The Polyglot Gathering is an annual, four-day get-together for language learning enthusiasts. It takes place at the beginning of the summer. We all came home from the sixth Gathering in Bratislava in May 2019 and began looking forward to the 2020 event in Teresin, near Warsaw Poland. Alas, history had different ideas! For the next two years, the event was forced to switch … [Read more...]
Olly Richard’s new Uncovered (Intermediate): review
Here' my review of the Uncovered (Intermediate) courses for Spanish, German, French, Italian or Japanese from Olly Richards at StoryLearning. I’ve been exploring the courses from the inside and here’s the low-down: first in overview, then in depth. Listen up if you are at lower intermediate and looking for the materials - and a method - to help you take your language forward … [Read more...]
Great inspirational quotes for language learners
In this, the 200th post on Howtogetfluent, I thought I’d step back a bit and share some inspirational quotes for language learners from language fans past and present. Since 2014, I’ve been sharing language learning information and tips, my own learner ups and downs and the stories of others, all to encourage you on your language learning journey. Or, at least, to warn you … [Read more...]
Goodbye 2020, hello 2021!
Happy New Year 2021. What a year 2020 was! Despite all the upset, though, we kept learning languages together. As we make a fresh start, it’s time to look back on the last twelve months of language learning and talking about language learning and even to look ahead a bit. My language learning and yours In 2020 I didn’t start a new language but I very much … [Read more...]
Polyglot Gathering Online: daily vlogs
The Polyglot Gathering Online was never meant to happen. For its seventh incarnation, the Polyglot Gathering was to take place for the first time in Poland. But, after the first three years in Berlin and another three in lovely Bratislava, we'll have to wait to next year to explore Teresin (just outside Warsaw). Once it became clear that the pandemic meant there couldn't … [Read more...]
From 2019 to 2020
As 2019 draws to a close and a 2020 is about to begin, let's step back, take stock of a year of our language learning together and a year of language blogging and vlogging here at Howtogetfluent. Let's look ahead too, to our plans and hopes for the coming year and - as a new decade begins - beyond (preview/review vlog at the bottom of this post). My language learning and … [Read more...]
Minority language resources: a guide
When you're learning a language, good resources can make all the difference. But what about resources for learning a minority language? That's the focus of this first post in a new series on learning a "minority languages”. Just how different is it? Here you'll find the low-down and actionable tips drawn from my own and what I've learned from many other learners and linguists … [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...]
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...]
Polyglot Gathering daily vlogs 2019
The 2019 Polyglot Gathering: whoooosh! It's been....and gone. I'm now back in London. My week in Bratislava seemed to be over more or less right after it began. It was the sixth Gathering, the third one in the Slovak capital. I've reviewed them all and vlogged the last three. Last year and the year before I pumped out the daily vlogs overnight during the event. This year … [Read more...]