Comments on: The smartest decision you will ever make to achieve fluency http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/ Unconventional language hacking tips from Benny the Irish polyglot; travelling the world to learn languages to fluency and beyond! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kimnkev http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-17923 Kimnkev Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:23:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-17923 I thought that story was fantastic I actually use some of those tips. I have been learning myself about ten years now and need help. But I don't know anyone who can help with listening. But I mean talking face t face about everyday things. I'm do frustrated. Can u help me. I thought that story was fantastic I actually use some of those tips. I have been learning myself about ten years now and need help. But I don’t know anyone who can help with listening. But I mean talking face t face about everyday things. I’m do frustrated. Can u help me.

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-17870 Benny Lewis Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:26:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-17870 First read this post about your "impossible" comment: http://www.fluentin3months.com/achieve-the-impossible/ Then read this post about learning a language as a couple: http://www.fluentin3months.com/couples/ Then realize that it's easier than you think- but you have to leg go of excuses. I've had jobs that require me to speak English at work all day - as have many very successful language learners. You are not the only one in your situation. This final post will remind you of that: http://www.fluentin3months.com/destiny/ First read this post about your “impossible” comment: http://www.fluentin3months.com/achieve-the-impossible/
Then read this post about learning a language as a couple:
http://www.fluentin3months.com/couples/
Then realize that it’s easier than you think- but you have to leg go of excuses. I’ve had jobs that require me to speak English at work all day – as have many very successful language learners. You are not the only one in your situation. This final post will remind you of that: http://www.fluentin3months.com/destiny/

]]> By: Silent_exposure http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-17640 Silent_exposure Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-17640 Been volunteering in Japan the last four months and I can attest that this is true. Unlike most people I did not have the option of speaking English to anybody (weekly skype calls to family were it) as I am deep in the Japanese mountains in a town nobody has heard of. But being forced to only speak this language has helped me pick it up so much more and Japanese is not an easy language for English speakers. Great article! Been volunteering in Japan the last four months and I can attest that this is true. Unlike most people I did not have the option of speaking English to anybody (weekly skype calls to family were it) as I am deep in the Japanese mountains in a town nobody has heard of. But being forced to only speak this language has helped me pick it up so much more and Japanese is not an easy language for English speakers. Great article!

]]> By: hogg.jenny http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-17592 hogg.jenny Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:52:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-17592 Wow very interesting topic really i am truly inspire from this .I appreciate your great effort to discuss this useful topic and share your great thoughts here with us .  <a href="http://www.webdesignbizz.com/" rel="nofollow">Template Design</a> Wow very interesting topic really i am truly inspire from this .I appreciate your great effort to discuss this useful topic and share your great thoughts here with us . 
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]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-17254 Benny Lewis Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:09:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-17254 Your question is rather simple, presuming that being in a country will magically have you speak with no effort on your part - please search my site for a post about how travelling does NOT help you learn a language. And otherwise, actually do work and then you will improve... Your question is rather simple, presuming that being in a country will magically have you speak with no effort on your part – please search my site for a post about how travelling does NOT help you learn a language.

And otherwise, actually do work and then you will improve…

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-17180 Benny Lewis Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:09:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-17180 I lived in Amsterdam this year and learned Dutch fine, and spoke pretty much no English. Please read these posts: http://www.fluentin3months.com/north-europe-myth/ http://www.fluentin3months.com/amsterdam/ I lived in Amsterdam this year and learned Dutch fine, and spoke pretty much no English. Please read these posts:

http://www.fluentin3months.com/north-europe-myth/

http://www.fluentin3months.com/amsterdam/

]]> By: Jim Gottlieb http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-16917 Jim Gottlieb Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:29:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-16917 We all learn from our mistakes.  When I studied abroad in Japan in university I made the mistake of mostly hanging out with the other American students.  Yes, I did speak Japanese with my host family, but I never gained the fluency of those who spent most of their time with locals. Decades later, I decided it was time to get off my butt and do the study abroad in China that I'd long wanted to.  And this time I knew what not to do.  Don't pay a university for an expensive class where you only get to talk a few times an hour, and don't socialize with other English speakers. I found a small language school in a city with relatively few foreigners, and took two hours a day of (cheap) private lessons taught by teachers from the local university.  And I hung out only with Chinese.  The combination of these self-imposed conditions, plus again living with a host family, means I made so much more progress in my three and half months in China than I did in one year in Japan. I know it's more comfortable to hang out with others who speak your language.  But if you really want to learn, do what Benny says and forego this comfort to force yourself to speak your new language with native speakers for a good portion of the day every day.  Just ordering your daily Big Mac in the local tongue won't do it! We all learn from our mistakes.  When I studied abroad in Japan in university I made the mistake of mostly hanging out with the other American students.  Yes, I did speak Japanese with my host family, but I never gained the fluency of those who spent most of their time with locals.

