Tips polyglot: how to learn any language without tears and curses
Most people have the impression that learning a language is like quantum mechanics. No matter how long you understand the topic, all the same, almost everything will be incomprehensible.
These people can be understood. Suffice it to recall how we ourselves taught English at school. For 6-8 years of study, most students could reproduce only the phrases “My name is ...” and “London is the capital of Great Britain”. Fluency? No, have not heard.
')
But where do polyglots come from, who know several dozen languages? Do they know some secret that allows them to learn languages ​​much faster?
The EnglishDom team has a polyglot that knows 7 languages. Marina is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English, French, Polish, German and Swedish.
And she always convinces us that learning languages ​​is really easy. We discussed with her in detail how she achieved this and whether it is worth burning her for the fire at the stake as a witch. In general, read and shake.
You may ask: “What kind of dregs? I have my own language. There cannot be two of them! ” But first it is worth understanding one important thing. Man has no innate understanding of the language.
The brain equally well perceives language constructions, regardless of the nature of the language. This proves a single fact.
The main difficulty of learning a second language is its differences from the first. Explain. The brain perceives the native language as a constant. And when a person starts learning another one - he conflicts with the first.
A child who teaches several languages ​​from a very early age - for example, in a bilingual family - will take such features for granted. But the adult brain slips from such contradictions. For example, a Russian person is used to being able to put sentence members in almost any order.
If you wish, you can write more. At the same time, all these phrases are absolutely equivalent. Except perhaps that subtle nuances. But in German there are only two possible options.
They also differ in nuance, but in German you cannot say "Liebe ich dich". It will be grammatically incorrect.
English is still "more interesting."
And basically everything. The chip that went with the German is no longer working here. “You love I” is wrong. About other options and nothing to remember. But you can play around and rebuild the sentence. For example, the phrase “It's you I love” can be used, but it will have a different meaning.
What are we leading to? Studying a foreign language, you can not think in categories of the native. Often they only interfere.
What to do with it? As we have written, you need to make a foreign language native. Use it in everyday life.
And no, this does not mean talking to relatives only in it. Although if they know the language you are learning, that would be perfect.
To facilitate the process, we give you 2 effective tricks.
Just change the language on your phone and computer. This is much easier than it might seem. Visually, you will remember where the functions are located, so you can use the gadgets without any problems.
The next stage is the use of programs and games in this language. This is a little more complicated, but in general you will get used to it in a couple of weeks and you will not feel almost any difference.
Listen to the radio and songs in the language that you learn. Watch movies, TV shows, TV shows. Even if you don't understand anything.
The thing is that you need to get used to the sound of the language, to feel its melody.
Here we simply could not fail to insert this excerpt from the series "Clinic". Who in the queue to learn to talk like a sweet thrush?
A person gets used to the sound of a language for a long time. Take, for example, Ukrainian and Polish. In languages, approximately 70% of the general vocabulary - even though one is in Cyrillic and the other is in Latin.
In theory, a Ukrainian should understand the speech of a Pole almost without preparation, but in reality it’s extremely difficult to disassemble the multiple Polish hiss. But after a month or two in the Polish environment, the Ukrainian begins to speak fluently Polish even without additional study. And all because the brain is accustomed to the sound of the language and learned to recognize speech.
Of course, such a thing will not work with Chinese due to the lack of these very parallels and general vocabulary, but we still recommend getting used to the sound of the language. This method will also help to make correct pronunciation much easier.
Relevance of language is a complex concept. Let's start with the relevance of motivational.
To learn a language to give good results, you need to be constantly motivated.
Motivation is chosen strictly individually. Some entrepreneurs learn the language to communicate with foreign business partners and enter into lucrative contracts with them. And other businessmen are learning the language to learn from the best professionals in the world.
Some students learn the language to enter a prestigious university from the Ivy League. And others - to watch TV shows, movies and cartoons in the original.
Practice says that a basic level of language can be mastered in a month. The rest depends on the motivation and frequency of classes.
