5 QUICK TIPS TO BECOME A POLYGLOT

Most Americans are monolinguals. They are brought up speaking only one language, which is English. They grow up watching people from other cultures who know their native language as well as English. Not only the attraction for speaking multiple languages motivates people to become multi-lingual. Being multi-lingual also helps in career opportunities that propels them significantly forward.

There is slight difference between a multilingual and a polyglot. A multilingual person learns different languages because of necessities. On the other hand, a polyglot is a lover of languages, different cultures, and intellectual curiosity. Here are five quick tips to become a polyglot:

Study One Book In Several Languages

Perhaps, this is the most effective and easiest method of enhancing your reading expertise in different languages. Instead of reading different books in different languages, read one simple book in multiple lingos.  Some books are specially meant for polyglots, which are written in English on even pages, but in another language on odd pages. This trick allows you to understand two languages in a short span. You will also be able to interpret the structure of grammar and sentences. To start with, you can refer to books like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Twilight, and many more. These books are easily available in multiple languages.

Use Your Active Time For Learning

You have to put in extra efforts to become a polyglot. You can set reminders to spend 10 minutes thrice a day during your working hours to learn a word or two. Spending 10 minutes in this routine will add up to 3-4 hours per week. For instance, if you want to learn Chinese in Singapore, you can also listen to songs in Chinese or other target languages during the workout, commuting, or even cooking. This will generate more productivity out of you just those limited 24 hours.

Analyze Your Potential For Learning The Number Of Languages

Becoming a polyglot is not a one day-task. You might have heard tips about learning multiple languages at a time. This is a preference of some people, but not all. If you are comfortable learning one language at a time, follow your instinct. If you can handle the load of multiple languages simultaneously without confusing the words, you are free to do it. However, make sure that you give each language the attention it requires. It is no use learning many things at a time and mastering none of them. Not forgetting, practice speaking the words or sentences that you have learned out loud. Speaking helps in improving your grasp towards the new language.

Learn Languages Of The Same Family

It becomes significantly easy to learn multiple languages from the same family. Once you have mastered one language, it becomes easy to master the related languages, which have the same origin. For instance, if you learn Spanish first, you can easily learn Italian. Then, you can proceed to learn French, which is again related to Italian. Then, you can try Portuguese. All of these languages belong to the Latin family. Every time you learn a new language, the time spent in attaining fluency is reduced. Stay motivated and you will soon be on your way to be a polyglot!

Be Passionate

Do not learn multiple languages, just because it sounds cool. You have to be passionate about the language, the new culture or simply be curious to learn a new language effectively. You need to put in a lot of effort and it may dishearten you if you are not motivated enough.

Tomado de: https://www.lindamandarin.com.sg/blog/5-quick-tips-to-become-a-polyglot/

6 SERIOUS SOCIAL BENEFITS OF LEARNING A SECOND LANGUAGE

Better ability to see the perspectives of others.

Studies have found that multilingual children have some advantages when it comes to social situations. One study showed that bilingual children could better interpret an adult’s intended meaning than monolingual children. It’s thought that because bilingual children need to select which language to use in each context, they may be better at considering the perspectives of others.

While it’s unclear if these skills carry over to adulthood, one can hope that the added perspective of knowing another language and the ability to interpret context does have some effect.

And if so, this could put language learners at a distinct advantage when it comes to needing to interpret information that might otherwise seem unclear. For instance, if your boss tells you he needs the report ASAP but you’re unsure of which report he means, your increased ability to see things from his perspective might help you deduce that the report he needs is the one related to his upcoming meeting.

Clearer communication.

The ability to clarify what you mean in another language is tremendously helpful in plenty of social situations. Not everyone speaks your native language, and speaking an additional language can give you a valuable way to clarify what you mean when someone who speaks that language doesn’t understand you. Even if you’re not fully proficient in a second language, you and your conversation partner may each know enough of the other’s language to piece together what you need to communicate.

For instance, if you travel abroad and need to know where the bathroom is, it’s easiest to ask in the local language. If you don’t know the language very well, you might not fully understand the response, but at the very least, the person you’re talking to can understand your meaning well enough to point you in the right direction.

Making the effort to communicate with whatever language skills you do have could also make you a more resourceful communicator in general.

Deeper personal connections with native speakers.

Nelson Mandela put it best: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

And it’s true: Communicating in someone’s native language is a great way to not only show respect, but also connect with them on a deeper level.

