|
 |
Daniel Tammet’s amazing mind | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : Polyglots |  | |
| draoicht Groupie Ireland Joined 6312 days ago 89 posts - 146 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 9 of 19 04 March 2009 at 3:25pm | IP Logged | ||
|
Heres the Babelfish translated version of the article, its translated awkwardly in places, but as Stephen said its understandable.
“Apple - this word is red for me” One week exercise - Daniel Tammet does not need more time, in order to know owing to a special technology a foreign language. In the interview with Spiegel online the 30-Jährige Autist of the elegance of the German language swarms and betrays, how its talent functions. SPIEGEL ONLINE: On Monday evening you will arise to the pool of broadcasting corporations in the talk show “Beckmann” and over their life and their new book sprechen*. But you learned nearly perfect German in the past week with only few previous knowledge. How can that be done? Tammet: I had a Sprachcoach at my side, which helped me. In the morning we read two hours. Later we ran by the city, for example into the museum went and to have us simply only on German to maintain. It is very important to have when learning no stress. With stress learning becomes very difficult. The brain needs time to think about which learned it. SPIEGEL ONLINE: You learn extremely fast. Icelandic you learned some years ago in only one week - without something with the language to before ever do to have had. What do you do differently than other humans? Tammet: Most humans regard stranger languages as something mysterious ones, frightening. They do, as if languages would be something artificial and learn lists of words and conjugations, after the slogan “I are, you are, it are”. Thus one really does not advance. I learn a foreign language to do intuitively, so similarly as it children. I try to develop a feeling for the respective language and recognize samples. I give you an example: Small round of things begin into German frequently with “Kn”, garlic, button, bud. “STR” again describes long, thin things, beach, sock, jets. There are these samples in all languages. If one recognizes it, one gets a feeling for it, how a language functions, and can it more easily learn. SPIEGEL ONLINE: On the idea to sort words according to forms we would have however never come as native speakers. Tammet: Today perhaps not. But I believe that you learned German, when you were young unconsciously exactly in this way. Everyone, which learns its first language as a child, thinks in this way. If one later learns a language in the life, the entrance is then however another. The brain changed. One considers stranger languages sudden strange. But they are not it. Each language is logical, because it was devised by human brains. It is thus perfectly natural to look for the logic of a language and to use this logic for learning. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Completely concretely, how you begin? Tammet: At the beginning I read above all children's books. Those are simple, have pictures and to make fun. They bring me to the laughter. Afterwards I read magazines, newspapers and books for adults. It is important that the texts interest me. They may not be boring. Then I look for myself someone, who speaks the language. With I talk then simply all day long. SPIEGEL ONLINE: That cannot be however the whole secret of your talent. Tammet: No. Above all it helps me that regions are interconnected with one another in my brain in unusual kind. Most humans think in insulating categories. With me however everything is interlaced. If I think about words, I use information from all parts of my brain. Feelings, colors and forms connect themselves with the words. Synästhesie reads the technical term for this ability. She helps me to learn very fast. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Can you call us a few colored words? Tammet: There for example the word is “grass”. It pleases me to the fact that the first letter matches perfectly the article. Words with “G” are green for me. Or apple: This word affects me red. That is very helpful, because apples are also frequently red. Such connections help me to remind me well. In strange languages I am always in the search for interesting cliches, samples and connections. I start hand” with a word, for example “, and am then alike with “mobile phone” and “trade”. Or I look for connections between different languages. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is there sample, which has all languages in common? Tammet: Yes, for example the i-sound for small things: “Tiny” and “little” in English, “petite” in the French, in German “small”. Besides words, which are more common, are frequently shorter. “Sock” for example is a short word. We tighten it daily. We use Sandalen against it more rarely. And see there: the word has three syllables. It is similar with animals. The dog has only one syllable. It is also expressed frequent. The word “elephant” against it is longer. At least in this world region it is also rarer than the dog. SPIEGEL ONLINE: In their book you use the word love, in order to describe your relationship to language. What do you guess/advise other humans, who wish themselves a similar ease in handling words or also numbers? Tammet: They should rely when learning again more on their intuition. I believe that all humans with a feeling for numbers and language are born. Unfortunately most people lose this feeling already as young people again, partially, because our brain changes very early in the life, partially in addition, because the schools are bad. Straight language instruction is frequently expressed boring. No miracle that the children learn thereby hardly somewhat. They advance not and think then that they are stupid. They should with learn themselves to amuse. SPIEGEL ONLINE: How does much joy prepare the German language for you? Tammet: I like German. I like for example, how one can build words up. Such a compound word must one only once look at oneself, and already one can suspect, what means it. In addition I like the sound of German. Many people say that German has a great many hard sounds. That is correct. But I find that the language is also very poetic, transparency elegant and. It is the language of Goethe. It must be good. