5 Secrets Polyglots Know About Learning Languages that Others Do Not

Have you ever wondered what polyglots do in order to learn many languages more efficiently? Have you ever been discouraged and have told yourself that you are simply “not as smart”, or “cannot retain” as much as polyglots can? If you have answered yes to either of those questions, I hope that you realize that anyone, and I do mean anyone, can learn as many languages as he/she proposes as long as effective methods are used and good time management skills are implemented into the language-learning process. For anyone who has ever told me that I am simply smarter, or better at language-learning than others, I want you to know that I have studied just as hard if not harder than others who have gotten the same results. I have put hundreds of hours of self-study in my spare moments throughout the year, which I will admit are far and few. Either way, I will share 5 secrets that, according to  Lydia Machová, are why poyglots are generally more sucessful than other language learners.

1. Polyglots do not wait for languages to be taught to them and learn them themselves

What makes so many polyglots unique is that they are generally very motivated and are dedicated to self-directed learning. Instead of being passive, they are active in all aspects of their language studies. For example, instead of waiting three years before they find native Swahili language partners with whom to practice their Swahili conversational skills, which may be hard to find depending on where they live, they may use iTalki or other language-learning sites to pay online tutors to practice talking to them. Instead of waiting to enroll in a beginner French class in the city, which may be a far commute, they go to a nearby bookstore, buy a French-learning book and start finding online resources to practice what they have learned. The point being is that they do not let time, lack of resources, or other factors get in the way from making progress and furthering their depth of knowledge in other languages.

2. Polyglots have fun

This point may seem somewhat obvious to bring up, but I believe that it is important to mention it. Too often do I hear my peers say that they are bored with their language classes, or that they feel like they are not progressing after months, semesters, or years of study in another language. I will admit that I personally find learning grammar and using textbooks to be boring, tedious, and oftentimes very frustrating, so, instead, I find ways to integrate languages into my lifestyle (read below to see what I mean). That way I enjoy the process and am motivated to continue with studies.

3. Polyglots have a lot of contact with the languages that they are learning

The expert in language-learning who is the guest speaker in the video above says that she has met many people who have gone to a lesson twice a week without ever reading a book in that language, or only doing what their classes require them to do. To put it simply, there are many language learners that make the mistake to not expose themselves to anything in their languages, not even reading a book, and expect to become fluent in another language by only going through the motions. I wish that doing so were that easy, but unfortunately it is near impossible for that to happen.

The reason for which your college-level language professor tells you “we always run out of time”, or “I wish that we had more time to work on this” is because he/she knows that there is not enough time to get in as much depth as he/she wishes in a paritcular topic in such a short amount of time. At my university, the more advanced you are in a language, the more that is expected of you, yet at the same time, the less amount of class instruction you receive. Therefore, the most ambitious students are the ones who listen to foreign music, read foreign books, and watch foreign movies, not the ones who seem to know what they are doing, or who procrastinate and try to mumble what seems to be a perfectly constructed sentence.

4. Polyglots do a little every day

Instead of setting unrealistic, big goals, most polyglots take little steps every day and see progress in the long run. A recommended amount of time to spend on a language is 15-25 minutes a day if you are busy and cannot do more language study than that. By doing so, you are constantly feeding and activating your brain to try to retain what you learned three years ago, as well as what you reviewed the previous morning. By doing a little at a time, you are more likely to retain information, you are engaging with several aspects of a language (ex: reading, writing, or listening), and you are training yourself to start thinking in that language, which is most of our end goals. I have made the most amount of progress when I have done less, but have been consistent and have followed a schedule (ex: by reviewing German every other day) and have managed my time in a way that has made me be more efficient in my studies. Remember the saying: “jack of all trades, master of none”? If so, that expression applies to language learning a hundred percent.

5.  Polyglots learn in a systematic way

The last secret that we have is that we follow a plan, as I mentioned above. Instead of saying that we are going to work on a particular aspect of a language and putting it off by telling ourselves that we will eventually do it, we do it. It is that simple. We try our best not to come up with excuses, and if we find ourselves trapped and confused, we ask those around us who have been able to do whatever it is that we want to do (ex: how to pronounce certain kinds of words). We also prioritize what we believe is most beneficial to us and practice on what we want to improve. As you can see in all 5 tips, the general trend is that we follow a routine and have self-discipline. Attitude is absolutely key.

If you are interested in reading more about hyerpolyglotism and what that means, feel free to read my posts: 

~~“Tim Doner: The Hyperpolyglot That Inspired Me” from 2/26/16

~~ “How To Learn Multiple Languages At A Time” from 3/23/16

~~“Taking Classes in Multiple Languages: My Experience and Advice” from 4/17/16,

~~“How to Speak Multiple Languages Without Mixing Them Up” from 8/9/16.

There you go! These were just 5 methods of many that polyglots use that most other language learners do not. I hope that you became inspired to start implementing a few, or all of these methods in your own studies. I wish you all the best of luck trying to better your methodologies in your languages in this new year. Remember that a new year means a new you. Which language goals do you want to set for yourself?

