How to Speak Multiple Languages Without Mixing Them Up

I have recently been thinking of possible topics for my next post on this blog, and wanted to give some useful tips on a topic on which I have briefly touched up: speaking multiple languages and how to go about speaking them with ease. I recently watched the video that is down below by Langfocus, one of my favorite polyglot YouTubers who not only posts videos about language learning, but also about linguistics. Below, I will be giving you 3 tips that he gives in this video and will briefly expand on them to give you some concrete and practical ways on how to not mix up all of the languages that you speak. Make sure to read my previous posts about learning multiple languages titled “How To Learn Multiple Languages At A Time” in March 2016 and “Taking Classes in Multiple Languages: My Experience and Advice” in April 2016.

Tip #1: Refine your pronunciation

Although pronunciation may not be many language learners’ number one priority, especially when they are starting to get comfortable in another language, I believe that it is one of the most important aspects of a language. Pronunciation is ultimately what distinguishes one language from another, even languages that are very similar and belong to the same language family (ex: Spanish and Italian that are both Romance languages). If you speak many languages, whether they belong to the same language family, or are not related to each other whatsoever, in order to fluidly and quickly switch from one language to the next, you should be very comfortable saying the phonology and words as a native speaker would. This does not mean that having accents is bad, but should encourage you to continue perfecting your accent as much as possible. Even though it may not sound feasible, it is possible to eventually sound like a native speaker. In this case, practice makes perfect.

You may be asking yourself: “How do I refine my pronunciation? How should I go about doing so?”.  That is a very difficult question to answer, because everyone has different methodologies to go about doing so. I, however, will give you a few tips that have worked for me over the years. The first is to speak as early and as often as you can. I have an entire post devoted to this topic titled “Being Afraid of Making Mistakes in Another Language” in January 2016, so feel free to check it out for a more in-depth explanation about this. The more speakers (native and non-native alike) with whom you interact and speak, the more chances are that you will be kindly corrected if you ask them to do so, or if they want to help you improve.

Just as a baby mimics his parents’ mouths and the sounds that they make, you should do the same. By making mistakes, you will learn the difference between two words whose spelling is similar, but whose pronunciation is different, and will be able to distinguish right from wrong. Bad, or flawed pronunciation could lead to accidentally insulting someone, or to a frustrating miscommunication, so make sure to get as much exposure as possible. On the other hand, if you ever find yourself in either of these situations, do not panic, ask for clarification if possible, and laugh it off. Not saying something correctly can, in most cases, lead to more good than harm, because you are reminded about what you should have said differently. I also have an entire post devoted to improving your accent called “How to Improve Your Accent in a Language” in April 2016.


Tip #2: 100% commitment

The next tip is just as important as the first. If you are not 100% committed to each individual language, or have not put enough time into your studies, you can easily become discouraged. Just as professional athletes who want to eventual compete in the Olympics train for years, you should have a positive mentality when tackling more than one language. You should constantly remind yourself that you if you surpass a certain level, that you will eventually be able to read a short chapter book, or effectively communicate with your German friend. In other words, you should try to stay motivated. Feel free to read my post titled “How to Stay Motivated When Learning a Language” in March 2016.

When having to speak more than one language at a time, or instantly, you should close the door behind you. Whichever language you were speaking before is no longer as relevant as the language that you are now speaking. You should make a conscious effort to tell yourself “Now it is time to speak (language).” By doing so, you are mentally preparing yourself for what is next, and do not become as frazzled trying to make do with the few words that you can remember in the next language. This helps you turn on a signal in your brain that will make it easier for you to effectively communicate in another language.

3   Tip #3: Imagine scenes that remind you of that language

The third tip that he gives is by far the most abstract, and is the hardest to explain how to do, but I will try my best to give you a detailed explanation of this type of scenario. One of the most effective methods to not only learn vocabulary and improve your pronunciation in another language is by imagining scenes that remind you of that language. I have already watched countless videos of polyglots who have used this method, and who have learned much faster than the majority of their acquaintances by doing so. Associating scenes with a language is a great way to think about cultural nuances and norms that are different and that distinguish a language from another one.

The most classic example that he uses, and that I have heard many times, is imagining a café in Paris when speaking French. You usually picture the pouring of a coffee, and eating a fresh baked baguette. Many locals go to cafes with other friends, or alone and work on their laptops. Those who go with friends tend to discuss how their families are, and how their jobs are going, just to name a few common topics of conversation. If you personally have been to Paris, you may remember the voice of your waiter at the café, and you may distinctly remember his Parisian accent and talking to you so quickly that you had to ask for clarification. Whichever scene you can vividly envision will help you to be in the mindset of a local. In other words, you will no longer be, say, your American-self, but rather your French-self.

As I mentioned in my post “Personality Changes When Speaking Multiple Language” in February 2016, you become a new you for every language that you speak. You cannot roll your tongue the same way that you do in Spanish as you do for English, and you should pay attention to how you use your throat to pronounce words in an authentic French-sounding way. Getting in the zone and taking control of your perception can make you more excited to be a new you and pay attention to the world around you through new lenses. Your world perception can change remarkably by being culturally aware and willing to pay attention to different languages’ nuances.

I hope that all of you language-lovers found this post helpful in some way, and that you learned a few tips that could help you be a little less anxious speaking multiple languages.