Just do it

There's a certain level of commitment required to learn any language. Most people are capable, but most of them just don't do it. There are a lot of reasons, but they don't really matter. If you've decided to learn a language, you need to just do it. There is so much information out there. Videos, blogs, courses, games, etc.

There are many ways to learn a language. You really just have to pick one and do it. I've mentioned a few of the sites I enjoy, the main ones being Duolingo, Memrise, and LingQ.

You can find music in the target language and listen to it.

You can watch YouTube videos galore on everything you could want to know about learning the language.

But you don't.

It doesn't take a lot of time to grow steadily, but it takes commitment. Don't be a poser. Take it seriously or you really will be wasting your time. That doesn't mean you have to take a college course or shell out hundreds of dollars. I've spent a total of $9 on language learning in the last year.

I've even shared ways to convert your commutes and shower times into language learning sessions.

But you have to do it. Pick one technique. Just one.

And do it.

Show yourself it's possible. You have to build momentum or you'll accomplish nothing.

A half hour class is not commitment. Fifteen minutes a day, though, can show dividends. If you are serious about learning a language but have a legitimate obstacle or struggle, I want to help you. I'll give you the tools, but you have to do one thing in return.

You just have to do it. Follow through. Set a goal and make yourself reach it.

Now stop reading, and do it.

The Case for Conjugations (and some other tips)

The Case for Conjugations

As soon as someone starts talking about languages, the word "fluent" gets tossed around a lot. People often mistake "fluency" for what I call "competence." Many define fluency as "if I had to survive using the language I could do so."

That's not fluency. Even "talking to everybody easily" when everyone has a similar relationship to you is actually quite simple. I went to school in Mexico and could eventually understand classes and discuss them in Spanish, and I could talk about basic things and order food in Spanish. 

But if I had to ask someone to repair my car or fix a leak in a drain pipe, I'd be up the creek. When I started developing deeper relationships with people who didn't speak my language, I found just how rudimentary my Spanish was. I was blessed to have a good friend who was patient enough to sit with me for almost an hour over several occasions to talk and let me stumble around and help me. Here's what I learned about basic fluency:

1: If you want to sound fluid (not fluent), master conjugations. Practice them every day, even if they seem useless sometimes. I knew all the vocabulary to talk about certain topics, but I would get to a verb and stop for ten seconds fumbling over which conjugation to use. Once I could conjugate better (I'm still learning) conversations got a lot easier.

2: Practice every day, and be intentional. Plan ahead what you're going to do and set mini goals. If you want to be able to have a conversation with a chef, study food and kitchen related things, then go practice with the chef. If I stayed longer I might have studied mechanics and then tried to practice at a repair shop.

3: Surround yourself with people who will build you up and keep you accountable. In my case, I had translators everywhere. I wasn't forced to learn the language. But I had a roommate who didn't speak English, and a few friends who didn't. So I made it a point to talk to them. Some weren't patient, so I stopped trying with them until I got better. 

3.5: Be confident: I misused three months just studying and not speaking. Big mistake. Going back to point 2, if I had made it a point to apply everything I was learning in a real world setting, I would have done a lot better. I know because that's what I do now.

TL;DR: If that's the level you want, practice conjugations, be intentional with your real-world practice, surround yourself with support, and be confident.

Fundamentos del fuego y la atención   

FUEGO   

Pasión.   Dedicación.   Responsabilidad.   Estos son los cimientos sobre los que construyes el aprendizaje de un idioma.   Ni la gramática, ni el vocabulario.   La pasión.   No es suficiente para sentirse motivado.   Tienes que mantenerte motivado.   Está más allá de crítica que se involucra en sus esfuerzos por aprender el nuevo idioma con la mentalidad predeterminado que va a alcanzar sus metas.   Lo que me lleva a mis primeras preguntas:   

P) Por qué quieres aprender este idioma?   

Por qué estas aqui?   Dudo que es solamente porque tienes mucho tiempo libre.   Todos estamos ocupados.   Para algunos, la respuesta podría clara y afilado.   Eso es bueno.  Necesitas eso.   Algunos no saben por qué quieren aprender, justo quieren.   Eso está bien, trabaremos arreglar eso.   

Quiero que olvides todo lo que has oido sobre establecer una meta para el propósito de esta clase.   Quiero que dejes de pensar dentro del ámbito de los posible o incluso ideal.   Preguntate lo que en realidad quieres.   Quizá no sea la fluidez.   Quizá sea ver una vida cambiada por Cristo a través de este idioma nuevo.   Quizá sea comunicarse con Amigos o abrir una nueva vía con profesionalidad.   Cualquiera que sea la razón, consigue ese objetivo y minimízalo una vez que lo tengas.   No te digas que no puedes.   ¡Nosotros servimos a un Dios que puede!   

Q) Mide el calor de tu fuego (La fuerza de tu pasión) en una escala del 1 - 10 y hazme saber por qué.   

Si es nada menos que un 7, tú probablemente no disfrutaras el grupo.   Si sientes que éste es el caso, hazmelo saber y hablaremos.   

