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I'm Past My Prime...Is It Ever Too Late To Learn A New Language?? |
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Written by Clare Innes
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Saturday, 06 September 2008 |
Will it take me years to learn?
Some languages are definitely more difficult to learn, but there really isn't a language that is impossible. Probably the difference between the two is the amount of time that you have available to dedicate to learning, and your own will to succeed. As an example, it will take you less time to learn a language that is similar to your native language or to another that you are already proficient in.
To learn a new language with more than 80% of "common" words with your mother tongue, it can be done in three months if you're able to pick things up quickly, or 6 months if it isn't something that comes to you easily. Other, more remote languages or with more complexity can take you 2 to 3 years to reach a reasonable fluency. Anyway, one thing is for certain; people learning on their own will learn much more quickly than people taking classes or attending school.
Can anyone learn a new language?
It is possible for almost anyone to learn almost any language if they find the method that best suits their own personal learning capabilities. Whilst there are a few people that are simply lousy at learning langages, it is more likely that the reason they believe that they cannot learn a new language is because that is what was dinned into them at school. Forget that and start anew with a positive attitude!
You don't have to have any special skills to learn a new language effectively, you just need to have an effective method of learning. Almost anyone can learn, whether they are gifted or not, whether they have a good or a bad memory...don't forget, you learned your native language didn't you!
If you are slightly more mature and move to another country, it is possible to become fluent enough to be able to converse with the locals, but you need to get out there and make an effort. Most people who learn this way will always speak with an accent but that doesn't matter. The only way that foreign speakers can speak fluently and almost without accent is if they moved to that particular area when they were young and were surrounded by the language on a daily basis.
From the beginning, set your sites on a goal. The first can be to speak enough in your most needed situations (ie the supermarket, calling for a taxi, a restaurant, etc), and to understand what is said back to you. The main difference between an average student and an outstanding one, is the ability to keep pushing the bounderies and not giving up; it doesn't matter how long it takes.
You should realize that you will never stop learning a particular language and that there will nearly always be room for improvement in your skills. Decide to improve your language skills everytime you can and never be satisfied with approximate but sufficient skills. The idea is not to work constantly (you have better things to do) in order to pass, one day, for a native.
Keep trying to improve your skills, with new words or phrases or to perfect your pronunciation. Aim high and you'll get there!
About the Author: About the Writer: Clare Innes has a selection of health, fitness and lifestyle sites, including one showcasing the USA's best selling method of exactly how to learn a new language...and in under 8 weeks! Look out for more sites in the 'First For....com' series that is under development.  Advertise in this article
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