For instance, if you have a friend whose native language is Russian and they speak English with you, you may feel a deeper connection with them than if you had to communicate exclusively in Russian. And speaking Russian with them can in turn put them at ease and better cement your bond.

Improved language abilities with your first language.

Studying any language can improve your understanding of your native language. Since most people learn their first language naturally through observation, they may not know the underlying rules and logic of how it works. Instead, they simply know how the language works from experience.

When you learn a second language, though, you learn the rules. Oftentimes, these rules correlate with rules in your native language, thereby helping you better understand how your own language works.

For instance, native English speakers might struggle with the subjunctive. Would you say “if I was rich,” or “if I were rich” when discussing a potential lottery win? However, someone who had more awareness of the subjunctive from rules learned from Spanish might understand that while English speakers might be as likely to say one as the other, it’s “if I were rich” that technically specifies a theoretical scenario.

Knowing and understanding grammar rules can build your confidence and ensure you’re communicating clearly in your native tongue, and that you’re aware of the mechanisms of your language, even if these mechanisms are used inconsistently or loosely in real conversation, as with the above example. If nothing else, you might be able to skillfully avoid the embarrassment of having your grammar corrected on your social media accounts.

Increased cultural awareness and understanding.

Since embracing culture differences is usually encouraged in language study, language students frequently have better cultural awareness than people who speak only one language.

In an increasingly global community, this is invaluable and may come in handy throughout your life. For instance, if you’ve studied Japanese, chances are that you’re much more aware than you otherwise would be of how communication works in Japan, such as how various gestures there might differ from those in other countries.

So if you’re interacting with someone in or from Japan, knowing this information can help you conduct yourself in an appropriately respectful manner and to understand the other person’s meanings and intentions.

Improved confidence and self-awareness.

There’s no doubt that learning another language changes you. As you learn and get better at the language, you’re likely to find you have increased confidence and self-awareness.

Some of this may come from learning a valuable new skill that you enjoy using, but language instruction also relies heavily on social interaction, so the practice alone can be a confidence builder.

Many language classes have you practice holding conversations in your target language. Not only can this increase your social confidence, it can also improve your awareness of yourself and who you are, since you’ll frequently end up discussing subjects related to yourself and your life.

HOW TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE FAST: 5 TIPS THAT ACTUALLY WORK

How to Learn a Language Fast

1. Put Yourself in a Situation Where Growth Is Inevitable

If you give yourself an option of using your language skills, chances are you will choose to not use them. Our brain will instinctively choose the decision that is simple and requires less thought. Like acquiring any new skill, learning a new language is going to require strong will. You must consciously lock yourself outside your comfort zone and not allow yourself to step back inside it for a while. It’s not an easy decision, and may require some creative thought, but the results are well worth the effort.

Many people say the best way to learn a new language is by living in the country—this is not true! More often than not, when you are in that country, the natives will want to practice their English skills when they see you. We live in a world where English is a desirable and lucrative skill to have, so most foreign countries will have an English-speaking population, especially around the larger cities. In this situation, growth is not inevitable; it is still optional.

But is it truly possible to keep ourselves in a situation where we have no choice but to use our language skills? Yes!

When I moved to China, I was assigned to work at a school in a less industrialized part of the Shenzhen. Although it was a city of over 12 million people, it was rare to find any Chinese people fluent in English. Most of the time, I was the only foreigner within a given 5-mile radius. This was insanely frustrating at first, but it forced me to start learning the language. If I wanted to order food at a restaurant or find my way around the city, I had to start communicating with the locals. Within a few weeks, I acquired dozens of new, useful phrases that may have taken me months to learn otherwise.

Not living abroad? No problem! There are still plenty of ways to make learning unavoidable. Some of these might include switching your cell phone or social media to the language you are studying, committing yourself to a language group or finding a conversation partner. You can even try visual cues by taping a list of new words to your bathroom and kitchen walls.

You might also want to consider checking out Olly Richard’s Language Learning Foundations video course, which helps solve the commitment problem by walking you through the immediate concerns of learning a language to fluency. It’s applicable to any language, but you’ll receive specific guidance, including “homework” to keep you on your toes.

By forcing yourself into such situations where you must use your target language, you’re guaranteed to learn faster.

2. Value Fluency over Accuracy

Another way to learn at a more rapid pace is to value fluency over accuracy, which is one of the most difficult, yet powerful concepts to comprehend. First, let’s clarify what I mean by “fluency” and “accuracy.”

