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Studying a language to native fluency

 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
96 messages over 12 pages: 13 4 5 6 7 ... 2 ... 11 12 Next >>
healing332
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5620 days ago

164 posts - 211 votes 

 
 Message 9 of 96
26 September 2009 at 1:09am | IP Logged 
LatinoBoy84 wrote:


We can apply logic, passion, interest and drive to advance at much rate than with our mother tongue. Takes tons of work+time but completely possible. I think I'll reach French to "Fluency" in about another 5 months. I can already express myself and comprehend a ton, but there's still a lot to learn. I think I can reach "conversational" Russian in maybe another year and a half. I plan on starting German around then (or Mandarin haven't decided).


I agree with this post 100% ..I want total Swedish fluency in 10 months, I have studied so far 2 and a half months and am well on my way. Today I did my first 4 minute all Swedish conversation on the phone and was told by the Swede that she understood the whole conversation( yes i also did struggle a little at times in the conversation) A key factor is time(dedication) ..I do 3 hours a day..everyday of study
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modestblues
Newbie
Bahamas
Joined 5557 days ago

33 posts - 54 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French

 
 Message 10 of 96
26 September 2009 at 1:14am | IP Logged 
In almost every area of our lives most of the limits we have are the limits we choose to accept. I think it's very possible to have native fluency in multiple languages.
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healing332
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5620 days ago

164 posts - 211 votes 

 
 Message 11 of 96
26 September 2009 at 1:21am | IP Logged 
lachat wrote:
It can be done living in the target Country helps a lot. My girlfriend has not studied any Dutch and she is word perfect.


..it is the interaction that you are forced to do in the target country that produces the results. Often we do not study or interact with the language in our native country and this is why people fail. You can do full immersion right in your home land

How?..tv..radio..movies..readings..should be in the target language everyday. And you MUST produce speech "Output" daily to condition the brain to form the new words in your mouth and cement them to memory. Do not fill up on input without output(speak and write daily) Think of output as the vegetables that are good for you that gets left on the plate
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barnesy
Diglot
Newbie
Australia
lingokite.com
Joined 5541 days ago

3 posts - 2 votes
Speaks: English*, French

 
 Message 12 of 96
26 September 2009 at 4:57am | IP Logged 
Going to the target Country is the best thing you can possibly do. I went to France last year, and came back able to understand everything and speak almost fluently.

Even though it's possible to simulate immersion at home, it's virtually impossible - the trick is to constantly speak in the foreign language, so you cease to translate from your mother tongue but rather simply think in the foreign language. It sounds hard, but it's definitely do-able with enough hard work.
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Volte
Tetraglot
Senior Member
Switzerland
Joined 6439 days ago

4474 posts - 6726 votes 
Speaks: English*, Esperanto, German, Italian
Studies: French, Finnish, Mandarin, Japanese

 
 Message 13 of 96
26 September 2009 at 5:18am | IP Logged 
barnesy wrote:
Going to the target Country is the best thing you can possibly do. I went to France last year, and came back able to understand everything and speak almost fluently.

Even though it's possible to simulate immersion at home, it's virtually impossible - the trick is to constantly speak in the foreign language, so you cease to translate from your mother tongue but rather simply think in the foreign language. It sounds hard, but it's definitely do-able with enough hard work.


I have to strongly disagree with some of these points.

I've gained the ability to understand "almost everything" in several languages. Only one of these has been through a long time in a region where the language is spoken - and this was the most slow and painful to acquire.

To stop translating from English took a shift in mindset, not lots of speaking. With Italian, I stopped translating from English after I did some Assimil lessons and the different ways of expression between the two languages finally clicked. Years of speaking had left me with a lot of translations (.. and the ability to use them fluently because I'd practiced them so much, sometimes managing to make myself understood ...), not decent Italian.

On the other hand, I immersed myself in Esperanto in my room for a few weeks running, started thinking in the language (and was disturbed a few times finding myself having to translate my thoughts into English, from Esperanto), and needed to actually speak it orally a handful of times before I was fluent after that, with little or no translation from English.

Time in the target country is useful, and for some types of fine-tuning strikes me as irreplaceable - but it's not necessary for high comprehension or speaking without translation.

All this said, perhaps those of us who haven't reached native fluency in a foreign language should stop cluttering this thread?

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Bruce
Groupie
United States
Joined 6223 days ago

65 posts - 65 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish, French, German

 
 Message 14 of 96
26 September 2009 at 6:54am | IP Logged 
Lizzern wrote:
Bruce wrote:
datsunking1 wrote:
If I'm going to pursue 3 languages, I want native fluency in all of them.


Native fluency in 3 foreign languages? That would be incredibly impressive. I can't imagine the work that would take.


If people who grow up speaking a language other than English and only study English in school can get to native-level fluency by their early 20s then I don't see why the same thing shouldn't be possible for other languages as well. Knowing every aspect of culture as well as a native speaker does would probably be difficult for that many languages - or indeed for any foreign language - but I don't think not knowing all the obscure stuff that goes on in a language would need to be a handicap for a learner who speaks it well. If you can do it for one language, why not a couple more.

Personally I think being indistinguishable from a native speaker would be the ultimate goal for any language I'm serious about (I'm not that serious about all my languages) and frankly it never crossed my mind that this should for whatever reason be impossible to achieve. It might take time, but I figure if the natives can do it then we can do it - albeit using a different method adapted to our needs, but still...


I didn't say it couldn't be done, just that it would be incredibly impressive. If that's your goal then go for it. I hope to get to near native fluency with Spanish one day. And maybe passive fluency in a few more languages. I'll be impressed enough with myself if I can manage that ;)
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irrationale
Tetraglot
Senior Member
China
Joined 6050 days ago

669 posts - 1023 votes 
2 sounds
Speaks: English*, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog
Studies: Ancient Greek, Japanese

 
 Message 15 of 96
26 September 2009 at 7:43am | IP Logged 
I'm waiting for some concrete advice on how to reach native fluency (in every aspect), from those that have reached it. Just pure immersion? But I see members here with native fluency that live outside that language's country.

As Don Casteel says, it must be impossible without in country immersion. But once you have that, then what? I want to reach native fluency in Mandarin Chinese, this is my dream.
1 person has voted this message useful



Cainntear
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Scotland
linguafrankly.blogsp
Joined 6011 days ago

4399 posts - 7687 votes 
Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic
Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh

 
 Message 16 of 96
26 September 2009 at 9:18am | IP Logged 
The only people I've met who have learned English to native fluency (I couldn't judge in any other language!) have lived in an English-speaking country for several years and/or married a native speaker. That's not to say it's necessary, but it's definitely the most common path.


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