Jay Hevelone on “How to Become Fluent in Any Language”
Reaching fluency in a foreign language may seem like a complicated endeavor, only attainable to those who have some natural knack for picking up foreign tongues. Luckily, this is not at all the case. All around the world, people of all walks of life and intellectual proclivities pick up multiple languages throughout the courses of their lives. Our brains are powerful meaning makers that work tirelessly to make sense of the world around us, which gives each person the keen ability to learn not just one, but many languages. That being said, learning a language to fluency is a large undertaking. The average speaker of English knows about 20,000 to 40,000 words, plus the underlying grammar, inflectional voice patterns, and culturally appropriate nonverbal communication. To learn a foreign language is to learn an immense system of communication, which we call a linguistic system in the study of linguistics. I wanted to write this article to collect the things that I have learned about language acquisition over the past decade from my own personal experience and studies in linguistics here at CU. It is the article I wish I had read as a 12-year-old starting German for the first time; I hope it can be of use to you!
What is Fluency?
Fluency is perhaps one of the most elusive terms to define because it is fundamentally subjective. The idea of fluency to one person may look entirely different than that of another, yet there is still this shared conception of what it looks like. Most people talk about becoming fluent as if it is a concrete achievement in your language learning, clearly demarcating your language abilities as a learner from those as a learned individual. The fact of the matter is that fluency exists on a continuum. One end of the fluency spectrum could be knowing enough of a language to get around in the country where the language is spoken, whereas the other end could look like a person who has entirely assimilated into the culture, having a comprehensive knowledge of not just the language, but also the cultural references, jokes, slang, and so on. No particular definition of fluency is the correct one, and so, you should decide what level is best for your interest and needs. Regardless of what your fluency goals look like, this article will help you achieve that level.
Language Knowledge vs. Language Acquisition
Knowing the difference between language knowledge and acquisition is the crucial factor that will determine whether or not you will be able to use the language you are learning. On the one hand, language knowledge – or linguistic knowledge – is the totality of your active knowledge of a language. This may include knowing how to conjugate verbs, decline adjectives, and use correct case endings with prepositions. In other words, it is your conscious knowledge of the grammar and usage of a language. To make a comparison with English, language knowledge is what you learned in your English classes throughout your schooling, where you learned the correct grammar behind the language you spoke. However as a process requiring active thinking, it is fundamentally slow. Your language knowledge comes through in exercises like writing, where you are able to take time to think about what you are writing and how you want to say it. It is also the “language” that you learn in foreign language courses, primarily because it is the easiest to test. The teacher may give a new grammatical topic every week along with some vocab and can easily check your mastery of it by the end of the week. Yet when it comes to actually speaking the language, language knowledge plays no part in your ability to do so. Conversations happen at a pace too fast for your brain to reach into its active linguistic knowledge, either resulting in an inability to speak at all or very choppy speech. It is the reason why a student who has learned and excelled in a language for multiple years in the classroom finds that they have little ability to actively use the language when need be.
Language acquisition, on the other hand, is your internalization of the language. Acquisition was the process everyone underwent when they learned their mother tongue. You might not actively know what the preterite form of the verb ‘to be’ in English is, but you know how to use it when the sentence calls for it (it’s ‘was’ by the way). In fact, many people go their whole lives entirely capable of speaking their language correctly without ever learning any linguistic knowledge of their mother tongue. Language acquisition is the reason that certain things ‘sound wrong’ or that you just ‘know’ what to say without thinking about grammar. Likewise, in a foreign language, acquisition allows you to use the language and speak freely when the situation arises. It may come off as contrary to everything you may have learned before regarding the process of learning and specifically that of learning languages, but language acquisition is fundamentally a passive process.
Keys to Fluency
1. Input, Input, Input: If there is one thing you take away from this article, let it be this: you and your brain acquire languages through input. Input is your passive language skills, i.e. listening and reading. Through sufficient input from speakers of a foreign language, your brain automatically acquires the language without you having to pursue that learning actively, as you might do through brunt force memorization or repetitive studying of conjugation tables. The human brain constantly seeks to make meaning of the world around it, including from unfamiliar foreign languages. By absorbing large quantities of input, your brain is constantly making new, but incomplete neural pathways as it charts out a new linguistic system in your brain. With enough time and input, those incomplete neural pathways eventually connect and you begin acquiring pieces of the language. It’s the reason everyone touts going to the country where the language is spoken for a full immersion experience; through the immersion, you’re
getting a large amount of input at all times of the day.
Unfortunately, acquisition occurs on a long timescale – think years. In fact, it often feels like there is no actual learning going on because there isn’t the immediate learning ‘payoff’ you get with active learning. But don’t lose hope! Give yourself sufficient time and input, and your brain will learn the language for you. Some key things to keep in mind when it comes to input:
- Input must be n+1: if “n” is your current language level, then +1 is slightly (I really mean slightly) beyond your current level. By choosing input that is a little outside what you already know, your brain is able to leverage current knowledge to guess and often predict the meaning of the unknown +1, which then becomes solidified and becomes the new “n”.
- The Input Hierarchy: Not all sources of input are created equal, and mostly due to the density of the language used in that source. From high linguistic density to low, and therefore from highest amount of acquisition to least, the hierarchy would read: full immersion in a foreign country, books, podcasts, conversations in person, and movies/TV shows. This is not hard law, as some books can be linguistically vacant and some TV shows can be verbally dense, but it works for me as a general rule of thumb. And of course, don’t limit yourself. If you want to watch a tv show and it gets you to practice your language, you will still be acquiring!