Fluency is the ability to express oneself easily and articulately. It means using the language smoothly in real time.

Accuracy, on the other hand, is the ability to be correct and precise. It means communicating without any grammatical, vocabulary, tonal and other errors.

Yes, these two are distinct entities. You can be fluent in a language without having 100% accuracy. Alternatively, you can have language accuracy while still not being anywhere near fluent. The ultimate goal when learning a new language is to use it fluently, not accurately.

This does mean we should forget the importance of accuracy. Yes, you may have slip-ups when using your new language, and that’s okay. Think about times when you didn’t accurately follow the rules of your native language, but you were still perfectly understood by others. It happens more than we realize.

When beginning to learn a new language, resist the urge to start learning as many words as possible. Resist the urge to say each sentence perfectly. Language cannot be learned from a textbook alone. Instead, focus on learning practical, colloquial topics and work your way up from there. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and stress.

3. Replace Cramming with Spaced Repetition Software

In Mandarin, there’s the saying: 好好学习天天向上 which means, “Study hard every day and you will improve.” But is it really that simple?

When you do study on your own, it can be tempting to try cramming loads of new vocabulary into our brains and then waiting a while before we study again. While this may be effective in the short term, it is ultimately not the way to develop a long-lasting memory.

Treat learning a new language different than you would studying for an exam. There are more effective ways to memorize information that improve the likeliness of long-term learning, such as spaced repetition software (SRS). SRS are computer programs modeled after a process similar to using flashcards. These flashcards are generated by sophisticated algorithms that space out the time intervals indicated when each card will appear again on the screen.

In other words, easier cards appear less frequently that harder cards, allowing users to spend more time studying the cards that are more difficult. The tough ones continue showing up until they are mastered, giving you the chance to actively learn them more efficiently than other learning styles.

By replacing cramming with spaced repetition softwares, you’ll be saving yourself lots of studying time, and thus learn faster.

Once you start using SRS, finding quality learning examples and sentences are going to become a chore.

After all, it’s not enough to just memorize a lot of words.

What you really need is a nuanced understanding of them, and you can only get that from actual examples.

If you know what I mean, you’ll want to check out FluentU, the best way to learn a language with real-world videos. FluentU takes real-world videos like music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks, and turns them into language learning experiences. There is a video-based review “learn mode”, which of course has an SRS feature.

FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.

Didn’t catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.

You can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s “learn mode.” Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

And FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.

So with FluentU, you can learn from authentic, real-world content, and still enjoy SRS. Now you can focus 100% of your time on actually learning.

Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes store.

4. Find a Language Partner

There’s no shame in asking someone else for help. So do it! Asking for help is an action you should be proud of. It shows you take your learning seriously and will do whatever it takes to become a master in your desired skill.

With that said, having the support of another person will accelerate your learning immensely. No matter what stage you are at in learning your new language, find someone who is also trying to learn the language. Schedule times to meet up and share any progress and offer feedback for one another. Exchange resources or tips that have been helpful to you.

This can also be a great time to practice your skills with each other. Best of all, you can set goals and hold each other accountable to completing them by the next time you meet.

5. Learn from (and Celebrate) Every Mistake

If you are living in an environment that allows you to practice your new language, congrats! Now get ready to make a lot of mistakes. It’s best to leave your ego out of the situation when doing something as difficult as learning a new language. Leave any desires for perfection and any fears of judgment at the door.

You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you are stubborn or defensive, you’ll shield yourself from endless opportunities for growth. Keep in mind that many natives will be grateful and appreciative of your attempt to learn such an important part of their culture. Congratulate yourself for even the smallest mistakes because it means you are trying.

As you go about your day-to-day life and practice using your new language, resist the urge to judge each conversation as a success or failure. It’s tempting to be our own worst critic and beat ourselves up for not remembering a particular word or knowing how to clearly express a thought. Instead, approach each interaction as a new opportunity for you to learn something.

Reflect on each conversation and give yourself constructive feedback. Some things you might want to think about are:

·         What words/phrase would have served me in that conversation?

·         What new words did I hear/see?

·         How could I more effectively have a similar conversation in the future?

When you start embracing the ups and downs of the learning process, you’ll better enjoy and appreciate the journey, which sets yourself up for more learning opportunities.

Remember, the success comes from the simple fact that you are trying. Use these tips and you’ll be well on your way to learning a new language with grace, speed and ease. Good luck!

Tomado de: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/how-to-learn-a-new-language-fast/