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 Language Learning Forum : Lessons in Polyglottery |  | |
| Master Thomas Newbie United States Joined 5991 days ago 30 posts - 30 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Mandarin, Indonesian | Message 58 of 64 14 January 2009 at 7:33am | IP Logged |
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I could be mistaken but my guess is that he means to get out into a real situation and use it and really, well use it! lol I could be wrong, we await the prof's response. ;)
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| ProfArguelles Moderator United States foreignlanguageexper Joined 7253 days ago 609 posts - 2102 votes  | Message 59 of 64 14 January 2009 at 9:28am | IP Logged |
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Mr. Stevenson,
I do indeed simply and certainly mean going out and interacting with the language in its living environment. Shadowing an Assimil or Linguaphone course in the fashion that I suggest is certainly a most active form of study, but it is still only study, and doing this alone cannot bring you past the intermediate level. After you get through the intermediate level via self-study or any other programed course of instruction, then you need to graduate to using real native materials. Intensive reading of large number of pages, listening to audio-books or radio broadcasts, and watching films or television are among the ways of doing this, and these forms of "study" can bring you into the advanced realm of knowledge of the language and passive abilities to comprehend what is expressed in it. They will also prepare you to be able to express yourself actively in it within a brief span of time when you are finally exposed to it, but they probably will not enable you to do that without that exposure. If travel to the country where your language is spoken is not possible, then certainly corresponding with a pen pal or finding a conversation partner in your own land will take you even further towards activation than simply reading, listening, and watching. A stay in an exclusive linguistic bubble such as is offered at Middlebury College's intensive summer camps will do even more for your command. However, in my experience there is simply no substitute for spending at least several weeks immersed in and absorbed in your language for truly activating it. Obviously the longer you can live it, the better for its development, but again, a few programmed weeks can serve to bring it to life (by this I mean not just traveling around on your own, but working one on one with a phonetically and grammatically conscious tutor in addition to breathing and absorbing it all around you 24 hours a day). I think there can be an important distinction between "to know a language" and "to speak a language." I suppose in the ideal these should overlap, in which case this would be hairsplitting, but in point of fact it is possible to "know" a language rather well and yet not be able to speak it because you have never "activated" it. Conversely, it is also certainly possible to be able to "speak" a language beyond a passable survival level and yet still not really "know" it in any real depth. There are a good number of languages that I myself have studied quite thoroughly for many cumulative hours over many years - Icelandic, Polish, Persian, Hindi, Irish, Greek... - and which I can consequently read rather freely and analyze in detail, but which I certainly cannot speak. I know from experience that I could speak them in relatively short order were I ever to have the opportunity to "activate" them in the above fashion, but I have not yet had such an opportunity and I may never get one. This does not really bother me all that much, but most learners are more practically goal oriented, and so for them, yes, I would say that you must conceive of and plan for an "activation" stay as you plan your serious language studies. I hope this answers your question? Sincerely, Alexander Arguelles 5 persons have voted this message useful | |
| Juan M. Senior Member Colombia Joined 5896 days ago 460 posts - 597 votes | Message 60 of 64 14 January 2009 at 11:42am | IP Logged |
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Good morning. I want to thank you for these excellent videos, and perhaps suggest a new series of video reviews which I believe would be extremely helpful for language learners, and for which you'd be in an exceptional position to produce.
As I've been making long-term plans for language learning, the most important aspect I've had to consider is what I call the language expansion path, or how to go from knowing nothing of a language to achieving full fluency in it. As I study languages not to travel or make chit-chat at restaurants and bars, but to glean a greater understanding and enjoyment of the great works of world literature and thought--as well as to access the wealth of those which never receive a translation--a mediocre or incomplete knowledge of a language would hinder rather than advance my goals. Thus I fret that while there is a great amount of material for beginning a language, as one moves along the learning path the choice of efficient and suitable material becomes opaque. I'm well aware--and this was my experience with English--that after a certain point around the intermediate-advance level the only remaining lesson is active use, but in order to reach that point, what is the best, most efficient, systematic, comprehensive and substantive basket of materials that one may employ for each individual language? As someone who has trodden on this path many times before, I think you'd be in an unrivaled position to guide others on their way to achieving full mastery--not just nominal comprehension--of their language of choice. My suggestion would thus be to consider individual languages and review the best set of materials that together could in your opinion raise a student from ignorance of a language to meaningful fluency, with clear indications of titles, authors, publishers and choice editions so that the viewer can easily identify and procure them. Your choice of materials could perhaps incorporate a degree of redundancy at each stage of learning, so that problems of availability or individual predilection do not become obstacles. I truly think many would find such a series invaluable. Greetings. Goodbye. Edited by JuanM on 16 January 2009 at 5:18pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | |
| ProfArguelles Moderator United States foreignlanguageexper Joined 7253 days ago 609 posts - 2102 votes | Message 62 of 64 16 January 2009 at 4:46pm | IP Logged |
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I have just posted what I hope will be the final video in this series, namely a coordinated approach to Spanish French Italian German.
I will consider Juan's suggestion for a new series on language expansion paths in addition to all the other ones that I have planned. I could never have envisioned or imagined that I would turn into a filmmaker! As to Mr. Stevenson's questions about immersion stays: 10-day linguistic excursions to nearby foreign countries as refresher courses may well be worth it, but no, honestly, I do not think this is long enough to be a worthwhile investment for an initial "awakening" foray, particularly to a distant land. It always takes a bit of time to acclimate and get used to the new program. I would say at least 2 full weeks of study in-country would be much more valuable. At this stage, you most emphatically want one-on-one private tutorials, even if you function well in small classes during the initial learning stages. I concur that 4 hours of instruction is optimal. Whatever living arrangements that give you the most opportunities for free conversation are best. This generally means a family, but a dormitory can work well. At any case, the essential thing is to have an absolute ban on English for this whole time, both in your own head and in terms of speaking with others (of course you can call home to your loved ones!). Alexander Arguelles 5 persons have voted this message useful | |
| Zwlth Super Polyglot Senior Member United States Joined 5223 days ago 154 posts - 320 votes Speaks: English*, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic (Written), Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, Latin, French, Persian, Greek | Message 63 of 64 10 April 2012 at 4:17am | IP Logged |
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This is just to let those who don't subscribe to his channel know that the Prof. has resurrected this series with an overview of DLI Resources. Edited by Zwlth on 13 April 2012 at 2:17am 5 persons have voted this message useful | |
| Zwlth Super Polyglot Senior Member United States Joined 5223 days ago 154 posts - 320 votes Speaks: English*, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic (Written), Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, Latin, French, Persian, Greek | Message 64 of 64 26 April 2012 at 2:39am | IP Logged |
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And now he's made one more about an online resource for shadowing intermediate level bilingual and interlinear texts.
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