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How many people can actually speak?

 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies Post Reply
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lingoleng
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 5298 days ago
605 posts - 1290 votes 

 
 Message 9 of 45
14 January 2013 at 3:28pm | IP Logged 
s_allard wrote:
O.K., I'm kind of peeved. I just saw a number of youtube interviews with some very well known polyglots. They were talking about tips and techniques for learning languages and sometimes promoting their book. What irks me is that, like all those methods and software packages, most of these polyglots do not say that a) exposure at the earliest age and b) spending time in the country (preferably with a host family) are by far the two most important success factors in achieving high proficiency.


"Only children can learn languages" and "without spending considerable time in foreign countries you'll never be fluent". These are two of the least useful myths concerning language learning. I am surprised that you want to see them promoted more often ...
14 persons have voted this message useful



hrhenry
Octoglot
Senior Member
United States
languagehopper.blogs
Joined 5130 days ago
1871 posts - 3642 votes 
Speaks: English*, SpanishC2, ItalianC2, Norwegian, Catalan, Galician, Turkish, Portuguese
Studies: Polish, Indonesian, Ojibwe

 
 Message 10 of 45
14 January 2013 at 4:27pm | IP Logged 
s_allard wrote:
Where are all the speakers of French, Spanish and Mandarin, among
others? I have never ever seen a video from somebody saying "I used method X or did a
degree in language X and now I'm going to speak it."

They're probably out living their life, speaking these languages, as needed.

Youtube isn't the last word on language proficiency. Real life is much more interesting,
and gives a truer picture.

R.
==
11 persons have voted this message useful



Solfrid Cristin
Heptaglot
Winner TAC 2011 & 2012
Senior Member
Norway
Joined 5334 days ago
4143 posts - 8864 votes 
Speaks: Norwegian*, Spanish, Swedish, French, English, German, Italian
Studies: Russian

 
 Message 11 of 45
14 January 2013 at 4:36pm | IP Logged 
lingoleng wrote:
s_allard wrote:
O.K., I'm kind of peeved. I just saw a number of youtube interviews with some very well known polyglots. They were talking about tips and techniques for learning languages and sometimes promoting their book. What irks me is that, like all those methods and software packages, most of these polyglots do not say that a) exposure at the earliest age and b) spending time in the country (preferably with a host family) are by far the two most important success factors in achieving high proficiency.


"Only children can learn languages" and "without spending considerable time in foreign countries you'll never be fluent". These are two of the least useful myths concerning language learning. I am surprised that you want to see them promoted more often ...


Myth is something that is false. I do not know masses of people who have become fluent by way of a language course. It is perfectly possible to become fluent even if you start late and can not go to the country, but the effort is colossal and time consuming. If you think studying language is fun - like most of us do - that is no problem. For others it might be. I am more worried about the myth of "you do a language course which takes you to B2 in 3 months, and then you will sound native by the end of the year." The amount of people who can actually do that is microscopic. I do not remember who in this thread who said that a language is a marathon and not a sprint, but never were truer words spoken.
5 persons have voted this message useful



Darklight1216
Diglot
Senior Member
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5100 days ago
411 posts - 639 votes 
Speaks: English*, French
Studies: German

 
 Message 12 of 45
14 January 2013 at 5:01pm | IP Logged 
Maybe they don't talk about early exposure because it's painfully obvious that children have no issues learning languages that they grow up with (aka: it goes without saying) and because if someone is actively seeking out youtube videos about language learning, it's probably a safe bet that they are a teenager or adult.

Personally, when I'm looking for tips and advice, I don't want to hear/see "First of all, you should have started at least 10 years ago."

I'm sure that the youtube videos about raising bilingual children would emphasize that sort of thing more though, but I haven't done any research on that because I am neither a child nor a parent.

More emphasis on travel and host families probably wouldn't hurt (and I would like to read moreabout it) however, for many people it's just no feasible whereas, "go to your library and see if they have this" or "make flashcards" is something that most people can do easily and cheaply.
5 persons have voted this message useful



tarvos
Super Polyglot
Winner TAC 2012
Senior Member
China
likeapolyglot.wordpr
Joined 4707 days ago
5310 posts - 9399 votes 
Speaks: Dutch*, English, Swedish, French, Russian, German, Italian, Norwegian, Mandarin, Romanian, Afrikaans
Studies: Greek, Modern Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, Czech, Korean, Esperanto, Finnish

 
 Message 13 of 45
14 January 2013 at 5:01pm | IP Logged 
Language is a marathon and not a sprint, but if you can do more marathons, you learn how
to run a marathon faster ;)
4 persons have voted this message useful



lingoleng
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 5298 days ago
605 posts - 1290 votes 

 
 Message 14 of 45
14 January 2013 at 5:15pm | IP Logged 
Solfrid Cristin wrote:
lingoleng wrote:

"Only children can learn languages" and "without spending considerable time in foreign countries you'll never be fluent". These are two of the least useful myths concerning language learning. I am surprised that you want to see them promoted more often ...


Myth is something that is false.


Well, you were one of the prominent propagators of these myths. I remember countless of posts where you say more or less that when you grew beyond twelve you stopped being able to learn languages. I am glad to read that your attitude has slightly changed.
3 persons have voted this message useful



s_allard
Triglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5430 days ago
2704 posts - 5425 votes 
Speaks: French*, English, Spanish
Studies: Polish

 
 Message 15 of 45
14 January 2013 at 5:17pm | IP Logged 
lingoleng wrote:
s_allard wrote:
O.K., I'm kind of peeved. I just saw a number of youtube interviews with some very well known polyglots. They were talking about tips and techniques for learning languages and sometimes promoting their book. What irks me is that, like all those methods and software packages, most of these polyglots do not say that a) exposure at the earliest age and b) spending time in the country (preferably with a host family) are by far the two most important success factors in achieving high proficiency.


"Only children can learn languages" and "without spending considerable time in foreign countries you'll never be fluent". These are two of the least useful myths concerning language learning. I am surprised that you want to see them promoted more often ...

I don't know how the world my original statement has morphed into "only children can learn languages" and "without spending considerable time in foreign countries you'll never be fluent." But I won't even bother to argue this point.

The main point here is that when you scratch a bit under the surface of most highly proficient polyglots or even simple bilinguals, you usually see some combination of a) early exposure, b) some form of immersion and c) a personal connection (e.g. spouse, romantic relationship, etc.) and d) schooling in the language. Isn't this why entire countries like the Netherlands, Germany the Scandinavian countries have high rates of bilingualism? Isn't that why the vast majority of polyglots are Europeans who can jump in a car and a train and go practice any of many languages for a weekend?

Of course there are English-speaking North Americans who have become multilingual to some extent - and often in the circumstances outlined above. But my main observation is that despite what seems to be a great interest in languages and a flourishing language industry, I don't see much in the way of results.

Now, I really don't expect people to put up Youtube videos to demonstrate their linguistic skills, but I really wonder what becomes of those people who take all these classes or who buy all these books and methods.
4 persons have voted this message useful



lingoleng
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 5298 days ago
605 posts - 1290 votes 

 
 Message 16 of 45
14 January 2013 at 5:28pm | IP Logged 
s_allard wrote:

Of course there are English-speaking North Americans who have become multilingual to some extent - and often in the circumstances outlined above. But my main observation is that despite what seems to be a great interest in languages and a flourishing language industry, I don't see much in the way of results.


Oh, it's about the English-speaking North Americans. Now that's something completely different, of course ... I often forget that people imply this point of view, sorry.


5 persons have voted this message useful



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