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Long-term language study advice | ||
Tags: Alexander Arguelles | Study Plan | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Lessons in Polyglottery |  | |
| Williy Diglot Newbie Canada Joined 5729 days ago 30 posts - 31 votes Speaks: English*, German Studies: Spanish, French | Message 1 of 2 05 May 2009 at 4:09am | IP Logged |
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Dear Professor Arguelles,
I direct this letter to you in the hopes that perhaps you will be able to advise me on a dilemma that I am having concerning the future of my language studies. I know you are probably extremely busy, but I would hope that my question could perhaps service some other language learners with a similar dilemma. I follow, and have followed this forum for quite some time - and have asked your direct advice in the past. I will first introduce myself to the forum at large, and then direct my more specific question to you. My name is William Fraser, and I currently live in rural Nova Scotia, Canada. I’m 16 years old, and am in Grade 11. I’ve been studying German and French actively for perhaps 6 months, with Latin on the backburner at the moment. I have been interested in languages since just after I lived in Germany from the ages of 11 - 13. I am sad to say that while I did indeed live in Germany for nearly two years, I never acquired the German language - as I attended an international school in the Netherlands. I deeply love language - it is my passion, and I would wish to make a career out of learning as many of them as I can (if that is indeed possible). Thus, it should be no surprise that the first time I read your proposal for an “Ideal Institute for the Study of Polyglottery”, it was as if a light switched on inside of me. I am a good student (if I may say so), and would deeply wish to attend such an institute if it were established. This brings me to my actual question. I currently study for well over an hour every day, but I will soon have hundreds of hours of free time this summer - and beyond, namely in my Gap-Year between High School and University. Thus, I thought it prudent to ask your advice as to the best way at which to approach such a systematic language learning goal. I know that German and French should be acquired first - this I am actively doing, but beyond that, I am sadly inexperienced. What route should I take, if I wish to learn the following languages over perhaps the next 5 years? I am lucky in that I will have a decent amount of time every day (perhaps 2-3 hours most days next year), and even more beyond that, to hopefully devote to the consecutive learning of the languages below. ***Note that I am going to have the ability to visit Europe for an extended period of time, or around 1 year. I will be able to do this in about 12-18 months. I am already at perhaps a low-intermediate level in German, and a high-beginner level in French. Languages French / German / Spanish / Latin / Italian / Dutch / Welsh (or perhaps Irish?) / Ancient Greek / Old English, Old French, Old Irish, and perhaps historical German. I would also like to make clear that the above languages would by no means be a stopping point of any kind for me. I am fully interested in learning as many languages, of as many different families as possible. In summary, I am seeking advice as to how best to manage the systematic and sequential learning of the above languages over perhaps the next 5 years. I would wish to achieve at least a speaking level in all of the modern languages (highest of course in the first three languages), but an ease of reading in all of them comparable (or even slightly less than) English. P.S. I hope very soon to apply for an hour of one-on-one language tutoring with you, in order that I may even out any inefficiencies I may have in actual language study. I thank you for your time Yours sincerely, William Fraser Edited by Williy on 05 May 2009 at 10:41pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| ProfArguelles Moderator United States foreignlanguageexper Joined 7043 days ago 609 posts - 2102 votes  | Message 2 of 2 08 May 2009 at 12:14am | IP Logged |
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Dear Mr. Fraser,
Of course I remember you from our private correspondence. I very much appreciate the earnestness both of your questions and of your interest in a lifetime's commitment to language learning. Forgive me, though, if I do not answer your request here. Although I have tried to answer this kind of letter here on the forum in the past, I have never been satisfied with the process, and I have come to the conclusion that I just cannot do it well in this format. In order to give you right counsel, I need to know far more about you as a learner than can be expressed through an exchange of letters. Also, after I do put a fair amount of energy into suggesting a path for a student, it is disappointing not to get regular feedback as to their progress. Thus, I am glad that you are already planning to apply for one-on-one tutoring with me through the consultation site that I have set up just for this purpose and that I see as the first concrete step towards a physical institute for language learning skills. If you (and anyone else reading this and interested in the offer) will go ahead and sign up and fill out the registration forms now, I will call you so that we can have an initial orientation session gratis and, if you choose, you can then schedule some full consultation sessions at a promotional rate of two hours for one so that we can really get you on your way with not only some tailored advice but also some serious follow-up down the road. Best regards, Alexander Arguelles 1 person has voted this message useful |
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