Learn languages on your own!: The most famous polyglots. International Language Conference The smallest polyglot in the world
Why did the church burn them at the stake? There are five degrees of foreign language proficiency. The first and lowest is reading with a dictionary. But this does not apply to polyglots ... According to the academic dictionary of foreign words, POLYGLOT (from the Greek polyglottos - "multilingual") is a person who speaks many languages. But many are how many? Polyglots themselves believe that in addition to the native one, you need to know perfectly at least four languages: speak them absolutely freely and preferably without an accent, translate sounding speech and written text as accurately as possible, write competently and clearly.
How many languages can be learned?
The legend says that the Buddha spoke one and a half hundred languages, and Mohammed knew all the languages of the world. The most famous polyglot of the past, whose abilities are attested quite reliably, lived in the last century - Cardinal Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti (1774 - 1849), curator of the Vatican Library
There were legends about Mezzofanti during his lifetime. In addition to the main European languages, he knew Estonian, Latvian, Georgian, Armenian, Albanian, Kurdish, Turkish, Persian and many others. It is believed that he translated from one hundred and fourteen languages and seventy-two "dialects", as well as from several dozen dialects. He was fluent in sixty languages, wrote poems and epigrams in almost fifty. At the same time, the cardinal never traveled outside of Italy and studied this unimaginable number of languages on his own.
I don't really believe in such miracles. Moreover, the Guinness Book of Records claims that Mezzofanti was fluent in only twenty-six or twenty-seven languages.
One day Mezzofanti asked: "How many languages can a person know?" He replied, "As many as the Lord God wills." In his time, they still remembered the fate of the Finnish student, who was tried and burned at the stake because he ... "learned foreign languages with incredible speed, which is impossible without the help of evil spirits."
Since then, much water has flowed in the river of time. The world has changed. Polyglots are no longer sentenced to death. But the attitude of many of our contemporaries to such amazing phenomena still gives vent to superstitious conjectures. Science has not yet penetrated the essence of the riddle of polyglots, a riddle that concerns us all.
There were polyglots in Soviet Russia, although not many. Here are two examples.
People's Commissar of Education Anatoly Vasilievich Lunacharsky, when he was elected a full member of the Academy of Sciences, he began his speech in Russian, continued in German, French, English, Italian and ended, according to tradition, in classical Latin.
First Deputy Dzerzhinsky and Chairman of the OGPU Vyacheslav Rudolfovich Menzhinsky knew, in addition to Russian, thirteen more languages, and was fluent in German, English, French and Italian. Dzerzhinsky himself knew three foreign languages, one of which was Russian, which he spoke without an accent and wrote correctly (Polish was his native language).
By the way, about pre-revolutionary gymnasiums: two foreign languages were taught there, and in the classical school - also Latin and Greek. And they taught, I must admit, quite well.
After Lenin, who spoke three foreign languages, few of the leaders of the Soviet state knew at least one or two languages, except for Russian. Stalin knew Georgian, could speak Abkhazian. Khrushchev once boasted that he knew the Ukrainian language. Andropov knew English. Chernenko and in Russian explained somehow.
And now, alas, there are no polyglots either in, or in the government, or in the State Duma. There are, of course, two or three dozen people who speak foreign languages to varying degrees: for example, the leader of the LDPR Vladimir Zhirinovsky knows three foreign languages, and First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais speaks pretty decent English, but they are far from real polyglots.
Knowledge of foreign languages has long been considered an essential feature of high culture. Many historical figures, diplomats and generals were fluent in several foreign languages. Few people know that Bohdan Khmelnytsky spoke five languages. Empress Catherine II, in addition to her native German and Russian, she was fluent in three more languages.
There were many polyglots among scientists and writers. Alexander Griboyedov from his youth he spoke French, German, English and Italian, studied Latin and Greek. Later he mastered Persian, Arabic and Turkish.
Writer Senkovsky (Baron Brambeus) was a well-known polyglot: in addition to Polish and Russian, he also knew Arabic, Turkish, French, German, English, Italian, Icelandic, Basque, Persian, Modern Greek. Studied Mongolian and Chinese.
Fabulist Krylov He was fluent in French, Italian and German. Later he learned ancient Greek. Studied English.
Lev Tolstoy He was fluent in English, French and German, fluent in Italian, Polish, Czech and Serbian. He knew Greek, Latin, Ukrainian, Tatar, Church Slavonic, studied Hebrew, Turkish, Dutch, Bulgarian and other languages.