Setting Meaningful Language-Learning Goals for 2017

I wanted to start off by wishing all of you a Happy New Year and thanking you for being so supportive of my blog for almost an entire year. In order to start off the year on a good note, I cannot stress how important it is to set ourselves identifiable, realistic language-learning goals that we hope to achieve before the end of the year. I will highlight a few of Steve Kauffman’s points in this post in hopes to reiterate what I find most noteworthy.

As Steve clearly points out, “the way we set goals depends on our level in the language.” In the video attached above, he mentions that he is working on improving his Portuguese, which, in his eyes, there is no need to set very specific short-term-task-type goals, as he is far into the language. On the other hand, he is also learning Korean, which he is not as far into, so he has to take a “much more deliberate approach” for that language. He also briefly explains how many people look at language-learning: “through the common European-framework of reference [that] divides the levels of proficiency into 6 levels: A1-2, B1-2, and C1-2.”

To give all of you some perspective, I will tell you what my language-learning goals are for 2017:

1. Spanish (Native)- Despite being fluent in Spanish, I hope to become more informed of what is happening around the world by reading current events. My hope is to read the news every day and to read at least 3 novels in Spanish by the end of the year.

2. French (Advanced)- Since I am closest to reaching fluency in French, I will continue to read and watch the news every week to inform myself about what is going on in the Francophone-world. I will be putting in all of the new words that I learn through that exposure, as well as any words that I learn when reading children’s books on the application Anki to increase my vocabulary. (I highly encourage you to read my post “Foreign Language Vocabulary Builder Using Anki (Application)” from 6/25/16 to learn about how you can drastically improve your vocabulary).

3. German (B2 Level)- As many of you read in my post “Why You Should Study at a Language Institute” from 8/2/16, I received a B2 certificate for German from d.i.d. Institute in Frankfurt this past summer. That means that my goal is to achieve a C1 level by the end of the year. I will try to do so by finishing up the second part of the B2 book that we were given at the institute that I have not had a chance to complete, will continue to learn words through songs, and will read as much as possible. To make sure that I retain all of these words, I will use Anki.

4. Italian (Advanced)- I have been taking Italian for three semesters in college now, have edited many Italian essays as my job at our writing center, and have attended virtually every event offered by my school’s Italian department, so I am conversationally fluent. On the other hand, since I have not had nearly as much exposure to vocabulary as I have with French and German, I will continue to listen to music and read as much as I can. If everything works out as planned, I will also be studying abroad in Italy this upcoming fall where I will be taking 4 courses in Italian and living with a host family, so my ultimate goal is to become fluent in the language.

     5. Russian (Intermediate)- By the end of this school-year, I will have taken 4 semesters of college-level Russian, so I would say that I am much more comfortable understanding native speakers and authentic material than I was a year ago, but am still very far from achieving mastery in it. I hope to become an advanced learner by the end of the summer, as I am planning on studying abroad in Russia, or in another Russian-speaking country for 2 months and living with a host family. I will continue to learn words through songs and will try to expose myself to as much authentic material as possible before I embark on that journey.

     6. Portuguese (Beginner)- My goal is to become an intermediate learner of Portuguese by the end of the year. I hope to complete every lesson of Davelanguages that is currently available (I have already finished the beginner series) and to watch as many videos and movies as I can to become more accustomed to the flow of the language.

To get to the halfway point, which can be considered to be the first 3 levels, you have to get to point in which the learning becomes “a more natural, enjoyable, flowed-type experience.” As with any journey that you take, after surpassing the beginner’s stage, which Steve refers to as the “struggle stage”, you can improve your language through an exposure to interesting content (ex: audiobooks, talking with friends, podcasts, watching YouTube videos or videos).

I agree that the first steps require some heavy-lifting, but it is possible to successfully move forward by setting specific measurable tasks and targets for yourself (ex: learn x amount of words per day). By forcing yourself to be active, he says that you will achieve more results. As you can see above, I have very concrete goals that I want to set for myself and for which I will hold myself accountable the last day of this year. I encourage all of you to do the same and to not let what others tell you, or what you tell yourself get in the way of your aspirations. Good luck, buena suerte, bonne chance, Viel Glück, in bocca al lupo, удачи, boa sorte!

As a bonus, here is an article that inspired me to write this post written by another polyglot: http://www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com/language-learning-goals-clear-the-list-january-2017/. Make sure to check it out if you are looking for more motivation to set language-learning goals.

How to Fall in Love With a Language

You may be surprised by the title of this post, and if that is the case, then there is no need to worry, because I felt the same way when I first watched Luca Lampariello’s video that is down below. I have already used this terminology before, but even so, it can be hard to explain why I “am in love” with a language, as falling in love with something is usually only applied to people. On the other hand, falling in love with a language is a passion and a drive. When you experience this feeling and have such a strong connection to one, it is hard to let it go and not be in constant interaction with it.

Although I love all 6 languages that I have studied, it was not until I started learning German that I realized what loving a language truly meant. Before doing so, I had never started a language from scratch, and therefore had never had to go through the full journey of mastering a language. Please keep in mind that I am not fluent in any language other than my two native tongues, Spanish and English, quite yet, but am close to doing so in French, German, and Italian.

