Rote memorization? Conjugating verbs? HA! Next you'll tell me you do things like "listen to the teacher" and "actually study," and that's no way to learn a language. Well, maybe it is. Probably. How should I know? I doodled sharks all over my notes. Sharks fighting cobras. It was an epic battle.
Anyway, whether you just need a push in the right direction or you're a failure the likes of which the world has never seen, here are some tips to supplement your foreign language skills:
Watch TV shows in that language. I just have to say that the French version of The Office (otherwise known as Le Bureau) is the silliest thing I've ever seen. I can't say yet whether this has improved my grasp on the language, because I had much difficulty discerning whether one particular piece of dialogue was a) a friendly invitation to lunch, or b) a thinly-veiled sexual innuendo. What I do know is that nothing's funnier than French Michael Scott and French Dwight. Also, I kind of have a crush on French Jim, because Jim Halpert transcends all language barriers.
Listen to songs. Google the Top 40 Singles for whatever language you're studying. (Sift through the American ones. Apparently LMFAO and the Glee cast transcend all language barriers, too.) Listen to them on a loop while you're walking to class, cleaning your room, or de-gnomeing a garden, and soon your mastery of foreign pop songs will be legendary. (If you're studying French and want a recommendation, you can't go wrong with Mika's "Elle Me Dit." It's like "Party Rock Anthem" meets Eminem's "Mockingbird.")
Read Harry Potter... THE TRANSLATED VERSION. I suggest Harry Potter because it's been translated into 67 languages (so odds are you'll find the version you're looking for), and because you've probably already read it. This way you won't be halfway through the book when you realize you mistranslated a crucial paragraph that completely reshapes the plot, leaving you hopelessly bamboozled. Plus, can you imagine how freakin' awesome you'll look kicking back in a coffee shop somewhere, reading Harry Potter IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE? You'll ooze a certain aura that says "back up, everyone—I'm a bilingual badass."
Change the language settings on your Facebook. Let's face it, you're going to be creeping on your crush anyway. You might as well slap a foreign language on there and use it to your advantage. (I personally get a kick out of clicking "j'aime" on people's statuses and writing on their "murs" and calling it "studying for my final exam.")
Talk to your friends. There's nothing quite like complete immersion. If your friends are learning the language too, great! If not, well, this could wind up being an unmitigated disaster or a hilarious anecdote. If all else fails...
Talk to your pets. They don't know any better.
We will not commence speaking to our pet rock in French. Dennis is going to be SO impressed. What are your best tips for learning a foreign language?
Related post: Three Reasons to Learn as Many Languages as You Can
Post a comment!