One Simple Method to Learn Any Language | Scott Young & Vat Jaiswal | TEDxEastsidePrep

Sdílet
Vložit
  • čas přidán 23. 04. 2015
  • While few of us will ever take on the ambitious challenge of learning four foreign languages in a year, many of us yearn to be more proficient in another language. The secret to success as it turns out is simpler than you think.
    Scott Young is a blogger, speaker and author. He previously spoke at TEDx EastsidePrep about his project “The MIT Challenge” to self-test MIT’s undergraduate computer science curriculum in one year, using their freely available information. His most recent project was with Vat Jaiswal, traveling to four countries, learning languages, with the goal of not speaking English for an entire year. He writes about learning and self-education at his website, ScottHYoung.com.
    Vat Jaiswal is a graduate student, aspiring architect and filmmaker. His most recent project was with Scott Young on The Year Without English, where he traveled through Spain, Brazil, China, Taiwan and Korea creating four short documentaries on language learning and cultural immersion. He shares his work, including experimental time-lapse photography and an interview series with successful architects, at vatjaiswal.com
    This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Komentáře • 1,4K

  • @littleripper312
    @littleripper312 Před 8 lety +1582

    The real reason most people do not learn a language is because they like the idea of learning it but not the reality of learning it.

    • @OngoingDiscovery
      @OngoingDiscovery Před 8 lety +63

      +littleripper312 Yeah, the reality of learning a lagnuage is that it requires hours of work, and unless you rpassionate about that learning process, as opposed to the idea of being bilingual, its gonna be tough to motivate yourself through the steep learning curve. They are right that once you get to the point where you can be conversational, it becomes a lot more fun and a lot less work tho

    • @onee
      @onee Před 8 lety +23

      +ForShizzleize
      Learning smart can save you time. Besides that learning requires true interest. A lot of people are interested in sports, and know pretty much anything about the club they support. When it was build, who the past players were, who the past trainers were, why the team sucks, why their competitors suck etc. But when it comes to learning a new language they don't treat it the same way. They just see it as something they should "just do" one day.
      I know people who lived in a foreign country for decades, but were never interested in learning the language, and lived right next to people who spoke their own language. Now, after decades they still don't know how to speak the language the country they live in. Or they only know a couple of basic words.
      They basically created a necessity. Speaking no English at all which forced them to learn the other language.

    • @rudra9506
      @rudra9506 Před 8 lety +5

      +littleripper312 Signed in to like this comment :)
      and this is same for anything in life!

    • @ManjilAcharya
      @ManjilAcharya Před 8 lety +1

      +littleripper312 I have spent months studying diabetes and found a fantastic website at Diabetes Crusher Tactic (google it if you are interested)

    • @BobanX1
      @BobanX1 Před 8 lety +2

      +littleripper312 I've been studying studying Japanese and discovered a great website at Japanese Magic Method (google it if you're interested)

  • @BiMiHi
    @BiMiHi Před 7 lety +2763

    To save you 16 minutes,
    3 simple rules:
    1. Find one person to talk with, a conversation partner
    2. No english rule with this person, only language that you are learning
    3. Start speaking :)
    "a good start is half the success"

    • @Chickchick-fv7nh
      @Chickchick-fv7nh Před 7 lety +22

      yes, there are to much opening

    • @iAmKagome22
      @iAmKagome22 Před 7 lety +10

      thanks wew!

    • @raisent1751
      @raisent1751 Před 7 lety +4

      Thank you)

    • @galimir
      @galimir Před 7 lety +52

      thanks!I wish all videos about learning something were that short and clear like your extraction...One loses thoysands of hours just to get through boring useless intros and rants (and often to find out at the end its not what he came for ;) )....

    • @alessiamartina
      @alessiamartina Před 7 lety +11

      + no worries about mistakes, using dictionary or translator, just try and get confident with that language with that person (if you can't move to the country whose language you're interested in)

  • @shane7615
    @shane7615 Před 8 lety +779

    Learning a language is like building muscles. Everyone wants them but most people won't put in the effort.

    • @AdaptaFilms
      @AdaptaFilms Před 8 lety +6

      Good point. Many give up.

    • @torgeirHD03
      @torgeirHD03 Před 8 lety +1

      +Shane Wilson also there is not way to know you will ever reach that goal i can do 700 sit ups every day but that doesnt mean i will every get a perfect six pack.Why should i try when so many people have tried and failed?Why should i succeed and not them?My arm isnt 20 inches after 6 minutes of lifting weights i give up.

    • @yanisk948
      @yanisk948 Před 8 lety +1

      +Campbell N. qu'on aille*

    • @Shadowmere29
      @Shadowmere29 Před 7 lety +10

      The difference is that learning a language can be way more enjoyable.

    • @maxaldrig5879
      @maxaldrig5879 Před 7 lety +5

      May depend on your objectives... It will be as hard as your motivation lets you

  • @aestheticman2662
    @aestheticman2662 Před 8 lety +658

    When you learn a language in another county where that language is spoken (Total Immersion Approach), there are THREE GOLDEN RULES that I applied to myself when I learned one of the most difficult languages even better than many native speakers:
    1. TELL the people that you are trying to learn their language and you need their help. They will be very happy and enthusiastic to help you by speaking their language with you as if you are one of them. You may not understand at the BEGINNING, that's perfectly normal.DO NOT BE WITHDRAWAL or SHY.
    2. APPRECIATE mild criticism and corrections from the native speakers of that language and ASK them to correct your mistakes (otherwise, you will keep making the same mistake over and over again and that would be frustrating)
    3. ABSOLUTELY IGNORE those who laugh at you when you make mistakes and DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED AT ALL. Always REMEMBER (and even tell them when necessary): those who make fun of you/laugh at you CANNOT SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE... maybe don't know even a word, but YOU SPEAK and/or already KNOW SOME WORDS/PHRASES in their language. So you're already ahead of them, right? Best of luck!

    • @knueppeldick
      @knueppeldick Před 8 lety +3

      +Aesthetic Man Excellent post, thank you for sharing!

    • @aestheticman2662
      @aestheticman2662 Před 8 lety +9

      I'm happy if my suggestions are helpful. Good luck, bro!

    • @dannycrosby7962
      @dannycrosby7962 Před 8 lety +27

      Aesthetic Man: by adhering to the 3 rules you mentioned my wife was able to accomplish in 3 years what took me decades. When I first met her she spoke no English at all and my Spanish was very basic (who, what, when, where and why). I had always been very timid about making mistakes and embarrassing myself which always held me back whereas she advanced quickly because she wasn't afraid and wouldn't let any ridicule affect her. Just as you had said most of the people who laughed or made snyde comments about her English could only speak one language and now she's bilingual.

    • @aestheticman2662
      @aestheticman2662 Před 8 lety +4

      Good for her Danny! Sounds that she knows the formula...Congrats! :)

    • @suppawit2540
      @suppawit2540 Před 6 lety

      Aesthetic Man ตต

  • @emiliosgregoriou8943
    @emiliosgregoriou8943 Před 8 lety +454

    Making mistakes in languages is kind of like farting,You don't like doing it, but it's a sign that your bowels are working.

    • @chinesespeakwelsh
      @chinesespeakwelsh Před 8 lety +35

      +Emilios Gregoriou its better because if you make mistakes in public, ppl are willing to help you out. that's not the case of farting in public.

    • @icouldbealiontamer
      @icouldbealiontamer Před 8 lety +1

      +Emilios Gregoriou Oooh, eisai apo tin kuprou? I'm learning Greek right here right now ;)

    • @emiliosgregoriou8943
      @emiliosgregoriou8943 Před 8 lety

      icouldbealiontamer Yep, born and raised Greek Cypriot

    • @mottahead6464
      @mottahead6464 Před 8 lety +8

      +Emilios Gregoriou Which is a great thing by the way. No bowel movement means one is getting full of shit.

    • @Doooooof
      @Doooooof Před 8 lety +6

      What a beautiful way of looking at it. Made me laugh.

  • @WakandaBabe
    @WakandaBabe Před 8 lety +94

    I can say that I learned ASL by forcing myself to use the language and not speaking. When I started associating with deaf people, going to their homes, their parties where I was forced to sign, it helped me learn. I then went to ASL classes where NO speaking was allowed. My head used to ache!! And then, one day, I started thinking in the language. Hearing people would talk to me and I automatically would sign...without thinking about it. Finally, the best experience I had was when I was at a party with all deaf people. The deaf couple throwing the party knew I was a hearing person but no one else did. Finally, in conversation, the husband mentioned that I was hearing and everyone turned and looked at me. "You're hearing? I thought you were deaf!" I knew then I had turned a corner and really spoke like a native. Very satisfying.

