previous article click on the link below:
August 3, 2021
Can you learn a language in your sleep?
It was back in 1993 when I saw one of the films that would influence the course of my life. I was 7, and no, it wasn’t Sailor Moon: the movie. It was Weird Science with the extraordinary Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and a stunning Kelly LeBrock.
The film was about two nerds who used a computer to create the ‘perfect woman’. It was a fun, feel-good movie that I watched, again and again, with my sister Valentina, and it paved the way for more great movies like Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club.
Weird Science left me with the feeling that ‘if I really wanted something, I could make it happen’.
A few days later, my dad told me a story. When he was young, he bought a ticket to go to Australia, but then he met my mum and gave up on his plan. He had always wondered if our life would be different had he left, but then realised everything would be different, including us.
I casually turned around and said: ‘Don’t worry, dad. I’ll go when I grow up.’
Fast forward to over twenty years later, and I’m sitting at my computer watching the amazing Sulphur-crested cockatoo enjoying the quiet of the lockdown on my balcony in Australia.
No matter where they come from, our beliefs are extremely powerful and can help us achieve things we thought to be totally out of reach.
But you may be wondering… what does this have to do with foreign languages?
Last week, I came across an article discussing the possibility of learning a language while we sleep. My first reaction was to roll my eyes and think: ‘Next thing, they’re going to sell magic filters that can make us speak Japanese’.
Then I stopped for a second and realised I didn’t know anything about this way of learning. Is there any research to support these claims? Has anyone ever had results?
I tried to get back the same wonder I had as a child and be open to ‘the impossible made possible’.
This article is the result of ‘me-trying-to-have-an-open-mind’. Enjoy!
Photo by Des Récits on Unsplash
1. Learning a language in your sleep. What does the research say?
In 2014, the Swiss National Science Foundation published their research on ‘sleep learning’ in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
The study involved sixty German-speaking students who had to learn some Dutch words they had never seen before at 10pm. After that, thirty students went to sleep while the vocabulary was played back to them. The rest of the students stayed awake and kept listening to the words.
Both groups were then reunited and tested at 2am. ‘Surprisingly’, the students who were allowed to sleep performed much better than those who weren’t.
Does this mean that we have all been wasting our time learning a language during the day? I’m not so sure.
a) While EEG measurements of the learners who were sleeping showed increased activity in the parietal lobe (a part of the brain involved in language processing), there’s no evidence that they were actively listening to the Dutch words.
Sleep plays a crucial role in learning and memory, so their parietal lobe activity could be something that happens to anyone who learns a language before bed.
b) The group that was allowed to sleep may have profited from a good rest and performed better than the sleep-deprived students…
Think about your school years – make the most of it if you’re still there! – did you do better in a test if you had a good sleep or if you went out with your friends until 3 am?
The research left me sceptical, so I had no choice but to try…
2. Learning a language in your sleep. What does Federica say?
Sorry to disappoint you, but it didn’t work out. Most likely, I didn’t want it to work.
When it comes to sleeping, I get as defensive as a boxer crab that uses sea anemones as boxing gloves. My bed is my kingdom, and my supreme code is simple: no lights and, above all, no noise.
The experiment went like this: I set everything up, I started listening, I got irritated, I began to dislike Japanese, and I stopped within five minutes. Obviously, I wasn’t the right candidate to take this test.
Which brings me to my final point…
3. Learning a language in your sleep. Why you should try it.
Do you have a remedy or strategy that you swear by but doesn’t work for anyone else?
Before you tried it, you may have felt like you were going to waste your time, but then the miracle happened: it worked!
By trying Sleep Learning on YouTube, you may fall asleep to the sound of foreign words and wake up to remember them.
I’m not being sarcastic; you won’t know until you try it!
To sum up:
1. Research shows a correlation between sleeping and better learning. However,
there’s still no evidence that it is possible to learn a foreign language while we sleep.
