How to easily learn any language
Valeriia Zaozerska
Polyglot and linguist Matthew Youlden thinks languages are easy to learn. Today, I will adopt his approach and dispel some myths associated with language learning, as well as provide you with the right tools helpful in this process.
Let's start with the myths.
Myth no. 1: "learning a language is incredibly difficult."
The majority of us think we could never speak another language as well as our native one. In fact, language proficiency is not innate. Most of us were born in Poland, so our native language is Polish. We were immersed in this particular language environment from early childhood, but there are many people who started learning another language or languages much later and now they’re absolutely fluent in them. Some people speak foreign languages even more fluently than the so-called "natives". The thing is that there is no deadline by which you need to already know a foreign language. According to research, children learn a new language faster than adults, BUT adults are able to learn languages more effectively. Why? Because they have learning experience. They already know how to learn.
Myth no. 2: “there is no need to learn languages.”
Well, let's start with the obvious benefits:
- learning a new language can help you get a better job and a higher salary,
- it keeps you mentally fit,
- and it prevents neurological diseases, like Alzheimer's disease.
However, there are also other advantages which may not be that obvious. Matthew Youlden’s uncle went to Turkey. Before that, he had asked his nephew to send him some phrases and greetings in Turkish, which he could try to say at the hotel. As a result, he received a room of a higher standard. There is also a chance that a new language will help you find the love of your life. In the UK, for example, every tenth person is married to a foreigner. According to “The Guardian” research, people who speak two or more languages are more adaptable or better equipped to deal with problems, multitask more effectively, and set priorities.
Myth no. 3: "you have to be an expert and be among the native speakers of a given language, even just to learn its basics."
Of course, if you want to study English in a small town in England, then this won’t harm you, but it's not absolutely necessary. While being in Berlin, Matthew Youlden and his brother decided to learn Turkish in 7 days. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that everyone needs to overdo themselves and learn languages in a short time. No, the goal is not to be perfect, but to master a particular language as well as possible in the shortest possible time.
For language learning, Matthew Youlden suggests the use of simplification methods. Let’s look at them briefly.
Method no. 1: “analyze similarities, concentrate on similar elements.”
For example, English is closely related to other Germanic and even Romance languages. Look for similarities between languages and it’ll be much easier for you to learn a new language.
Method no. 2: “make learning easy for you.”
In every language, even if it initially seems very complicated, there are some simple elements, and you can concentrate on them. For example, in German there is a verb sprechen which means “to speak”. It continued developing, serving as the basis for verbs: besprechen — to discuss, entsprechen — to correspond, versprechen, absprechen, and so on.
Method no. 3: "keep up to date."
It’s important especially at the beginning of the learning process. Think about the fact that as native speakers of Polish we don’t actually know all the words from a large, comprehensive dictionary of the Polish language. So, why bother remembering all the words we encounter in a new language? You don’t need to spend a lot of time learning the language. Thirty minutes of daily practice is a great and effective start. You could study for thirty minutes on the way to school or work, or simply at home. You could also divide the time spent on learning and study, for example, ten minutes in the morning, ten in the afternoon and ten in the evening. That is much better than studying two hours once a week, because with this approach you’re less likely to forget what you learned in the previous lesson. The goal is to fit language learning into your daily routine, not the other way around.
These active forms of learning must be supplemented by passive ones. Listen to the radio in the language you’re learning, feel the music of this language. Watch movies or series in this language with Polish subtitles. You can do this with friends or family.
Finally, remember the three golden rules of language learning.
The first rule is: "live the language, speak it, read it, write it, dream it, even sing it." Try, for example, to change the language on your phone or computer to the one you’re learning.
Golden rule number two: "make mistakes." In fact, when we make mistakes, we learn. As children, we weren’t afraid of making mistakes. Try to go back to that kind of attitude. Make as many mistakes as you want and need.
The last rule, the most basic and important: "make the process fun." Yes, grammar isn’t always fun, but remember that everything you are capable of doing in Polish, you can also do in any other language. Making the learning process fun will help you stay motivated, and the more motivated you are, the more likely you are to succeed. Try to involve colleagues and friends in the process, turn everything into a friendly competition. Scientists have found that if you take part in such a competition, your chances of succeeding are significantly increased, just as the efficiency of your work.
I will end my article with a famous Ukrainian phrase: “cкільки мов ти знаєш – стільки разів ти людина”, which means: “how many languages you know, so many times you are a man.”
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