  • @dungang9000
    @dungang9000 Před 7 lety +33

    18 mins =
    1. Find a friend who speaks that language with you.
    2. No your mother language rule. Speak only in your target language.
    3. Start speaking.

  • @henrystivenson9792
    @henrystivenson9792 Před 6 lety +12

    Few people know about a pragmatic, efficient way to learn a new language. Those who do, advance in learning steadily and according to their schedule. While most people find themselves learning a new language as a necessity, many others do it because it is fun. It feels more sophisticated to know more than one language. It can be highly beneficial in your life over the long run. However, it is not an easy task to learn a new language no matter whether it is for fun or out of necessity. You've probably seen friends or acquaintances talk about wanting to learn a foreign language, then enthusiastically purchasing products, books, and maybe even enrolling into a course or program, only to ultimately see the reality of the fact that they have failed in their pursuit of learning another language. According to The Guardian, the ICM survey, which questioned 1,001 young people aged 14-24 from across the UK in June this year, paints a picture of a generation perhaps surprisingly open to the prospect of language learning, but often deeply lacking in the confidence of their ability to put their language studies into practice. The research had indicated that A-level languages are perceived as being harder than other subjects and their content is demotivating. Sitting down with a language textbook and trying to teach yourself a new language is not only boring, it takes an inordinate amount of time. It can take months to capture the basics of a particular language. Fluency comes far later. Often, we don’t have the luxury of spending months learning a language. For example, those people who are migrating or taking up a job abroad.
    However as an individual learner or with a tutor, the student can cut down the time it takes him/her to master the basics of a new language. There are methods that can be used to reduce the time it takes.
    Main Essentials of Learning a New Language - They distinguish three main essentials associated with learning a new language; namely the vocabulary, basic sentence elements / patterns, and grammar rules. Vocabulary - the most basic step towards learning a new language is to learn its words. Familiarity with the words will lead you to form sentences. Sentence Patterns and Elements - this has to do with how you ask and answer questions. Making coherent sentences is the way to make someone understand what you are saying. The ability will also help you understand what others are saying and how you might respond. Grammar Rules - Each language has certain rules that need to be followed.
    There is a special type of media developed for the first and second component - a bilingual graded book. Bilingual graded books are also called bilingual graded readers. They offer a parallel translation that allows the user to learn a new language in less time. With the translation on the same page, learners can effortlessly learn what any unfamiliar words mean. They can quickly pick up new vocabulary and phrases that are used over and over in texts of bilingual graded books. When they read a graded bilingual reader, they can pick up chunks of language and vocabulary that they can use in conversation and other real-world applications. It also significantly reduces the amount of time it takes to become conversational in a new language. As you read a bilingual reader, your brain begins to remember words and phrases simply because you are exposed to them several times. You don’t even realize, until you have to recall what you’ve learned, that you have already learned the new words and phrases. Listen to the audio tracks that should always accompany a bilingual graded book to learn how words are said and to improve your overall ability to speak the new language. A good idea is to use the free VLC media player to control the playing speed. You can control the playing speed by decreasing or increasing the speed value on the button of the VLC media player's interface.
    Decide what is better for you a paper book or an e-book. Many of the e-readers by Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo have dictionaries pre-loaded on their devices, with options to download additional ones, for free. If you do not have an e-reader, you do not have to buy one, because you can download it as a free app to your phone and use it right away. Writing your own notes, searching or making highlights is ridiculously simple with an e-reader or e-reading app. Anything you do with an e-book is also synced to the cloud, ensuring any change will follow you, no matter what device you are on.
    At first search on Google for "bilingual graded books" or "bilingual graded books for beginners". Choose and buy a book on a suitable topic, for example general, business, medical, culinary, dialogues, students, cooking, family, tourists, detective, short story or whatever you like. Read it for about twenty minutes a day. If you do it every day, you will be surprised how much you can learn in a month's time. Try to use the target language after you have learned for a month. If you don't have an opportunity to talk to native speakers at home or at work/study, use your target language in small talk on Skype or another online chat. Search on Google for "free online clean chat rooms" and pick up the one that suits your interests. Two or three minutes of small talk two or three times a week or more often will give you some motivation and encourage you to learn new questions and answers for new dialogues. Compile a list of questions and answers for your dialogues in a target language or find them on Google with keywords "Bilingual graded books dialogues" and try using them.
    Don't be afraid of making errors. They are your steps to success. You will spot and correct them sooner or later anyway. They will not be for the rest of your life. Better not to talk at all than to talk incorrectly? Wrong! Start talking as much as you can! Your language will improve every time you talk. A learner who knows only a hundred words and isn't shy of talking will progress more quickly than the one who knows a thousand words but remains silent because he or she is afraid of saying something wrong.
    It can usually take you from one to three months to finish a bilingual graded reader at beginner level (A1) and elementary level (A2). The amount of time depends on your previous experience with learning foreign languages and on your personal abilities. At this point you should be able to ask and answer simple questions with the following questioning words: What? Who? Where? When? Which? How many/much? As you improve and become more confident in your ability to use the new language, you can move on to the next reader level and continue your language-learning journey. After using a bilingual graded book for a week or two you are ready to study grammar rules, so buy a good grammar book. A grammar book will satisfy your curiosity about grammar rules awakened by the bilingual graded book. Read the grammar book to find out how you can use your target language more precisely. Follow this order - first read a reading book, then use a grammar book and exercises to make your learning experience uninterrupted.
    Language text with a parallel translation has helped many to uncover their potential for learning multiple languages. Whether you are learning a language as a hobby or for a necessary purpose, you will find such books are supportive. Using them is by far more pragmatic, efficient way to learn a new language than a "learn a language in two weeks" program. However you should frequently use the target language by using bilingual graded books with audio tracks, grammar books, chats, internet pages and even songs to maintain your motivation and progress. Remember - twenty minutes a day does the magic!

  • @nicolejohnson829
    @nicolejohnson829 Před 7 lety +162

    This may seem like simple advise, but as someone who teaches people English and a language learner, the obvious is sometimes not-so-obvious. There is this insecurity that comes with communicating in a new way that we have to overcome. People who study a language for years on end or who are exposed to a language for years and never learned it, are obsessed with getting everything right. The goal should be to communicate by using the language, not to say every sentence perfectly. Even native speakers make a lot of mistakes. Once we are able to communicate, then we can continue to refine our understanding and way of expressing things. Just as a child continues to refine their language skills as they learn and grow.

    • @supportme123
      @supportme123 Před 6 lety +1

      Your first sentence contains a misrelated subclause - tut tut ! :)

    • @misskmcp
      @misskmcp Před 4 lety +5

      That was my problem during a long time. I didn't wanna make mistakes, so my english didn't improve... so I started to understand what I was doing wrong: so many things! Actually I still make many mistakes, but I am able to say things that I didn't imagine. Now I continue to learn and I'm not feel downhearted anymore. It takes time to learn and be fluent in a second language, but I won't give up. That's my dream: speak fluently....

    • @belvederebaileycambodia
      @belvederebaileycambodia Před 4 lety

      @@supportme123 simply corrected by " is"

    • @user-qr1zp2us5b
      @user-qr1zp2us5b Před 4 lety +2

      @@ngtconga7583
      To be honest every damn person says "wanna" in some situation, and we are not lazy because of that one word. We all started hearing the word and it became a natural slang between English. (Or atleast in America.)
      But in some degree if you meet a stranger or want (or have) to be formal you would use "want to" however in informal conversations "wanna" is alright.