- Note: If watching a movie or TV show, put on the subtitles in the target language you are learning! It will aid your acquisition. Likewise, be careful not to set them in English as your brain will no longer be focused on the foreign language, but rather the English subtitles.
2. Meditate: Seriously. While your brain does learn the language passively, it won’t acquire anything if you are tuned out completely. You should be striving to make sense of the language you are reading or listening to, and meditating regularly helps you do just that. Practicing mindfulness allows you to hold better focus when experiencing language and not overanalyze the input you are receiving.
Meditation can also help with optimizing what is known as your affective filter. The affective filter is your subjective state when encountering language and it affects the amount of input that is internalized by your brain. These filters can range from perception to self (e.g. ‘I am/am not a good language learner) and motivation (high/low) to one’s emotional state. A person with high motivation, a generally higher confidence in themselves and their abilities, and who comes to the task of language learning with low anxiety or stress will absorb far more input than someone who is in the opposite position. Affective filters are often the reason why people who already believe themselves to be bad language learners ‘prove’ to themselves that they are in fact bad language learners who learn very little language, when in reality, everyone has the ability to become fluent in a foreign language. Through the greater awareness brought by practicing meditation and mindfulness, you will be better able to both recognize negative affective states when they arise and begin to weaken their effect on you and your ability to acquire your target language. Of course, some mental states are not resolvable through meditation, but mindfulness may help to lessen their total impact.
3. Follow your Passions: One of the greatest mistakes a language learner can make is choosing a language that they do not have a passion for. Passion can come from any avenue, such as personal interest, familial connection, or necessity, but it is absolutely necessary to have some fire burning within that brings you back with a fresh mind to practice. Choosing a language because it ‘seems useful’ or ‘might be a good idea to learn’ without grounding that sentiment in true interest is a surefire way to put forth a lot of vain and painful effort to achieve little to no acquisition. Following your linguistic passions is a great way to help avoid the affective filter of ‘no motivation’ and replace it with both motivation and an open mindset. Additionally, every language is ‘useful’ and it is ridiculous to think otherwise. Even if you pick up a small language spoken by few speakers, connecting with someone through a conversation and hearing the joy in their voice when you speak their language is truly worth your effort. Follow your passions and things will come into place to put that language to good use.
4. Consistency in Practice: This one often goes without saying. Like anything in life, the only way to get better at something is to practice consistently. Do watch out for burnout, however. I liken burnout to a mental strain injury, which raises mental blockades that impair your ability and motivation to learn. Find a learning schedule that works for you and don’t be afraid to take breaks when you need them. Language learning is a distance race, not a sprint.
Should You Still Study Grammar?
Yes, in fact, I’d recommend it. The biggest difference between adult and children language learners is the ability of adults to leverage their fully developed brains and resources to their advantage. Under certain circumstances, adults can actually be faster language learners than children, though children have a keen advantage of having large amounts of time in their day that they can devote to language learning. Learning grammar will only be building your linguistic knowledge, not acquisition, of that language. However, knowing the grammar can help you recognize when, say, a specific grammatical form is used in the input you are receiving, and in combination with the input, shows you how it functions in context. Linguistic knowledge expedites the process, allowing you to acquire a new grammatical form far quicker than relying on input alone. Additionally, learning the grammar of another language often teaches you about the grammar of your mother tongue, which is a worthwhile project in and of itself. “He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Should You Still Study Vocabulary?
Yes, but only if you are getting sufficient input. Studying vocabulary in a vacuum, i.e. without supplementary language exposure, is brute force memorization which you are likely to take little from. I would recommend working on vocab when engaging in the first three levels of the input hierarchy: total immersion, books, or podcasts. These three input sources are linguistically dense enough that the vocab you are working on will appear in the language you are encountering. Through coming upon the word in a meaningful context, you will solidify it in your brain and remember it for far longer. Also, pull new vocabulary words from your sources of language input! I have a list by me at all times to write down words I don’t know, which I later add to my vocabulary app to study at a later time. I would recommend finding a free flashcard app that will quiz your vocab at regular intervals. I use AnkiDroid and am greatly satisfied with the app’s structure and service, but it is only free for android users.
Additional Tips
1. Learn from Songs: Learning from songs is a fun way to learn new vocabulary and to practice pronunciation! Print out the lyrics and translate the song before learning and singing it for the greatest linguistic takeaway.
2. Ditch the Translator ASAP: When you reach the point where you can readily read a dictionary in a foreign language, set the translator (or dual language dictionary) to the sideline and switch your focus to a dictionary used by native speakers of the language. The translator may still be necessary in some cases, but a foreign language dictionary will give you the nuance in meaning that is missing in the imperfect translations found in translators (like Google Translate and DeepL) or dual language dictionaries (like Lingue and WordReference).
Conclusion
“To have another language is to possess a second soul” – Charlemagne.
Throughout the years that I have learned foreign languages, the greatest obstacle that I saw others face was a strong conviction on their part that they were poor language learners. I hope this article has provided you with both the hope that language fluency is indeed possible for you, which it is, and the motivation to start or continue on your journey to your definition of fluency. And regardless if you get to where you want to go, the process will change and expand you in ways you never though possible. I, personally, would not be the same person today without the amazing experiences I have had learning and using my languages!
