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How To Learn A New Language

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9 views2 pages

How To Learn A New Language

Uploaded by

thinozuma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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They say that children learn languages the best.

But that doesn’t mean that adults should


give up. We asked some of the polyglots in TED’s Open Translation Project to share
their secrets to mastering a foreign language. Their best strategies distill into seven basic
principles:

1. Get real. Decide on a simple, attainable goal to start with so that you don’t feel
overwhelmed. German translator Judith Matz suggests: “Pick up 50 words of a
language and start using them on people — and then slowly start picking up
grammar.”
.
2. Make language-learning a lifestyle change. Elisabeth Buffard, who in her 27
years of teaching English has always seen consistency as what separates the
most successful students from the rest. Find a language habit that you can follow
even when you’re tired, sick or madly in love.
.
3. Play house with the language. The more you invite a foreign language into
your daily life, the more your brain will consider it something useful and worth
caring about. “Use every opportunity to get exposed to the new language,” says
Russian translator Olga Dmitrochenkova. Label every object in your house in
this language, read kids’ books written in it, watch subtitled TED and TEDx
talks, or live-narrate parts of your day to an imaginary foreign friend.
.
4. Let technology help you out. Dmitrochenkova has a great idea: “A funny thing
like resetting the language on your phone can help you learn new words right
away,” she says. Ditto for changing the language on your browser. Or you can
seek out more structured learning opportunities online. Dutch translator Els De
Keyser recommends Duolinguo for its gamified approach to grammar, and Anki
for memorizing vocabulary with its “intelligent” flashcards.
.
5. Think about language-learning as a gateway to new experiences. To Spanish
translator Sebastián Betti, learning a language has always been about focusing
on the experiences that the new language would open up, from “visiting theme
parks, attending air shows, enjoying cowboy poetry and folk-rock festivals, to
learning about photo-essay techniques.” In other words, he thinks of fun things
that he wanted to do anyway, and makes them into a language-learning
opportunity. Many of our translators shared this advice. Italian and French
translator Anna Minoli learned English by watching undubbed versions of her
favorite movies, while Croatian translator Ivan Stamenković suddenly realized
he could speak English in fifth grade, after years of watching the Cartoon
Network without subtitles. So the next time you need a vegan carrot cake recipe,
find one in the language you’re trying to learn.
.
6. Make new friends. Interacting in the new language is key — it will teach you to
intuitively express your thoughts, instead of mentally translating each sentence
before you say it. Find native speakers near you. Or search for foreign penpals
or set up a language tandem online, where two volunteers help one another
practice their respective languages.
.
7. Do not worry about making mistakes. One of the most common barriers to
conversing in a new language is the fear of making mistakes. But native
speakers are like doting parents: any attempt from you to communicate in their
language is objective proof that you are a gifted genius. They’ll appreciate your
effort and even help you. Nervous about holding a conversation with a peer? Try
testing your language skills with someone a little younger. “I was stoked when I
was chatting with an Italian toddler and realized we had the same level of
Italian,” recalls German translator Judith Matz. And be patient. The more you
speak, the closer you’ll get to the elusive ideal of “native-like fluency.” And to
talking to people your own age.

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