    • @crazydragy4233
      @crazydragy4233 Před rokem

      I think a lot of this is because of how school teaches language, which is always a very unnatural process that makes learning way harder and complex

  • @SingZeon48
    @SingZeon48 Před 8 lety +12

    As someone that is bilingual in both Eng and Chi, I must say that after 12 weeks, their (brief) demonstration of Chinese is very impressive! Even though the tone is still off (which actually matters), but their main sentence structure was very coherent. Good job

  • @believeinnature8930
    @believeinnature8930 Před 2 lety +12

    Love this video! It reminded me of all I did to learn how speak English. First of all, I felt in love with the sound of the English language when I was in 3rd grade. A couple of salesman came to my school offering English books. They went classroom by classroom teaching English from their books. My first words were:
    Book=libro
    Pencil=lápiz
    Teacher=maestro
    Apple=manzana
    House=casa
    School=escuela
    That demonstration made me dream on speaking English someday, just like those gays spoke.
    Second, even though English was not part of the academical curriculum at the elementary school, I played pretending that I spoke English by repeating words and some sentences I heard in songs.
    Second, once I was in secondary school (middle and high school) I had English clases twice a week only, but oh boy, those two hours were like the bread and water that fed me. For some reason it was so easy for me to understand the English grammar. Writing words, sentences and paragraphs were like putting puzzle pieces together.
    My best grades were in the English classes. I think, I never got tired of making the effort to learn the language.
    Third, I had the opportunity to continue my education in the United States. I took some ESL (English as a Second Language) clases. I remember telling my self that If I really wanted to understand the English language and speak it I had to play the rule NO SPANISH AT ALL. So, I distanced myself from all Spanish speaking classmates (unless we spoke English) and became great friends with a classmate from Vietnam and another one from South Korea. We forced each other to speak English because it was our common language. Lastly, I decided to work for a few hours a day. This also helped me to force myself to speak English because nobody spoke Spanish.
    I think that to learn how to speak another language you must have a STRONG DESIRE to do all it takes to accomplish the goal.
    To this day, I am still learning and I love it!!!
    What I am going to do now is learning how to speak Italian!!! I love that language as well!!!
    Best luck to those learners!!!

  • @SageKayDee
    @SageKayDee Před 7 lety +45

    The audio on this sucks, but it's a good presentation.

  • @tripontube365
    @tripontube365 Před 8 lety +37

    the best way of learning the language is "You have to live in there country" more than 3 months continuously. I used to learn Chinese in short course for 1 year and I completely forgot every lesson that I learned , even "How much" in Chinese i completely forgot it. After that I move to China from zero Chinese skill. It was amazing I can speak Chinese just 1 week after live in China and i speak so fluently.
    the second sufficient way of learning language is Watching the movie and don't look subtitle. you have to look there mouth when they say and read the body-language when they act. and you will be surprise to get the meaning what they say.

    • @chinesespeakwelsh
      @chinesespeakwelsh Před 8 lety +6

      +Trip on Tube True. and apart from living in that country, one other idea that has to be dropped is how hard one language is. the concept that Chinese tops the list of most difficult languages has intimidated millions of learners before they embark on their language learning journey. yet there are also many many successful chinese learners who speak better than many chinese do.

    • @sarban1653
      @sarban1653 Před 4 lety +2

      I don't think the second rule is true. If it was true, then many people here would know Japanese from watching anime without subs lol.

    • @yassineouahmane9535
      @yassineouahmane9535 Před 3 lety +1

      Exactly that will help us to learn languages very Quickly but the most important you have to be motivated all your Journey and never give up i'm trying to learn english now and also frensh but a little bit because i still searching if our mind can Acquire and grasp two similairs languages at the same time . Just make it fun and be esuthiasm with langauges and don't put a limit line because you are not a driver in the journey of learning langauges. Just try to put in 1 hour or 30 min at least to learn language that you really want to learn and focus on listening skills and don't be Frustrated after 1 months or less you have to be patient ( maybe you notice a lot of mistakes in my essay but doesn't Matter like this we will learn😉 😅)

    • @brendon2462
      @brendon2462 Před 3 lety

      Not true, we have plenty of native media available. All you have to do is immerse.

    • @theywalkinguptoyouand4060
      @theywalkinguptoyouand4060 Před 3 lety +1

      You learned chinese in 1 week. Woooow. You should be famous then. Lol
      Maybe try the same technique in english. Your horrible broken english shows it's not your primary.

  • @TwilcLearnMandarinChinese
    @TwilcLearnMandarinChinese Před 7 lety +21

    Hey Scott and Vat, that is absolutely best explanation on how to learn any language. Too bad that at school, they teach the languages the wrong way... I wasted 9 years learning German (I am Czech native)... I was able to speak English in 3 months (living in NYC) and I picked up also Spanish language by default...(worked with Mexicans :-)...) Now I started to learn Mandarin, just because I always loved that culture, but many people discourage me to learn it... for various reasons I listen to naysayer... Now I started to travel to Hong Kong and China... I am all the way in and pushing myself to the second zone now... and it really is very rewarding.... this video was the one that motived me to do so. So Thanks again... Brett

  • @yeeiriser
    @yeeiriser Před 4 lety +10

    I would say this method works, I did all the time when I can. However, the hardest part is not every native speaker u talk to is willing to be or can be your language teacher (he might not be good at teaching or he doesn’t have enough patience to keep correcting u every day). Knowing that from my experience, I think learning language through TV series is the second best and fastest because the content on the series tends to be pretty simple and related to everyday life/activities.

  • @Valerious000
    @Valerious000 Před 7 lety +3

    Vat and Scott, thanks so much for your talk! Your method jives with my experience and will likely work well for me. I've been living in Japan for 7 months and, while I've improved (vacillating between the first and second wave depending on how comfortable I am with the person), my progress has been hurt by taking English where I can get it. With my Japanese friends, we speak somewhere between 65% and 100% English when together (depending on their skill). Speaking a mix of English and Japanese is the most effective way for us to communicate in the short-term, but it doesn't help us improve as much as if we designated chunks of time (even whole days) to speaking only one and then switching for the next time. I'm going to suggest this to a few friends. Also, it didn't occur to me just how helpful it could be to speak only Japanese with my friends who are also learning it. Turn a desire into a need, right? Thanks!

  • @deawinter
    @deawinter Před 8 lety +28

    I'm a little bit confused by the people complaining that this presentation was too obvious. Like, yes, of course we've heard this before - because it works. It works quickly, and effectively, and almost nobody does it because it's frustrating and embarrassing and incredibly difficult. But it does work.

  • @2sridhark
    @2sridhark Před 8 lety +10

    I am an Indian (from India) who can speak English, Tamil (my mother tongue), Hindi, Urdu and am trying to learn Malayalam (the language my wife speaks) and Sanskrit.
    I think I have my cup full!

    • @ahansagreiya7452
      @ahansagreiya7452 Před 8 lety +1

      +Sridhar Kaushik Pros of living in India - 14 official languages to choose from within the country. BTW #respect

  • @lorinaharrisart
    @lorinaharrisart Před 8 lety +4

    This is so true! I learned to Speak fluent Dutch in less than 6 months before starting school. I refused to speak English, worked for a year in odd temporary jobs while resorting to "baby" Dutch, until I acquired enough more sophisticated phrases. I was willing to look and sound like an idiot until I could learn to have confidence in my language. It paid off when it got to the point that native speakers could not figure out where I was from, which for an American speaking Dutch, it was a big deal. I also refused to speak English even though the Dutch are quite efficient in English, and that was very helpful when they realized I truly wanted to learn the language, as they were happy to help me on my venture. I went on to graduate from a Dutch School of higher learning in the following 4 years taking the classes entirely in Dutch. So, yes I agree wholeheartedly with your method, and think it will help more people focus on what is necessary to pick up a new language. Well done!

  • @wiscgaloot
    @wiscgaloot Před 8 lety +5

    The fear thing is spot on. I have no shame at all in making mistakes in learning a language, and I easily learned Portuguese living 9 months in Brazil, at age 50. I'm working on switching that over to Spanish now, and adding bits of other languages along the way. I just make a point of using them whenever I can, and asking the native speakers how to say various phrases. It's a ton of fun to do this at my age!

  • @CzarDodon
    @CzarDodon Před 8 lety +125

    I'd love to have the time and money to spend a year travelling and learning 4 languages.
    However, I did learn Italian in exactly this way, and it's absolutely true that you need to break through the frustration stage (I think I was very lucky that the Italians were very bad at speaking English back then and that they are very communicative people with plenty of imagination and patience) but at the same time it is absolutely essential that a language learner understands and accepts that the frustration phase is natural and necessary, it's the time you need to break down the barriers in your brain and create a space for the language to grow and develop.

    • @zawuz2681
      @zawuz2681 Před 8 lety

      +CzarDodon did you go italy without knowing any italian before hand, or did you already know some, if not did you just whip out a dictionary/google translate when you spoke to anyone?

    • @CzarDodon
      @CzarDodon Před 8 lety +1

      +Potato Man I had no Italian at all except for ciao pizza and spaghetti, and it was 30 years ago so there was no Google Translate (which is a very poor tool in any case since it is unable to contextualize) and I didn't have a dictionary, it was just gestures and repetition, using words that seemed similar and so on.... lots of patience and much frustration, but it did the trick

    • @andreacroci7741
      @andreacroci7741 Před 8 lety

      +CzarDodon Complimenti. Ma anche oggi molti italiani parlano un inglese pessimo.

