Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Techniques-for-learning-languages

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In this article, we will explore techniques for learning languages that are both effective and enjoyable. Many of these techniques are not scientifically verified, but they are worth a try. From bilingual conversation and mistake logging to spaced repetition and obstacle listening, these techniques will help you improve your language skills and gain confidence in your ability to communicate in a new language.

Bilingual conversation[edit | edit source]

When you are talking with your language & culture exchange partner, make them bilingual for each sentence.

Let's see which language to speak first, and which second:

If you want to focus on understanding,

  1. If your speaking skill is good and your partner's listening skill is bad, you speak your target language first.
  2. If your speaking skill is bad and your partner's listening skill is good, you speak your partner's target language first.

If you want to focus on training,

  1. If your speaking skill is good and your partner's listening skill is bad, you speak your partner's target language first.
  2. If your speaking skill is bad and your partner's listening skill is good, you speak your target language first.

But if it's a chat on computer with text, it doesn't matter which one first, which one second.

If your partner can't speak a sentence well, you should say how to do it, with grammatical assistance, and your partner should repeat it fluently.

Mistake log[edit | edit source]

Keep a log about which type of mistake you tend to make, and pay more attention to it.

Language/Multiple-languages/Grammar/Common-Mistakes This page is also incomplete.

Parse and categorize[edit | edit source]

Find sentences, and parse them with tools such as

http://www.mapsofspeech.com/2017/10/02/treeform/

Then categorize those sentences with the trees' pattern, then you will have a really better understanding of the sentence structures.

Tandem[edit | edit source]

This method is not what you do in the app named Tandem.

In tandem, you and your partner are native speakers of the target language of each other. In a period, you both only speak one's native language. In the next period, you both only speak the other's native language. Then the next period, and so on. The lengths of the periods are equal.

Synonym groups[edit | edit source]

When you find a word, try to find its synonyms, as many a native should know as possible, make them a group, mark their usage differences, and name the group with the word most frequently used or the one you know best. This can be realised by thesauri.

If you like, you can also have antonyms. But I guess too many words may discourage you.

Morse code training[edit | edit source]

“Are you serious?”

Creativity comes from deviation.

It helps to train concentration for listening. Maybe it's concentration, not limited to listening.

Morse code training software is not hard to find on every common operating system.

Surrounding vocabulary[edit | edit source]

Yes, right now, from words like “computer”, “screen”, “lesson”, “technique”, “polyglot”, “club”, “website”, “browser”, “grim”, “pixel”. What you can see will be on your vocabulary list to memorise.

This method can be combined with “synonym groups”.

Instant sentences[edit | edit source]

Write down whatever sentence you can make up instantly, on the text bar of Google Translate.

Its accuracy is not guaranteed for all languages. You can translate back to check it.

Echo[edit | edit source]

Record your voice when your are reading an article, play the recording to see how you pronounced and if you can understand yourself.

You may have met English teachers who can point out your incorrect pronunciation and have incorrect pronunciation themselves. They lack this type of training.

Keep in mind that your recognising your words doesn't mean that your pronunciation is correct.

Text emerge[edit | edit source]

Listen to a text and look at the translation of the text. Try to recognise every word you heard with the help of the translation.

You may wonder where to find such listening materials with translation. Find a text in your target language, translate it with Google Translate, then listen to the TTS voice.

Reversed flashcards[edit | edit source]

When creating flashcards, write the word on the back, the definition on the front. In this way, you will consider how to express something instead of guessing the meaning of a word.

Affix and root groups[edit | edit source]

Put the words with the same affix or the same root in a group, and memorise them with Anki or something alike.

This helps you to build a solid impression of an affix or a root.

Say the sequences[edit | edit source]

Try to say the number in your target language following the sequences:

