| Learning a new language doesn't have to be | | | | fatal interference? (Ex. Some have thought |
| hard or tedious. It can be fun, if you have | | | | that learning Portuguese after learning |
| the right tools. No doubt, you've visited a | | | | Spanish has caused them problems) |
| book store or searched online only to find a | | | | |
| ton of language learning kits and books. It | | | | 7. How difficult is it going to be to learn |
| can make finding which one is the right one | | | | this language? |
| very hard. In most cases, you can learn a new | | | | |
| language with an hour. Yes, that's right. | | | | 8. How long would it take me to become |
| | | | functionally fluent in this language? |
| Before you go out and spend your hard earned | | | | |
| money on a language program, you first should | | | | It won't take much to answer the questions |
| understand what will be involved in learning | | | | above. You simply need just a few sentences |
| the new language. First, take the language | | | | translated from your native language into |
| apart and understand how it is put together. | | | | your target language to give you a clear idea |
| This is one of the fastest ways to learn a | | | | of what will be involved. |
| new language. | | | | |
| | | | Here are some to start: |
| You can deconstruct any language whether it | | | | |
| is Spanish, German, Italian, Thai, Japanese, | | | | The banana is yellow. |
| Korean, Swedish, English, Norwegian, Irish | | | | |
| Gaelic, etc. Once you deconstruct the | | | | It is Sam's banana. |
| language of your choice, you'll be in a | | | | |
| better position to learn it quickly and | | | | I give Sam the banana. |
| easily, and be able to converse with no | | | | |
| problems. | | | | We give him the banana. |
| | | | |
| How is it possible to learn a language in one | | | | We gave her the banana. |
| hour? That starts by taking them apart and | | | | |
| then choosing wisely which ones you are going | | | | He gives it to Sam. |
| to be able to pick up easily and which ones | | | | |
| are going to be difficult for you. Learning a | | | | She gives it to him. |
| new language is a lot like learning to play a | | | | |
| new sport. | | | | These sentences by themselves will expose |
| | | | much of your target language. From these, |
| When you learn to play a new sport there are | | | | you'll be able to decide just how easy or |
| certain physical requirements you've got to | | | | difficult learning your new language will be. |
| have. For example, body building, you've got | | | | They can help you to see if and how verbs are |
| to have the ability to lift weights and build | | | | conjugated. This is based both on the person |
| muscle. In basketball, height is a big plus. | | | | that is speaking and according to numbers and |
| So for example, if you were shorter than | | | | gender identification. You'll also be able to |
| average, never played basketball before, and | | | | see placement of direct objects (the banana), |
| you wanted to play basketball, you'd have to | | | | indirect objects (Sam), and respective |
| take into account that factor and the time it | | | | pronouns (it, him). |
| will take you to become proficient in that | | | | |
| sport. | | | | You can even follow these sentences with some |
| | | | negations such as "She doesn't give...", "He |
| When it comes to learning a language the same | | | | didn't give...", "I didn't give", "I don't |
| principles apply. Think about the tools you | | | | give...", and different tenses, so you can |
| already have now and how they will fit in | | | | see if they are going to be expressed as |
| with your new goal. If, for example, your | | | | separate words (such as "bu" in Chinese) or |
| native language is Japanese, then you may | | | | verb changes (such as "-nai" or "-masen" in |
| find yourself handicapped with more than 20 | | | | Japanese), making Japanese a much harder |
| phonemes that are particular to your native | | | | language to learn. |
| language. Because of this, it may be that | | | | |
| some language will be very difficult for you | | | | Next, you want to look at the basic sentence |
| to learn. By picking a language that is | | | | structure. Is it anything like English where |
| similar in sound and in word construction | | | | you have subject-verb-object? (Example; I eat |
| (like Spanish for example), you could realize | | | | the banana) Or is it subject-object-verb like |
| the difference between being able to converse | | | | Japanese (Example; I the banana eat), or is |
| freely in that new language in 2 to 3 months | | | | it something else altogether? If you're a |
| instead of 3 to 4 years! | | | | native English speaker, then |
| | | | subject-object-verb is going to be much |
| You should ask yourself the following | | | | harder for you than the other way around. If |
| questions when beginning to deconstruct your | | | | you've already picked up such a language, |
| new language; | | | | then it will not be as difficult for you. |
| | | | Your brain will have already been formatted |
| 1. Are there new sounds that will increase my | | | | for these kinds of languages. |
| time to fluency? | | | | |
| | | | Finally, go through the language alphabet and |
| 2. Are there any grammar structures that will | | | | character system. See if your language has at |
| take longer to learn? | | | | least one phonetic writing system of less |
| | | | than 50 sounds, such as Russian, Japanese, |
| 3. How is this language similar to any | | | | and Spanish. Chinese would not be included |
| languages that I already know? | | | | here since Chinese tones create many |
| | | | variations of otherwise very simple sounds. |
| 4. What can help me learn this language | | | | Again, treat your new language as a sport. |
| faster? | | | | Learn the rules first, and then determine if |
| | | | it is worth your time and energy to learn the |
| 5. What will interfere with my learning this | | | | language. Once you've made the decision to |
| language fast? | | | | either stick with it or quit it, you'll be |
| | | | able to move forward knowing that you can |
| 6. Will my learning this language erase any | | | | learn any language in 1 hour. |
| previous language that I've learned or cause | | | | |