    • @CzarDodon
      @CzarDodon Před 8 lety

      Andrea Croci vero, ma le cose stanno migliorando (forget Renzi...ugh).... invece tanti anglofoni vivono anni in italia senza imparare l'italiano MAI, è una vera vergogna, sembrano le signore inglesi del '800

    • @andreacroci7741
      @andreacroci7741 Před 8 lety

      +CzarDodon Anche questo è vero.

  • @naomi1245
    @naomi1245 Před 6 lety +6

    I'm learning English and I understand how hard it is to learn a another language. However, the truth is that it's pretty difficult to put yourself in that environment, like these guys are saying. And you also need a strong mental to take such action.💪

  • @disarmsox
    @disarmsox Před 9 lety +427

    Google translate is ok for words but terrible at translating whole sentences!

    • @leiatskynet
      @leiatskynet Před 8 lety +8

      disarmsox Words and phrases I would say, and it depends on the language.

    • @SheetalTehlan
      @SheetalTehlan Před 8 lety

      disarmsox ya you are right

    • @disarmsox
      @disarmsox Před 8 lety +7

      ***** It struggles with grammar and sentence construction.

    • @flaze3
      @flaze3 Před 8 lety +11

      +disarmsox I don't agree. If you type in short commonly used "typical" sentences, it translates them well. The trick is not to use complicated sentences with multiple clauses and complex grammar (e.g. subjunctive)

    • @tyhod123
      @tyhod123 Před 8 lety

      +FichDichInDemArsch Skype Translator is pretty accurate *not 3rd part applications to Skype, I'm referring to the Windows 8/Windows 10 App in the app store

  • @pacopecas100
    @pacopecas100 Před 9 lety +4

    I totally agree with this. I recently moved to the country about four years ago, not knowing a word of English. I am currently a high school graduate and I am proud to say that I graduated with honors (even took college level classes). I truly believe that everything is possible if you work hard.

  • @juliannalin19
    @juliannalin19 Před 5 lety +6

    From personal experience of learning languages (although learning foreign languages has always come easy to me and because I love to learn in general - Spanish, Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Levantine Arabic)), I completely agree with your methods. Learning by necessity and using translator tools is one of the fastest ways to learn.

  • @johnpknuckles4739
    @johnpknuckles4739 Před 8 lety +125

    So your radical new method is to keep trying when it gets tricky and never give up. Who'd ever have thought that would work?
    You should market it as a weight-loss plan while you're at it!

    • @echt114
      @echt114 Před 8 lety +19

      JohnPKnuckles Did they say "radical new" method? I think the lecture was called "One simple method..." The simple method was not using your native language and only using the target language. So yes, pretty simple, just like they labeled it.

    • @filiepgeeraert8301
      @filiepgeeraert8301 Před 8 lety

      +echt114
      Aren't you confusing simple with simplistic?

    • @echt114
      @echt114 Před 8 lety +7

      Filiep Geeraert
      A method can be simple without the implementation being easy. I think what people are complaining about is that they think the title words "simple method" suggests the process would be much shorter or easier than otherwise expected.

    • @filiepgeeraert8301
      @filiepgeeraert8301 Před 8 lety +4

      Yes, that 's just a typical marketing ploy, eh.
      But even then, just saying that ANYONE can do it within 3 months, is already a big generalisation and exaggeration. Since when does everyone have the same level of language learning skills? For me this is just one big marketing pep talk designed to gather interest for the documentary, a sales talk like you find millions in this world.

    • @lanalytch
      @lanalytch Před 8 lety +7

      +Achilles Phillips Exactly. It's a neuroplasticity method. It helps the brain adapt - for example with stroke patients who lost the use of an arm, part of regaining the use of that arm was binding the working one so you can't use it. This tricks the brain into focusing where you want it to.

  • @fmikael1
    @fmikael1 Před 7 lety +1

    I completely agree with this method. I came to use this strategy while learning french and it had a massive effect.
    As the speaker stated it really forces you to learn words out of necessity as opposed to just reading them in a book.

  • @sabrinapinheiro205
    @sabrinapinheiro205 Před 6 měsíci +3

    Incrível! Adorei ver vocês aprendendo português aqui no Brasil! Que legal!

  • @KarlRock
    @KarlRock Před 6 lety +38

    Thanks! I'm going to try this. I'm currently in India.

  • @yuanchen1019
    @yuanchen1019 Před rokem +6

    I am trying to learn English now. Sometimes I was shy to speak and was worried about making mistakes. After watching this video, I feel I am encouraged and will try to speak out confidently and not be afraid of making mistakes. Hope one day I can speak English very well!

    • @NomadNotMad
      @NomadNotMad Před rokem

      Let’s be language partners?

    • @yuanchen1019
      @yuanchen1019 Před rokem

      Ok. No problem

    • @jayharper3491
      @jayharper3491 Před rokem +1

      Your written English is perfect.

    • @husseinmoha8888
      @husseinmoha8888 Před 2 měsíci

      I am doing great improvement every single day in this language .
      Because I like learning languages
      So I do everyday conversation, shadowing or mimicking native speakers that is I think to help learning effectively in this language .there is a lot of options that u can learn English but I prefer to learn this way and I believe will help me in someday and I will able to speak effortlessly in this language. ❤

  • @naomichase9473
    @naomichase9473 Před 7 lety +2

    Oh my gosh, I have watched a few language learning talks and eureka this is exactly what I needed to hear. Kia ora mō to mahi. Kia pai tō rā.

  • @Drivabletree
    @Drivabletree Před 8 lety +33

    This method can work well but it would be really easier when you have a friend to do it with

    • @carlitoxb110
      @carlitoxb110 Před 8 lety +1

      +M M please don't learn Spanish from chile, that Spanish is weird for the rest of Spanish speakers since they use a lot of strange words and they speak way too fast

    • @carlitoxb110
      @carlitoxb110 Před 8 lety

      ***** a bueno, mucho mejor, segun la real academia de la lengua española, en bogota Colombia se habla el español mas neutro del mundo, muy buen lugar para estudiar

    • @sarban1653
      @sarban1653 Před 4 lety

      @@carlitoxb110 Which country is the best to learn Spanish from? Spain?

  • @hopefulbunny9851
    @hopefulbunny9851 Před 7 lety +118

    When they said korean I was like
    f**k they know what i'm here for.

    • @MartiOwnz
      @MartiOwnz Před 7 lety +1

      loool same here i was like what did they read my mind xD

    • @annamalloree9004
      @annamalloree9004 Před 7 lety +1

      Hopeful Bunny Same! I've been going around trying to find videos for my Korean learning.

    • @hopefulbunny9851
      @hopefulbunny9851 Před 7 lety

      Anna Malloree I really like Learn Korean 101 it taught me hanguel and how to speak it. I just came here to speak fluently with no problem Xd

    • @annamalloree9004
      @annamalloree9004 Před 7 lety

      Hopeful Bunny I have tried Korean 101 but it didn't work out for me. I was thinking of finding someone to talk to me in Korean and teach me.

    • @hopefulbunny9851
      @hopefulbunny9851 Před 7 lety +1

      Anna Malloree I want to do that but it's not everyday you bump into a korean at school. I can't even find any online. I think it would be easier that way cause they can correct you if you say somehthing wrong...

  • @starcrafter13terran
    @starcrafter13terran Před 8 lety +6

    I studied spanish in highschool and didn't like it. As a result, I retained very little although I still can pick apart a sentence. I study korean now and love it. The weird thing is, I don't think "how do i say this english sentence in korean?" I think "I want tea. How do i ask for tea in korean?" It sounds the same but it really isn't. When I have my korean lessons I throw english out the window. English becomes just a temporary fill in to be able to ask "how do i say ____?" We say hello in korean and bye in korean every session. She tells me when I am doing well but says it only in korean. I can't tell you why I enjoy learning korean so much (think I'll study japanese at a later date, looks fun too), but it's key to absorbing it. I could try spanish again, but wouldn't enjoy it so I doubt I would be good at it. I suggest you find the language that clicks with you and have that be your second language. Maybe something else can wait until after.

