关于外语学习的7个常见误解

4. Only children can learn to speak another language well
只有孩子可以学会说一门流利的外语

Recent brain research has demonstrated that our brains remain plastic well into old age. Adults who lose their eyesight have to learn a new language, braille, for example. Adults have a wide vocabulary in their own language and are better language learners than children. I have learned 4 languages since the age of 55. Adults only need the child’s willingness to experiment and desire to communicate, without the fear of ridicule.
最近一项关于大脑的研究已经证明，我们的头脑在进入老年时依然可以保持较好的可塑性。比如说，那些失明的成年人必须要学习一门新的语言：布莱叶盲文。跟孩子相比，成年人具备更大的母语词汇量，是更好的语言学习者。我从55岁开始已经学习了4门语言。成年人只需要像孩子那样乐于尝试，渴望交流，不要害怕被嘲笑。

5. To learn a language you need formal classroom instruction
语言学习需要正式的课堂教学

This is the crux of the problem. Classrooms may be economical to run and a great place to meet others. They have the weight of history and tradition behind them. Unfortunately, a classroom is an inefficient place to learn a language. The more students in the class, the more inefficient it is. Languages cannot be taught, they can only be learned. Theoretical grammatical explanations are hard to understand, hard to remember, and even harder to use. Drills and exercises are annoying to most people. A majority of school kids graduate unable to communicate in languages that they study for 10 or more years.
这就是问题的症结所在。课堂学习花费不高，还是个结交朋友的好地方，这种学习方式有着厚重的历史传统。可是很遗憾，在教室里学习一门语言效率并不高。班上的学生越多，学习效率就越低。语言不是教出来的，而是学出来的。那些理论的语法的解释难以理解，难以记忆，更难以运用。练习和作业让大多数人都很反感。大部分学校的孩子在毕业时还不能用他们已经学了十多年的语言来交流。

6. You need to speak in order to learn (and I have nobody to speak to)
为了学语言你需要开口说（但我没有可以交流的对象）

Speaking the language is usually the goal of language learning, but speaking can wait. Once you have acquired the language, you will find the opportunity to speak. When you are learning the language it is more important to listen. Trying to just pick up a few “handy” phrases to say is likely to just get you into trouble. If you meet a native speaker, you will inevitably spend most of your time listening unless you already know the language. You do not need to speak in order to learn, you need to learn in order to speak.
能够说一门语言通常是语言学习的目标，但是这个目标可以缓一缓。一旦你掌握了某种语言，你会找到机会开口说的。当你正在学习这门语言时，听更加重要。尝试说一些“脱口而出”的词组有可能会让你陷入困境。如果你遇到了一位说母语的人，你必然会花更多时间来听这个人说话，除非你已经掌握了这门语言。你没有必要为了学习语言而开口说话，而应该为了开口说话来学习语言。

7. I would love to learn but I don’t have the time
我很愿意学，但我没有时间

How about the time you spend waiting in line, commuting, doing things around the house, going for a walk? Why not use that time to listen to a language on your iPod? Once you get started, even 10 or 15 minutes a day will soon grow to 30 minutes a day, or one hour. If you believe you will achieve significant results, and if you enjoy doing it, as I do, you will find the time.
那些你用来排队，上下班，在房前屋后忙活，散步的时间呢？为什么不利用这些时间用你的iPod练听力呢？一旦你开始这么做，即使每天只有10或者15分钟，也很快会增加到每天半小时或1小时。如果你相信自己可以收获重大成效，如果你喜欢语言学习，就像我一样，你会找到时间的。