During my last semester of undergrad, I asked my very old, very wise professor the best way for me to get fluent in Russian. This man, a graduate of Moscow State University and a highly regarded Philologist, didn't skip a beat when he said, "You must read! You must sit with your book out in front of you, and, with a dictionary to the side, compare every word!"
I was incredulous. Surely this man, with decades of teaching experience, would know true fluency in a language comes from learning more than just grammar? So I persisted.
"But, I have Russian-speaking friends! Isn't this a better way to learn to speak the Russian that's being spoken in real life?" Three years of my four-year instruction were spent struggling through short stories written by Tolstoy and Chekhov, and I was unable to utter more than a few short phrases at a time. My listening comprehension was absurdly low. My speaking abilities were a joke.
"No, you must read."
It was after this meeting that I really understood. I understood that, to be fluent in a foreign language and to truly understand the culture, I needed contact with native speakers. I needed contact with foreign media. I wanted to watch movies, then discuss them with native speakers of Russian. I wanted to listen to music and understand the lyrics. At that time, there was no way for me to do all of this in one place.
Fast forward four years, and I work on a website that offers all of these things. Like I could only dream about before, langolab.com not only aggregates media, but provides tools (like one-click dictionary look-up and flashcard sets) to help understand what the words on the page mean.
So what's the best way to get fluent in a foreign language? We're working on it.
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9 comments:
LOL! He told me the same thing. I guess he didn't realize that we actually wanted to interact with people using the language.
Isn't that the point of learning a language? To speak it? Don't get me wrong, I adore Dostoevsky, but if that was my basis for speech, I would get laughed all the way across the former Soviet bloc.
I totally agree! Languages are living traditions that exist within people. It is through interaction with others--in conversation--that one learns best. As my German teacher once told me, "the best way to learn a language is to go to bed with a dictionary." From personal experience, I can attest to this method!
Stay tuned for my next post about other easy ways to get improve your language skills.
I think it really depends on your learning style...I know I can't learn new vocabulary without actually SEEING it. So for me..reading a lot first, getting familiar with words and then hearing them and being able to visualize them is the best way for me to pick up new words.
Travel is the best way to immerse yourself.
I agree - I learned more in one week in Belarus than I did in two years studying Russian. But I would never have been able to function as well as I did without first immersing myself here in the States. I would've been paralyzed with culture shock if I didn't prepare myself a little beforehand!
There's also no guarantee that you'll learn while you travel. I've heard so many stories about Americans studying abroad and sticking together with other Americans. The key, I'm convinced, is an open mind and a willingness to use travel as an immersion experience. You need to be willing to put yourself out there completely and leave your comfort zone (away from your fellow countrymen, at the very least). If you don't, you can travel all over the world without learning anything at all.
To [second] anonymous,
It took me a long time to realize what worked for me. I started to realize that I needed to understand words in context, preferably (this is just an example) seeing verbs actually being performed. There's a cool name for this method - Total Physical Response. It's gaining in popularity in schools around the United States.
I have learned so far 3 languages. I think the best way to get fluent is by trying to read and practice everyday the things learned. Never be shy or afraid to speak. Be open to make mistakes. Try to associate more with those that speak the language and this will speed up your fluency. I love this blog. Thanks for posting this.
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