  • @hafurisanikkeijin3023
    @hafurisanikkeijin3023 Před 7 lety +4

    This was motivating for me! I am actually STARTING THIS TODAY after living in Japan for 7 months and studying hours everyday. I started learning Japanese at age 12, took it in high school for a couple years, college for 1 and then never really practiced until I moved here. But despite committed study, ample time and living in the country practicing, its still very slow going. Definitely, I am double whatever I was when i arrived but at this rate it would take 2 years to become fluent...and I was not a beginner when I landed here.
    WHAT THIS VIDEO DOESN'T TALK ABOUT: is that people will get angry at you because you won't speak English with them, both native speakers of the target language and your supposed English speaking buddies. They will be frustrated that you refuse to communicate easier and won't support you in what you are trying to do. Especially for 3 months. I am committing to this for 3 months starting today, and already, I've pissed someone off to the point of several angry messages criticizing my Japanese and English. (What a waste of time! Who wants to decipher your broken Japanese! How stressful!) But battling egos and wills is THE BARRIER OF LEARNING and I think that this method actually reverses it nicely so that the honus is on them in a way to shrink back to the shore, not me. I hope i can keep it up for 3 months. I am going to make a video progression about it on youtube with my channel!

    • @speaking_of_languages
      @speaking_of_languages Před rokem

      You're absolutely right, there are people who will just get angry at you and refuse to help, and to be honest, I think their perspective is justified. Especially if they are already used to being friends with you and suddenly you refuse to speak the only language they see as allowing them to actually communicate with you. However, if this "friend" is unable to negotiate a compromise with you without resorting to being rude, then my suggestion would be to drop them. If they are a colleague or boss, it may be a different story, but generally I think this is a good suggestion. If someone you were friends with before starts getting angry at you and even cussing you out for trying to use their native language to communicate with them, I think it would be reasonable to assume that bettering their English was one of, if not the only, motivating factor for hanging out with you. Just drop them. Find someone real.

  • @bartram33
    @bartram33 Před 6 lety

    I've been to Spain many times and hablo poco Espaniol, but I find that in tourist resorts the people speak English and are impatient when you try to communicate in Spanish, it's a blessing when you find a helpful person who will help and correct your efforts.

  • @chinesespeakwelsh
    @chinesespeakwelsh Před 8 lety +5

    well i reckon i myself have the talent to learn languages so any method seems to work for me... personally i believe no matter which approach i use, it takes an equal amount of time to master all skills of a language, speaking, understanding, writing and reading. some methods claim to be more effective, which is true, but it helps improve only one skill or two and it should not be used solely. travelling to a place where the language is spoken does help as my Portuguese gets much better after having lived in Portugal for 6 months.

  • @PeterSantenello
    @PeterSantenello Před 7 lety +29

    Great Video :) I'm looking to move to the Ukrainian countryside to learn Russian for 1.5 months (eastern Ukraine). I'm going to be on a complete English diet except for a 5-minute vlog post everyday. Do you think 1.5 months can bring about some good results or I need something more like 3 months?

  • @Anchovy12
    @Anchovy12 Před 8 lety

    Thank you! I can't tell you how helpful and motivating this video is to me!

  • @jessicab8426
    @jessicab8426 Před 8 lety

    I've been trying this method with my family. It's working so far. It makes me consciously make the effort to be able to speak the language when applying the "No English" Rule. Thank you for sharing :)

  • @MrFerdinandOo
    @MrFerdinandOo Před 8 lety +50

    5:50 - Main idea. Not to speak your native language. For those who are lazy to watch hole video.

    • @supportme123
      @supportme123 Před 4 lety

      You mean it causes a gap in their knowledge? :)

    • @horacearroya5246
      @horacearroya5246 Před 3 lety

      18 mins =
      1. Find a friend who speaks that language with you.
      2. No your mother language rule. Speak only in your target language.
      3. Start speaking.

  • @VenomEmperor
    @VenomEmperor Před 9 lety +14

    I agree with the "No English" rule to some extent but that is impossible to do if you know literally no word in your target language. It also depends on your target language. If you're an English speaker trying to learn Spanish or Italian, they are from the same family so you can at least figure out what's being said. But if you try something completely different like Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, it is almost impossible to do so.
    I was able to learn a lot of Korean during my exchange program there for a semester when I spoke to Koreans who cannot speak English. But I feel like this was only made possible because I made preparations and self studied for 4 months before coming to Korea.
    Something I disagree with is speaking with another learner, unless the learner is at a considerable level. The problem I have is if both learners do not know the right way to say something and keep practicing the wrong way to each other, then they will keep saying it the wrong way.
    When do you think is it most appropriate to start the "No English" rule?

    • @Gleichtritt
      @Gleichtritt Před 9 lety +6

      VenomEmperor It does work. You just need a bit more time to run that system. My grandaunt (does that word exist ?) Moved from germany to Canada after World War II. She and her family did not know a single word in English, nothing niente nada :D. But she learned English, I never met her, but according to her children and grandchildren who visited us in Germany, she spoke a perfect English. In the beginning, you will need a lot gestures and a dictionary can accelerate everything, but it is possible. I remember a one week trip to italy in school, we met an old woman, sitting on a chair, she only knew Italian. She came to us and we talked, it was not easy, I just had a liiiiittle bit of spanish and a dictionary, but somehow, whe were able to talk and I still remember, that not far away from that place, Puccini was born. She told me that :D. Our mind can learn a language just buy listening to it in every day situations. Unfortunatly, you can get access to it concious, but it is there. There was this young american student, he got an accident or something like that. He woke up and the first two or three days, he was just able to speak chinese, nothing else. His chinese was absolutly perfect, wihtout any scratch. Also he was lucky, cause after a few days, his English came back and he become who he was, but he did not lose his Chinese Skills. Where did he learn that language? He stayed in China for half a year or something like that, but his Chinese was very poor. When he woke up, his first action was to write down, that he loves his family (or parents? I dont remember) but he did it in chinese symbols, Han it is called I guess.
      Anyway, sorry for writing that much, I hope you can pick up something you like. Also sorry for English mistakes...Im German, as you could guess now with ease :D

    • @ggwp6929
      @ggwp6929 Před 9 lety +4

      VenomEmperor did you ever think about those chinese who speaks english fluently??? if you know the distance of english and chinese these two languages are extremely far then you should sense it's far to Chinese as well when it comes to english cause Chinese characters are literally distinct to latin words. well, i won't say a lot of Chinese can do english well but its definitely much much much much much bigger than those Anglo who can speak a second language not from Europe. so basically, putting you to their shoes might help you to get over yourself. Those Chinese who can speak English well is definitely not because english is easy .. compared with other asian language, english is just so different.. but because of globalization, they have to...

    • @theflubbybear
      @theflubbybear Před 9 lety +1

      Gleichtritt "Great aunt" is the phrase you were looking for.

    • @Gleichtritt
      @Gleichtritt Před 9 lety

      fenks :D

    • @ggwp6929
      @ggwp6929 Před 9 lety +1

      Gleichtritt lol I love your comments. my best friend is learning german and will exchange to Germany in 1 year and i will visit him as soon as he arrives there.... wanted to learn some german to prepare for this planning trip but it's just bit hard to do... my best friend's first language is English which might be a lot easier for him to adopt it..... but for me....first language as Chinese will be harder .......to learn it.... but I'm still looking forward to it... hopefully it won't confuse me between english and German....( one of my Chinese friends studying Germany told me german leaning decrease her speed of speaking english cause sometime she consciously adopt german grammar rules on english like where come from you?(woher kommst du) if U know what i mean lol... sometimes i wish i was raised to speak both languages cause that way i will definitely choose german as my third language lol

  • @oliverlandon6795
    @oliverlandon6795 Před 8 lety

    Thanks a lot guys ! Really simple and helpful ! That was great !

  • @thinktransnational
    @thinktransnational Před 8 lety +2

    Ooooo, this is exactly like that guy who created the Fluentin3months blog. I'm glad that you all tested this and proved it effective. It's always good to hear a hypothesis get reinforced over and over by different people. It seems super simple when you think about it, but when the rest of the world is learning English as their second or third language, it can be quite different to get people to not speak to you in English. I'm inspired but you all's year long language journey and seriously want to go out and do one myself. All the best!!

  • @fritzschumacher6047
    @fritzschumacher6047 Před 8 lety +195

    Who can afford to go to a country and live there for a month? I can't. Wish I could.

    • @Fatima4A
      @Fatima4A Před 8 lety +6

      +Fritz Schumacher 14:37

    • @jessehickey479
      @jessehickey479 Před 8 lety +18

      +Mama Eva I lived in China more or less comfortably for 5 months on about 2500 dollars. I can proficiently speak mandarin and am continuing to learn to read now that I am back in America.