Nikolay Chernyshevsky already at the age of 16 he thoroughly studied nine languages: Latin, ancient Greek, Persian, Arabic, Tatar, Hebrew, French, German and English.
Naturally, many linguists were well versed in languages. Among foreign linguists, the biggest polyglot was, apparently, , Rasmus Christian Rask, professor at the University of Copenhagen. He spoke to two hundred thirty languages and compiled dictionaries and grammars for several dozen of them.
Deutsch scientist Johann Martin Schlayer, invented Volapuk - language international communication, preceded by Esperanto, knew forty-one languages.
Twenty-eight languages were fluently spoken by Professor Rusk (1787 - 1832), Sir John Bowring (1792 - 1872) and Dr. Harold Williams of New Zealand (1876 - 1928).
Polyglots around us
Belgian Johan Vandewalle this year he is only 36 years old, but he is already known outside his country as an outstanding polyglot: he knows thirty-one languages. For exceptional achievements in the study of foreign languages, a special European jury, which included well-known Western European linguists, awarded the Belgian an honorary "Babylon Prize".
Italian linguistics professor Alberto Talnavani fluent in all European languages. He is a member of fifty academies of sciences in the world. Already at the age of 12, the future polyglot spoke seven languages. At 22, he received a graduate diploma from the University of Bologna. Then he knew fifteen languages. Every year a Roman professor masters two or three languages! At one of the linguistic congresses (in 1996) he delivered a greeting in fifty languages.
An interpreter lives in Budapest and writer Kato Lomb, which is fluent in Russian, English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Polish, Chinese and Japanese and translates artistic and technical texts from six more languages. The most interesting thing is that Kato Lomb learned all languages at a fairly mature age and in a short time. Spanish, for example, she learned in just a month. In the gymnasium, she was considered a linguistic mediocrity and generally an incapable student.
In the UK, an unsurpassed polyglot today can be considered journalist Harold Williams who knows eighty languages. Interestingly, Harold learned Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French and German when he was only eleven years old.
A new volume of the Guinness Book of Records in English has just been released.
The most important polyglot of the planet for 1997 recognized as forty Ziyad Fawzi, a Brazilian of Lebanese descent who owns fifty eight languages. Despite his outstanding abilities, Senor Fawzi is an extremely modest person. Modestly teaches foreign languages at the University of Sao Paulo. Modestly translates. From any of fifty-eight languages. And he wants to translate from a hundred. And - from anyone to anyone. Now he is preparing textbooks in several languages for publication, using his method of quick assimilation of the material.
Notable polyglots
John Paul II - pope. fluently spoke to 10 languages In addition, he knew a number of other languages.
Richard Francis Burton- British traveler, writer, poet, translator, ethnographer, linguist, hypnotist, swordsman and diplomat, who, according to some estimates, owned 29 languages belonging to various language families.
Dolph Lundgren- actor and athlete, knows 9 languages, including Finnish, Japanese and Russian.
Osip Borisovich Rumer- Russian poet-translator, knew 26 languages and did not translate interlinearly.
Anatoly Ovsyannikov- Russian, Soviet translator, international journalist, political observer, spoke 43 languages.
Paul Robeson- singer and actor, sang songs and spoke more than 20 languages.
Yusuf-Khadzhi Safarov- Chechen engineer-architect of the XIX century, lawyer, theologian, one of the co-authors of Nizam. He spoke 12 languages.
Vasily Ivanovich Vodovozov- Russian teacher, translator and children's writer, knew 10 languages.
Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai- activist of the international and Russian revolutionary socialist movement, feminist, publicist, diplomat; spoke English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and other foreign languages.
Ostrovsky, Alexander Markovich- German mathematician, lived in Germany, knew 5 languages.
Serebrennikov, Boris Alexandrovich- Soviet linguist.
Dolgopolsky, Aron Borisovich - Soviet (then Israeli) linguist.
Zaliznyak, Andrei Anatolyevich - Russian linguist.
Dybo, Vladimir Antonovich - Russian linguist.
Starostin Sergey Anatolyevich - Russian linguist, spoke 40 languages.
Boris Lvovich Brainin (Sepp Österreicher) translator of poetry into German, was fluent in (spoke, wrote) 15 languages, translated without interlinear from 26 languages.
