Don’t Buy Language Books & CD’s - Learn On The Go!
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The best way to learn a second (or third) language is to go to where they speak it!
Apart from in school where it is compulsory to learn a second language - whether you want to or not - you shouldn’t rely on books and things to learn how to communicate with the locals.
By all means, get started with a basic introductory guide - but the real language can only be found in restaurants and stores in the place you are visiting.
Downside To Books:
Well, needless to say - books and cd’s are using energy and valuable resources to create, and there is only so much you can learn about a language from written text.
Learning how to pronounce the words is virtually impossible with their weird symbols representing unheard of English sounds - for example the Spanish double l in paella. You need to hear it to have the confidence to use it. So if I said you should use the ‘y’ sound from the happy cheer word ‘yeay’ (or yay) but also don’t forget to pronounce the ‘ey’ for the ‘e’ - could you come up with it? Oh and don’t forget to use the emphasis on the correct syllable too!
Go!!!
Or in Egyptian - pronounce the word ‘ughniyya’ if the ‘gh’ should be rolled like a French ‘r’ and you must pronounce both y’s individually with the stress on the second to last syllable. Any the wiser?
Also, books are also quite repetitive in the sense that if you buy one basic German book for example, it will cover your name, where you live and giving directions. Any other basic or introductory or ‘one-day’ books will also contain the same things. They will all go for the standard stuff first.
Yes, they may do it from a different angle and some may have more role play than others, but you will basically be giving directions to the post office or from the police station over and over again (via the second turning on the left…..! It can be quite frustrating every time you take up learning again.
And they are heavy to carry abroad too!
The Real Thing:
After travelling quite a bit in South America, I get so much more confident when I am there than when I am at home.
Ask me to order a cheese and ham sandwich and a cup of coffee in Spanish while sitting on the bus puts a whole different stress on your brain than standing in a restaurant queue in Peru trying to get something to eat!
It just all falls into place. You have to say the words otherwise you hold up the people behind you and don’t get your lunch!
You don’t need word perfect grammar to get started - and if you have ever watched people ordering food in their own language, it’s never said literally and in perfect order and timing anyway. It usually goes something like this; “Hi, yeah, can I have a, er, well I suppose, er, a quick sandwich for me; ham and cheese, and a tea. Thanks.”
Alright, you may get the odd thing wrong and end up picking something you didn’t want out of your dinner - or getting a different dinner to the one you had planned - but you won’t make that mistake again! I always have a reference book abroad with just keywords in it - but I never use it when I am out - it’s just to check things before I go!
And of course, you could always get asked a question about your order after you made it, throwing you totally out of kilter - but just pick up on the words you do know and try to answer their question - this is when you could use pointing!
Fresh Approach:
Seeing as we should all be taking longer holidays now to counter the terrible effects of long haul flights - you will have plenty of time to perfect your new language skills.
Nothing beats turning up at a train station somewhere needing to find you hotel to bring out all your learnt vocabulary. Even if it is just a few words strung together - you will get by, get to your hotel and probably order something to eat as well.
You really shouldn’t be afraid to start chatting to locals with what you know - they will always be happy to help fill in the gaps. They can also help you with colloquial terms and phrases too, like the way different regions of your own country refer to their parents (mum, mom, mammy, mother, ma) or their friends etc.
I had more fun learning a language whilst on my holiday than any number of lessons back at school.
So, take your time on your next vacation - and come home with a new language under your (money) belt!
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