2. Federica is serious about sleeping and becomes very intolerant when she feels like her precious sleeping time is at stake.
3. Try to learn a language in your sleep and let me know how you go! Your experiment may help you improve your language skills and the lives of other language learners.
In my case, learning a language in my sleep was like putting soy sauce on ice-cream... a recipe for disaster!
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July 3, 2021
Will learning languages become obsolete?
Not long ago, I was making small talk at a party.
In the space of five minutes, Mr X had already asked the most burning questions: 'So how do you know Y? How long have you been in Australia? What do you do?'
I was keen to start asking some questions when Mr X said: ‘Oh. So you teach languages. Don’t you think learning languages will become obsolete?’
I burst out laughing and thought Mr X would laugh too, but he didn’t. The guy was being serious.
At that point, visibly confused, I muttered: ‘What do you mean?’
Mr X shared his knowledge on the latest technological developments in language learning, including Elon Musk’s Neuralink. I listened in awe, wondering if one day Mr Musk will be able to get us to travel through the phone lines like in the Matrix.
As he spoke, Mr X looked as excited as a child who found the keys to a candy shop: ‘So what do you think?’ he asked.
This time I smiled: ‘I don’t think learning languages will ever become obsolete.’
Mr X was surprised, but we ended up having an interesting conversation; much more interesting than remarking how cold the weather has been or how hot the guy in Bridgerton is…
In this article, I’ll share with you why I think that language learning will survive the rise of AI.
1. It may seem cool…until you try it.
Have you ever seen a conference room where everyone speaks their language, and it gets translated into multiple languages via a headset in a matter of seconds? Sounds pretty cool, right?
I used to get so excited when I saw it on TV. I thought, ‘Maybe one day, I’ll be able to travel the world and understand everyone in their language with one click!’
This was before I tried it.
My friend’s mum came over to Australia from Hong Kong, and I was thrilled to meet her. I don’t speak Cantonese, but I thought that Google Translate would be a great way of communicating…
After five minutes, I felt like I was listening to a zombie guide into a museum. It felt awkward and unnatural, and it didn’t seem like either of us was enjoying it.
Photo by Bellava G on Unsplash
The best part was that we didn’t even need to use Google Translate to decide what to do next. We looked at each other and put our phones away. Then we started speaking our languages, moving our hands and mimicking actions like in a game of Charades.
We had the best time!
Communication wasn’t perfect, but neither of us wanted to give up on the connection that can only be built when you talk to each other without a machine in the way.
Which brings me to the next point…
2. Machines can’t translate emotions.
I’m Italian, and sometimes I feel like I speak more with my hands and eyes than I do with words. The same sentence could have ten different meanings depending on the arching of my eyebrows, the smirks of my lips and the shaking of my hands.
How is a machine going to translate all of that?
No matter where we are from, we all use movements and facial expressions to clarify a message. This is part of being human, and it is what makes us different from a machine.
Now imagine going on a holiday and relying on a machine to talk to the locals. You probably won’t have any issues asking for the bill and finding the nearest bank, but is that all you really want to do with a foreign language?
Don’t you want to make friends? Learn more about other cultures? And see things from the point of view of the locals?
Relying on a machine will come at the expense of human contact and emotions. It will never be anywhere close to speaking to someone in their language.
And finally, if I still haven’t convinced you…
3. What if the power goes out?
When my partner and I climbed Machu Picchu, a friend in our group badly twisted his ankle.
We had no phones with us and had no idea who to call and what to do.
Fortunately, the road wasn’t far, so we headed towards it and stopped a bus full of tourists leaving the track.
The bus driver only spoke Spanish, so I quickly told him what was going on, and in a matter of seconds, our friend was on the bus to the nearest clinic.
What would have happened if no one could speak Spanish?
Sure, we could have played a game of Charades with the driver, but sometimes you just don’t have time.