Decades later, I decided it was time to get off my butt and do the study abroad in China that I’d long wanted to.  And this time I knew what not to do.  Don’t pay a university for an expensive class where you only get to talk a few times an hour, and don’t socialize with other English speakers.

I found a small language school in a city with relatively few foreigners, and took two hours a day of (cheap) private lessons taught by teachers from the local university.  And I hung out only with Chinese.  The combination of these self-imposed conditions, plus again living with a host family, means I made so much more progress in my three and half months in China than I did in one year in Japan.

I know it’s more comfortable to hang out with others who speak your language.  But if you really want to learn, do what Benny says and forego this comfort to force yourself to speak your new language with native speakers for a good portion of the day every day.  Just ordering your daily Big Mac in the local tongue won’t do it!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-16897 Anonymous Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:37:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-16897 A propósito, você já esteve na parte francesa da Suiça? É que uma vez um francês me contou que o sotaque deles é bem lento quando comparado ao francês falado na França. Uma outra dúvida que eu tenho é sobre o francês falado em Quebec: várias pessoas já me disseram que o francês dele é meio estranho. O que isso quer dizer em termos práticos? De antemão, já agradeço pela força. Já virei seu fã em menos de 24h HAHAHAHA! Ahhhh... E enquanto vc estiver em Cuzco, cuidado com as folhas de coca que eles gostam de mascar, elas te deixam igual ao Incrível Hulk! É brincadeira!!! Grande abraço. o/ A propósito, você já esteve na parte francesa da Suiça? É que uma vez um francês me contou que o sotaque deles é bem lento quando comparado ao francês falado na França. Uma outra dúvida que eu tenho é sobre o francês falado em Quebec: várias pessoas já me disseram que o francês dele é meio estranho. O que isso quer dizer em termos práticos? De antemão, já agradeço pela força. Já virei seu fã em menos de 24h HAHAHAHA! Ahhhh… E enquanto vc estiver em Cuzco, cuidado com as folhas de coca que eles gostam de mascar, elas te deixam igual ao Incrível Hulk! É brincadeira!!! Grande abraço. o/

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-16871 Benny Lewis Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:10:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-16871 Pode deixar! Boa sorte em Genebra! :) Pode deixar!
Boa sorte em Genebra! :)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-16865 Anonymous Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:26:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-16865 Olá, Benny. Acabo de encontrar este maravilhoso post enquanto procurava a seguinte frase no Google: "what does it feel to be in a foreign country where nobody speaks your language ?". Bom... Já que eu comecei comentando em português, vamos lá. Nunca estive no exterior para aprender novos idiomas mas tenho uma grande paixão pelo assunto, tanto é que já estou me preparando para tal desde o início desse ano. Acho que vou ficar por um tempo na casa da minha prima que vive em Genebra e começar pelo Francês. Por mais óbvio que isso possa parecer ainda tem gente que não entende que pra aprender uma língua nova é preciso, em parte, desligar-se de suas raízes e imergir completamente no meio em que se fala a língua que você quer aprender. Meu inglês vai bem, obrigado, meu espanhol também "dá pro gasto", mas pra todo aspirante a poliglota que se preze uma língua a mais é sempre bom, né? Já adicionei seu blog aos meus favoritos (bookmarks). Muito obrigado pela iniciativa e depois eu comento mais! Até logo! Ahhh, ví seu vídeo falando em vários idiomas, seu português está ótimo, eu adorei o sotaque. Olá, Benny. Acabo de encontrar este maravilhoso post enquanto procurava a seguinte frase no Google: “what does it feel to be in a foreign country where nobody speaks your language ?”. Bom… Já que eu comecei comentando em português, vamos lá. Nunca estive no exterior para aprender novos idiomas mas tenho uma grande paixão pelo assunto, tanto é que já estou me preparando para tal desde o início desse ano. Acho que vou ficar por um tempo na casa da minha prima que vive em Genebra e começar pelo Francês. Por mais óbvio que isso possa parecer ainda tem gente que não entende que pra aprender uma língua nova é preciso, em parte, desligar-se de suas raízes e imergir completamente no meio em que se fala a língua que você quer aprender. Meu inglês vai bem, obrigado, meu espanhol também “dá pro gasto”, mas pra todo aspirante a poliglota que se preze uma língua a mais é sempre bom, né? Já adicionei seu blog aos meus favoritos (bookmarks). Muito obrigado pela iniciativa e depois eu comento mais! Até logo! Ahhh, ví seu vídeo falando em vários idiomas, seu português está ótimo, eu adorei o sotaque.