Why did the church burn them at the stake? There are five degrees of foreign language proficiency. The first and lowest is reading with a dictionary. But this does not apply to polyglots... According to the academic dictionary of foreign words, POLYGLOT (from the Greek polyglottos - "multilingual") is a person who speaks many languages. But many are how many? Polyglots themselves believe that in addition to the native one, you need to know perfectly at least four languages: speak them absolutely freely and preferably without an accent, translate sounding speech and written text as accurately as possible, write competently and clearly.
How many languages can be learned?
The legend says that the Buddha spoke one and a half hundred languages, and Mohammed knew all the languages of the world. The most famous polyglot of the past, whose abilities are quite reliably attested, lived in the last century - the keeper of the Vatican library, Cardinal Giuseppe Caspar Mezzofanti (1774 - 1849)
There were legends about Mezzofanti during his lifetime. In addition to the main European languages, he knew Estonian, Latvian, Georgian, Armenian, Albanian, Kurdish, Turkish, Persian and many others. It is believed that he translated from one hundred and fourteen languages and seventy-two "dialects", as well as from several dozen dialects. He was fluent in sixty languages, wrote poems and epigrams in almost fifty. At the same time, the cardinal never traveled outside of Italy and studied this unimaginable number of languages on his own.
I don't really believe in such miracles. Moreover, the Guinness Book of Records claims that Mezzofanti was fluent in only twenty-six or twenty-seven languages. Byron wrote of the famous cardinal:
"... This is a linguistic miracle, he should have lived during the time of the Babylonian pandemonium in order to be a universal translator. I checked it in all the languages \u200b\u200bin which I know at least one curse word, so he struck me so much that I was ready to swear in English ".
Once Mezzofanti was asked: "How many languages can a person know?" He replied, "As many as the Lord God wills." In his time, they still remembered the fate of the Finnish student, who was tried and burned at the stake because he ... "learned foreign languages with incredible speed, which is impossible without the help of evil spirits."
Other sources indicate that the first known polyglot in history was Mithridates VI Eupator, king of Pontus. With his multinational army, he fought the Roman Empire for a long time and successfully. They say that Mithridates knew 22 languages, in which he judged his subjects. Therefore, editions with parallel texts in many languages (especially the Bible)
called "mitridates".
The most famous female polyglot in antiquity was Cleopatra (69-30 BC), the last queen of Egypt. “The very sounds of her voice caressed and delighted the ear, and the language was like a multi-stringed instrument, easily tuned to any tune - to any dialect, so that only with very few barbarians she spoke through an interpreter, and most often she herself talked with strangers - Ethiopians, troglodytes , Jews, Arabs, Syrians, Medes, Parthians ... They say that she also studied many other languages, while the kings who ruled before her did not even know Egyptian ... ”(Plutarch, Anthony, 27). Together with Greek and Latin, Cleopatra knew at least 10 languages.
Kato Lomb is a translator, writer, one of the first simultaneous interpreters in the world. She knew 16 languages. Among the languages she spoke were: English, Bulgarian, Danish, Hebrew, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Latin, German, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Ukrainian, French, Japanese. At the same time, she learned all the languages, being already an adult and an accomplished person, and in a very short time. For example, it took her only a month to learn Spanish. With all this, while studying at the gymnasium, Kato was by no means considered a capable student and was even known as a linguistic mediocrity.
As she writes in her memoirs, during the Second World War she secretly learned Russian by reading essays with a dictionary. N. V. Gogol. When the Soviet army occupied Hungary, she served as an interpreter in the Soviet military administration.
She continued to study languages throughout her life. I was engaged in interpretation in 9 or 10 languages, translated technical literature, wrote articles in 6 languages. In his book "How I Learn Languages" outlined her method of preparing for the study of a foreign language and actually mastering the language.
There were also many polyglots among scientists and writers..
Lev Tolstoyknew about 15 languages - including English, French and German, he could easily read Polish, Czech and Italian. In addition, he knew Greek, Latin, Tatar, Ukrainian and Church Slavonic, and also studied Dutch, Turkish, Hebrew, Bulgarian and a number of other languages.
Alexander Griboyedovthe great playwright, diplomat knew 9 languages. From his youth, he spoke German, French, Italian and English, studied Greek and Latin. Later he mastered Persian, Arabic and Turkish. The fabulist Krylov knew French, Italian and German very well. Then he learned ancient Greek, and also studied English.