Suppose you have an emergency while overseas – touch wood, it never happens – and your phone’s battery runs out, or the Internet is not working. What are you going to do?
Technology can make our life easier, but I think it’s best not to rely on it completely. At least until machines don’t need batteries to work and are able to express emotions and change their facial expressions – at that point, we may have bigger concerns!
To sum it up, I believe technology will make it easier to communicate in different languages, but I can’t see electronic devices replacing language learning altogether.
A machine may help us check-in at the airport or ask for a coffee in our language. However, due to the complexity of human communication, I don’t think machines will ever make language learning obsolete.
Now, before I leave you, I’d like to make a request:
Dear ,Mr Musk ,
I don’t know if you are already accepting requests for ,Christmas , but if you could make teleportation happen, it would be greatly appreciated.
I hope my views on AI haven’t compromised our friendly relationship.
I’ll still leave a ,cornetto and cappuccino on the table near the fireplace for you.
With my sincere admiration
Federica
Thanks for reading!
I’ll catch you all soon!
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June 4, 2021
How to make time to learn a language
You have to work, study, clean the house, see the dentist, make lunch and dinner and buy a last-minute gift for that party you didn’t even want to go to… So how exactly will you find the time to learn a language?
Photo by ,Luis Villasmil on ,Unsplash
Don’t worry! You are not alone. Most people go through that ‘no way’ moment.
The thing is, you don’t really need to make more time. To begin with, you can fit language learning into your current routine.
How? Read on!
Turn downtime into productive time.
As an interpreter, I spend a lot of time waiting. Sometimes I’m lucky and can sit next to my clients who tell me amazing stories about their migration and new life in Australia. The other times, I’m stuck on the opposite side of the waiting area where all I can do is wait.
At first, I used to sit there and get bored; I literally counted the minutes until the doctor called us in. Then I thought: ‘What if I did something productive?’. So I grabbed my Kindle and started reading books in foreign languages.
I am embarrassed to admit that since then, I have been looking forward to the waiting time…
Even if you don’t work as an interpreter, I bet the same can be true for you.
Do you catch the train to uni, drive to work or sit in a waiting room for regular check-ups? If so, you’ve already found a way to practise your language skills. Grab a book, play a podcast, or do a crossword in the foreign language and you’ll realise that finding time to learn a language may not be as tricky as it sounds.
Multitasking
My partner often teases me about my ability to do multiple things at once. He says that to do the same, he would need to have at least four arms.
Now, I know it may seem like I’m bragging, but I’m not. I wasn’t born with this ability. I developed it through my passion for foreign languages and then applied it to other areas of my life.
And just to be clear: if I can do it, anyone can – including you!
Consider some everyday activities like preparing meals, cleaning the house, and exercising. Can you combine these activities with language learning?
For example, this is my current routine: watching TV shows in French while I cook, listening to Japanese songs while I clean (it makes me feel better, especially when I have to clean things I don’t like...), watching anime in Japanese while I eat, reading manga in Spanish before bed.
I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s not. I simply paired the languages with things I have to do anyway, with the difference that these activities now seem way more interesting. And you can do the same!
Take a moment to think about your daily routine, and I’m sure you’ll find at least one activity to combine with a foreign language.
I hope by the end of this post, you’ve figured out how to fit a foreign language into your routine. The hardest part will be getting started, but once you do, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start earlier!
Thanks for reading! See you next month!
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This month I’d like to share with you a fantastic story written by my dear friend Reg. Click here to read it!
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May 3, 2021
How long does it take to learn a language?
After the excitement of learning a new language has worn off – between 5 and 10 minutes at most – you’ll probably find yourself facing one of the biggest dilemmas in the history of language learning: how long will it take?
‘Three months is all you need’ some might say. To which others may reply: ‘No way! One month of full immersion and you’ll be fluent’.
Before I give you my answer, I just want to make sure that this question is relevant. Are you learning a language for work? Do you have a deadline?
