Comments on: 10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in a Language in 6 Months or Less http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/ study abroad programs Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:15:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Foreign Language Withdrawl & The Not-Learning Blues « Hannah In Motion http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-8241 Foreign Language Withdrawl & The Not-Learning Blues « Hannah In Motion Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:35:20 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-8241 [...] 19, 2010 by bhannahjane I was reading an article on Matador Travel tonight that clicked a light bulb in my head.  The thing that gets me the most [...] [...] 19, 2010 by bhannahjane I was reading an article on Matador Travel tonight that clicked a light bulb in my head.  The thing that gets me the most [...]

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]]> By: Sanstree http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-8236 Sanstree Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:50:40 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-8236 Thanks for the article! I completely agree with you! Immersion is everything and being "like a baby" is also the shortest way of learning a language. The grammar should be studied last and words should be picked up on the way. What matters most is intonation, rhythm and body language. My first foreign language was English which I studied 10 years at school and when I finally went to England, I couldn't understand a word they say! It took me 2-3 years to live with a British family to become relatively "fluent" in English. (I still do a lot of mistakes though) The second language I was learning at school (Russian) was pretty much spoken at home and although I hated studying cases at school I picked up some basic spoken Russian while travelling. Now I never use Russian to speak to anyone but I am fond of Russian books that still keeps the language in use. I have been living in India for a year and due to the lack of time didn't do any hard studying but slowly slowly common words just stuck in my head so after one year living in India I can pretty much use Hindi while shopping, travelling, bargaining, conversing about health, weather and family. I also observe my 3 year old daughter who speaks Hindi, English, some Punjabi and basically will absorb a rhyme of any language sung to her. So yes, I think, you can learn a language only by having fun! Thanks for the article! I completely agree with you! Immersion is everything and being “like a baby” is also the shortest way of learning a language. The grammar should be studied last and words should be picked up on the way. What matters most is intonation, rhythm and body language.

My first foreign language was English which I studied 10 years at school and when I finally went to England, I couldn’t understand a word they say! It took me 2-3 years to live with a British family to become relatively “fluent” in English. (I still do a lot of mistakes though)

The second language I was learning at school (Russian) was pretty much spoken at home and although I hated studying cases at school I picked up some basic spoken Russian while travelling. Now I never use Russian to speak to anyone but I am fond of Russian books that still keeps the language in use.

I have been living in India for a year and due to the lack of time didn’t do any hard studying but slowly slowly common words just stuck in my head so after one year living in India I can pretty much use Hindi while shopping, travelling, bargaining, conversing about health, weather and family. I also observe my 3 year old daughter who speaks Hindi, English, some Punjabi and basically will absorb a rhyme of any language sung to her.

So yes, I think, you can learn a language only by having fun!

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]]> By: Jeremy B http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-8142 Jeremy B Wed, 11 Aug 2010 06:38:33 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-8142 Outstanding! Makes me want to move to another country right now and immerse myself in a language. I have 2 kids - 2 and under. So I am very well aware at how they pick up on language and are so good at it. Repetition, listening, non verbal clues - it's amazing. I guess we lose a bit of that as we get older. We can learn a lot from kids and language is a good reminder of that. Outstanding! Makes me want to move to another country right now and immerse myself in a language. I have 2 kids – 2 and under. So I am very well aware at how they pick up on language and are so good at it. Repetition, listening, non verbal clues – it’s amazing. I guess we lose a bit of that as we get older. We can learn a lot from kids and language is a good reminder of that.

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]]> By: David Page http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-8135 David Page Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:33:13 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-8135 Step Zero Point One: Fall in love and shack up with a local who speaks no English. Step Zero Point One: Fall in love and shack up with a local who speaks no English.

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]]> By: Giordano Bruno » Come imparare l’inglese senza studiare l’inglese http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-8017 Giordano Bruno » Come imparare l’inglese senza studiare l’inglese Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:33:37 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-8017 [...] 10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in any language in 6 months or less [...] [...] 10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in any language in 6 months or less [...]

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]]> By: 4 Strategies to Make the Most of Language School Classes | iTravelMags.com http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-7934 4 Strategies to Make the Most of Language School Classes | iTravelMags.com Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:04:36 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-7934 [...] read more about language learning, check out 7 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language on the Road, 10 Steps for Becoming Fluent in Less Than Six Months, and Matador’s Language Learning Focus [...] [...] read more about language learning, check out 7 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language on the Road, 10 Steps for Becoming Fluent in Less Than Six Months, and Matador’s Language Learning Focus [...]

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]]> By: 4 Strategies to Make the Most of Language School Classes http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-7928 4 Strategies to Make the Most of Language School Classes Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:16:00 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-7928 [...] read more about language learning, check out 7 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language on the Road, 10 Steps for Becoming Fluent in Less Than Six Months, and Matador’s Language Learning Focus Page. var ids = new Array; ids.push(5022); Tagged [...] [...] read more about language learning, check out 7 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language on the Road, 10 Steps for Becoming Fluent in Less Than Six Months, and Matador’s Language Learning Focus Page. var ids = new Array; ids.push(5022); Tagged [...]

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]]> By: Peter http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-7813 Peter Sat, 10 Jul 2010 14:05:28 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-7813 In my opinion the best way to learn a foreign language is opportunity to speak with natives. When you travel to other country you have to communicate with people from there and you immerse yourself in the new language and in that culture. In my opinion the best way to learn a foreign language is opportunity to speak with natives. When you travel to other country you have to communicate with people from there and you immerse yourself in the new language and in that culture.

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]]> By: guru http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-2/#comment-7675 guru Tue, 29 Jun 2010 23:31:03 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-7675 one of the best comments i've heard so far is from Gary (July 2nd 2009), which is don't let worries about grammar (or anything else for that matter) slow you down. It's important to enjoy learning the language, which means you recognise your strengths and build on them. one of the best comments i’ve heard so far is from Gary (July 2nd 2009), which is don’t let worries about grammar (or anything else for that matter) slow you down. It’s important to enjoy learning the language, which means you recognise your strengths and build on them.

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]]> By: Kirsten http://matadorabroad.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/comment-page-3/#comment-7089 Kirsten Fri, 21 May 2010 01:04:33 +0000 http://matadorstudy.com/?p=18#comment-7089 It's so true about media...I've found 10+ Mexican and South American bands and singers that I love and, even after not using Spanish (outside of some on-again-off-again studying bouts) for 2 years my Spanish is better than the last time I used it. Finding music you like will make you want to listen to it often, and when you do you'll often automatically try to translate it, and notice words you don't understand and occasionally look them up online and learn new vocab! Watching movies with subtitles in Spanish is also really helpful. It's not as hard to learn/retain a language as people think! It’s so true about media…I’ve found 10+ Mexican and South American bands and singers that I love and, even after not using Spanish (outside of some on-again-off-again studying bouts) for 2 years my Spanish is better than the last time I used it. Finding music you like will make you want to listen to it often, and when you do you’ll often automatically try to translate it, and notice words you don’t understand and occasionally look them up online and learn new vocab!

Watching movies with subtitles in Spanish is also really helpful. It’s not as hard to learn/retain a language as people think!

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