Tim Doner: The Hyperpolyglot That Inspired Me

By simply reading the title of this blog post, you might be wondering, what is a hyperpolyglot? A hyperpolyglot is someone who speaks six, or more languages fluently. A few years ago, I was in my room watching YouTube videos after a long week of school, and stumbled upon a video that changed my life. It not only made me research what a hyperpolyglot was, but also made me want to become one. That night, my goal seemed unreachable, and unachievable. I only spoke Spanish and English fluently, and could stumble my way through French. Fast-forward to now, I have extensively studied 6 languages, and am working on my seventh.

I wanted to share this video with you, because it holds a special place in my heart. It introduced me to an online hyperpolyglot community on YouTube, and has allowed me to find my sense of self, my true identity, and the real me. I continue to be amazed by how dedicated Tim Doner has been, and how passionate he is about learning. In my opinion, he is the true testament of what our brains are capable of, and of our innate ability to speak many languages fluently.

Many people could make the argument and say that his brain is simply wired differently, or that he was born smarter than most, but I will say otherwise. He represents to what hard work, determination, and consistent studying can eventually lead. As you will see in the video above, he has always been willing to speak with native speakers, even as a beginner, and has spent many hours pursuing his love for language learning.

To those who are not hyperpolyglots, I challenge you to rethink about several things:

`1. Do not simply believe that someone who is a hyperpolyglot is a genius. 

Most of the best hyperpolyglots have spent years, and sometimes even decades, perfecting their oral, speaking, writing, and reading skills. They are passionate, fearless, and dedicated. They do not let roadblocks, or their slow progress get them down. Instead, they look for reasons to motivate them to continue with their studies.


2. If you are someone who speaks more than one language, and or is learning more than one at a time, I hope that this video inspires you. 

Who knows? Maybe it will introduce you to a new way in which you can think about approaching foreign language acquisition, and learning.


3. Start listening to more audio input, and practice your speaking skills whenever you interact with a native speaker of your target language.

As Tim Doner says in the video, you may make many mistakes, or feel uncomfortable, but what matters is that you are trying to have a stronger, and a personal connection with someone whose native tongue is not English. Native speakers appreciate it when foreigners take the time to learn their language, especially if it is distantly related to English, and are very patient with you if you express an interest, or attempt to speak with them as soon as you see them.


4. Share this video with your friends, and family.

I am sure that there are many people like me who have a love for languages, but have had many obstacles, or roadblocks along the way. This video could help someone recharge his/her batteries by giving him/her a new perspective on language-learning.

I hope that you enjoyed learning more about hyperpolyglotism, and about an individual who has taught us that our brains do not have as many limits as we once thought that they had.

Review of Duolingo (Application)

One of the most practical ways of learning a foreign language is through the use of technology, specifically by regularly using applications. I decided to start off by reviewing Duolingo, a free language-learning application that is available in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Turkish, Esperanto, Norwegian, Ukrainian, Russian, and Polish. I will be giving you my honest opinions about this application, so that you can decide whether or not you want to download it onto one of your devices.

Pros:

 1. It is free

Many language-learning applications, and software programs that are often well marketed can end up being very expensive, and oftentimes are not worth the investment. Although you cannot become fluent in a language by only using this application, it is a great supplement to other language-learning materials, websites, and other applications  Given that it is free, it teaches you basic, intermediate, and advanced vocabulary. 

 2. This application can be used for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners

If you have had some experience, and or study with your target language prior to downloading Duolingo, you can take a placement test, which will test you out of topics, and levels that you most likely have already mastered. If for some reason you think that you are not as advanced as it says that you are, you can redo lessons that you supposedly tested out of. This is great for review, and for anyone who wants to review a specific topic (ex: animals, or food vocabulary that you might be rusty on). If you have never studied your target language, you can start from the first lesson, and work your way through the topics until you are satisfied with your progress.

