Learning a new language and fast !

This post is applicable for anyone who wants to learn a new language. The motivation and the techniques are universal and applicable to learning any language.

Although, the resources point towards learning specific languages

• Kannada the language of the land where I am from 
• German the language of the land I am at

Disclaimer: I would like to point out that this might not be exactly applicable learning a language from an academic point of view. It might support to accelerate the learning but is not to be considered as a primary or sole way of learning a language. 

Language of a land and it's association with culture

Perhaps you have heard and read that certain cultures are very particular about time and some not so much. This is a cultural stereotype, although one can always argue and find that there are always many exceptions to the rule. For the sake of the topic of 'language and culture' we will overlook these exceptions and take a closer look only at the stereotypes.

Let us take the example of how people ask for the time in certain languages and link it to the cultural stereotype (using the exact equivalent word for word translations in English).

Kannada: "Gante estu aaythu?" : How many hours have completed?

German: "Wie spaet ist es?" : How late is it?

French: "Quelle heure est-il?" : What hour is it?
Dutch: "Hoe laat is het?" : How late is it?

From the exact word to word translations to English you can extract the differences in view about a concept such as time between these cultures. Some cultures are more specific about time and some seem to be lenient towards it etc. Some translations seem to indicate that people of that language consider time is fleeting, passing and a sense of 'having to keep pace with'. In others the precision is at the unit of an hour.

In my opinion, there could be many more examples such as the above that indicate a strong link between language and culture. Learning the language with attention, one can make their own inroads to understanding a culture.

Learning a language only with an academic focus

This kind of a culture to language insight is something that I have missed while learning my mother tongue Kannada in school. Perhaps at that point of time my associative abilities had not developed enough or perhaps I was only learning with the objective of scoring marks in an examination! Either ways it is something that I have overlooked. And wow! This is an insight that I got learning a new language (German) now.

Perhaps my friends in Bangalore can also relate to this learning experience as they learn Kannada and make comparisons to their own language and who knows what else can come out of this learning!

Resources for learning Kannada in Bangalore

For those living in Bangalore, I recommend 'The Kannada Learning School' that was started by  motivated individuals with the vision and mission - “To provide continuous support and help for the people who are interested to learn Kannada”. Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka and has a significant population that is not from the state and hence do not know Kannada.

Here is a short and wonderful 4 minute video of the Kannada Learning School with testimonials of from the pupils included. The motivation and quotes they present are universal and very relevant for anyone learning a new language!

 

Techniques to learn languages quickly

Shadowing technique

Professor Alexander Arguelles is a proponent of this technique. You can find more about him and this technique at his website and at wikipedia.

Professor Arguelles demonstrates shadowing a foreign language (Chinese) (1 minute)

Professor Arguelles explains Shadowing Step by Step (55 minutes)
  

Self learning support for the Shadowing technique 

So how can one wanting to learn a language finding support for the Shadowing technique via the public libraries ?

Considering that you know English and you want to learn German 

Look for books in the libraries that teach you the reverse - English through German. Its a great resource for the shadowing technique. Beginners, you will find these books in the kids section. Awaken the child in you! :-)

Immersion technique

Immersion is a method of teaching a foreign language by the exclusive use of that language. This is done in schools. One can self immerse into learning a new language by putting oneself in such a situation where only the language one wants to learn is heard, seen and spoken.

Self learning support for the Immersion technique

Some relevant questions 

• Where can one find support for the immersion technique ?
• Especially if one wants to learn the language remotely, not in the land where the language is spoken ?

Is this possible ? The answer to that is YES! 

"There are seven days in a week. 'Someday' isn’t one of them" says Benny from Speak from Day 1! 

I can fathom why Benny's language lessons are recommended by many folks, though personally I have not gone through them. Benny brings in the human factor that is missing in many language programs. In many language programs you learn the techniques, the grammar and are prepped up for the exams, but possibly never use the language and speak it and immerse in all it's wonders!

In contrast, Benny's courses are not geared towards clearing examinations but rather to start speaking immediately. What additional value Benny brings to the table, in my opinion, is the the human attitude,  determination and motivation.

Here, in his 15 minute TEDx talk he talks about the 'right' motivation for learning a new language. 

DuoLingo.com - An awesome website for learning a new language through the language you already know. Another interesting fact about DuoLingo is its unique business model and how it is free despite the quality they provide. You can learn a new language on the go with DuoLingo for Android or DuoLingo for iOS.


Kauderwelsch. German Word By Word - These folks have a unique style for helping one learn the language. The books structure is geared towards getting you talking quickly in a new language through a language you know. This particular example is for learning German through English.

Resources