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Only gifted polyglots can learn 10+langs? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Polyglots |  | |
| Discombobulate Newbie Australia Joined 4802 days ago 2 posts - 5 votes Speaks: Tagalog* | Message 1 of 53 27 February 2011 at 1:48am | IP Logged | ||
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I've recently stumbled across a video of Torbyne speaking in 15+ languages. I must say
I was quite impressed. Is this something that only the gifted can do? How does one not get confused with languages, suddenly switching between them, I just don't get it (he's even able to switch instantly between languages that he's a pro at and those languages that he's just started/ not at a very high level yet)! Is it possible even for someone who's supposedly not that gifted with languages, or is it a rare attribute possessed only by a select few? What methods/exercises/regimen do you use to erect 'separating fences' between languages that you've been learning? Edited by Discombobulate on 27 February 2011 at 1:51am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| polyglHot Pentaglot Senior Member Norway Joined 4848 days ago 173 posts - 229 votes  Speaks: Norwegian*, English, German, Spanish, Indonesian Studies: Russian | Message 2 of 53 27 February 2011 at 2:22am | IP Logged | ||
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I don't exactly consider him a polyglot but...
Switching is easy, specially in a video you are recording of yourself, that you have planned and rehearsed. Now I'm no polyglot, but I am utterly obsessed with grammar and languages, I think I have an innate talent for it, yes. As well as interest. However I don't know how to talk ABOUT languages, I still don't know what imperfective means for instance. It's all about seeing patterns. It certainly helps to have autistic traits that's for sure. 3 persons have voted this message useful | |||
 Fasulye Heptaglot Winner TAC 2012 Moderator Germany fasulyespolyglotblog Joined 5629 days ago 5460 posts - 6006 votes 1 sounds Speaks: German*, DutchC1, EnglishB2, French, Italian, Spanish, Esperanto Studies: Latin, Danish, Norwegian, Turkish Personal Language Map | Message 4 of 53 27 February 2011 at 9:19am | IP Logged | ||
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Switching suddenly between languages without confusing them is a typical distinguishing mark of polyglots. I experience this during my Skype conversations with other polyglots. For us it's also an element of fun, because when we are with three polyglots in a Skype conversation in French to swith suddenly to Italian for example, it's something we really enjoy.
Fasulye 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Fasulye Heptaglot Winner TAC 2012 Moderator Germany fasulyespolyglotblog Joined 5629 days ago 5460 posts - 6006 votes 1 sounds Speaks: German*, DutchC1, EnglishB2, French, Italian, Spanish, Esperanto Studies: Latin, Danish, Norwegian, Turkish Personal Language Map | Message 6 of 53 27 February 2011 at 9:57am | IP Logged | ||
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Switching languages quickly has to do with thinking in the languages. I can change my thoughts from one language into the other. I think in different languages during daytime and I switch my thoughts to the next language. So this is my daily practise but it comes automatically. For example with my beginner level Danish I still have to learn to think more fluently in this language, because still so much vocabulary is missing. So if you want to switch languages quickly you should work on your thinking habits. I do have some interferences with the three languages Spanish - Italian - Esperanto because they are very similar, but I never mix up my other languages.
Fasulye Edited by Fasulye on 27 February 2011 at 9:58am 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Torbyrne Super Polyglot Senior Member Macedonia SpeakingFluently.com Joined 5877 days ago 126 posts - 721 votes Speaks: French, English*, German, Spanish, Dutch, Macedonian, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, Czech, Catalan, Welsh, Serbo-Croatian Studies: Sign Language, Toki Pona, Albanian, Polish, Bulgarian, TurkishA1, Esperanto, Romanian, Danish, Mandarin, Icelandic, Modern Hebrew, Greek, Latvian, Estonian | Message 7 of 53 27 February 2011 at 10:26am | IP Logged | ||
I'm pleased you liked the video. The things I say in it are pretty basic, but it made sense to give an introduction in that video. I have nothing to prove in terms of convincing people I speak languages. I know what I know and, like everyone on this forum, I have plenty more to learn. Moving from language to language is a matter of practice I think. I have had jobs where I needed to switch between up to 8 languages in a day. One day on a project I needed to use 14 languages in one day (this was an exception but really great to do). These experiences were the best thing to really hone this ability. I grew up speaking English and French. I also had Welsh spoken around me too. This was a good basis to start learning to switch. My university degree was in 4 languages and I did most of the Swedish degree too - so there again I was switching a lot as the studies were concurrent. In Prague, whilst I studied for my advanced diploma in Czech studies, I used many other languages outside the classroom. This has been a theme in my life since I can remember. My home language now is Macedonian and I use Albanian outside the home too. I also speak French, Spanish and German at home daily and I use other languages too (polyglot skyping, friends abroad, work, entertainment and study). I have enjoyed many conversations with Fasulye, Luca, Amir, Ron and Vlad spanning all of our languages in common. They are all members of this forum and lovely people with great language skills. :) So I suppose you could say switching has become a way of life for me. :) 5 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Splog Diglot Senior Member Czech Republic anthonylauder.c Joined 5451 days ago 1062 posts - 3263 votes Speaks: English*, Czech Studies: Mandarin | Message 8 of 53 27 February 2011 at 11:11am | IP Logged | ||
I noticed you are from Norway, which makes me wonder whether you are deliberately being a Troll. 14 persons have voted this message useful |
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