Famous Russian polyglots:
Vyacheslav Ivanov, philologist, anthropologist - about 100 languages
Sergey Khalipov, Associate Professor, Department of Scandinavian Philology, St. Petersburg State University - 44 languages
Yuri Salomahin, Moscow journalist - 38 languages
Evgeny Cherniavsky, philologist, simultaneous interpreter - 38 languages
Dmitry Petrov, translator, lecturer at Moscow Linguistic University - 30 languages
Willy Melnikov is a Russian polyglot, researcher at the Institute of Virology, who speaks more than 100 languages. Nominee of the Guinness Book of Records. He is fond of photography, drawing, architecture, history, speleology.
A person who speaks many languages is called. The history of mankind has many examples of polyglot people who spoke not only their native language, but also spoke, translated, read in many other foreign languages, dialects and dialects.
The very first polyglot was the king of Pontus - Mithridates VI Eupator. In his arsenal there were 22 foreign languages, using them, he ruled over his subjects. In honor of him, "mitridates" are called publications with parallel texts in many foreign languages.
The most famous and outstanding polyglot in history is Giuseppe Mezzofanti (1774-1849) - the son of a carpenter, who became a cardinal, the keeper of the Vatican Library. He never left his native Italy, and at the same time he was fluent in more than 60 languages, and translated from 114 foreign languages! He learned all languages on his own. Even during his lifetime, many legends were composed about Mezzofani.
The most prominent female polyglot of antiquity was the last Egyptian queen Cleopatra (69-30 BC). In conversations with strangers, the queen did not use the services of translators, only with a few barbarians in conversation she attracted third parties. Cleopatra spoke at least 10 foreign languages.
The most famous polyglot among foreign linguists was the Danish professor and linguist Rasmus Christian Rask (1787-1832), who spoke 230 languages! Rask compiled many dictionaries and grammars for dozens of foreign languages, the founder of comparative historical linguistics and Indo-European studies.
There are also many polyglots among Russian scientists and writers. Ivan Krylov spoke 5 foreign languages. Leo Tolstoy knew about 15 languages. Alexander Griboedov spoke 9 foreign languages. Nikolai Chernyshevsky, by the age of 16, already knew 9 languages. Anatoly Lunacharsky was fluent in 6 languages.
There are many polyglots in our time. Belgian architect Johan Vandevalle speaks 31 foreign languages. Alberto Talnavani is an Italian linguist professor who is fluent in all European languages! Hungarian writer and translator Kato Lomb speaks 15 languages. She began to study languages already at a mature age, and at school she was considered mediocrity. British journalist Harold Williams speaks 80 languages. This list is endless.
Russia also has something to brag about. Among Russian polyglots, the following stand out: anthropologist and philologist Vyacheslav Ivanov - close to 100 languages, Moscow journalist Yuri Solomakhin - 38 languages, associate professor of St. already 30 foreign languages.
However, the most prominent and famous Russian polyglot of our time is Willy Melnikov. This is a researcher at the Institute of Virology, a multilingual poet, candidate of medical sciences, an artist who speaks 104 foreign languages. V. Melnikov was nominated for the Guinness Book of Records.
As you can see, in order to become a polyglot, you do not need to be born with special skills. People of completely different professions, genders and ages have successfully mastered many foreign languages. The main thing is desire and perseverance. Do you want to become a bright page in the history of linguistics and linguistics or learn a second language? Then go ahead for knowledge. All in your hands!
The desire to speak several languages - two, three or more - is inherent in most representatives of modern society. And this is easy to explain: such knowledge allows you to immerse yourself in the secrets of different cultures. Besides, being a polyglot is beautiful and fashionable. It is also incredibly exciting, because it opens up the opportunity to communicate with many interlocutors around the world in their own language.
There are several ways to learn a second language. The ideal option is through the transfer of knowledge from one of the family members. You can also attend special lessons, study on your own with the help of books, audio and video courses, and talk with native speakers.
Undoubtedly, some people have much more pronounced abilities for such a process. At a time when many are struggling to master at least their native language, some unique people manage to comprehend two, three, four and even more!
Most of the celebrities on the list below have achieved their success in the North American entertainment industry (Hollywood), which means fluency in English. At the same time, they all learned at least one foreign language. For some, this is their native language, and English, in fact, turned out to be the second. Others have mastered several languages throughout their lives. Most stars do not advertise their knowledge, and only occasionally you can hear their interviews not in English.
So we present to you top 10 polyglot stars.
10. Rita Ora - Albanian
Pop star Rita Ora was born in Yugoslavia but grew up and studied in London. The singer maintains close cultural ties with Albania. Although her accent is proof of her many years living in London, Rita Ora has learned and maintains a good command of the language of her native country of origin.