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Does it reflect the character of the Germans? Tammet: Possibly. German a little like a very clean, cleared up area with perfectly right-angled corners, not so unaufgeräumt as for example English is. Is English large messes with a great many and complex words. German is whole straight ahead and has some very beautiful words. Take for example to “little” or “Löffelchen”. I may “chen” this added. Or “radiate”, a marvelous word. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Can you also still actually be astonished at your abilities? Tammet: Yes, I am very conscious me of my gifts. Important it is me however that the people my abilities not when something supernatural regards separates as part of the natural human spectrum. There are sportsmen, can very fast over 100 meters sprinten. Nobody would state that they have magic legs. Rather we say that they were born with favorable biological conditions that they train hard that they have self-assurance and determination and their sport love. All these abilities together result in their physical superiority. Intellectual genius can be explained exactly the same. In all other respects I believe that each has special abilities and talents. I hope that my experiences can help the people to discover and promote their own talents. Everyone can train its understanding. And fun makes it also still. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| krog Diglot Senior Member Austria Joined 6048 days ago 146 posts - 152 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Latin | Message 10 of 19 04 March 2009 at 10:32pm | IP Logged | ||
|
AUTISTIC - AND A LANGUAGE GENIUS
"Apple is a red word for me" A week of practice - that's all that Daniel Tammet needed to master German using his special technique. In an interview with Spiegel Online, the 30 year old autistic eulogises the elegance of the German language and explains how his talent works. SO: On Monday evening you are going to appear on ARD on the 'Beckmann' show to talk about your life and your new book. So in the last week, with hardly any prior knowledge, you've learned almost perfect German. How does that work? T: I had a tutor by my side helping me. In the mornings we read for two hours. Then we walked in town, went to the museum for example, and just had fun with German. It is very important to avoid stress when learning. Stress makes learning very difficult. The brain needs time to think over what it has learned. SO: You learn very quickly. A few years ago you learned Icelandic in just a single week with no prior knowledge of the language. What is it that makes you different from other people? T: Most people regard foreign languages as something mysterious, something worrying. They act as if a language is something artificial and learn lists of words and conjugations. Their motto is "I am, you are, he is". You can't really make progress that way. I learn a foreign language intuitively, like children do. I try to develop a feel for each language and to recognise patterns. I'll give you an example: in German, small, round things often begin with 'Kn' - Knoblauch (garlic), Knopf (button), Knospe (bud). 'Str', on the other hand, describes long, thin things: Strand (beach), Strumpf (stocking), Strahlen (rays). These types of patterns exist in all languages. When you recognise them, you get a feel for how a language operates, and it's easier to learn. SO: The idea of grouping words together according to their shape is one that you'd never come up with as a native speaker. T: Maybe not today. But I believe that is exactly how you Germans learned when you were young. Every child learning his first language thinks in this way. Learning a language as an adult requires a different approach. The brain has changed. Suddenly all foreign languages seem peculiar. But they aren't. Every language is logical, they were all produced by the human brain. Therefore it's completely natural to seek out the logic of a language, and to use that logic to learn it. SO: Specifically - how do you start? T: To start off with I read childrens' books. They're simple, have pictures, and they're fun. They make me laugh. Afterwards I read magazines, newspapers and adults' books. It is important that I find the texts interesting. They can't be boring. Then I find someone who speaks the language. And then I'll just talk for the entire day with them. SO: That surely can't be the entire secret of your talents? T: No. What helps me above all is that regions in my brain are wired together in an unusual way. Most people think in isolated categories. But with me, everything is connected together. When I think about words I use information from every part of my brain. Feelings, shapes and colours bind with the words. Synaesthesia is the technical term for this ability. It helps me to learn very quickly. SO: Can you name a couple of colourful words for us? T: There's the word Gras (grass) for example - I find that the initial letter passes exactly to its subject. Words with 'G' are green for me. Or Apfel (apple) - to me, that's red. That's very helpful while apples themselves are often red. These connections help me remember. In foreign languages I'm always on the lookout for interesting phrases, patterns and connections. I start with one word, for example, 'Hand' (hand), and that leads me straight to 'Handy' (mobile 'phone) and to 'Handel' (trade). Or I look for connections between different languages. SO: Are there patterns that all languages have in common? T: Yes, for example the 'i' sound for small things - 'tiny' and 'little' in English, 'petite' in French, 'klein' in German. In addition there are the words we use very frequently, which are often shorter. For example, 'Socke' (sock) is a short word, and we pull them on every single day. On the other hand, 'Sandalen' (sandals) aren't used as much. And there we see a word with three syllables. It's similar with animals. 