How to get fluent, with Dr Popkins

How to learn a foreign language. Methods, matrials and stories to help you maximise your effectiveness on the road to fluency

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In-depth explorations, actionable tips and inspiring conversations for language learners who REALLY want to get fluent…..plus a little bit of fun along the way.

Learning all six Celtic languages (with Simon Ager)

By Dr Popkins 1 Comment

If you've ever googled just about any question about languages, the chances are you'll have hit on Omniglot.com, the "Online Encyclopedia of Writing Systems & Lanugages". Like me, though, you might not have immediately known who the self-effacing, yet immensely talented, language expert behind the site actually is. I finally met Simon Ager at the first Polyglot Gathering … [Read more...]

The TRKI 4 advanced Russian exam: successful candidate interview (3)

By Dr Popkins 5 Comments

Advanced Russian learner Aga has been telling me how she passed the top official exam in Russian as a foreign language, the dreaded Test of Russian as a Foreign Language 4th Certificate (ToRFL or TRKI 4) (Тест по русскому языку как иностранному Четвертый сертификационный уровень (ТРКИ 4))... Is the Fourth Certificate really as fiendishly difficult as it's rumoured to be?  How … [Read more...]

The TRKI 4 advanced Russian exam: successful candidate interview (2)

By Dr Popkins 4 Comments

The TRKI 4th Certificate or Тест по русскому языку как иностранному Четвертый сертификационный уровень (ТРКИ 4) is  the top official Russian as a foreign language. My earlier interview with Daria, a successful TRKI4 candidate from Poland, provided some scarce first-hand information about an exam that is seemingly shrouded in mystery and rumoured to be fiendishly difficult.  I'm … [Read more...]

Advice for a career as a translator: a pro shares her story

By Dr Popkins 4 Comments

One of the most popular posts on Howtogetfluent is my overview of a career in interpreting.  I'm delighted that translator pro Karen Rutland has agreed to be interviewed for this new, companion piece offering advice for a career as a translator, which I think will be just as useful.  This also follows on nicely from last week's look at translation as a language learning method. … [Read more...]

Intensive study of a language from scratch (“ab initio”) at university. What’s it like?

By Dr Popkins Leave a Comment

Are you thinking of going to university or college to study an undergraduate course in a new language from scratch ("ab initio")?  Are you soon to start such a course as a freshman and wondering what to expect?  I've had a revealing conversation on just this with undergraduate student Harry Ness and the video is at the bottom of this post. Harry started Russian when he arrived … [Read more...]

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