8 Sandra Bullock - German
Movie star Sandra Bullock seems as American as apple pie! In fact, although she was born in the United States, she lived in Germany for more than 12 years. The daughter of an opera singer and vocal teacher dreamed of becoming a fashion model or a flight attendant. The Bullock family traveled a lot, but by the time Sandra entered her teenage years, she had finally returned to the States.
All this time, she not only maintained her knowledge of the German language, but also improved it so much that she was able to make a splash with her acceptance speech in 2012 at the award ceremony. bambi. Sandra can be noted among celebrities who look younger than their years.
7. Salma Hayek - Spanish
Hearing Salma Hayek's exotic accent, it's easy to understand that English cannot be her first language. At the same time, the actress’s command of several other languages is surprising. Born in Mexico, Salma speaks fluent Spanish and is also fluent in Portuguese.
And thanks to his grandfather, who emigrated from Lebanon, he speaks good Arabic. Therefore, tired of the American film industry, Salma feels free in the wilds of the international media.
6. Natalie Portman - Hebrew
One of the highest paid actresses in the world, Natalie Portman was born in Israel, so it is not at all surprising that she speaks Hebrew fluently. After all, it is her mother tongue.
At the same time, Hebrew is not the most common, therefore, Natalie certainly deserves admiration. Graduate of Harvard speaks Arabic, German, Japanese and French, albeit not at the highest level, but it is still an impressive achievement.
5. John Heder - Japanese
Surprisingly, this American actor, who aspired to fame like his character, the strange and wonderful Napoleon Dynamite, actually speaks Japanese. And he does this very well! What prompted John to learn Japanese? For three years he lived in Japan, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In addition to talking with the Japanese about his religious beliefs, John studied the language in parallel. Of course, it is easier to master the art of linguistics in the appropriate environment. However, this does not diminish the merits of the student, especially when it comes to such a difficult language to understand.
4. Charlize Theron - Afrikaans
Everyone knows about the South African origin of this American actress. And Afrikaans is her mother tongue. She learned English much later. Over the years, Charlize Theron's South African accent has all but disappeared, yet she can still speak Afrikaans like a local.
Not many actors in Hollywood can boast of fluency in Afrikaans, which is why Charlize stands out. Who knows, maybe her stunning linguistic prowess will come in handy in some future role. It is worth noting that Charlize takes a worthy among the sexiest actresses in Hollywood.
3. Lucy Liu - Chinese
Lucy Liu is a linguistic superstar whose knowledge is impressive. Born into a Taiwanese immigrant family, she spoke only Chinese until the age of 5, and only after that she began to learn English. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Lucy received a degree in Chinese language and culture. She also learned Japanese there.
And over the following years, she added Italian, Spanish, and who knows what else to her track record! Lucy Liu attracted special attention by starring in the detective series " elementary with Jonny Lee Miller. So at any moment, the star can become the host of her own show with super-spies and polyglots.
2. Viggo Mortensen - Danish
Viggo Mortensen is a famous American actor. Born into a bilingual family. His father was Danish, his mother was American. Therefore, even as a child, Viggo laid an excellent foundation for knowledge of both Danish and English. However, this performer of the role of Aragorn in the film trilogy " Lord of the Rings' was not limited. Thanks to perseverance and perseverance, the actor mastered Spanish, French and Italian.
And later - and Norwegian, Swedish and Catalan. With his linguistic talents, Viggo really impresses. Starring in a chic Spanish film " Captain Alatriste”, Mortensen has not yet issued a single work in his native language. I would like to believe that in the near future Denmark will see another major movie star.
1. Mila Kunis - Russian
One of the sexiest actresses according to Maxim magazine was born and raised in Ukraine, her native language is Russian. Mila did not speak English until she moved to the United States with her family. And it was incredibly difficult for her to get comfortable in a foreign country. Thanks to the television show "The Price of Luck", Mila gradually began to understand English. Later, tutors came to the rescue.
Although Mila does not use her knowledge of the Russian language in cinema, she often speaks Russian when communicating with members of the media. Promoting your film Friends with Benefits”, in which Kunis starred with Justin Timberlake, the actress criticized the reporter. Indeed, she doesn't just talk. She's holding on! And this testifies to the chic knowledge of the language!
An interesting video about how Hollywood stars came to Russia and answer journalists' questions in Russian.
