If you're thinking of beginning a new language, or an intermediate-advanced learner wanting to take it further, should you kit yourself out with one or more language textbooks (either a physical book or structured course available in electronic form)? Here on the site, I often mention the books I'm using with my languages. Yet other successful language learners give such … [Read more...]
Does learning foreign languages get easier with experience?
Does learning foreign languages get easier with experience? In today's post, I'll draw on my own experience learning Welsh, Russian, German and French to a fairly advanced level, Basque to intermediate and several other languages to lower levels, particularly (most recently) Japanese. It's a nuanced picture, of course. let's look together at different aspects of the language … [Read more...]
A2 Russian: the upper beginner skills, vocabulary and grammar that you need
In this post, we'll set out the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills that you need to succeed at "upper beginner" or "A2" level in Russian. We'll look at how much Russian vocabulary you need for A2 and how much Russian grammar you should know. This is the first in a series looking at the different "staging posts" on the journey to fluent Russian. But why look at … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month Eight update
I'm now eight months into my learning basic Japanese project, a month away from hitting the road for Asia and six weeks from my first visit to Japan. Here's my "end of month eight" progress report. It's a brief one this time, as it's only two weeks since the last of my weekly summer diaries (covering Basque as well as Japanese). This month's "update vlog" is down at the bottom … [Read more...]
The Polyglot Gathering: learner “takeaways” review
This year the Polyglot Gathering took place in Bratislava for the third (and final time). If you saw the daily vlogs I made from the event (or my reviews and vids from previous years), you'll need no introduction to this language lovers' conference-cum-celebration. In the vlogs there are many brief shots from inside different talks but my main concern was to convey the … [Read more...]
Basque/Japanese diary: Week Four
I've finished the final week of my one-month summer “language sprint”. For the last four weeks I've upped the work I'm doing on Basic Japanese Project, from 30 mins a day, seven days a week, to one hour a day, five times a week and aimed to put in another hour at my intermediate Basque. Here, then, is the final diary-style update on how this summer study of Japanese and … [Read more...]
Basque/Japanese diary: Week Three
I'm already at the end of week three of my summer “language sprint”. The "sprint" is a boost to the work on Japanese that I was already aiming to do as part of my nine-month Basic Japanese Project, plus, more time than usual on my on-going Basque learning (I'm an intermediate level learner). For a month, I'm aiming to do an hour a day on each language, five days a … [Read more...]
Basque/Japanese diary: Week Two
I'm now two weeks into my summer “language sprint”. What's it all about? First, I’ve increased the work I’m aiming to do as part of my nine-month Basic Japanese Project. My weekly commitment is up from thirty minutes a day, seven days a week, to one hour a day, five days a week. Second, I'm aiming to clock an hour each day on my intermediate Basque. I started the … [Read more...]
What is the Eisteddfod like?
I've spoken fluent Welsh (as an adult learner) for over half my life and one way I've grown into the culture is by attending the Welsh National Eisteddfod or Eisteddfod Genedlaeathol Cymru. It's held for the first week of August each summer. The location changes from year to year. The National Eisteddfod is a huge cultural and social celebration (with a dash of … [Read more...]
Basque/Japanese diary, Week One
A week ago, I started a summer "language sprint". I've increased the amount of focussed study I'm aiming to do as part of my nine-month Basic Japanese Project from thirty minutes a day, seven days a week, to one hour a day, five days a week. Plus, I'm being more consistent in my on-going study of intermediate Basque, aiming to clock another hour each day on that language. This … [Read more...]