To this day, it is hard for me to point out a specific moment in which my infatuation with German grew, however, the simple fact that its grammar, syntax, and ways of phrasing and putting words together was so different from anything that I had ever been asked to do made it thrilling. As I progressed in my German skills, I realized that I could no longer translate from German to English and vice-versa to fully convey my thoughts and express myself. Instead, I had to start thinking like a German and be like one. I could not think of how an American would approach a situation, but rather what a German would say to fill in the gaps in conversations. For example, it is very common for Americans to ask how someone is doing and to receive “good”, or “fine” as a response, when in many cultures saying so may be offensive, or sound exaggerated. In German, I have found it more acceptable to say how I actually feel instead of giving answers that others what me to say (ex: “I am exhausted”, or “I could be better”).

I message my friends whom I met at my language institute in Frankfurt on a daily basis. I have FaceTimed them and have made sure to keep in touch with them by asking them about their lives. Whenever I am sad, or need some motivation to complete a difficult task, I listen to some of my favorite German songs. I also have my phone in German, as it is currently the only langauge that I am not taking in college, so that I can keep it fresh. I watch German YouTube videos, and, most importantly, I keep it close to my heart. It is incorporated into most important parts of my life to ensure that it does not slip away. This does not mean that I go over tedious grammar exercises for hours on end, but rather make it be present throughout the day in whatever ways I can.

As Luca says in the video, in order for you to have a powerful connection with a language, “you have to find a reason…It’s more about the experiences that [you] have with a language, the things that are represented by that language.” I agree with his statement that committing to a language is a lifelong quest. “You have to give it daily care. In order to do that, you have to have some kind of long-term plan, or goal.” You cannot only know how to keep this love story going, but you also have to know why you are trying to do so and know how to deal with this love that you have developed over time. In other words, you have to make your language be present in your life by learning about topics that are personal to you. You have to make it exciting and make some sacrifices by doing whatever you would otherwise do in your mother tongue in your target language (ex: by watching videos, listening to music, or watching cook shows) without forcing yourself, or dreading to do so.

If you have not experienced this feeling yet, I want you to know that I believe in you. Now that 2016 is coming to a clsoe, it is a perfect opportunity for you to reassess what you have done thus far in your language-learning process: what has worked and what has not, as well as what you want to continue to do, what you would like to start doing, and what you should no longer do. Remember that the most important thing is that you enjoy the process, no matter how many roadblocks you may face. It is important to constantly remind yourself why you are learning that language in the first place and to be thankful that that language is a part of your life. Once you remind yourself of all of the people and memories that you associate with it, you will be off to a great start.

As a bonus, here is a link of a Huffington Post article titled: “Falling in Love with a Foreign Language: The Risks of a Metaphor” that you may find interesting: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/lucy-bell/learning-foreign-language_b_7488534.html.

How to Reduce Stress by Meditating in Another Language

Hello, everyone! For anyone who is returning to my blog, thank you so much for your unending support and patience. Despite the fact that I have not posted anything in a few months, I am hoping to get back on track in the upcoming weeks. If you are new to my blog, I am glad that you stumbled upon this post and hope that you stick along for the ride by following it. That being said, I am sure that most of you have experienced some kind of stress recently, because it is that time of the year again. Whether you are a college student who recently took finals, are a high-school student who is in the process of finishing up college applications, or are simply overwhelmed with work, it is easy to forget about the importance of taking time for yourself.

After years of overworking myself and not being as productive as I could be by asking too much of myself, I finally realized that I was missing one thing: practicing self-love and valuing my own worth. It may sound somewhat selfish, when in reality it is one of the most important practices that you can follow. I have learned that I cannot love others if I do not love myself, especially now that I am in college. One of the ways in which I have spent the little free time that I have in my spare moments throughout the week is by meditating. Though this practice may seem unrealistic, or even difficult to some, I hope that you give it a try by the end of this post.

Whenever I have me-time (time for myself to spend it the way that I desire), I like playing relaxing, soothing music and or meditating and reflecting. I recently realized how therapeutical it is and how much it helps heal my soul. Since I knew that it was something that I wanted to start implementing into my daily routine, I figured that it would be most beneficial if I did it in another language. Recently, I have been dealing with a lot of emotions, so I felt that it was best to find a relaxing way that could help clear my mind. If you simply go on YouTube and search "meditating", "meditation", or something of the sort in your target language, hundreds of videos will show up. I personally like watching videos of different people and then subscribing to the channels that I like the most, so that I easily check my feed whenever they post similar videos.

All you have to do is play one of those videos and follow exactly what the person tells you to do. Oftentimes, you will have to close your eyes, take in deep breaths, or simply relax your body. What makes this practice so worthwhile is that you can do it from the comfort of your bed, or home. If you are having a lazy day, but still want to progress in your language learning, you can do so and review words, such as "to breathe", "mind", and "to close" without even thinking about it. In other words, many of us would most likely meditate or relax anyways, so what better way to do so than to do it in another language. 

The video that is above is the first meditation video that I came across in Italian, but feel free to find ones in your own target languages. I hope that this post was helpful for all of you and that you start practicing more self love by healing your entire mind, body, and spirit.