    • @06rtm
      @06rtm Před 8 lety +8

      +Fritz Schumacher You could. The cost is largely in the flight. Just save money for a year or however long it takes and then go. You could even find a job in te new country to help pay your way. Go to inexpensive countries where your dollar will go a long way. Thailand for example is very inexpensive after you've paid for your flight.

    • @MinotaurvsCyclops
      @MinotaurvsCyclops Před 8 lety +5

      +George South east Asia is very inexpensive after you've paid for your flight*

    • @ikonichiwamcpe4874
      @ikonichiwamcpe4874 Před 8 lety

      +George Wait for a sale then buy it
      ..

  • @maureenmaddy852
    @maureenmaddy852 Před 5 lety +3

    I'd been a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter day saints or commonly known as the Mormons. During my assignment to mindanao, i learned Cebuano language in just One and a half month. Bisayan people noticed my fast improvement in Cebuano and these are the techniques i used to learn to speak Cebuano quickly. First, I really didn't care about the grammar. I set my mind that the more mistakes I make the better i would learn the language. Second, i listened very carefully to the native speakers, i studied out in my mind how they pronounce words and how they put the words together. 3rd, I would use the phrases and new words i heard over and over until it became natural to me. 4th, I would always ask members and investigators to correct my speaking. I learned a lot from them and last but not the least, I would always talk to children. Children are the best teachers, it is because they will not make fun of you when you make mistakes and that they will give you honest feedback.
    P.s. Learn the vocabularies and phrases you need in your everyday conversation.

  • @edwinmendonca1861
    @edwinmendonca1861 Před 7 lety

    Loved it, Thanks both of you!!!!

  • @zyzzer
    @zyzzer Před 2 lety +1

    Loved the wave vs calm water analogy to learning language. It's scary and difficult, but once you push through things calm down and speaking a foreign language/swimming becomes much easier!

  • @checkyourego666
    @checkyourego666 Před 7 lety +11

    30 years ago, I went to live in a country where nearly everyone speaks English as a 2nd language. I wanted to make my life there, so I committed to only speaking the language of that country. If people were impatient with me and wouldn't give me a chance to speak their language, I didn't spend time with those people. After 3 months people could not believe how fluent I was. Most foreigners in that country never bother to learn the language of the country.

  • @chaehakim7650
    @chaehakim7650 Před 8 lety +4

    It's so impressive to me! Find just one person that i can use the language i want to learn.. But also it's not easy to find that kind of person.

  • @WoahIko
    @WoahIko Před 9 lety +2

    Wow, I'd never thought about it this way before!

  • @user-nv8zd9sx5i
    @user-nv8zd9sx5i Před 8 lety

    Amazing presentation! Thank you!

  • @JenniferShell
    @JenniferShell Před 4 lety +6

    What is the recommendation for comprehending the native speaker talking back to you? Feeling the confidence to speak is one obstacle, but understanding what is said to you presents another issue. Do you have a suggestion?

  • @rafaelsoriajr
    @rafaelsoriajr Před 8 lety +16

    Not many people have the luxury to immerse like that. let alone the time.

    • @christiaan81music
      @christiaan81music Před 8 lety +2

      Yes of course but they adressed this issue

    • @iLoveTurtlesHaha
      @iLoveTurtlesHaha Před 8 lety +1

      +Christiaan Haesen Obviously, he didn't stick around for that. Like most people who fail at learning anything.

    • @rafaelsoriajr
      @rafaelsoriajr Před 8 lety

      arizpe33 :) aint gonna lie, that put a smile on me. have a good one b.

    • @karldergroe3990
      @karldergroe3990 Před 7 lety

      Johnny Appleseed time is but an illusion

  • @WillN2Go1
    @WillN2Go1 Před 8 lety

    You guys rock. I just sat through another boring 'required' meeting for teachers 'looking at the data,' so we help students learn English. You guys just get started, avoid the stuff that doesn't work, and has never worked. Thanks for sharing this.

  • @suphirethailand
    @suphirethailand Před 2 lety +2

    Thank you both. I have spent 6 months being very determined to learn Thai in Thailand. I am switching to the ‘no-English rule’ today.

  • @CharlieCleveland
    @CharlieCleveland Před 8 lety +5

    You guys are awesome. I've seen your inspirational videos through Benny Lewis and they always get me revved up.
    I'm 2 months into my 3 month trip to Bologna and my Italian is stagnating. Tomorrow, I shall use the No-English rule with everyone at work. It will be difficult, but I can't wait to push through!

  • @sylviastoute
    @sylviastoute Před 6 lety

    This is the best advice I have ever heard of to learn a new language!!! You guys nailed it perfect 👌🏼 You found the holly grail!!!😍😍😍
    Thank you 😊 so so so much!!!

  • @ba1anse
    @ba1anse Před 8 lety +1

    it's really amazing how they can learn a language in such short time to the degree of carrying decent oral conversations, as a native chinese speaker I can tell you they are much better than a New Zealander I tutored before who got a chinese language degree from university of auckland

  • @shipan5858
    @shipan5858 Před 7 lety +4

    The Mandarin Chinese they spoke at week12 was amazingly good, especially the pitch which is very difficult for many foreigners.

    • @josephfernandes7083
      @josephfernandes7083 Před 3 lety

      Thanks for practical advice and I am going to use it immediately. Kind regards

    • @ancapcitorw5162
      @ancapcitorw5162 Před 2 lety +1

      I don't know Chinese, but do know Spanish and I can say that their Spanish just isn't comprehensible at all.

  • @user-he9op9cy4t
    @user-he9op9cy4t Před 4 lety +4

    Chinese is my mother tongue. They spoke really well in the video

  • @rarehibiscus8534
    @rarehibiscus8534 Před 4 lety +1

    I completely agree. Most of all one must communicate in the target language and turn off the native language. I use the method of no other language at the exception of the target language and it worked in just three months; especially the oral part.

  • @martinbirr
    @martinbirr Před 8 lety

    I really like this video, you two presented it very well in my opinion. And I like how you considered everything, even the learning porgrams like Pimsleur + statistics.
    On my research, how to teach and learn a language best, I figured out fast, that learning intuitively is by far most efficient. That is also the reason why Pimsleur works quiet well.
    You used intuitively learning in the most effectiv way and I will do the same, while I spend 3 month in Beijing soon. Also I constantly improving my skills to teach german, which is my native language.
    Thanks anyway, you guys seems pretty smart and brave, your future gonna be bright for sure.

  • @learn_french
    @learn_french Před 6 lety +8

    Learning a language is a complex process, I have been teaching French for more than 20 years now. But it means that it is complex for the teacher and not for the learner. The learner just needs to know how he/she is learning and how much time he/she is ready to dedicate to this new project. Then the teacher will adapt the curriculum and make it happen. Learning on your own is, by definition, a bit more complex because it requires that you know yourself quite well and you know how you learn and what are your limits. When it comes to learning French... it is necessary to understand the grammar... because it can be a challenge for English speaking persons, but it is definitely not impossible. The pronunciation is also a challenge at the beginning and for that... let's be honest... you will need someone else to correct you because it is just extremely difficult to hear your own mistakes. But in the end... learning a language should be fun and relaxed. If you don't laugh during your lessons, then change your approach or your teacher!

  • @mixedraice
    @mixedraice Před 8 lety +4

    I learned French in 6 weeks during my summer study abroad; it helped knowing Spanish already, but I was adamant about not speaking in English 99% of the time and not caring about what other people thought! Toward the end of the course, I had a local think I was French!

  • @Abdi_sulaiman
    @Abdi_sulaiman Před rokem +1

    Consistensy is a key to achieve your goal. Many people were doing extra hard and push their limit in the beginning. Their spend much time to learning. A week and half month their decide for done. So, don't push anything to learning something. Focus to enjoyed with the process. Anything happened if you really enjoy without preassure. I did learnt english 3 month ago. From zero to still zero but i enjoyed the processed learning, because i believe that this is will make it happen if you believe it happen. Action without thought. Start from now.

  • @musicforever9098
    @musicforever9098 Před 9 lety +2

    Nice Im learning Japanese & Mandarin right now!