We all want to become fluent and make sure it happens in our lifetime but getting the wrong idea could sabotage our plans of learning a language.
Let’s suppose we buy into a marketing strategy promising to make us speak Spanish like Javier Bardem within a few months. What’s going to happen when we realise we sound more like the 5-year old version of him?
Photo by ,Anton Darius on ,Unsplash
Time is important, but we need to be realistic.
In this post, we’ll explore the factors that can help you find out how long it takes to master a foreign language, at least approximatively.
1. Are you new to foreign languages?
If you are new to foreign languages, opening a grammar book might give you crossed eyes. ‘Subjects? Verbs? Pronouns? What’s going on?’ It may feel like you have to learn a language – grammar – before you can learn a foreign language.
Fortunately, there are easy ways around this. You can get a good teacher – like me, at least I hope – or find a website explaining those alien words in simple terms. Either way, it will take some time.
You can’t expect to approach something new and be a genius right away; unless you are a descendent of Nikola Tesla who could read and memorise entire books (W O W!).
So let’s be clear: if you’re new to foreign languages, you’ll probably take longer than someone who has experience on their side.
2. How much time can you devote to language learning?
All basketball players want to be like Michael Jordan, but not everyone realises how much time and effort it took him to become the best basketball player in NBA history.
Learning a language is like playing a sport. If you want to learn a language quickly, you need to practise regularly. Once a week won’t be enough.
3. What’s your goal?
You are the perfect language learner, you practise several times a week, but you’re not getting the results you want.
If you don’t have a clear goal in mind, you shouldn’t be surprised.
Learning a language without a goal is like trying to cross the Amazon on your own without a map.
What are you trying to achieve?
A simple goal could be: ‘I want to be able to introduce myself by the end of the week’.
You have a goal and a time frame. Now you just have to work towards it.
Setting goals will give you direction. So if you haven’t done it yet, it’s time to write down your goals; it will help you progress faster.
To sum up, the time it takes to learn a language depends on:
1. Your experience.
2. How long and how regularly you can practise a foreign language.
3. Your ability to set goals and work towards them.
I know, I’ve made it to the end of this post and haven’t given you an answer yet.
How long will it take to become fluent?
Combine my advice with the results of this reliable analysis, and you’ll have your answer.
Thanks for reading and good luck with your studies!
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After the excitement of learning a new language has worn off – between 5 and 10 minutes at most – you’ll probably find yourself facing one of the biggest dilemmas in the history of language learning: how long will it take?
‘Three months is all you need’ some might say. To which others may reply: ‘No way! One month of full immersion and you’ll be fluent’.
Before I give you my answer, I just want to make sure that this question is relevant. Are you learning a language for work? Do you have a deadline?
We all want to become fluent and make sure it happens in our lifetime but getting the wrong idea could sabotage our plans of learning a language.
Let’s suppose we buy into a marketing strategy promising to make us speak Spanish like Javier Bardem within a few months. What’s going to happen when we realise we sound more like the 5-year old version of him?
Photo by ,Anton Darius on ,Unsplash
Time is important, but we need to be realistic.
In this post, we’ll explore the factors that can help you find out how long it takes to master a foreign language, at least approximatively.
1. Are you new to foreign languages?
If you are new to foreign languages, opening a grammar book might give you crossed eyes. ‘Subjects? Verbs? Pronouns? What’s going on?’ It may feel like you have to learn a language – grammar – before you can learn a foreign language.
Fortunately, there are easy ways around this. You can get a good teacher – like me, at least I hope – or find a website explaining those alien words in simple terms. Either way, it will take some time.
You can’t expect to approach something new and be a genius right away; unless you are a descendent of Nikola Tesla who could read and memorise entire books (W O W!).
So let’s be clear: if you’re new to foreign languages, you’ll probably take longer than someone who has experience on their side.
