How would Einstein approach a new language?

Einstein is said to have figured out the riddle of relativity after imagining himself riding a beam at the speed of light. My answer to the riddle of how best to learn another language comes from imagining myself listening at the speed of sound.

If you process language quickly, at the speed of sound, you have no time to think. And if you’ve no time to think, then you’ve no time to analyze, second-guess oneself, worry, become perfectionistic, grow self-conscious, prevaricate, procrastinate—all those naughty things that brains do when you give them too much time.

So read at (least as quickly as) the speed of listening. Listen uninterruptedly. Cover a lot of ground so as to progress evenly and holistically on every front.

I tell you, it works.

What's the best way?

How do you determine what the best way to learn a language (or languages) is?

Two obvious approaches:

1. See how the best language learners are doing it, and take a leaf out of their book (a leaf that you save).
2. See how the worst language learners are doing, take a leaf out of their book . . . and do the opposite (i.e. you throw that leaf away).

 I've been exposed to both ways in Japan these last few years.

I've been researching into the techniques that polyglots use, so as to apply them myself to learning Japanese. I've observed how the Japanese try to learn English (and realized that I share some of their less than ideal whatchamacallits).

They study seriously. They waste a lot of energy. They do it formally. They analyze ad infinitum (until the cows come home). They try never to make mistakes. They use shaming techniques on each other. Their humbleness becomes negative self-talk. All sorts of things like this are going on here.

And as I say, I share some of those tendencies. I may have picked them up from them to some extent, but I had many of them before I came here, to be fair.

So anyway, if things aren't going all that well, try doing the opposite. You may well end up in a better place!

Steal others' ideas

Well, not exactly steal.

Borrow, maybe.

Or adapt.

Use.

It's worth checking out other approaches that people take to learning a language (especially those used by successful language learners, and even more especially the approaches of people who initially failed).  

Begin by getting hold of a copy of 'The Polyglot Project' (or here as a pdf) which is chocka-block packed with such accounts. Follow up the leads. Identify the common themes. 

Try ideas on for size.

Identify (and avoid) your off-buttons

What do you personally dislike about learning a language? Work out what it is and avoid it.

Why do I suggest that?

The rationale for this is that there are countless way of acquiring another language. That being so, you may as well choose a method that doesn't rub your fur up the wrong way.

I mean, our goal is not to build moral fibre!

Avoid what you dislike. That way you are in less danger of quitting.

So if you have doing exercises, don't do them!
If grammar ain't your cup of tea, don't drink it!
If the thought of speaking to a native speaker makes you break out in a cold sweat, don't sweat it!
Just stay shtum.

Naturally, if you give into every impulse to flee, then you may need to be a little creative and inventive about filling in the gaps. But that's doable.

The main thing is to avoid those off-buttons.

There are always other ways and means.

Heed the common principles

There must be as many language-learning methods, or methodologies, as there are people. They probably work for someone, somewhere—most likely the people who dreamed them up. If they actually tested them out on themselves, that is.

In other words, everyone has ideas on what you should do to learn another language. They have beliefs, assertions, myths, theories, hypotheses and what have you. Do it this way! Do it that way! Do it my way! Do it your way!  Seven billion and counting.

I think it’s important to sift through everything—well, not everything as that is obviously impossible—but it’s a good idea to keep an eye open for principles that are common to all popular methods. It’s important that whatever you try yourself is in accord with those principles. Otherwise you’ll most likely be barking up the wrong tree.

Some of those principles:

• It’s going to take time, so you need to be patient
• Eventually you are going to have to use the language automatically
• There’s a lot to remember, but you’ll forget it many times
• You can’t learn to speak just by reading
• You first language will interfere with the second sometimes
• Unless you remain interested, you are likely to give up
• You are going to make mistakes—get used to it!

If it doesn't work, exterminate!

There are a zillion ways to learn a language. You owe none of them any loyalty.

So let's say that you are trying one way, and that for whatever reason it doesn't work out.

I say, drop it!

Forget it.

Stop doing it.

Maybe try to figure out why it doesn't work for you, and use that as a clue to pick something else to try.

Really, why would you continue beating your head against a brick wall if there are so many other options?

Grammar sucks

Somewhere along the line, people got the idea that the way to learn another language is to study its grammar, and then to practice applying those rules, translating from one language into the other. That's the  'Grammar Translation Method'.

It is derived from the 'traditional' or 'classical' way of teaching Greek and Latin. Well, you know how useful that was for your schoolboy Latin!

Intuitively, grammar translation seems to be the way you'd go about learning another language. Trouble is, it doesn't work. Or rather, it does work (because every method will eventually get you there) but slowly, painfully, boringly, and tediously.

The Grammar Translation Method has been deemed ineffective by the authorities themselves.

We don't even get taught the grammar of our own language at school anymore for that very reason.

How can I get across that point most succinctly and forcefully?

How about this: no one out of all the billions of people in the world ever ,earned their own language through studying its grammar. Not one. And yet 99% of people could use their mother tongue within a year or two of birth!

The grammar of a language is NOT the language itself. They are two totally different subjects. No one confuses Physics with Physical Education. 

Continue

The best single word of advice that any language learner should take to heart is the word 'CONTINUE'.

That's because, no matter which method or methods you use, you will eventually succeed if you continue!

Every learning method works! Every. Method.

If you just but continue, you will master any language! It is impossible to fail (if you follow the advice).

It feels awesome when that message sinks in for the first time. 

Of course, some methods are going to take you longer.

MUCH longer.

Hence the purpose of this blog.