  • @jeremyswint9485
    @jeremyswint9485 Před 8 lety +15

    I think something should be said about the fact that if you go to another country, and ONLY speak your target language, it could be taken as rude by natives of that country who want to practice their English. In my opinion, exchanges are much better and beneficial to both people. Because as much as I want to practice my target languages, that other person could want to practice English just as badly. I don't think the concept of 0 English in another country is right in this case. We should make the effort to speak that country's language but also be willing to help others practice our native language as well. This is coming from my personal experiences traveling with language learning goals in mind.

    • @SergioAntonioCastroR
      @SergioAntonioCastroR Před 8 lety +2

      Well said, Jeremy. I couldn't agree more with you.

    • @christinathomas886
      @christinathomas886 Před 8 lety

      Sergio Antonio Castro R Zxxxxxbb .mmmmlll,Kolkata. €€Y TTF Zaaaw2wwee. 6tttrewwq 1u

    • @flaze3
      @flaze3 Před 8 lety +6

      +Jeremy Swint Well it depends. If you have paid to go to the country and learn the language then it's fair that you only speak that language. People who come to England generally only want to speak English, and can get annoyed if you try to speak to them in their own language. If you decide to do an exchange, then obviously it would be 50-50, but I would hold my ground with speaking the target language in other countries because otherwise you will make very little progress.

    • @flaze3
      @flaze3 Před 8 lety +1

      ColinJ I totally understand your sentiments!

  • @rayman4x4
    @rayman4x4 Před 7 lety +5

    Wow. What a wise advice! I'm learning English and now I know what to do with it! I should put it away! Thank you guys!

    • @alessiamartina
      @alessiamartina Před 7 lety +3

      hahahhaha loool but if you understood this video you're already in the calm water... much easier hahah :)

  • @ngocdiem4160
    @ngocdiem4160 Před 6 lety +1

    Thank you so much. It's very helpful for me :)

  • @YouAwakeYet
    @YouAwakeYet Před 5 lety

    Plain and simple, it takes 100 percent dedication

  • @qinyilian7976
    @qinyilian7976 Před 8 lety +4

    I have to say a partner is really important. My first Japanese friend gave me the confidence and sense of accomplishment about my daily study of Japanese. Moreover, you can make friends when study a different language instead of challenge alone. I know the feeling of struggling by oneself and it tastes bad....

  • @LuciousKage
    @LuciousKage Před 8 lety +4

    Ok. i am in japan 3 months already and i think that is true what is said in this video. everyone is trying to speak english to me and its a problem. i will try to forget english from today. i speak fluent 4 languages but some how i didnt realize that i learned them by the same method you guys mentioned. :)

  • @sichengchen4258
    @sichengchen4258 Před 4 lety

    As a 3 month Chinese language learner , you definitely do it very well!

  • @oscargutierrezfernandez5150

    Excelentes recomendaciones. Tener la necesidad de sobrevivir en un ambiente desconocido, te obliga a sacar su máximo capacidad en el aprendizaje de idiomas.

  • @inglesninja
    @inglesninja Před 9 lety +7

    As an English teacher in Brazil, I threw away this idea of NO STUDENT LANGUAGE with my students. Most students saw me 1-2 times a week for an hour. Having them struggle through this hour by not being able to speak any Portuguese seemed like more of a de-motivator than a productive method. Keeping the student motivated was my main goal, and being able to help clear up questions and show similarities between English and their own language during our time together seemed more useful to them in the end. If the native language is used as a tool for understanding it can be very helpful. If it's used as a crutch or the teacher is just being lazy, not so much.
    However, being immersed in the language, like in your situation, changes everything.

    • @flaze3
      @flaze3 Před 8 lety +1

      +Inglês Ninja Yeah "no English" in an English class would start to become a bit suspect after a while :p

    • @inglesninja
      @inglesninja Před 8 lety

      flaze3 Oops, yeah, that wouldn't work well. ;) *fixed it

    • @brandonnick86
      @brandonnick86 Před 6 lety

      Agree. I was asked to only speak English to a student coming from an Italian background but when you get a blank stare, no matter how you phrase your message, you have to bridge the gap for the student.

    • @milanschouten6533
      @milanschouten6533 Před 5 lety

      i agree, 1,5 hours a week isn't enough to apply this rule

    • @funkyrhcpcat7849
      @funkyrhcpcat7849 Před 5 lety

      E olha que inglês tem um vocabulário distante do nosso, hein?
      Em línguas latinas, tirando o francês , usar o português como base acelera significativamente o aprendizado. É quase essencial

  • @tsetan4792
    @tsetan4792 Před 8 lety +5

    Now, I need to take a Japanese language class and go to Japanese restaurant to speak it so I can learn it😆

  • @huethuong2810
    @huethuong2810 Před 7 lety +1

    amazing! I think they have the answer of my time-consuming question for my language learning. Yeah, that is SPEAK!

    • @bonjourrj
      @bonjourrj Před 2 lety

      What am I before I am a good speaker of the language? I am a bad speaker of the language. I had to accept that I would be a bad speaker to get past my fear of making mistakes.

  • @suzyvel
    @suzyvel Před 8 lety

    This video motivated me!
    Nothing is easy but be constant is a key to get awesome results. I like the part where compares the 1st week vs 12 week.

  • @IgnacioLunar
    @IgnacioLunar Před 9 lety +99

    They should have shown greater skills in the languages ​​they claim to have learned
    as native Spanish speaker
    I can say that babbled 2 or 3 sentences only,
    the same in Portuguese

    • @ScottHYoungVid
      @ScottHYoungVid Před 9 lety +52

      Ignacio Lunar Good point. Showing two people speaking four different languages meant 8 different clips! Obviously we could only show a snippet in this talk and that doesn't really demonstrate the ability. If you check out the homepage for our challenge, however, we have full interviews in each language of several minutes or more which should give someone who is proficient in the language a much fairer assessment of our abilities.
      I (Scott) also completed the HSK 4 for Mandarin Chinese.

    • @henrytakeover
      @henrytakeover Před 9 lety +14

      Scott Young I have a question for you since you are one of the presenters in the video.
      *Should I force the native speaker I am talking with to speak in simpler speech?*
      For example, I know this Japanese guy who speaks Japanese and English fluently, but when we are with his brother, he will speak Japanese. The Japanese they speak is faster than what I can comprehend, and because it is native Japanese, much more difficult than what I have learned. What I have learned in my few years at school is formal Japanese. What they are speaking is ridiculously informal.
      Should I tell them to speak in a way so that I am able to follow along? I feel as if it would inhibit the conversations between themselves.
      Another problem is that I have other friends who speak Japanese, but default to using English with me because that is the easiest method of communication when we play video games. It would be a problem if we're not communication effectively in these games so I was wondering what I should do. I speak with these people 6 days out of the week, so it would be in my best interest to learn how to speak the language from them.
      My examples are a bit specific, but I'm sure my basic question would help a lot of other people.

    • @TheRainyAsian
      @TheRainyAsian Před 9 lety

      Ignacio Lunar The same in Mandarin too.

    • @SuperUglys
      @SuperUglys Před 8 lety +6

      ***** I think you should try playing a casual game with them and try to communicate in Japanese or just have small talk in Japanese while playing.
      If you guys play a ranked game, it would be better to talk in English because communication wins games, so just play normals where the games aren't as important, and chat with them about random stuff :D
      I hope that works :)

    • @henrytakeover
      @henrytakeover Před 8 lety +2

      SuperUglys Haha it's kinda hard to do that in CSGO since there is only ranked mode, but there is one game we play where it is pretty easy and I get in some Japanese here and there. Thanks for the advice.

  • @usmanbradley
    @usmanbradley Před 8 lety +18

    I'd be interested to know how much do these guys remember now?

    • @rjones2209
      @rjones2209 Před 5 lety +1

      They can't even speak English with a proper English accent, so why should be bother to listen to them?

    • @erenyeager754
      @erenyeager754 Před 4 lety +1

      @@rjones2209 One can still speak good English even without having what is deemed as the perfect "English" accent. As long as the person is able to convey what they are trying to say and is able to get the person to whom they are speaking to to understand then there shouldn't be any problem...language is after all about communicating and understanding each other.

  • @jeffreyd508
    @jeffreyd508 Před 7 lety +2

    I like this. A problem I encounter is, looking up a word/verb/phrase to use, and find out later when a native friend meets me once a week, he says "NO bro, NO ONE would ever say that here", or "sure that means 'more', but not in the way you're using it" etc.
    .
    Back to the drawing board, and having to 'unlearn' what I learned.

