If you've heard that your minority language has a variety of dialects, which one should you learn? How should you respond if you hear that there are lots of dialects and that "some native speakers can't even understand each other"? What does the "standardisation" of a language even mean? In this, the fourth post in the series on learning minority languages, let's … [Read more...]
Sound more fluent: nine tricks
I favour a long, slow game in language learning, but I'm still up for a good short cut. If, that is, it's actually effective. Here are nine quick fixes to help you sound more fluent in any foreign language, however you feel inside. Let's put a spring in your step when you're speaking! Keep your toolkit to hand Learn what I call your toolkit phrases from the very … [Read more...]
How soon should you speak your foreign language?
How soon should you start speaking your foreign language? In this post, two contrasting approaches square up in the ring. In the one corner, "speak from day one" (or pretty soon after that). In the other corner: delay speaking in favour of front-loading input (listening, reading) or study (or a combination of the two). Speaking from day one: how? The "extreme" … [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...]
One month Basque boost: final week diary
Kaixo denei! Here's the diary of the fourth week “One month Basque boost” project and a final round-up of all I did to level up my spoken Basque in the month before I took part in a Basque TV programme. I've delayed this post by a week to wrap things up after the shoot (which took place six days ago). At the end of this final week's diary, there’s the final catch-up video … [Read more...]
One month Basque boost: third week diary
Kaixo denei! It's the end of week three of my summer "One month Basque boost" project. One week to go until I'm in a Basque TV programme. My aim this month has been to have at least five thirty or forty-five minute lessons with a teacher on Skype each week and to do thirty minutes of self-study a day. This week I managed to have eight lessons and did the extra study five … [Read more...]
One Month Basque Boost: second week diary
This is the third post in my "One month Basque boost" mini project. My aim this month is to do five one-to-one Skype lessons a week (I'm mainly using italki.com) and an additional thirty minutes focussed study five days a week. The immediate spur is an upcoming Basque TV appearance. At the bottom of this week's diary, there's a quick update of other news from Howtogetfluent.com … [Read more...]
One Month Basque Boost: first week diary
Kaixo Londresetik! This is my second post in my "One month Basque boost" mini project. I've been asked to take part in a Basque television programme at the end of August. That provides a great incentive for me to focus in again on levelling up my Basque speaking abilities. My aim this month is to do five one-to-one Skype lessons a week (I'm mainly using italki.com) plus thirty … [Read more...]
One Month Basque Boost: kick off
Kaixo denei Londresetik! I've just had some exciting news: I'm going to be in a Basque TV programme. The crew is coming to shoot at the end of August. That's great motivation for me as an intermediate level Basque learner to put my foot on the gas during the next four weeks. In this post I'm launching my "One month Basque Boost" mini project (scroll right down for launch … [Read more...]
Why they won’t stop speaking English and how to keep the conversation “foreign”
You’re visiting the country at last. Your long-awaited chance to practise “in the field” has arrived. You start to speak….stumbling utterances and then….. You are answered in English. It’s happened to me often enough and it’s left me feeling a failure, humiliated or just disappointed. What’s this all about and how can get people to stop speaking English? I’m coming … [Read more...]