lectoremqueer

Polyglots will do anything to sell you something, so here’s the fastest and most basic technique based on my research.

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Step 1 – Getting the Absolute Basics In

This is where most people already get lost. If you search social media for how to start, the advice isn’t necessarily bad, but it often makes you dependent on a single resource, usually an app that will eventually try to charge you. Duolingo, for example, has turned into a mega-corporation that perfected gamification to keep you on the app.

Remember: free apps make money by keeping you on their platform, not by helping you become fluent.

At this stage, the goal is not to gain conversational skills but to avoid overwhelming yourself and get a feel for what you’re actually getting into. All my recommended resources are free because I believe learning a language should be a basic right. I wouldn’t advise spending any money until you’re sure you’ll stick with it. Otherwise, it can turn into a toxic “but I paid for this, so I have to keep going” mindset that drains all the fun out of learning.

• Language Transfer – Highly recommended for Spanish, Arabic, Turkish, German, Greek, Italian, Swahili, and French.

• Textbooks – Simply search for [language] textbook PDF, or check LibGen and the Internet Archive. Don’t overthink which book to choose—it doesn’t matter much.

• Podcasts – Coffee Break is a solid choice for many languages.

• YouTube Channels – Join r/Learn[language] on Reddit and find recommendations.

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Step 2 – The 20/80 Principle

The idea is that 20% of words make up 80% of everyday speech.

What you’re going to do:

Search “Most common words [language] PDF”.

This list is now your best friend

For flashcards, I highly recommend AnkiPro. It lets you import pre-made lists for Anki/Quizlet and has an archive where you’ll definitely find the most common words. But it lacks audio. The real Anki program has it, but only on PC (unless you’re willing to pay $30 for the mobile app). Use AnkiPro for now—we’ll come back to repeating phrases later. In the meantime, find a YouTube video with the most common words pronounced, or use Google Translate for audio.

(Knowt is a free alternative for Quizlet if you prefer that)

These lists will spare you from learning unnecessary vocabulary at this stage. Spaced repetition (which Anki uses) can take longer, but it’s worth it because you want these words to stick. Anki will only introduce a small number of new words per day. Once you start new words, write phrases using them. Doesn’t matter if they’re random just try to use them.

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Step 3 – The First Breakup With the Language

This isn’t really a step, but I have to mention it. For me (and for other language learners I’ve talked to) this is where motivation crashes.

The dopamine rush is over. Your ego boost is gone. You’re stuck understanding just enough to notice how much you don’t understand, and topics are getting more complex. Everything feels overwhelming, and motivation drops.

This is normal. You have to push through it.

I’ll write a separate post on how I manage this phase, but for now:

• Take a step back and make sure you understand the basics.

• Find something that keeps you motivated.

• Consistency is key. Even if it’s just five minutes a day, do it. (Edit: You can search online for inspiration on scheduled plans. I found one that organizes language exercises into different categories based on how much time you have each day, which seems helpful. https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearning/s/sSGUtORurM

Personally, I used AI to create a weekly plan kind of as a last resort before giving up on the language, but try looking for pre-made ones first.)

I personally enjoyed story learning during this phase. And don’t forget the frequency lists are still your best friend. For story learning check out Olly Richards books!

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Step 4 – Immersion

Your brain needs active and passive immersion. The earlier steps were mostly active, and now you’ll start the fun part.

How to Immerse Yourself:

1. Join some kind of community.

• I enjoy Reddit/ r/lean[Language]. Do this in your target language, but also in the language you already speak. Post that you’re looking for a chat partner in your target language. The most people are nice, and the mean ones will just ghost you anyway.

2. Watch shows.

• Subtitles only in your target language or drop English subtitles ASAP.

3. Listen to podcasts.

4. Read

I personally dislike media made for kids (except on low-energy days). For real immersion, pick something for adults.

5. Translate, write, and speak.

Before this, you wrote simple sentences using vocabulary. Now, put them to work:

• Translate texts.

• Keep a diary.

• Write short stories.

• Complain about the language in the language.

It doesn’t matter, just use it.

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Step 5 – Speaking

Start speaking earlier than you think you’re ready. Trust me. This is probably where most people disagree with me. I do think you should start by focusing on input, but the importance of output isn’t talked about enough.

Now, the real Anki (or any program with phrases + audio) comes into play. At lower levels, it doesn’t make sense to just start talking, since you wouldn’t even be able to recognize your mistakes. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Repeat phrases out loud.

2. Record yourself speaking.

3. Compare your recording to the original audio and adjust your pronunciation.

If it’s a tonal language (or if you struggle with accents), start this even earlier.

Other Speaking Strategies:

• Shadowing – Repeat after native speakers.

• Reading aloud – Your own texts, books, anything.

• Talking to yourself.

• Talking to natives (if you’re brave).

I’m not here to fix social anxiety, but I am here to help with language learning, so just speak.

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Final Thoughts

• These steps overlap, and that’s fine.

• This is supposed to be fun. Learning just because you’re “too deep in” or because of school won’t cut it.

• If you’re lost, take a step back.

• I’m not a professional. I just think a straight answer is way too hard to find.

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isn’t the fact that someone speaks that language enough? is it so “useless” to learn about a lesser known country’s history and culture?