  • @tapwewinamisk
    @tapwewinamisk Před 6 lety

    Enjoyed this video, always fascinated with discussions or hypothesis centred on language learning methods.
    The use of the ocean metaphor for language learning is a fantastic way to illustrate the process. Once you are past the surf there is truly a vast ocean of learning awaiting the student.
    Recap
    1. Find a person who speaks your target language - absolutely essential, forget the magic bullet promises of software like Rosetta Stone. To effectively learn to speak a new language you need a real human being, not an app. Skype is a good alternative as mentioned.
    2. Speak your target language with 1 as often as possible. (Only your target language!) (If possible correspond electronically in target language as well)
    3. Start speaking now.
    The most interesting tip in my opinion is advising learners to utilize online translation when speaking in public. Many teachers focused on traditional methods may frown of this but I would agree that it is useful and helps to bolster your confidence as you acquire the language structure and vocabulary.
    As mentioned, no need to travel to foreign country (although it would be ideal) it is not necessary in most diverse western nations where dozens of languages are spoken in large urban centres.
    Other tips I would recommend:
    > Don't get distracted by hundreds of language learning apps. Settle on a few favorites. Smartphones are tools, they are not replacement for quality human instruction/interaction.
    > Only listen or read news (online, tv, radio, newspapers, periodicals) in your target language each day for three months.
    > Listen and/or read content that interests you in your target language. Subscribe to a magazine; periodical in a subject that interests you in your target language.
    > When speaking to yourself (internally) try to do it in your target language.
    > Learn the vocabulary and jargon of your workplace in your target language.
    > Use Office software in your target language.
    > Set target language as default language in video games or on your smartphone.

  • @guybartlett9587
    @guybartlett9587 Před 8 lety +5

    wow all comments.....so negative?!

    • @harris7915
      @harris7915 Před 8 lety

      guy bartlett No I have already tried this. I tried no english rule since I was born. And guess what I forgot to speak english.
      This really works.

    • @emiliosgregoriou8943
      @emiliosgregoriou8943 Před 8 lety +1

      +Harris Kunwar Obvious troll is obvious.

    • @harris7915
      @harris7915 Před 8 lety

      Emilios Gregoriou But this does work...hdfkjdshajkfsdhf asdfjds saldkjf dfjhdskfh.....fdsjsaws...sfdkfksd
      See i learnt new langauge

  • @modelstatue
    @modelstatue Před 8 lety +7

    Is it still good to work from a course book or at least something while you do all this "no English talking" so that you have new vocabulary and skills each time you talk? Learning a language just by speaking to people does not seem like an ideal way. I speak Cantonese at home and have for many years and I am still not fluent...

    • @Li.Siyuan
      @Li.Siyuan Před 5 lety

      That's what they were telling you! Use dictionaries (and text books) as well.

  • @etienneedward4449
    @etienneedward4449 Před 5 lety

    I agree with both of you a hundred percent this is the first time that I see that this is going to works thank you both so very much!

  • @htetaunglynn5433
    @htetaunglynn5433 Před 3 lety

    I love this method. This really makes me get started at learning language.

  • @user-gi3sp7cy2l
    @user-gi3sp7cy2l Před 4 lety +4

    I don't have someone to speak Korean with, I'll use the no-english rule on my teddy bear ㅜㅜ

  • @umidontno040394
    @umidontno040394 Před 8 lety +13

    "don't speak english'' how the fuck am i supposed to do that without going to another country?

    • @jemangedessaucisses206
      @jemangedessaucisses206 Před 8 lety

      Lol!!!

    • @argo4478
      @argo4478 Před 8 lety +6

      +umidontno040394
      hmm I am from europe and, I need learn speak english. They advised me "don't speak english'' I am confused ;)

    • @umidontno040394
      @umidontno040394 Před 8 lety +2

      arg o lol. don't speak your language. only speak english haha.

    • @lal2235
      @lal2235 Před 8 lety

      +arg o hahahaha shhh, you are doing it wrong,dont speak english

    • @carlitoxb110
      @carlitoxb110 Před 8 lety

      +arg o don't speak your language that's it / ne parle pas ta langue / no hables tu lengua

  • @gbadri1
    @gbadri1 Před 5 lety

    great motivation for me guys as I stopped my Spanish and regretted that I made a grave mistake of not having a spanish woman I wanted and quit. 35 years later and I am using your method. thanks

  • @traken8058
    @traken8058 Před 3 lety

    Best Advice I have ever heard for learning conversation. I think the initial idea of immersion was exactly this: No native speaking, only the new tongue. People seem to think they are practicing immersion just because they go to a foreign country, but then speak English to everyone. No - no - no. If you are speaking your mother tongue you are not immersed. So immerse yourself!

  • @Jay-eb7ik
    @Jay-eb7ik Před 6 lety +4

    Why couldn't this be a 2-5min video? Have bullet points, a few examples and end it.

  • @neaumusic
    @neaumusic Před 8 lety +3

    summary: dont let yourself speak any english, and immerse yourself, it took them 3 months each to learn 4 languages in a year as they lived in spain, brazil, korea, and china

  • @Vivi_Tann
    @Vivi_Tann Před 8 lety +1

    I enjoyed this video. I actually found that I learned Spanish much more quickly once I had a basic idea about the grammar and vocabulary, and I actually tried speaking. I would like to go back to this method to help me with growing my basic vocabulary a bit more. I wish that they would have mentioned that you should probably learn basic vocabulary, grammar, and language principles before attempting to speak. Of course this should not be your only method, but it is worth a try. Here is what I would do, back when I was in highschool. I would sit on the bus, and see on of my Spanish speaking friends. Eventhough my level of Spanish was very poor, I still spoke. When I couldn't express something, I would ask them how to say a word, and try again. Yes, it was a tedious process, but eventually I found myself speaking quite well. Yes, I did take Spanish in school, but your output makes the most difference in language learning. So to everyone learning a language, once you know a few basic words and are able to form a basic sentence, just try speaking! Don't worry about how you sound, because it is all a part of learning. When you can't think of a word, ask how to say it or look it up. One thing I like to do; and what makes learning Japanese more fun for me, is I talk to myself. I as a basic question to myself, and try to express an answer. For example: How was your day? What did you do today? Etc. Then, I would share my response with a Japanese friend, and have them correct it. You don't have to live in the country, just speak, listen and practice! Just be patient and have fun with it. Best of luck to everyone!

  • @erradyanas
    @erradyanas Před 8 lety

    Best TED video i'v ever watched, Thank you so mush !

  • @ANZACJugger0
    @ANZACJugger0 Před 7 lety +74

    Plot twist they could already speak every language because theyre Lizardmen

  • @bettytes_2615
    @bettytes_2615 Před 8 lety +4

    Omg this talk was amazing cause it reminded me of the languages I used to speak. like I went to Sudan for a year and about six month, and learnt Arabic in just 4 or something months , then came to Canada and learnt English in just about 3 months or so ... and now my French teacher is being a total dick by making me feel bad for not learning French as fast as the other students. I got so frustrated that I just gave up trying to learn French my marks went down and I was super sad , then I realized y I didn't learn French as fast or y I was not good at all at speaking it , it was because I was not surrounded with ppl who only spoke French and I was very stressed out before a test and I just looked back at the 7 year old me who spoke 2 languages. And that is when I realized it was not my fault that I couldn't get simple words right in French or carry out conversation , it was the teachers for getting frustrated and the fact that I was trying to read and write in French while still trying to learn how to properly use good grammar in English . Anyway now i just don't give a shit what the teacher says because he didn't teach him self how to speak a other language at young age with no books or teachers telling him to study etc... The thing I'm trying to say is it don't matter if ur trying to be fluent in a different language and it doesn't work out as long as ur having fun and u try to speak it everyday ur going to learn it . 🙍😹

  • @RuffyT1
    @RuffyT1 Před 8 lety

    That was very helpful. Thanks.
    Here are some more tips: Label stuff (like furniture) in your home with sticky notes to learn the basic nouns. I also put some important word conjugations via sticky notes onto my bathroom mirror to have a (sometimes subconcious) glance at it while washing my hands or while brushing my teeth.
    Additionally, if you already know another language (well enough) closer related to the target language than your native tongue is, you should use it.

  • @keybrewer82
    @keybrewer82 Před 3 lety

    Bravo! It makes sense. I tried telling my Spanish speaking co-worker to speak only in spanish but then i go back to English. Will be consistent

  • @phucluongsuhuynh
    @phucluongsuhuynh Před 7 lety +3

    so the point here is that no grammar before you can speak??