3. It helps you expand your vocabulary

In my opinion, Duolingo’s biggest strength is that it helps you learn through repetition. Vocabulary is often recycled, and is repeated often, which means that, even if you do not try to reinforce the vocabulary that it teaches you by doing something else, you will most likely remember the majority of the words. One of its best features is the ability to click on a button that can replay the voices’ recordings. You can click it as many times as you want, which is great for auditory learners, and to hear how the words being pronounced. 

4. You only have to use this application for 5-10 minutes a day in order to make significant progress

I have found that you do not have to spend hours trying to cram information in your head when using Duolingo. Oftentimes, less is more, and quality is more important that quantity. Another strength about this application is that it is very organized. You start off by learning words that help you learn your target language’s alphabet, and eventually learn how to translate official documents from English to your target language, and vice versa. This application helps you practice your listening, reading, and pronunciation skills, expand your vocabulary, spelling, and writing. You learn how to spell words through repetition, and by hearing the voices’ recordings. 

Cons:

1. It does not directly teach you grammar

If you are someone who has not had a lot of experience learning languages, this may be frustrating. The application was not designed to teach you formal grammar lessons. Instead, each lesson will focus on a particular vocabulary topic, and will make you translate, write, record, and listen to words about that topic. For example, if you are on the food topic, you will learn words such as fork, spoon, plate, and cup. However, if you have studied several languages, or have a good grasp on another language’s grammar, you can pick up patterns, and can indirectly learn grammar. For example, if you have studied the accusative case of German in school, and get to that topic, you will practice examples using the accusative case, but will not be taught what the accusative is, and why it is used.

2. You cannot practice your conversational skills

Although you can record your voice reading sentences out loud once you reach a certain level, you cannot practice speaking with anyone else. If you want to improve your conversational skills, you will have to supplement this application with language learning communities online, with native speakers, with your friends, or with your family.

3. The voice recordings are not always clear

I have found that the speakers’ voices have not always been pleasing to the ear. They sometimes sound robotic, or what Google Translate’s speakers sound like. That being said, if you find value in the positive aspects of the application, you get used to their voices, and tune out parts that do not sound pleasing.

4. It can be overwhelming

If you do not practice your target language using this application every day, or several times a week, you can easily become frustrated, and will feel that you have not made any progress. What I would recommend is trying to use it as many days of the week as you can, and use it for no more than 10 minutes a day. If you are a visual learner, or like to write down what you hear, you can designate a notebook specifically for what you learn using Duolingo, and write out the sentences, and new vocabulary that it teaches you.

As you can see, there are pros, and cons of this application, but the pros far outweigh the cons. I wanted to give you an equal amount of pros, and cons, so that I could give you my honest opinion of what the application does well, and which flaws it has. I hope that you found this post helpful. Feel free to let me know what you think of it in the comments down below.

5 Benefits of Bilingualism: Why You Should Be Bilingual

No matter who you are, or how you were raised, it is possible that you can become a bilingual individual. Despite the fact that it is easier to become one if you start speaking two languages at a native level at a young age, anyone can eventually seek the benefits of bilingualism (an ability that can not only set you apart from your friends, or from your classmates, but that can also put you at a huge advantage professionally, and personally).

Although there are many advantages of being bilingual, such as being fluent in two languages, and knowing how to acquire more than one at the same time, I am going to focus this blog post on advantages that I have personally experienced throughout my life. Before jumping into the nitty gritty, I will briefly give you my background when growing up.

I am a first generation Colombian-American who had the privilege of attending a bilingual elementary school from kindergarten up through fifth grade. According to the Encyclopedia of Children’s Health, bilingualism is defined as “the ability to communicate in two different languages” and bilingual education as “the use of two different languages in classroom instruction.” For all six years of elementary school, all of my subjects (Math, History, and Science) were taught in both Spanish, and in English. This meant that I was able to read, write, speak, and understand two languages at a native level. I learned how to write, perform math questions, think, reason, and express myself easily in both languages. I experienced two different identities: my Colombian-self, and my American-self.