sequence result
k * 5 0, 5, 10, 15 ...
-(k * 5) 0, -5, -10, -15 ...
1 / ((k + 1) * 5) 1/5, 1/10, 1/15, 1/20 ...
-(1 / ((k + 1) * 5)) -1/5, -1/10, -1/15, -1/20 ...
k * 2 0, 2, 4, 6, ...
k * 2 + 1 1, 3, 5, 7, ....
-(k* 2) 0, -2, -4, -6, ...
-(k * 2 + 1) -1, -3, -5, -7, ....
1 / ((k + 1) * 2) 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8 ...
-(1 / ((k + 1) * 2)) -1/2, -1/4, -1/6, -1/8 ...
k * 3 0, 3, 6, 9, ...
-(k * 3) 0, -3, -6, -9, ...
1 / ((k + 1) * 3) 1/3, 1/6, 1/9, 1/12 ...
-(1 / ((k + 1) * 3)) -1/3, -1/6, -1/9, -1/12 ...
2^k 1, 2, 4, 8, ...
-(2^k) -1, -2, -4, -8, ...
1 / (2^k) 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, ...
-(1 / (2^k)) -1/2, -1/4, -1/8, -1/16, ...
k + 1 0, 1, 2, 3, ...
k - 1 0, -1, -2, -3, ...
1 / (k + 1) 1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, ...
1 / (k - 1) -1, -1/2, -1/3, -1/4, ...
k * 11 0, 11, 22, 33, ...
k * 11 + 1 1, 12, 23, 34, ...
k * 11 - 1 -1, 10, 21, 32, ...
k * 11 + 2 2, 13, 24, 35, ...
k * 11 - 2 -2, 9, 20, 31, ...
k * 11 + 3 3, 14, 25, 36, ...
k * 11 - 3 -3, 8, 19, 30, ...
k * 11 + 4 4, 15, 26, 37, ...
k * 11 - 4 -4, 7, 18, 29, ...
k * 11 + 5 5, 16, 27, 38, ...
k * 11 - 5 -5, 6, 17, 28, ...
k * 9 0, 9, 18, 27, ...
k * 9 + 1 1, 10, 19, 28, ...
k * 9 - 1 -1, 8, 17, 26, ...
k * 9 + 2 2, 11, 20, 29, ...
k * 9 - 2 -2, 7, 16, 25, ...
k * 9 + 3 3, 12, 21, 30, ...
k * 9 - 3 -3, 6, 15, 24, ...
k * 9 + 4 4, 13, 22, 31, ...
k * 9 - 4 -4, 5, 14, 23, ...
k * 9 + 5 5, 14, 23, 32, ...
k * 9 - 5 -5, 4, 13, 22, ...
k / (k + 1) 0, 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, ...
(k + 2) / (k + 1) 2, 3/2, 4/3, 5/4, ...
-(k / (k + 1)) 0, -1/2, -2/3, -3/4, ...
-((k + 2) / (k + 1)) -2, -3/2, -4/3, -5/4, ...

Vocabulary division[edit | edit source]

The words to memorise looks too many, which frustrates you all the time.

Now, divide them into many small groups, complete smaller goals and make yourself confident:

  1. Find a number of words according to frequency;
  2. Divide them with the the traits. If a word has two or more, place it into each of the corresponding groups;
  3. Memorise the words with a same trait, one trait by another, one frequency level by another.

For example:

part of speech part of speech ... affix affix ... irregular inflection irregular inflection irregular inflection ... collocation collocation ...
adjective noun ... with prefix “ab-” with prefix “for-” ... irregular verb plural with “-es” plural with “-a” ... collocate with “to” collocate with “at” ...
1-500 a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ...
501-1000 a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ...
1001-1500 a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ...
1501-2000 a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words a group of words ... a group of words a group of words ...
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Learn them grid by grid. It's better to have hyperlinks for “a group of words” and direct to another page, if you are going to build webpages or create e-books for it.

This index is very useful for doing this:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Lemmas_subcategories_by_language

This can be combined with Vocabulary matrix.

Language comparison[edit | edit source]

Compare your target language with languages you have learned.

It means that you will need to learn your native language as a non-native speaker, recognise your native language from outside.

Learn from mistakes[edit | edit source]

When visiting sites with automatic translations, see how hilarious they can be.

But there are more important works to do: think why they are mistaken. When you reach the answer, you've got a bit more insight about languages.

Text variation[edit | edit source]

Write a text involving tense, voice, etc. and change the tense, voice, etc. inside it. Then let other people check your texts.

Synonym challenge[edit | edit source]

Write as many synonyms of a word as possible and check dictionaries, write down the synonyms you haven't known yet.

Video interpretation[edit | edit source]

Instantly describe what happened as you see, like sports commentators. It requires collaboration with a native speaker.

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npTC6b5-yvM

Conversation recurrence[edit | edit source]

Chat with a native speaker with voice. Then try to repeat the conversation in a faster pace, until you can fluently express.

Association[edit | edit source]

It is said that you can remember something easier if you make use of as many sense organs as possible. So you can try this: When remembering vocabulary, associate the word with your emotions.

For example: When seeing the word “racist”, you can instantly think of somebody and hate as hysterically as possible.

Yeah, it's a joke.

Obstacle listening[edit | edit source]

To improve your listening skills even higher: open Twitch, TikTok, recordings of apes or other noise sources when listening, as well as lowering the volume of your listening materials.

Spaced Repetition[edit | edit source]

Spaced repetition is a technique that involves reviewing new information at increasing intervals to help remember it for longer periods of time.

It is a useful tool for language learners because it helps them remember vocabulary and grammar rules more effectively. Essentially, spaced repetition involves reviewing and practicing new material at timed intervals to ensure that it is retained in long-term memory. This technique can be used with flashcards, language learning apps, and other tools to help learners remember new information more effectively.

-- AUTHOR --[edit | edit source]

GrimPixel

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