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-16700 Benny Lewis Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:18:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-16700 De nada!! Mucha suerte con tu alemán, ya que tienes la "píldora mágica" ;) ;) De nada!! Mucha suerte con tu alemán, ya que tienes la “píldora mágica” ;) ;)

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15996 Benny Lewis Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:36:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15996 What an excellent quote! Just shared it on twitter :) What an excellent quote! Just shared it on twitter :)

]]> By: Sushibird http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-2/#comment-15928 Sushibird Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:40:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15928 I switched everything on the computer to Japanese. My FB is in Japanese, my gmail is in Japanese, the operating system on my iPhone and my Mac is in Japanese. It is easy to switch languages on a lot of websites these days :) I switched everything on the computer to Japanese. My FB is in Japanese, my gmail is in Japanese, the operating system on my iPhone and my Mac is in Japanese. It is easy to switch languages on a lot of websites these days :)

]]> By: Mark http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15849 Mark Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:02:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15849 Great. Totally what I've been thinking for the past few years - and especially this past week with a "repeat offender" irritating dental receptionist (*such* bad etiquette to switch without asking the other person, especially as her English isn't the same level as my Spanish"). Your web site is EXCELLENT and I'll be visiting regularly to read it more fully over the coming winter months. Thanks! Great. Totally what I’ve been thinking for the past few years – and especially this past week with a “repeat offender” irritating dental receptionist (*such* bad etiquette to switch without asking the other person, especially as her English isn’t the same level as my Spanish”). Your web site is EXCELLENT and I’ll be visiting regularly to read it more fully over the coming winter months. Thanks!

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15641 Benny Lewis Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:22:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15641 Best of luck! It's a tough struggle, but SO worth it if you are willing to put in the work of being 100% committed :) Best of luck! It’s a tough struggle, but SO worth it if you are willing to put in the work of being 100% committed :)

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15447 Anonymous Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:29:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15447 I'm in Madrid, and I'm going to try it :D I’m in Madrid, and I’m going to try it :D

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15392 Benny Lewis Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15392 English is a commercial language - when someone insists on speaking it with you and you are in THEIR country, it may be a lazy attempt on their part to avoid paying for lessons or moving across the world as you would have done, for the sole purpose of improving their employabilty. When I'm in the foreign country, *I* am the one who made all the major changes to my life, not them. Sometimes they may genuinely be interested in getting to know you, but hindering someone's progress in a language when they are in the country and urgently need to speak it is SELFISH. If I meet a non-native-English speaker in the US or Ireland who wants to practice English with me since they are still learning then I'll indulge them. I have seen many many people use English speakers who have moved to their country, for no purpose other than to improve their skills in English, and yes it is clearly using that person and very different to someone trying to learn a local language. English is a commercial language – when someone insists on speaking it with you and you are in THEIR country, it may be a lazy attempt on their part to avoid paying for lessons or moving across the world as you would have done, for the sole purpose of improving their employabilty. When I’m in the foreign country, *I* am the one who made all the major changes to my life, not them.

Sometimes they may genuinely be interested in getting to know you, but hindering someone’s progress in a language when they are in the country and urgently need to speak it is SELFISH. If I meet a non-native-English speaker in the US or Ireland who wants to practice English with me since they are still learning then I’ll indulge them.

I have seen many many people use English speakers who have moved to their country, for no purpose other than to improve their skills in English, and yes it is clearly using that person and very different to someone trying to learn a local language.

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15393 Benny Lewis Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15393 English is a commercial language - when someone insists on speaking it with you and you are in THEIR country, it may be a lazy attempt on their part to avoid paying for lessons or moving across the world as you would have done, for the sole purpose of improving their employabilty. When I'm in the foreign country, *I* am the one who made all the major changes to my life, not them. Sometimes they may genuinely be interested in getting to know you, but hindering someone's progress in a language when they are in the country and urgently need to speak it is SELFISH. If I meet a non-native-English speaker in the US or Ireland who wants to practice English with me since they are still learning then I'll indulge them. I have seen many many people use English speakers who have moved to their country, for no purpose other than to improve their skills in English, and yes it is clearly using that person and very different to someone trying to learn a local language. English is a commercial language – when someone insists on speaking it with you and you are in THEIR country, it may be a lazy attempt on their part to avoid paying for lessons or moving across the world as you would have done, for the sole purpose of improving their employabilty. When I’m in the foreign country, *I* am the one who made all the major changes to my life, not them.

