5 myths about language learning

5 myths about language learning

One of the things on my bucket list is to learn Spanish fluently. I learned the basics during my GCSEs (16 years ago!), took an evening course at UCL in 2010 and also dabbled with Rosetta Stone and Duolingo.

Ahead of our big trip, I decided to get serious and signed up for a Rosetta Stone course online. I have passed intermediate level B1 and am currently working my way up. Meanwhile, Peter brushes up on his basic knowledge of French.

Combined, we should have covered large parts of the South Pacific and South America.

Linguistics is one of my passions (I hope to get a master's degree in it one day). When I started learning Spanish, I naturally read up on some theories about language learning. To my surprise, some of my assumptions turned out to be wrong. Here are 5 language learning myths that every language learner should keep in mind.

Myth 1. You are too old to learn a new language

One of the things we hear most often is that children learn languages ​​faster than adults. We cite the oft-quoted example of immigrant children learning English without a foreign accent and translating for their parents at the doctor or dentist.

This is usually rooted in the “critical period hypothesis,” which suggests that children learn languages ​​better because their brains are more elastic [1].

However, this theory has been questioned repeatedly since its inception [2] and experimental studies have shown that adolescents and adults perform better than young children under controlled conditions [3].

It is also a myth that younger children learn languages ​​faster than older ones [4]. In short: you're not too old to learn a new language, so don't use that as an excuse.

Myth 2. The best way to learn is to live in a foreign country

Conventional wisdom dictates that if you want to learn Spanish, you should move to Spain. This sounds like a great idea, but moving to a new country without learning some grammar first will force you to develop bad habits.

You may think you'll improve over time, but consider how many first-generation immigrants use phrases like "I'll take it" instead of "I'll take it" even though they've been in the country for more than a decade. Without the right motivation, moving to a new country is not a safe way to learn a new language.

Instead, it may be better to practice at home first, where you have the time and luxury to learn proper grammar and sentence structure first.

Myth 3. If you listen to a language every day, you will learn it by osmosis

It may be tempting to tune in to a radio station in a local language and hope that some of it reaches your consciousness without any effort, but effective language learning involves all forms of learning: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Passive learning will certainly help your accent and pronunciation, but research shows that it alone is not enough to learn a new language.

Myth 4. Pronunciation does not require active work

Many language learners assume that their pronunciation is sufficient because their teacher doesn't correct them. The truth is that most teachers let all but the most serious pronunciation errors pass.

Unless you are taught privately, teachers do not have the time to work on each student's pronunciation in class. As a result, it is the most neglected area of ​​language learning.

Test your verbal skills on real native speakers outside the classroom and aim for near-native pronunciation - radio, television and films in the local language can help with this.

Myth 5. It's okay to make mistakes

As children, we are often asked to interact in class by promising that it is okay to make mistakes. However, mistakes can be harmful when learning a language. Every time you use incorrect grammar, you increase the chances of making the same mistake again.

Some learners want to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible, but there is a big difference between fluency with mistakes and fluency without mistakes, and jumping from the first to the second is much harder than building the second from scratch.

Take time to learn grammar and structure correct sentences. It will be slow, but it is the only option if you really want to become fluent.

[1] Lenneberg, 1967; Penfield & Roberts, 1959[2] Genesis, 1981; Harley, 1989; Newport, 1990[3] Snow & Höfnagel-Höhle, 1978[4] Stern, Burstall & Harley, 1975; Gorosch & Axelsson, 1964; Bühler, 1972; Florander & Jansen, 1968

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