Jia thought for a moment and bent down to pluck a small flower with a full yellow crown. "They're all dear to me, but I admire the dandelion the most. It is hardy and determined, adaptable and practical. The flower looks like a small chrysanthemum, but it's much more resourceful and far less delicate. Poets may compose odes about the chrysanthemum, but the dandelion's leaves and flowers can fill your belly, its sap cure your warts, its roots calm your fevers. Dandelion tea makes you alert, while chewing its root can steady a nervous hand. The milk of the dandelion can even be used to make invisible ink that reveals itself when mixed with the juice of the stone's ear mushroom. It is a versatile and useful plant people can rely on.

"And it's playful and fun." She picked up a puff ball and blew at it, scattering the tiny feathered seeds into the air, a few of which landed in Kuni's hair.

Kuni made no move to brush them away. "The chrysanthemum is a noble flower."

"That's true. It's the last flower to bloom in autumn, defiant against winter. Its fragrance is exquisite, and overwhelms all competition. In tea, it awakens the spirits; in bouquets, it dominates the arrangement. But it is not a flower that endears."

"You don't care much about nobility?"

"I think true nobility is shown in far humbler ways."

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ they're not just shy, they're IN THEIR HEAD constantly. your character isn't quietly observing the room in a mysterious way, not really, they're running a full disaster simulation of every possible thing they could say wrong. they've already imagined 47 ways this conversation could go badly. they're not present in the moment because they're too busy narrating their own failure in real-time.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖the physical symptoms are INTENSE. it's not just butterflies. it's heart pounding so hard they think everyone can see their shirt moving. sweating in places they didn't know could sweat. hands shaking so badly they can't hold a cup. voice going weird and thin. stomach doing backflips. feeling like they're going to pass out or throw up or both. it's a full-body betrayal.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ they avoid eye contact but also panic about avoiding eye contact. your character is stuck in this horrible loop of "look at them—no that's too much—look away—wait now you look weird—look back—oh god you looked away too fast they think you hate them—" and meanwhile the other person just asked how their weekend was and they've been silent for 7 seconds.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ they rehearse EVERYTHING. phone calls are scripted in advance. text messages are rewritten 14 times. they've practiced their Pizza order in the car. they've planned conversation topics before hanging out with friends they've known for YEARS. and even with all that preparation, they still mess it up and replay it in their head for the next decade.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ leaving events early feels like both failure and relief. your character finally escapes the party and feels this RUSH of relief, then immediately feels guilty for leaving, then worries everyone noticed them leave, then convinces themselves everyone was happy they left, then feels bad about that. they're in the car having a full emotional crisis while texting "had a great time!" because lying is easier.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ they're analyzing every single thing they said. the interaction ended 4 hours ago but your character is still dissecting it. "why did I say that?" "did I laugh too loud?" "I interrupted them once, they definitely hate me" "I should have said this instead" "that joke didn't land, I'm so awkward" "they took 3 seconds to respond, I said something wrong", it's a mental highlight reel of perceived failures.

˖ ݁𖥔 ݁˖ silence is TERRIFYING. your character feels personally responsible for filling every conversational gap. if there's a pause, they panic and say something stupid just to fill the void. they can't just exist comfortably in quiet. silence feels like judgment, like everyone is noticing how weird they are, like the world is ending.

It's been a long day.

For the past 4 hours, I've done nothing but optimize my code for the in-game phone. It'll be a core mechanic, so I want to make sure it looks nice. Look! I even added an itty bitty camera.

Do you like it? 🥰

(This is getting pretty close to how the final product will look, I believe...)

I know I should be writing dialogue and story instead, but you remember my last post right? Aesthetic is everything. Even if the content is lacking at first, I wanna put in an effort to please your eyes.

Learning CSS and HTML has been interesting, but also pretty confusing. There's still a lot that I struggle to wrap my head around, but I'm learning bits and pieces. Things are starting to make sense.

Beyond the phone, I put in a few placeholders for the time being.

Story structure is on its way to being finalized. Once I've decided where to limit content for this version, I'll have a more accurate scope for the First Quarter. What to add? What to withhold?

After all this time, I'm still left with so many questions. It's okay, though. I'll find my answers before long.

Of this, I'm certain.

*reluctant sigh*

*scrolls back up*

my psych book:

We are good, when we're born. And we don't have to let the world make us give up on ourselves.

People mistake people saying "humans are not inherently selfish, we are caring" for people saying "there are no mean people and nothing needs to change."

And they react by rejecting the entire idea as naive.

NO.

I TRULY believe that people are essentially kind, and also know that things are very bad and that other humans are being very unkind right now.

Realizing that a species is imperiled has broad connotations, given that it tells us something about the plight of nature itself. It reminds us of the need to implement conservation measures and to protect the region of which the species is a part. But aside form the broader picture, species have intrinsic worth and are deserving of preservation. Surely an oddity such as C. vicinella cannot simply be allowed to vanish.

We should speak up on behalf of this little moth, not only because by so doing we would bolster conservation efforts now underway in Florida, [highlighting begins] but because we would be calling attention to the existence of a species that is so infinitely worth knowing. [end highlighting]

But is quaintness all that can be said on behalf of this moth? Does this insect not have hidden value beyond its overt appeal? Does not its silk and glue add, potentially, to its worth? Could these products not be unique in ways that could ultimately prove applicable?