I have been studying one language or another for almost 20 years straight, so I’ve heard myth after myth after myth about the process. In this post, I
1) identify three especially pernicious ones,
2) give some words of encouragement, and
3) leave you with a GIF from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
Myth #1: There’s a right way and a wrong way to learn a language
Some language bloggers will tell you that you have to use Duolingo for four hours a day. Others say to conjugate 100 verbs a week. Some people even claim that you have to live where your target language is spoken to really learn a language (see next myth).
All of these tips probably work for somebody, but they don’t work for everybody.
The right way is whatever works for you. That’s the deeply unhelpful Gospel truth.
The faster you internalize that rule, the faster you can get to work figuring out what works. I sincerely believe that if you don’t enjoy the process of learning a language, your chances of retaining anything you’ve learned decrease. (That’s my theory behind why so many Americans take Spanish for four years and can’t speak a word of it.)
Myth #2: Immersion is the only way to learn a language
Not everyone can afford to pick up and move to the country where their target language is spoken. Of course it’s helpful to be surrounded by native speakers, but sometimes it’s just not realistic.
I have never spent more than a month in a Spanish-speaking country, but I’m confident in my skills and get complimented on them all the time. In many cases, a good teacher and some patience can take you very far and then immersion can serve as the icing on the cake.
If you don’t have a teacher or friend to practice with, a low-budget way to “immerse” yourself is to find a restaurant or grocery store staffed by people who speak your target language. (This is not license to profile people or force someone who’s just trying to do their job to be your teacher. But sometimes, restaurant staff who live in areas where their language isn’t commonly spoken will be happy to chat with you.)
Another option is to join language learning Facebook groups or download apps like Tandem that match you with native speakers of your target language.
Check out this post I wrote a few years ago for more tips on finding ways to practice your conversational skills abroad and at home!
Myth #3: You can become fluent in a language in two weeks
This last one slides in on a technicality, but I couldn’t resist a brief hike up to the top of my soapbox. If you ask 100 people, you could get up to 100 different definitions of the word fluent. And I guarantee you that people who don’t study languages have a completely different understanding of the word than those of us who do study languages. (One day I’ll write an actual extended rant post about why I hate the word fluent.)
You might be able to get to a very impressive level of what I’ll call proficiency in two weeks, but very few of us can sound like a native (in terms of accent, syntax, use of correct grammar) in two weeks. Especially not those of us who have day jobs.
I have a post on setting realistic goals coming soon, but basically, don’t set yourself up for failure. Unless you’re the main character in a rom com who has lied about foreign language prowess to impress someone, you probably have more than two weeks to learn a language. What’s that saying? Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
Give this task the respect and dedication it deserves. Besides: if you met someone who claimed they became fluent in two weeks, would you automatically believe them or would you take what they said with a grain of salt?
In Closing
As I’m writing this post, I’m less than two months away from turning 25. In a quarter of a century, I’ve managed to study nine languages.
I even feel pretty comfortable in seven of them lol.
The point is, this is not an impossible task. Plus, there has never been a better time to try. For centuries, people who couldn’t dream up Duolingo or Rosetta Stone or this blog (*wink*) if you held a gun to their head have been learning languages. We’ve probably passed the tipping point where we have more resources for language learning than is actually useful. (I know I’m not helping by writing more here but whatever).
What I’m trying to say is: you can do this.
Keep checking my “Language Corner” for tips and DM me/comment your thoughts!