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Viewing The Key to Efficient Language Learning is Words plus SoundsThe Key to Efficient Language Learning is Words plus Sounds
By Michael Gabrikow This article emphasizes the importance of the 'words plus sounds' combination when learning a new language. This does not mean that the third factor that often comes into play, images, is not important. Actually, images are extremely important in any language learning process, especially in the beginning when you are trying to form a basic vocabulary. However, if you want to become a complete polyglot, speaking your secondary languages fluently and learning them efficiently, it is the 'sound plus word' combination that is most handy. Think about it - what good does it do if you know a language 'on paper' and you can understand something read or spoken in that language, but cannot speak it yourself? After all, the essence of learning a secondary language is achieving BOTH the understanding and making yourself understood parts. Oftentimes, making yourself understood is a lot harder than understanding a language. Many people state that they 'know' a language, but they cannot speak it. That is because they only learned using words and not sounds as well. So let's assume you are just starting to learn German as a secondary language. As soon as possible (meaning from your first few lessons), start pronouncing the words you read and memorize. Say them aloud a few times and read them so that you can hear yourself. Of course, you will not get them right at first and that normal. However, at least you have a chance to see how your mind expresses that word in sounds. You may wonder why I consider this so important. Well wherever you live, you must have at least one foreign neighbor with a clumsy accent. The reason they have this clumsy accent is that they learn the language using the rules and pronunciation barriers of their own mother tongue. In order to defeat this problem, you must set aside your natural pronunciation rules when learning a new language. Try to memorize words after hearing them as well as reading them. Language learning online is best for this, since there are many interactive websites that offer audio corresponding to their text. This will allow you to learn both correct pronunciation and spelling. Our brain is more attuned to picking up new words 'heard' than read. As children, we build up most of our vocabulary through hearing. At this point, if you also combine each word with an image, you can be sure that the new words will never disappear from your vocabulary and your memory. This might be the perfect language-learning pattern, but it is not always easy to be able to hear words in the first place. Most language courses and online language lessons will simply throw you a list of common words in the language you are studying and tell you to memorize them robotically, without an additional image or audio extension. Try to avoid these websites and look for something interactive, something that gives you the written list AND the ability to hear them being pronounced. I found several websites that do this, and although they are great to use, they are only available for a few major languages. By the way, one common mistake when learning words through the sound plus word system is becoming satisfied with half-measures. For example, you try pronouncing a word and it does not come out quite the same as the audio source sounds and you say 'it's ok, I'll perfect it over time'. You will not, or at least not for all the half-measure words you have learned. Try to get them to sound as close as possible to the native speaker; since if these words get 'printed' to your brain with a wrong pronunciation format, chances are it will be very hard for you to correct them later. So if you intend to learn a foreign language with the purpose of making yourself understood, not only understanding what others say, learn to think in the foreign language! Do not use the 'parrot method' since it simply involves copying what others say, mindlessly, just like a parrot. About the Author: Increase your foreign language vocabulary with online language games at www.InternetPolyglot.com. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, and Russian to Hindi, Turkish, Ukrainian, and many others. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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