2. How much time can you devote to language learning?
All basketball players want to be like Michael Jordan, but not everyone realises how much time and effort it took him to become the best basketball player in NBA history.
Learning a language is like playing a sport. If you want to learn a language quickly, you need to practise regularly. Once a week won’t be enough.
3. What’s your goal?
You are the perfect language learner, you practise several times a week, but you’re not getting the results you want.
If you don’t have a clear goal in mind, you shouldn’t be surprised.
Learning a language without a goal is like trying to cross the Amazon on your own without a map.
What are you trying to achieve?
A simple goal could be: ‘I want to be able to introduce myself by the end of the week’.
You have a goal and a time frame. Now you just have to work towards it.
Setting goals will give you direction. So if you haven’t done it yet, it’s time to write down your goals; it will help you progress faster.
To sum up, the time it takes to learn a language depends on:
1. Your experience.
2. How long and how regularly you can practise a foreign language.
3. Your ability to set goals and work towards them.
I know, I’ve made it to the end of this post and haven’t given you an answer yet.
How long will it take to become fluent?
Combine my advice with the results of this reliable analysis, and you’ll have your answer.
Thanks for reading and good luck with your studies!
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Things I wish I knew before learning a new language.
Now that you’ve made your choice – one-on-one or group classes – you probably can’t wait to get started. Which grammar book should you buy? Should you start watching movies in a foreign language? How about changing your home decoration to feel more immersed in the culture of the foreign language?
Wait a minute…
Mastering a new language is not just about the learning process. Having a positive mindset is just as essential – and by positive mindset, I don’t mean living in la-la land and thinking you’ll become fluent in a month.
In this post, we’ll debunk some common myths about language learning and make sure they don’t get in the way.
Let’s begin with the most common one:
‘I shouldn’t make any mistakes.’
Excuse my language, but that’s… rubbish. I don’t know when and where we all got this idea, but it’s wrong, discouraging and misleading.
How do children learn a language? They try, make mistakes, correct them and slowly improve. So why should we be perfect?
Making mistakes is how we all learn. There’s no other way to improve.
Of course, we want to make fewer and fewer, but that doesn’t happen overnight. It takes trial and error, and by accepting this, learning a language will become a lot more fun.
You will start thinking about mistakes as a way to learn, not as something to be ashamed of. So let’s change ‘I shouldn’t make any mistakes’ into ‘I’ll do my best to learn even if I make mistakes’. Sounds better, right?
The second myth is probably more ingrained than the others:
‘First I get grammar right, then I’ll talk.’
I couldn’t find a good emoji to fully express my feelings, so I’ll use a picture instead.
Photo by Einar Storsul on Unsplash
Think about sports. Whether you love soccer, cricket, basketball or extreme ironing – it’s a sport, I promise – think of the rules of these sports as the grammar of a language.
Before you start playing, you try to understand the rules the best you can, but how do you learn to play? You don’t sit down with a book; you put on your sports gear and do it. Similarly, you can learn grammar by filling in exercises, but you also need to speak if you want to master a language.
Unless your only objective is to read your favourite author in their original language, speaking will be one of your ultimate goals.
Well, let’s make it happen! Let’s learn grammar and put it into practice. Let’s start speaking asap!
And now, for the closure, give it up for our last myth:
‘I’m too old to learn a language. I should have started in 1885’.
There’s no typo. I purposely chose a year when none of us could have been born.
For some reason, we think we are too old to do things. ‘I’m too old to read comics. I’m too old to do kickboxing. I’m too old to learn Japanese.’ This is actually me talking to myself a while ago.
Nonsense. I now do all of these things and ignore my thoughts if they try to get in the way.
We are never too old to learn a new language.
Sure, if we started to learn as toddlers, we would be fluent by now. But we could use the same reasoning for everything we’ve done in our life.
Toddlers don’t learn better because they’re smarter. Otherwise, they would run businesses while we take care of them.