Sometimes they may genuinely be interested in getting to know you, but hindering someone’s progress in a language when they are in the country and urgently need to speak it is SELFISH. If I meet a non-native-English speaker in the US or Ireland who wants to practice English with me since they are still learning then I’ll indulge them.

I have seen many many people use English speakers who have moved to their country, for no purpose other than to improve their skills in English, and yes it is clearly using that person and very different to someone trying to learn a local language.

]]> By: Benny Lewis http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15394 Benny Lewis Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:00:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15394 English is a commercial language - when someone insists on speaking it with you and you are in THEIR country, it may be a lazy attempt on their part to avoid paying for lessons or moving across the world as you would have done, for the sole purpose of improving their employabilty. When I'm in the foreign country, *I* am the one who made all the major changes to my life, not them. Sometimes they may genuinely be interested in getting to know you, but hindering someone's progress in a language when they are in the country and urgently need to speak it is SELFISH. If I meet a non-native-English speaker in the US or Ireland who wants to practice English with me since they are still learning then I'll indulge them. I have seen many many people use English speakers who have moved to their country, for no purpose other than to improve their skills in English, and yes it is clearly using that person and very different to someone trying to learn a local language. English is a commercial language – when someone insists on speaking it with you and you are in THEIR country, it may be a lazy attempt on their part to avoid paying for lessons or moving across the world as you would have done, for the sole purpose of improving their employabilty. When I’m in the foreign country, *I* am the one who made all the major changes to my life, not them.

Sometimes they may genuinely be interested in getting to know you, but hindering someone’s progress in a language when they are in the country and urgently need to speak it is SELFISH. If I meet a non-native-English speaker in the US or Ireland who wants to practice English with me since they are still learning then I’ll indulge them.

I have seen many many people use English speakers who have moved to their country, for no purpose other than to improve their skills in English, and yes it is clearly using that person and very different to someone trying to learn a local language.

]]> By: J L Wright http://www.fluentin3months.com/the-smartest-decision-you-will-ever-make-to-achieve-fluency/comment-page-3/#comment-15163 J L Wright Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:54:00 +0000 http://www.fluentin3months.com/?p=283#comment-15163 This is an amazing blog! Thanks so much for it! I have been living in Jordan for two years and am very disappointed by the progress I've made learning Arabic. My Companion is a native, but speaks fluent English. Therefore, we primarily speak English in the house. Two or three times a week I go to his old neighborhood to "immerse" myself in Arabic and actually learn quite a lot; just not enough because I don't get enough chances to practice my new vocabulary. Just last week one of my friends down there said to me, "You should stop speaking English in the house!" Now, three days later I find your blog giving essentially the same advice. Now, because I am a teacher of English as a Second Language, I won't be able to stop speaking English 100% of the time, but my Companion has agreed to stop speaking to me in English from our getting up time until he leaves for work in the afternoon. When my students leave in the evening, I will now speak only Arabic and I'm also going to give up television, because we mostly get English speaking channels and the Arabic ones speak only Fus7a (Formal, Quranic Arabic) which is completely different to the language spoken in the streets. I plan to be far more fluent by the end of 2011 and then sail on to complete fluency in 2012! Thanks again for the confirmatory advice! This is an amazing blog! Thanks so much for it! I have been living in Jordan for two years and am very disappointed by the progress I’ve made learning Arabic. My Companion is a native, but speaks fluent English. Therefore, we primarily speak English in the house. Two or three times a week I go to his old neighborhood to “immerse” myself in Arabic and actually learn quite a lot; just not enough because I don’t get enough chances to practice my new vocabulary. Just last week one of my friends down there said to me, “You should stop speaking English in the house!” Now, three days later I find your blog giving essentially the same advice. Now, because I am a teacher of English as a Second Language, I won’t be able to stop speaking English 100% of the time, but my Companion has agreed to stop speaking to me in English from our getting up time until he leaves for work in the afternoon. When my students leave in the evening, I will now speak only Arabic and I’m also going to give up television, because we mostly get English speaking channels and the Arabic ones speak only Fus7a (Formal, Quranic Arabic) which is completely different to the language spoken in the streets. I plan to be far more fluent by the end of 2011 and then sail on to complete fluency in 2012! Thanks again for the confirmatory advice!

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