There is one interesting way that can increase the effectiveness of training at times.
Arrange a competition with your friends.
The human brain is designed in such a way that competition and rivalry spurs it to work more efficiently.
With motivation sort of sorted out. Now a little about the relevance of the time.
One of the basic rules in the study of languages ​​is: it is better to practice every day for 30 minutes than once a week for 5 hours.
That's because daily activities give stable results that are constantly accumulating. And classes rare or irregular are practically useless. It's all about the mechanism of forgetting.
The forgetting curve was built by German psychologist Herman Ebbingauz. It shows how knowledge is held in memory.
The very next day a person forgets up to 50% of all the information studied. And the longer the intervals between repetitions, the stronger the forgetting. In a week, a person will forget up to 90% of the knowledge gained - and it will be necessary to spend almost as much effort and time on learning as to repeat them.
But if you repeat the information every day, the forgetting curve aligns. If for 3 days in a row you will repeat, for example, new words, then in a week 80-90% of the studied will remain in memory. In this case, the total time of classes in the first (once a week) and in the second (every day) cases are absolutely the same.
That is why in most programs for learning foreign languages ​​classes are conducted every other day - as the most optimal tactic in terms of time and results.
If classes are fun, it stimulates the brain to create associations with the information that it enters. This means that knowledge will be assimilated easier and stronger.
What is interesting, you can choose absolutely any tools and tricks of classes, which seem to you entertaining and fun.
The main thing is to enjoy the process. There are almost no restrictions here.
We at EnglishDom often recommend young people to play computer games in English. The reaction is almost always the same:
But then just a sea of ​​enthusiasm, when these students sort out and retell dialogues from Far Cry or Witcher 3. In standard exercises, training is 4 times slower.
If you are learning the language yourself, be sure to use humor as a teaching tool. Even watching the legendary “Friends” is already a great way to spend time, pump out the perception of English by ear and expand the lexicon.
All the stereotypes of long and complex language learning is nonsense. They all come from school failures. After all, it seems to many that if everything was so difficult at school, then it can only be more difficult in adult life.
But in fact, everything is easier than it seems. And the more languages ​​you know, the easier it is to learn the following. After five, things will go better, we promise! You can check.
In the meantime, use the tricks of the polyglot and learn languages ​​with pleasure. If you learn English, then we have good news for you.
Pimp your conversational English on online courses from EnglishDom.com. The link - 2 months subscription to all courses as a gift.
And for live communication, choose learning via Skype with a teacher. The first trial lesson is free, register here. The promo code goodhabr2 - 2 lessons as a gift when buying from 10 lessons. The bonus is valid until 05/31/19.
These people can be understood. Suffice it to recall how we ourselves taught English at school. For 6-8 years of study, most students could reproduce only the phrases “My name is ...” and “London is the capital of Great Britain”. Fluency? No, have not heard.
')
But where do polyglots come from, who know several dozen languages? Do they know some secret that allows them to learn languages ​​much faster?
The EnglishDom team has a polyglot that knows 7 languages. Marina is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, English, French, Polish, German and Swedish.
And she always convinces us that learning languages ​​is really easy. We discussed with her in detail how she achieved this and whether it is worth burning her for the fire at the stake as a witch. In general, read and shake.
Tip 1. Make the language you learn native
You may ask: “What kind of dregs? I have my own language. There cannot be two of them! ” But first it is worth understanding one important thing. Man has no innate understanding of the language.
The brain equally well perceives language constructions, regardless of the nature of the language. This proves a single fact.
Young children in any country learn to speak at about the same age - 1-2 years. Already at the age of 4, children can fully operate with complex concepts and phraseological units.
This means that to study absolutely any language, the brain spends the same amount of resources, regardless of the complexity of the language.
The main difficulty of learning a second language is its differences from the first. Explain. The brain perceives the native language as a constant. And when a person starts learning another one - he conflicts with the first.
If explained on the fingers:
In Russian, you know that A + B = 3
And in English it turns out that A + B = 8, and C also needs to be kept in mind.
