Paul Grew currently holds the title of Family Linguist, but I think I come in at a close second.
Many people look at foreign languages as insurmountable and, well, foreign. So here are a few tips from someone who has done pretty well for herself with language.
- Don’t be afraid to sound like an idiot. You need to speak in order to get better, and you will inevitably sound like a child. Get over this and you will improve rapidly.
- Look for cognates. The better your english vocabulary and grammar is, the easier the other languages will be, especially if you go with a Germanic or Romance language. Don’t worry if you’re bad at grammar, I’ve seen and experienced greater understanding of our own grammar concepts after learning the same one in a different language.
- Pay attention the first time around. I have been able to retain all those years of high school French avec Madame because I really learned and understood the concepts to begin with. Now, when I review, it is just that.
- See number one. Yes, it’s that important that you speak often. I came back from France a much better speaker than many of my friends because they were timid, so I was always the one ordering our food, asking for directions and trying to find the changing room. Those who didn’t speak barely got anything out of the trip, linguistically.
- Expose yourself to the language as much as possible. This means movies, television shows, children’s books, music, whatever. Your ear will get faster and your accent will improve.
What’re your sure-fire tips for picking up/keeping up a language? I know some of you are abroad now (Jackie) or will be soon (Miss Sarah) and some have had to deal with trying to maintain fluency after returning (Michelle.) There are also a whole bunch of you who speak foreign languages (Aunt Sue, Dad, Kev) just as well if not better than me. How did you do it?
things not to do when learning a foreign language
1. do NOT constantly ask ‘what does that mean in english?’ you’re learning a foreign language, not english in a different font or funny accent. not all things translate and if you focus on english you’re not really letting yourself learn the language
2. do NOT ask ‘why are we learning this?’ there is a girl in my arabic class who asked this question when we learned roots and patterns, after the teacher announced that every word in arabic can be understood through roots and patterns. sometimes things are hard, but when it’s a fundamental part of the language, don’t ask why you’re learning it. you’re learning it because you don’t know it.
3. like you said, do NOT be afraid to make a fool of yourself. the more you speak or try to speak the more comfortable you’ll be using the language as you learn more. you’re going to mess up anyway, you might as well get something out of it (like directions, or a good story)
thanks for the insight Dana! i totally agree. i think my favorite line out of your comment is something that applies to all things, not just language:
“don’t ask why you’re learning it. you’re learning it because you don’t know it.”
amen!