Learn a new language in 2010
Why make learning a foreign language your New Year’s resolution?
Moving to a new country, it’s quite easy to become overwhelmed by the variety on offer: different foods, different customs, different scenery and of course, in certain cases, a different language. Yet, almost everywhere you can get by with speaking English. So why does it become necessary to learn to speak the local lingo? And does it really make a difference if you don’t?
The last few years, as globalization has spread and brought certain countries to the forefront, it’s only natural that there’s been a greater shift of immigrants and those seeking to explore these countries, be it for business opportunities or out of an innate curiosity to see how life elsewhere really is. Along with these shifts comes a greater need to understand more minutely the culture of the place you’re visiting. And this to some extent can be done only by speaking the language of the people.
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.
If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
(Nelson Mandela)
According to a census conducted by StatCan in 2006, a little over 20% of the Canadian population speaks French. Chinese languages make up the 3rd largest spoken language mix in Canada and with globalization, Chinese will probably be a future language Canadians will need to contend with. Spanish and German are also popular learning choices, while classes in Japanese, Russian, Italian and Arabic are also growing as Canadians look to relocate to these new and exotic locales both for business and pleasure.
When it comes to learning a new language, the earlier you start the better. No wonder it’s often added on to a New Year’s Resolution list! And as language immersion works best, living abroad provides the perfect opportunity to learn a new language. The good news is that unlike in the past, where studying was through books and classes, nowadays there are a wide variety of options available. Download free classes over the internet, sign up with the local community center where you live, invest in CD’s and DVD’s or log on to online courses. You can learn at your own pace and budget.
Contrary to popular belief, adults are very capable of learning a new language and the time it takes to do so depends primarily on the effort invested into doing so. If you are contemplating learning to speak, read or write a new language, the following may help you get started and overcome any challenges you face on the way:
Goal setting: If learning a new language is part of your New Year’s resolution, ensuring you keep up with this goal should also be on your list. One of the ways to do this is to determine the amount of time and money you can invest into this particular goal and the method of learning you plan to adopt. Even if you sign up for classes, either online or in a classroom, you may still need to set personal goals to enable you to follow through with this. As with all goals, breaking them down into smaller, workable components, makes it easier to track them.
Workable actions: Determine what actions you will be taking to meet these goals. Your actions should suit your current lifestyle; do not assume you’ll be changing your lifestyle to meet your new plans. Doing so will only be setting you up to fail in the long run. So, if you don’t drive and getting to your class would require you to take a train or bus, you may not be willing to keep it up for a long time. In this instance, it may be better to look at online study courses.
Set a realistic deadline: Keep your timeframe realistic, yet doable. If you set yourself too short a deadline, you may find yourself rescheduling your classes due to other pressing engagements and getting frustrated in having to do so. Similarly, too long a deadline often leaves you feeling relaxed about your commitment. Small daily study-doses work best as does practising each day what you’ve studied.
Track your achievements: it’s important to track your daily achievements. This can be done easily when in a classroom or while studying via online courses. It can be harder if you are studying in the privacy of your home and at your own pace. However, tracking what you’ve learnt will not only allow you to see the progress you’ve made, but will also give you an idea as to which areas may need more effort put into them.
Reward yourself: As with any learning, rewards should form a part of your study process. If you do feel ready to step out with your newly acquired language skills, you may want to treat yourself by participating in a local cultural experience. Dining, a movie, the theatre- all can provide rich experiences in which you learn and practise your skills.
Keep using what you’ve learnt: Don’t be afraid to test your language skills at any given opportunity. You’ll find most locals will appreciate the fact you are trying to speak to them, and even if they laugh, it’s usually with you, not at you. Use what you’ve learnt at the supermarket, in restaurants, with your work colleagues, at the bus stop… wherever and whenever you can. The more time you spend immersed in a language, the easier it is to make progress. If it’s not possible to speak to someone in the language you’ve chosen to learn, play CD’s, music and DVD’s so you can hear different accents, tones and inflections. Try adding daily, phrases and new words to your vocabulary. Even selecting 2-3 new words each day can add up to a sizeable amount over a period of say one month.
And finally, relax and enjoy your new learning experience. If it’s causing you stress, you are less likely to follow up with it. But if you do have fun with it, it’s going to provide you with a whole new way of experiencing life.
Canadian Expat Association Tip: Try roping in a friend to learn the language with you. Learning with someone makes it easier to study and practise your newly acquired language skills with. You’ll also be more motivated if you find someone to compare notes with.
The following are links to excellent free online courses to get you started:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages
http://www.gettheskill.com/language-courses
http://www.word2word.com/course.html
My experience has been that there is a window, when one first moves to a new country, where one will be forgiven, or even welcomed, for speaking a “beginner” version of the language. However, that window closes after a while.
I moved to Norway, and jumped into the language right away, for better or worse. Everyone (Norwegians) around me were very very supportive. There were lots of “You speak great Norwegian for only having been here 6 weeks…” -type comments. As a result, I met many who were willing to help me, correct me, and were generally happy that I tried. However, I’ve met many other ex-pats here who decided that the language was something they could do “a bit later”. Thus, after a year or so, they began trying in earnest to learn Norwegian.
However, they had already become part of social situations that flowed in English, had friends that expected to converse in English, etc., and found it very hard to modify those to include their stumbling Norwegian. In addition, it’s “cute” to, for example, mistake grammatical gender when talking about your spouse, after 2 weeks. Not so much after two years. The end result was that they found the whole environment much more negative, with very little motivation or help in learning the language.
So my advice to anyone learning a local language as an English-world ex-pat would be that you must start immediately upon arrival. Of course that’s a truism with most activities, because of the simple fact that the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll become fluent, but it’s more than just that. The window of help and understanding from the locals can close, and it’s fundamentally important to helping you learn.
- Ashley Morton, Ulsteinvik, Norway