A child who teaches several languages ​​from a very early age - for example, in a bilingual family - will take such features for granted. But the adult brain slips from such contradictions. For example, a Russian person is used to being able to put sentence members in almost any order.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
If you wish, you can write more. At the same time, all these phrases are absolutely equivalent. Except perhaps that subtle nuances. But in German there are only two possible options.
Ich liebe dich
Dich liebe ich.
They also differ in nuance, but in German you cannot say "Liebe ich dich". It will be grammatically incorrect.
English is still "more interesting."
I love you.
And basically everything. The chip that went with the German is no longer working here. “You love I” is wrong. About other options and nothing to remember. But you can play around and rebuild the sentence. For example, the phrase “It's you I love” can be used, but it will have a different meaning.
What are we leading to? Studying a foreign language, you can not think in categories of the native. Often they only interfere.
What to do with it? As we have written, you need to make a foreign language native. Use it in everyday life.
And no, this does not mean talking to relatives only in it. Although if they know the language you are learning, that would be perfect.
To facilitate the process, we give you 2 effective tricks.
Cunning 1.
Just change the language on your phone and computer. This is much easier than it might seem. Visually, you will remember where the functions are located, so you can use the gadgets without any problems.
The next stage is the use of programs and games in this language. This is a little more complicated, but in general you will get used to it in a couple of weeks and you will not feel almost any difference.
“When my student needs maximum results in the shortest possible time, we do the maximum immersion in the language sphere, which is only possible without moving.
All gadgets and programs used - only in the language that we learn. Any reading materials: books, magazines, instructions, memesik and everything else - also only on it.
Series and movies - well, you understand.
If another student’s family could be made to speak the language being studied, it would be ideal. But these are dreams, dreams. ”
Marina, polyglot EnglishDom .
Cunning 2.
Listen to the radio and songs in the language that you learn. Watch movies, TV shows, TV shows. Even if you don't understand anything.
The thing is that you need to get used to the sound of the language, to feel its melody.
Here we simply could not fail to insert this excerpt from the series "Clinic". Who in the queue to learn to talk like a sweet thrush?
A person gets used to the sound of a language for a long time. Take, for example, Ukrainian and Polish. In languages, approximately 70% of the general vocabulary - even though one is in Cyrillic and the other is in Latin.
In theory, a Ukrainian should understand the speech of a Pole almost without preparation, but in reality it’s extremely difficult to disassemble the multiple Polish hiss. But after a month or two in the Polish environment, the Ukrainian begins to speak fluently Polish even without additional study. And all because the brain is accustomed to the sound of the language and learned to recognize speech.
Of course, such a thing will not work with Chinese due to the lack of these very parallels and general vocabulary, but we still recommend getting used to the sound of the language. This method will also help to make correct pronunciation much easier.
Tip 2. Maintain language relevance
Relevance of language is a complex concept. Let's start with the relevance of motivational.
To learn a language to give good results, you need to be constantly motivated.
Motivation is chosen strictly individually. Some entrepreneurs learn the language to communicate with foreign business partners and enter into lucrative contracts with them. And other businessmen are learning the language to learn from the best professionals in the world.
Some students learn the language to enter a prestigious university from the Ivy League. And others - to watch TV shows, movies and cartoons in the original.
One of the most interesting examples of language motivation is Giuseppe Mezzofanti, an Italian cardinal of the 18th-19th centuries.
According to documented data, the cardinal was fluent in 38 languages. And 30 more languages ​​and dialects could be understood and explained in them.
There is an interesting story with the personality of Mezzofanti.
The Cardinal was once invited to a prison to confess a criminal before the death penalty. But bad luck - the offender spoke an unknown language and did not know any of those in which the cardinal spoke.
The Cardinal found out what that language was and, on returning home, he learned it at one level in just one night enough to accept the confession.
The story is already overgrown with fiction and has become more like a legend, but it may well be true.
Practice says that a basic level of language can be mastered in a month. The rest depends on the motivation and frequency of classes.