'Hund' (dog) has one syllable. We say it a lot after all. The word 'Elefant' (elephant) in comparison is longer. And at least in this part of the world it's rarer than 'dog'. SO: In your book you use the word love to describe your relationship with language. What is your advice for people who would love to have a similar facility to yours with languages, or indeed numbers? T: They need to go back to relying more on intuition when learning. I believe that everyone was born with a feel for language and numbers. Unfortunately, most people loose this feeling while they're still young, in part because the brain changes very early in life, in part, because the schools are bad. Language teaching in particular is often downright boring. It's no wonder that the kids hardly learn anything. They don't make progress, so they think they're stupid. They should have fun when they're learning. SO: What pleasures have you taken from the German language? T: I like German. For example, I like the way you can bind words together. You only need to look at these words once, and you can get what they mean. Apart from that, I like the sound of German. A lot of people say that German has very hard sounds. This is true. But I find that it's a very poetic language, transparent and elegant. It is the language of Goethe. It has to be good. SO: Does it reflect the character of the Germans? T: Possibly. German is a bit like a very clean, tidy room with perfect right-angles, not so messy like for example English is. English is a big mess with lots of words, and complex words. German is quite straightforward and has some very beautiful words. Take for example 'bisschen' (little bit) or 'Löffelchen' (little spoon). I like this 'chen' stuck on the end. Or 'strahlen' (to radiate), a wonderful word. SO: Do you sometimes shock even yourself with your capabilities? T: I'm very conscious of my talent. What's important to me is that people see it as part of the normal human spectrum of abilities, and not something supernatural. There are athletes who can sprint very fast over 100m. No-one would claim that they have magic legs. We'd say, that they were born with biological advantages, that they train hard, that they have confidence and determination and that they love their sport. All of these qualities together produce their physical superiority. Intellectual genius can be explained in the same way. Moreover, I believe that everyone has special talents and capabilities. I hope that my experiences can help people discover and develop their own talents. Everybody can train their mind. And it's a lot of fun as well. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Olympia Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 5980 days ago 195 posts - 244 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese Studies: Old English, French | Message 11 of 19 04 March 2009 at 10:38pm | IP Logged | ||
|
Thank you draoicht and krog! Very interesting article.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| krog Diglot Senior Member Austria Joined 6048 days ago 146 posts - 152 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Latin | Message 12 of 19 04 March 2009 at 10:47pm | IP Logged | ||
|
Daniel Tammet, 30, is a so-called savant. As a child, the Briton had epileptic fits. Doctors later diagosed Asperger's-syndrome, a mild form of autism. He had to work hard to open up the world of emotions - but foreign words, and numbers, stuck like glue. Tammet sees colours and shapes where most people see only numbers or words. A few years ago he recited Pi to 22,514 places from heart. He has mastered seven languages and needs only seconds to tell you that the 10th of January 2017 will be a Tuesday.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Gamma Octoglot Groupie Brazil Joined 6942 days ago 82 posts - 85 votes Speaks: Portuguese*, French, English, GermanC2, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Finnish Studies: Icelandic, Dutch | Message 13 of 19 08 March 2009 at 5:13am | IP Logged | ||
In order to watch it, remove the blank space between "7" and "2". 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| TheBiscuit Tetraglot Senior Member Mexico Joined 5922 days ago 532 posts - 619 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Italian Studies: German, Croatian | Message 14 of 19 09 March 2009 at 4:52am | IP Logged | ||
|
Incredible stuff, thanks for putting the link up. What impresses me about him is his level of comprehension in such a short space of time.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| krog Diglot Senior Member Austria Joined 6048 days ago 146 posts - 152 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: French, Latin | Message 15 of 19 09 March 2009 at 8:11pm | IP Logged | ||
|
He really is genuinely amazing.
It seems to me that a lot of his ability rests on his fantastic memory. What he says about his brain being wired differently. Maybe we all of us remember things in the same way, but don't have the same ability to access the information. Sometimes a dream I had as a child pops into my head for no reason whatsoever during the middle of he day, and I've asked myself before, does that mean all the dreams I've had are locked away in my brain? I suppose if you did remember everything, and you were aware of it all the time, you'd go nuts. I'd like it if he could explain more about the patterns he 'sees' eg the connection between sounds and meaning. There must be a lot of things like that specifically in and between the IE languages he's learnt. Does he see these patterns because his brain works differently, or because he can memorise so much that he can then draw on all the information he knows to infer the patterns? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| TheBiscuit Tetraglot Senior Member Mexico Joined 5922 days ago 532 posts - 619 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Italian Studies: German, Croatian | Message 16 of 19 11 March 2009 at 5:09am | IP Logged | ||
|
He mentions something in a documentary about not having certain "filters" that inhibit learning, especially language learning. This allows him to absorb language in an almost childlike way or at least recreate that state of mind. I'd like to hear more on that.
2 persons have voted this message useful |
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