I had teachers from many Latin-American countries, and from all over the United States. I learned my numbers past two thousand in first-grade, could recite them in both languages, and could write at the same level in Spanish as a student from another Latin-American country could. What does this all mean? Does it mean that I am smarter, or that I am more capable of reasoning than others? The answers to both of these questions is not necessarily, but I can comfortably say that I can easily immerse myself in two different worlds, due to the fact that I have always been bilingual. Fast-forwarding to today, I text my parents in Spanish making few grammatical mistakes, can call my grandparents who live in Colombia, and can identify myself as both Colombian, and American.

Benefits of Bilingualism:


1. Learning Many Words Easily

One of the most impactful benefits of my ability to think and reason has been my ability to learn vocabulary in multiple languages in a short amount of time. For example, in my current Italian class, we have to learn between 70-100 words twice a week, which is a lot to memorize. However, since I have a strong basis in Spanish, and have worked my way towards having a strong foundation in it, it does not take me nearly as long to memorize many words as it does for my classmates. When I have a new word to learn, I automatically think of its equivalent in Spanish, and it oftentimes ends up being the same word, or a similar word. In this respect, I have a relatively large vocabulary in both Spanish and in English.


2. Making Friends From Around the World

An indirect benefit that I have noticed because of bilingualism are the strong friendships that I have made from many Spanish, and English-speaking countries. Although you can have strong relationships with others if you do not speak their mother-tongues, it is harder to have a personal connection with them that goes beyond talking about everyday-life topics. What I mean by this is that, if you speak Spanish to an Argentinian whose English is not great, you will be able to use mannerisms, expressions, and idiomatic expressions that will help your relationship become stronger over time. You will also be aware of cultural norms, and what is appropriate to do, or to say in certain situations. Through the speaking of Spanish, and of English, you will learn about the cultures that speak those languages. In other words, you can kill two birds with one stone.


3. Being A Good Problem-Solver

Even though I am only nineteen, I have been in many confusing, and in uncomfortable situations throughout my life, but have managed to come up with creative, and interesting solutions to many of them. If I cannot remember how to say something in Spanish, or vice-versa, then I think of its equivalent in the other language, and either directly translate, or think of its translation in my head before saying the first words that come to mind. This has been helpful when I have had conversations with Latin-Americans whose English, or whose Spanish was not proficient. I have babysat, tutored, and have helped others understand what others are saying in both languages, and can switch from one to the other without having to translate everything that I want to say before saying it. I have also dreamt in both languages. Due to my knowledge of Latin-America, the United States, and Latinos, I have thought about what is culturally appropriate, and what others would do in certain situations before making decisions, which gives me many options from which to choose.


4. Being a Good Listener

This benefit may sound strange at first, but let me give you a little bit of explanation. Since I have been caught, and have grown up in two worlds (Colombian/Hispanic, and American), I have had to communicate, solves problems in, and learn about many countries. Many of those with whom I have spoken have been immigrants, international students, or other first-generation individuals. I know what it is like to feel discriminated against, left out, or confused, because I sometimes cannot remember a word in one of the two languages. There are words, and expressions that cannot be translated literally, or that do not exist in the other language, but aside from that, I have also grown up with opinions, suggestions, and advice from two different cultures. Because of all of these experiences, I am patient with others, and know how to calm others whenever they are frustrated. I enjoy hearing others’ experiences, and have had many long conversations with individuals who have had similar experiences to mine. This has allowed me to be a more open-minded, respectful, cultured, and tolerant individual.


5.  Connecting with Others (Ex: With your Family)

As I have already indirectly said, you cannot speak a language well without knowing its culture. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity of attending a school that gave me a true immersion bilingual experience. Through it, I met other first-generation Hispanics from many countries, and many Americans who loved, and were fascinated with Latin-America. We bonded with one ability: speaking in two languages, and learning about many cultures. Our conversations were intellectual, interesting, and varied due to the various socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds that my classmates had. I have also become closer with my grandparents, with my parents, and with the rest of my family over the years, because we share a special gift: Spanish. Despite the fact that we live in three different countries, and in several states, the distance that separates us only separates us physically, but not emotionally. We will always have a special bond that will allows us to update each other through social media, and through calls.