There is one interesting way that can increase the effectiveness of training at times.
Arrange a competition with your friends.
The human brain is designed in such a way that competition and rivalry spurs it to work more efficiently.
The famous polyglot Matthew Yulden in his speeches often tells the story of how he and his twin brother learned Turkish for a dispute in 7 days.
He does not disclose the subject of the dispute, but stresses that after a week both brothers were able to clearly speak Turkish and for the most part understand Turkish speech.
That is, it took them only 7 days to learn a language from scratch to the level of everyday communication. If they could, then what prevents the rest?
With motivation sort of sorted out. Now a little about the relevance of the time.
One of the basic rules in the study of languages ​​is: it is better to practice every day for 30 minutes than once a week for 5 hours.
That's because daily activities give stable results that are constantly accumulating. And classes rare or irregular are practically useless. It's all about the mechanism of forgetting.
The forgetting curve was built by German psychologist Herman Ebbingauz. It shows how knowledge is held in memory.
The very next day a person forgets up to 50% of all the information studied. And the longer the intervals between repetitions, the stronger the forgetting. In a week, a person will forget up to 90% of the knowledge gained - and it will be necessary to spend almost as much effort and time on learning as to repeat them.
But if you repeat the information every day, the forgetting curve aligns. If for 3 days in a row you will repeat, for example, new words, then in a week 80-90% of the studied will remain in memory. In this case, the total time of classes in the first (once a week) and in the second (every day) cases are absolutely the same.
That is why in most programs for learning foreign languages ​​classes are conducted every other day - as the most optimal tactic in terms of time and results.
Tip 3. Make the process of learning a language interesting and fun.
If classes are fun, it stimulates the brain to create associations with the information that it enters. This means that knowledge will be assimilated easier and stronger.
What is interesting, you can choose absolutely any tools and tricks of classes, which seem to you entertaining and fun.
- Love comics? Read Marvel and DC if you learn English. Or manga - if Japanese.
- Love good humor? See stand-ups in the language you learn! Every country has great comedians.
- Do you like poetry? Read the classics and try to write poems yourself.
The main thing is to enjoy the process. There are almost no restrictions here.
We at EnglishDom often recommend young people to play computer games in English. The reaction is almost always the same:
But then just a sea of ​​enthusiasm, when these students sort out and retell dialogues from Far Cry or Witcher 3. In standard exercises, training is 4 times slower.
If you are learning the language yourself, be sure to use humor as a teaching tool. Even watching the legendary “Friends” is already a great way to spend time, pump out the perception of English by ear and expand the lexicon.
“Once together with a student, Russian matte songs and chastushki translated into English.
It is a difficult occupation, because it is necessary not only to translate the meaning, but also to keep rhythms and rhymes in order to sing comfortably.
There were a lot of masterpieces like:
Down the river drifts an ax
From the town of Byron.
Let it float by itself -
Fucking piece of iron!
Then these ditties sang almost every lesson. The mood is excellent - and the study went like clockwork every time.
And if someone tells me that this is a dubious way to learn English, I will answer that I pulled up my student in 5 months and he passed the TOEFL without any problems. ”
Marina, polyglot EnglishDom .
All the stereotypes of long and complex language learning is nonsense. They all come from school failures. After all, it seems to many that if everything was so difficult at school, then it can only be more difficult in adult life.
But in fact, everything is easier than it seems. And the more languages ​​you know, the easier it is to learn the following. After five, things will go better, we promise! You can check.
In the meantime, use the tricks of the polyglot and learn languages ​​with pleasure. If you learn English, then we have good news for you.
EnglishDom.com - online English learning platform
Pimp your conversational English on online courses from EnglishDom.com. The link - 2 months subscription to all courses as a gift.
And for live communication, choose learning via Skype with a teacher. The first trial lesson is free, register here. The promo code goodhabr2 - 2 lessons as a gift when buying from 10 lessons. The bonus is valid until 05/31/19.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/429248/
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