The truth is that toddlers have more time to learn and practice, and they are not held back by mistakes. If you don’t believe me, check out this article. It will confirm that we rock more than we think.
To sum up, before you start learning a language, get ready to:
· Make mistakes and embrace them as a way to learn.
· Start speaking as soon as you have basic grammar knowledge.
And remember, we are never too old to learn!
Thanks for reading. I’ll catch you all next month!
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March 7, 2021
One-on-one or group classes?
Let’s suppose you want to give language classes a try. After doing some research, you narrow it down to a one-on-one and a group class.
Which one should you choose?
In general, you’ll find two main arguments supporting one or the other choice.
Students who prefer one-on-one classes may say something like: “I have the teacher all to myself!”. To which those who favour group classes could reply: “Learning a language in a group is more fun!”
Obviously, this is a very simple way of putting it, but there’s more to it.
In this post, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Let’s start with the strong points of one-on-one classes. If you opt for individual classes, it is fair to say that:
· You’ll have more time to talk and ask questions.
· It will be easier to go at your own pace.
· Activities will be tailored to your objective. For example, suppose you are learning a language to talk business over the phone. In that case, you may want to skip a lesson on booking a massage – unless you’re visiting a company abroad and need a relaxing massage after a stressful meeting.
Photo by Iz & Phil on Unsplash
The disadvantages?
The main downside to one-on-one classes is that they are usually more expensive than group classes. Depending on your objective and timeframe, the investment may be worth it. Alternatively, you could join a group class and book a periodical one-on-one class – e.g. once a month.
Remember! There’s more than one way to skin an eggplant. (I know… but it sounds much better than the original!)
Now let’s have a look at the advantages of joining a group class:
· You may commit to learning a language more not to slow down the group’s progress.
· Communicating with your fellow students may help you enhance your listening skills.
· You may feel less pressure on yourself and have more fun.
The disadvantages of group classes basically mirror the advantages of one-on-one lessons:
· You’ll have less time to talk and ask questions.
· It will be harder to go at your own pace and tailor activities to your objective.
I must admit, I don’t really see this last point as a downside. Anything you learn in a foreign language one day may come in handy – even the components of a car engine…
So, what’s the verdict?
As always, there’s no one fit for all. Before you make a decision, you should ask yourself:
· What do I want to achieve?
· Is it essential that all activities are relevant to my objective?
· Will one or the other choice help me reach my goal faster?
Answer these questions, and you’ll find out what’s best for you!
Thanks for reading. I hope the new year is treating you well!
February 7, 2021
Which language should I learn?
With 2021 fast approaching - yay! - you may be wondering which language to learn in the new year.
In this post, I'll give you some tips on how to make a decision that you won't regret.
Happy reading!
Photo by ,Atlas Green on ,Unsplash
1. Choose what you love.
When I was in high school, I had to choose between Spanish and German for a language course. One of my teachers strongly suggested that I choose German because "everyone can speak Spanish" and "if you learn German, you'll earn more".
Over 10 years later, I'm glad I didn't listen to that kind of reasoning!
Learning a language is fun, but it requires time and effort. You'll spend several hours with the foreign language, so make sure you feel excited about it.
Stop for a second and think:
It would be fantastic to watch a movie/read a book/talk to the locals in...
For me, the answer was Spanish. What's yours?
2. Find what you love
It's all good and well, but what can you do if no language has made you fall head over heels yet? In this case, the Internet can come to the rescue.
Start by searching 'most popular foreign languages' and then... explore! Listen to music in the languages that catch your eye and watch some YouTube videos. You'll have to do a little research, but it will pay off!
Learning a foreign language is like having a new friend who can show you the world from a different perspective. I guarantee the time you spend looking for your new companion won't go to waste.
Thank you for reading! I will be back with more tips soon.
Before I go, I want to thank each one of you for your support throughout this year. I hope you had a good time over Christmas and that 2021 will be a great year for you all!