If you are not bilingual right now, I hope that you are convinced that it is something worth investing your time in. Bilingualism opens up many doors to having strong relationships with others, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. The world is at your hands, and you are unstoppable. 

Listen to YouTubers in Your Target Language

I am sure that most of you will agree with what I am about to say: most of us do not have a lot of free-time, or find it hard to do something productive whenever we do not have any obligations. I will admit that I have often made up excuses to not do what I truly think will be beneficial for me. Being a college student can be physically and mentally exhausting, but is worth it. I have found that one of the easiest ways to keep up with my language fluency in 5 languages has been free: watching YouTube videos made by native speakers in my target languages.

This tip sounds very simple, and, in fact, it is. If you are ever unsure on how to cook pasta, or how to change your car’s tires, look up tutorials on how to do those things in your target language. For example, I have had a hard time finding female Italian YouTubers that I enjoy watching, but stumbled upon an interesting channel a few weeks ago. What I did was type up “impara a cucinare” (which translates to “learn how to cook” in Italian), and ended up finding a young girl’s channel who not only knows how to cook well, but also speaks at a native pace. Watching her recipe videos reinforces the food vocabulary that I learned last semester, and also allows me to quickly learn new words. Why is this approach is so effective? It is visual, auditory, and, oftentimes, also written, which are three key elements in attaining proficiency, and, or fluency in another language.

Almost anything that you want to learn about, learn how to do, or know how to say can be found on YouTube in many languages. Once you find several channels that you enjoy watching, your YouTube browser will eventually give you suggestions on what you might enjoy watching next. It will give you suggestions on new channels, or videos that are related to topics, or videos that you have already watched. As time goes on, you will find YouTubers that suit your needs, and that match your interests. 

As a bonus, I will give you the names of some of my favorite YouTubers for several of the languages that I speak. This can get you started if any of your target languages are the ones that I mention below. If not, feel free to follow the easy steps that I mention above, and start searching. You can also type up “famous/popular YouTubers of [country’s name]” on Google, and get many results if you are unsure about how to start.

French (Français):

Caroline & Safia: Beauty, fashion, and lifestyle

Cyprien: Funny and entertaining videos

Emma: Beauty, fashion, and lifestyle

EnjoyPhoenix: Beauty, fashion, and lifestyle

Jenesuispasjolie®: Beauty, fashion, TAGS, advice, lifestyle

NORMAN FAIT DES VIDÉOS: Funny and entertaining videos

German (Deutsch):

xLaeta: Beauty, fashion, and lifestyle

Ischtar Isik: Beauty, fashion, travel, and lifestyle

Julia Beautx: Beauty, fashion, tags, and lifestyle

Sami Slimani: Funny and entertaining videos, fashion, beauty, and DIY

Shanti Tan: Beauty, fashion, and lifestyle

Italian (Italiano):

Alberto ITALIANOAUTOMATICO: Helps you learn Italian by discussing different topics

deSciò : Funny and entertaining videos

Gioca e impara con noi: Helps you learn Italian by learning about toys

Oneworlditaliano: Helps you learn Italian by discussing different topics

Portuguese (Português):

DamonAndJo: Helps you learn Portuguese by discussing different topics (and are funny)

Hellen Hensel: Helps you learn Portuguese by discussing different topics

Russian (русский):

Easy Russian: Helps you learn Russian by discussing different topics

Personality Changes When Speaking Multiple Languages

I recently read an interesting article called “The multiple personalities of multilinguals” that inspired me to write this blog post. In a nutshell, the article talks about how some people can express themselves more freely in some languages than in others, and how our personalities change depending on which language we use. I can attest to this statement, because I have personally experienced this first-hand. Ever since I was three, I have been able to communicate in three languages, which has helped me have a strong foundation for my love of language-learning.

There have been many times in which I have been talking to friends, and have decided to call my mom on the phone. Since I am Colombian-American, every time that I pick up the phone, I talk to my mother in Spanish. What has been interesting is that my friends have said several times “You have a very high voice when you speak Spanish”, or “You talk so much faster when you speak Spanish.” These are two very interesting observations. I have noticed that, depending on the language in which I am speaking, I feel more comfortable talking about certain topics, or can more elaborately describe something that I find interesting.

