The reality of language learning
Iāve been thinking about writing this post for a while, considering how much I struggled with Russian and Czech (and inevitably failed) and how much I still struggle with German.Ā
A lot of beginners get sold into this naively optimistic view promulgated by so manyĀ āinternetesqueā polyglots: that language learning is easy and quick to do. Of course itās appealing to think that even youĀ could be fluent in three months; just like Benny Lewis! However, you will come to realise [hopefully] that these are mere marketing tricks to try and get you to purchase their products, peruse their websites, or boost their ego.
As you start progressing through the beginnerās stage you reach a point of enlightenment in which you realise that language learning is not justĀ āokay so I learn a couple of thousand words, maybe like 30 a day, go through a quick grammar book and ta-da Iāve achieved linguipotence! Should take like a few months right?ā. Itās so much more than that, and probably one of the most complex interests/skills you can ever develop.
And as time goes on, even more of your preconceptions start to fade away. You think youāre going to understand everything in your target language? Thatās an ocean which youāll never traverseā¦ do you know the English wordĀ āmelopoeiaā for example - probably not (it meansĀ āthe art of composing melodiesā). Even in your native language you possess gaps in your lexicon, and these gaps will be even greater in your target language.
You think youāll be able to learn 30 words a day, every day, without it ever becoming a burden? I admire you if you can do that, but at the beginning this is a great deal to ask from someone, as trying to learn 210 words in a week in a language you have never studied before is an astronomical task for your brain. More importantly, there will be words youāve encountered in your target language before which youāll forget if you donāt use them after a while.
And with regards to grammar, you will never realise what a monumental task merely trying to use a verb is (which person, which voice, which mood, which conjugation, does this need a prefix?, is this verb synonymous) until you attempt to do so. Grammar is no easy feat in language learning either.
So some down-to-earth tips for the beginner:
- It is notĀ a race. Do notĀ expect to learn the whole language in a few months, and lose the notion of learningĀ āeverythingā.
- Do notĀ listen to the internet polyglots who have some form of ulterior motive; many of them out there have genuine, good, linguistic skills, but they are often overshadowed by the beguiles from false prophets.
- Do notĀ get ahead of yourself. Do not think that you can learn the entirety of one new grammar topic each day, or 30 words in a day, or perfect pronunciation in a day. Take it one step at a time.
- Push through the wall. Such a common occurrence in the uptaking of new hobbies is the part where it sucks because youāre awful and struggle to do basic things in said new hobby. You haveĀ to push through this; you can only get better by continuously trying, and youāll only get worse by not trying (trust me, as someone who has tried and given up on three languages).
I see so, soĀ many new people in the langblr community who have recently gained an interest in learning languages and state theyāre learning āFrench, Manx, Gothic, Portugese, Ancient Greek, Greenlandic, Finnish, and Swiss Germanā. And time after time I just want to scream at themĀ āslow the fuck downā. Itās so easy to get caught up in the delirium of adding as many languages to your repertoire as possible, but if you actually sit there and think how hard it is to learn oneĀ extra language, it should bring you down to Earth.
Posessing extra languages are clearly important desiderata for many people, and I feel itās important to start oneās language learning journey with some clear perspective on how it will actually be. Nothing is ever full of roses, and it will be hard, but it will be worth it. Rome wasnāt built in a day.
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