Is there any more powerful a display of language learning mastery than the magic of an interpreter in full flow? If you’ve recently started learning language and are appreciative of the sheer scale of the task ahead, it may seem like an unattainable goal. If you’re already skilled in one or more foreign languages and thinking about a language career, you may be … [Read more...]
The Polyglot Gathering 2015: top language learners’ tips and reflections
When you put three hundred language enthusiasts from all over the world in a box and shake it up for four days you're bound to get some good ideas about how to learn a foreign language. That's what happened at the second Polyglot Gathering (Berlin, May 2015). In this post I want to give you a taste of the event and pass on some top polyglots' language learning tips. Let's … [Read more...]
Learning Basque in Add1Challenge 5, final report.
It's already over a month since the end of Add1Challenge 5, the on-line 90-day language study group in which I participated as a Basque learner this spring (following on from my time in Add1Challenge 4, last summer). This report may be late, but at least it's timely. The next Add1Challenge, no 8, begins on 1 June. I've just sent off my video application. [Update since this … [Read more...]
Back in an on-line language learning group or “Carry on Basque” as Add1Challenge 5 kicks off
The Add1Challenge on-line language learning club is back and I'm in. The commitment to regular study in round 4 of Brian Kwong's initiative was a great way to give structure to my Basque studies during last summer's break in my night classes at the London Basque Society. Reporting back daily, weekly and monthly to my study group helped with motivation. It was also … [Read more...]
Language Show Live – a review
Language Show Live is a kind of "trade fair meets educational event" which styles itself as "Europe's leading annual event for people passionate about languages". I attended for the first time in 2013. Again in 2014, the event took place one Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the middle of October. The venue: the historic Olympia Exhibition Centre in London's West Kensington … [Read more...]