For example, when I speak Spanish, my voice is much higher than my lower, and more monotone voice in English. The main reason why I think that this is the case is, because I believe that out of all of the languages that I speak, English is the most monotone-sounding. Languages such as Spanish, and Italian allow your voice to have different rhythms, speeds, and tones. In my opinion, I can tell more easily when somebody is happy, sad, or upset when he, or she is speaking Spanish, or any of the other Romance languages that I speak. Because of the way that English is spoken, there is little room for free expression. What I mean by this is that there are only so many sounds, and so many ways that you can move your tongue, or your mouth to produce a different sound in English. In languages like French, you use your throat more, so there are certain sounds that native English speakers find difficult to make.

When I speak French or Italian, I instantly feel happy, even if I am talking about something that is sad. The way in which I have to produce the sounds of these languages allows me to use gestures, and mannerisms that are not necessarily needed, or that are less common in English. In this way, I can use my hands to emphasize a certain point, or move my arms in such a way that make my points more valuable, or more complete. When I speak German, I can play with my choice of words, and with word order more than I can with English. This is, because German word order is more rigid, yet more intricate, allowing my brain to think ahead before completing my thoughts. When I speak Russian, I can also play around with word order, but in a different way, since it tends to be more flexible. For example, you can say “I like to eat often”, or “I often like to eat”, and you can be understood.

Everything that I have mentioned above are the mechanisms that build up a language, and what give each language character, and personality. I love the way in which I feel when I switch from one language to another, because I prefer to speak in a specific language depending on with whom I am talking, about what I am talking, my mood, and where I am.

I hope that this blog post inspired you to speak another language well other than your native tongue to experience personality changes. It is truly an amazing feeling that is indescribable unless you go through it yourself.

Foreign Language Vocabulary Builder: Sticky-Notes

In order to make language-learning fun, and practical, you have to have to look forward to being surrounded by it on an everyday basis. I have found that sticky-notes have helped me not only build my vocabulary, but have also helped me to start learning words by which I am surrounded. Since I want to become an advanced learner of German, I have tried to immerse myself as much as possible with the language. One of my goals for this upcoming year is to become fluent. You may be asking yourself, “how, and can she really do this?”

One of the most powerful, and inexpensive tools that I have used to my advantage have surprisingly been sticky-notes. What I have already done is very simple. I have labeled different objects throughout my bedroom, and bathroom with their translations in German, along with their genders. For example, where I have my necklaces, I have labeled them “die Halsketten”, the drawer “die Schublade”, the toilet paper “das Toilettenpapier”, and the doorknob “die Türklinke.” I have had many objects labeled for about a year now, and have noticed an increase in my vocabulary. Most people, even the best polyglots, do not find it necessary to learn these kinds of words, but I think that it makes languages a more integral part of your life.

What do I mean by this? Every day when I wake up, I lay on my bed, and look around my bedroom. I then stare at objects that I know are labeled with sticky-notes, and test myself to see if I remember the words (if you are learning a language that has masculine, feminine, and or neuter words, it is important to always learn the words with their genders). It is practical, because I only had to label these objects once, and know that they will stay there, as long as no one else takes them down. By doing this, you learn vocabulary that native speakers use on an everyday basis.

If you are a college student like me, and live in a dorm room, and you want to try this, but your roommate does not want you to do so, do not worry. Simply label objects in your bedroom at home. This method can also be done with objects throughout the house (especially in your kitchen, and in your living-room).

This is also a great exercise for your brain. Whether you are ever going to have to actually say, or write the word “the doorknob” is unlikely, but what does matter is that you are pushing your brain to its limits trying to remember abstract, yet useful vocabulary that you would never learn in a textbook. Who knows? Someday, you may have the chance to impress a native speaker by effortlessly saying one of these words.