Concentración   

El segundo elemento crítico para aprender un idioma puede ser resumido en la "concentración".   Puedes tener el mejor material del mundo, pero si no lo usas, no aprenderás nada.   Si lo usas mal, no aprenderás tanto como podrías.   Por la misma razón, sólo aparecer una vez a la semana no va a ser suficiente para lograr nada importante.   Tienes que estar dispuesto a enfocarte.   Te daré el material que necesitas, pero tú eres el único que puede permitirse aprender el idioma.   

Cuanto tiempo quieres emplear en aprender el lenguaje y alcanzar tus metas?   

Qué tan dispuesto estás a probar varios métodos para el aprendizaje de lenguajes?   

Todas estas preguntas ayudan a establecer un punto de inicio sólido y un paracaídas.   Estamos en diferentes puntos en nuestros viajes para aprender el idioma, pero cuando nos juntamos podemos encontrar fortaleza y motivación para avanzar a un punto que sería difícil de lograr si estuviéramos sólos.   

Si tienes sugerencias y consultas, me encantaría escucharlas!   

Contesta en los comentos o mandame un mensaje a mi en FireAndFocusLinguistics@gmail.com para recibir estrategias regulares de aprender idiomas!  

Lifestyle Linguistics - How to download any language with less study time!

We have a lot more time than we think, we just don't use it all as we should. Downloading your language still takes time, but not "study" time. It employs a technique I like to call Lifestyle Linguistics.

Lifestyle Linguistics applies the age old concept that submersing yourself in a culture and language is the best way to learn a language. But why is that? It's not because we have to learn the language. It's because we have to live the language. This fundamental difference will allow you to really Download your language with minimal study time. Here's how it works.

Today, intentionally observe your life. What do you see? While commuting the other day I noted a list of words: car, lamppost, house, dog, street, sidewalk, traffic light, intersection, bus, tree, sky, sunshine, and many others. I can, from these words, see a pattern and an area of focus. This is where my vocabulary should begin - with these simple lifestyle observations.

This will not yet teach you all you need to know about the language. As with downloading to a computer, it takes time. And if you shut off the connection, the download will stop. The more intentional you can be in your life about observing, the faster the download will be.

Take a look around your desk. What do you see? Folders, notebooks, computers, lamps, windows, co-workers. Keep going deeper. What is your desk made out of? How would you describe the contents of the folder? Make these notes in your own language and then when you do "study" you're really just changing the lenses through which you see life, like changing the subtitle language on your TV.

The more creative you are, the more fun you'll have. Start by mentally pointing out a mailbox or a yard and say the word in your target language. Then a week later see the same items but challenge yourself to describe more about it. What colors do you see? This will allow you to spend only a short time each day "studying" the language, and the rest of the time living it!

There are lots of ways to acquire vocabulary in the first place so you can apply it to your life, and I'll mention them in detail later. But for now, get out there and live your language!

Foundations of Fire and Focus

A Foundation of Fire and Focus

FIRE Passion. Devotion. Commitment. These are the foundation you build language learning on. Not grammar, not vocabulary. Passion. It’s not enough to get motivated. You have to stay motivated. It is beyond critical that you engage in your efforts to learn your new language with the predetermined mindset that you will reach your goals. Which brings me to my first few questions:   Q) Why do you want to learn this language?    Why are you even here? I doubt it’s because you just have that much free time on your hands. We’re all busy. For some, the answer might be clear and sharp. That’s good. You need that. Some don’t really know why they want to learn, they just do. That’s all right, we’ll work to fix that.    I want you to forget everything you’ve heard about goal setting for the purpose of this class. I want you to stop thinking within the realm of possible or even ideal. Ask yourself what you actually want. Maybe it’s not fluency. Maybe it’s seeing a life changed by Christ through this new language. Maybe it’s communicating with friends or opening a new avenue professionally. Whatever the reason, get that goal and don’t minimize it once you have it. Don’t tell yourself you can’t. We serve a God who can! Q) Rate the heat of your fire (the strength of your passion) on a scale of 1-10 and let me know why. If it’s anything less than a 7, you probably won’t enjoy the group. If you feel this is the case, let me know and we’ll talk. FOCUS The second critical element in language learning can be summed up in “focus.” You can have the best material in the world, but if you don’t use it, you’ll learn nothing. If you use it wrong, you’re not going to learn as much as you could. For the same reason, just showing up once a week isn’t going to be enough to accomplish anything substantial. You have to be willing to focus. I’ll give you the material you need, but you’re the only one who can allow yourself to learn the language.    Q) How much time do you want to put into learning the language and reaching your goals?   Q) How willing are you to give various methods of language learning a try?    All of these questions help to establish a solid starting point and a launching pad. We’re at a different place in our language learning journeys, but when we come together we can find strength and motivation to advance at a pace that would be difficult to accomplish alone.   Through the weeks as we meet (or if you’re not part of the Spanish group, as you get the emails), I will be completely open to criticism and critique. I am by no means a master language learner, and I don’t know it all. If you have suggestions and questions, I’d love to hear them! Respond in the comments or email me at FireAndFocusLinguistics@gmail.com to receive regular language learning strategies!

Copyright © 2015 Luke Parker, All rights reserved.