学习语言你必须知道的十件事

You are a monolingual adult: have you missed the language boat? Ralby argues “a key language myth is that it’s harder as an adult”. Adults and children may learn in different ways but that shouldn’t deter you from committing to learning another language. “Languages are simultaneously organic and systematic. As children we learn languages organically and instinctively; as adults we can learn them systematically.”

If you’re still not convinced of your chances, Ralby suggests drawing inspiration from early philologists and founders of linguistics who “learned dozens of languages to encyclopaedic levels as adults”.

7. Do some revision of your native language

Speaking your first language may be second nature, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you understand it well. Kerstin Hammes, editor of the Fluent Language Blog, believes you can’t make good progress in a second language until you understand your own. “I think understanding your native language and just generally how language works is so essential before you launch yourself at a bunch of foreign phrases.”

8. Don’t underestimate the importance of translation

Different approaches may be necessary at different stages of the learning process. Once you have reached a certain level of proficiency and can say quite a bit, fairly accurately, Rebecca Braun, senior lecturer in German studies at Lancaster University, says it is typical to feel a slowing down in progress. “Translation,” she says, “is such an important exercise for helping you get over a certain plateau that you will reach as a language learner ... Translation exercises don’t allow you to paraphrase and force the learner on to the next level.”.

9. Beware of fluency

Many of the panellists were cautious of the F-word. Hammes argues not only is it difficult to define what fluency is, but “as a goal it is so much bigger than it deserves to be. Language learning never stops because it’s culture learning, personal growth and endless improvement. I believe that this is where learners go wrong”.

10. Go to where the language is spoken

It may not be an option for everyone but Braun reminds us that “if you are serious about learning the language and getting direct pleasure from what you have learned, you need to go to where that language is spoken”.

Travel and living abroad can complement learning in the classroom: “The books and verb charts may be the easiest way to ensure you expose yourself to the language at home, but the people and the culture will far outclass them once you get to the country where your language is spoken.”
6. 无视那些迷思：年龄只是数字

你是一个只会一种语言的成年人：那么你是否已经错过了学习一门新语言的时机了呢？罗尔比说“关于语言学习的一个重要的迷思就是，成年更难学会新语言。” 成年人和儿童可能在学习的方法上不一致，但这并不应该成为阻碍你学习另一门语言的障碍。“语言是有机和系统的。儿童学习语言的方法是有机和直觉的；而成年人学习语言是系统的。” 若你还对此观点抱有疑惑，拉尔比建议从古代哲学家和语言学创始人身上寻找启示，“这些博学者都是在成年的时候学会众多语言的。”

7. 要多复习自己的母语

说自己的母语可能是人的第二天性，但这并不意味着你很好地理解这门语言。流利语言博客的编辑克里斯汀·哈梅斯（Kerstin Hammes）认为除非你很好地理解了自己的母语，否则无法在第二语言的学习上得到进步。“我认为理解自己的母语以及理解语言如何运作，这一点在你学习一堆外国语词汇之前是很重要的。”

8. 别低估了翻译的重要性

在学习语言的不同过程中，我们可能需要使用不同的学习方法。一旦你达到了一定的学习水平，口语不错，准确度也还行的时候，兰卡斯特大学德语研究高级讲师丽贝卡·布劳恩（Rebecca Braun）说到了这个阶段，翻译练习在帮助作为语言学习者的你跨越一个难以进步的稳定时期是非常重要的……翻译练习不允许你进行阐释，这会迫使学习者进入到更高一级的水平。

9. 当心流畅性

很多嘉宾对于“流畅”这个词都持谨慎态度。哈梅斯认为这不仅仅是因为很难定义这个词，还因为作为学习目标，这不应该要把它置于如此高的地位。学习语言的过程从未终止，这是因为语言学习的过程也是文化学习的过程，也是个人的成长，它会一直不断的提升。我认为这就是英语学习者弄错的地方。

10. 去到说目标语言的地方

不是所有人都能做到这样，但布劳恩提醒我们说，“若你认真对待你所学的这门语言，同时能够在学习它的过程中得到快乐，那么你应该到说这语言的地方去。” 旅行和住在外国能够有效地对课堂学习进行补充：“在家手看书本和词汇表可能是让你置身于目标语言环境的最简单的方式，但是该语言环境中的人和文化都在书本之外，除非你到说这种语言的国家去。”