Being Afraid of Making Mistakes in Another Language

Ironically, I believe that what hinders, and discourages most people from continuing to make progress with a language is making the mistake of not making mistakes. By the end of this post, I hope to convince you that what has kept you from moving from one level of language learning to the next is the fact that you have been too scared of being wrong. Believe me, I used to be one of the shyest girls in my grade, and rarely voluntarily raised my hand to volunteer, or to ask questions. Many people often discourage others to raise their hands, or to ask questions unless they know the right answers. In school, I always wanted to be right, and wanted to impress my classmates by answering complex questions.

This is where I went wrong. I was always expecting perfection. I gave myself unrealistic, and high expectations. I would easily become frustrated, and would tell my parents that 10, or more years of French had been useless. If this situation sounds similar to yours, do not be worried. Luckily, I have learned that we cannot expect perfection, not even those of us who are OCD, or are perfectionists. If we expect to not make any mistakes when speaking, or dealing with aspects of our target language, we will automatically fail. Even though I am technically considered a native English speaker, English was my second language, and I rarely ever speak it at home, putting me at a disadvantage from most of my classmates. But even so, I have clarified grammar points, or how to spell words to people who are native English speakers. This shows that even native speakers can make mistakes. That is the beauty of being human: learning from our mistakes, and pushing ourselves to our limits.

Instead, what I encourage you to do is to try to speak every time that you get a chance to do so. If you have not already done so, and have studied a language for years, it is never too late to start doing so. What Benny Lewis (the famous polyglot that I have already mentioned) has said is that language is used to communicate and to share ideas with others. If you can write, and read in a language well, that is impressive, but if you cannot understand its native speakers, or speak it, then you have failed to do what a language is meant to do. Let’s compare languages to math (a subject that I was never good at). If you memorize an equation and know for what it is used, but you cannot apply it to real-world situations, then it is as if you did not know the equation. Language-learning requires you to step out of your comfort zone, and to learn from your mistakes.

Being a native Spanish speaker, there have been many times in which my friends have wanted to practice their Spanish with me. In my opinion, those who have done so successfully are not the ones who had perfect grammar, or who used complicated vocabulary to try to impress me. Instead, those who made grammar or vocabulary mistakes, or who translated words literally from English to Spanish are the ones who were brave. Why? The reason is simple. They were willing to say what they knew, and spoke to me in a natural way. Native speakers also pause, and sometimes have to think about what they want to say the way that they want to say it, but that is part of communication. What matters is that you are trying, that you are willing to learn from your mistakes, and then correct them. Being fearless is what separates bad language-learners from exceptional ones.

Before ending this post, I will share a small anecdote to hopefully inspire you to start speaking your target language as often as possible, even with native speakers. I started taking German I as a sophomore in high-school, and had hopes to someday reach the AP level. At the time, I was trying to do this on a whim, and forgot about this goal for a long time. When I went to a language immersion camp for a month-long high-school credit program, I was attempting to learn enough German in order to skip German II, and move on to Honors German III as a junior. At first, the task was daunting. I was placed into the third level out of six after only taking German for a school-year, and having little to no writing or speaking practice.

There were several people in my group who had taken German for 2 years, a girl who had taken it for 4 years, and a boy who had gone to the camp for 3 years. I was definitely the underdog in the group, but pushed myself out of comfort zone every day. I asked my teacher clarification questions, and used the little vocabulary, and grammar that I knew. By the end of the session, I had only spoken in German from breakfast through dinner time for 10 days (a language pledge that you could choose to do), something that I would have never imagined of accomplishing. How did I manage to learn so much in such a short amount of time? I was fearless. I was brave, and made many mistakes. I conjugated verbs incorrectly, and blanked on words, but could not freely express myself, and used what I knew.

I had girls in my cabin who had had years of practice with the language, which only pushed me to keep on learning more. The first day of camp, I could barely formulate a sentence. One of my friends claims that she could not understand what I was trying to say that day. However, by the end of the camp, I could easily communicate with girls who had gone to the camp for 10 years. This shows that speaking is the most important aspect of a language. Do not worry, and take a few deep breaths. Speaking is not as scary as it seems. Native speakers are not trying to look down upon you. Instead, we want to encourage you to keep on striving to reach your language-learning goals.