If you're an English student, you've certainly heard of the polyglots who managed to learn 5/10/30/50 languages. Which of us does not have the thought: “Surely they have some secrets, because for years I have been learning only one and only English!” In this article, we will present the most common myths about those who successfully learn foreign languages, as well as tell you how polyglots learn languages.
A polyglot is a person who can communicate in multiple languages. Some of the most famous polyglots in the world are:
- Cardinal Giuseppe Mezzofanti, according to various sources, spoke 80-90 languages.
- The translator Kato Lomb spoke 16 languages.
- Archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann spoke 15 languages.
- Writer Leo Tolstoy spoke 15 languages.
- Writer Alexander Griboedov spoke 9 languages.
- Inventor Nikola Tesla spoke 8 languages.
- Writer Anthony Burgess spoke 12 languages.
- Luca Lampariello
- Sam Jandreau
- Ollie Richards is contemporary and speaks 8 languages.
- Randy Hunt is a contemporary, speaks 6 languages.
- Donovan Nagel is a contemporary and speaks 10 languages.
- Benny Lewis is a contemporary, speaks 11 languages.
It should be said that basically all polyglots know 2-3 languages at a high level, and the rest they speak at the level of "survival", that is, they can communicate on simple topics.
Another interesting feature is that the first foreign language is always the most difficult and takes a long time to learn, while subsequent ones are mastered much faster and are easier. It is especially easy to learn the languages of one group, for example: Italian, French and Spanish.
7 common myths about polyglots
Myth #1: Polyglots are people with a special aptitude for languages.
Some people believe that polyglots do not need to strain at all: languages themselves are assimilated in their heads without effort and practice. There is an opinion that those who know many languages have a different brain structure, they easily perceive and reproduce information, grammar is given to them without studying, by itself, etc.
Truth:
A polyglot is an ordinary person who likes to learn several languages and does his best to do so. There is no such person who could not become a polyglot, because this does not require any special knowledge or mindset. All you need is hard work and dedication.
Don't be in a hurry to be fluent (you'll frustrate yourself). Just enjoy the process. It's slow and not always easy, but it can be enjoyable if you take the pressure off yourself.
Don't rush to freehold right away (you'll only get upset). Just enjoy the process. It will be slow and not always easy, but it can be fun if you don't push yourself.
Myth #2: Polyglots have unique memories
It is believed that all polyglots have a phenomenal memory, so any language is easily given to them. People believe that polyglots memorize the meanings of absolutely all unfamiliar words and grammatical constructions from the very first time, therefore, subsequently, they easily speak the language they are learning.
Truth:
Polyglots do have a good memory, but many people confuse cause and effect: it is the study of languages that develops memory, and not the unique innate abilities that make it possible to learn a language. Indeed, there are people who can boast of a unique memory, but this does not make them polyglots. The fact is that simply memorizing words or phrases for a full-fledged study of the language is not enough.
Myth #3: Polyglots started learning languages at a young age.
Another popular myth goes something like this: “Polyglots are people who were taken to language courses by their parents from childhood. It is easier for children to study, so today these people can easily speak several foreign languages.”
Truth:
For the most part, polyglots are people who are in love with foreign languages. And this love came already at a conscious age. Those who learned foreign languages in childhood do not have any advantages over adult learners. Most linguists and psychologists are convinced that languages are even easier for adults, because an adult, unlike a child, consciously takes this step, understands why you need to read texts or translate sentences. Read the article "", you will see that adults have their own advantages over children in learning foreign languages.
Myth #4: Polyglots can learn any language in 3-5 months
The question of the need to learn English and other languages is especially relevant today, so almost every day we read another article or watch an interview with a polyglot. These people sometimes claim to have learned a foreign language in 3-5 months. At the same time, many polyglots in their interviews or articles immediately offer you to buy a language course that they themselves invented for money. Is it worth spending money on it?
Truth:
In fact, polyglots rarely specify what they mean by the phrase "I learned the language in 5 months." As a rule, during this time a person manages to learn the basics of grammar and basic vocabulary in order to explain himself in everyday communication. But in order to speak on more complex topics, for example, about the life and structure of the Universe, any person needs more than 5 months. Those who speak several languages really well will tell you that they have been studying them for years, constantly improving their knowledge. Therefore, if you plan to move beyond the level of “reading, translating with a dictionary”, get ready not for 3-5 months, but for at least 1-2 years of learning the first foreign language “from scratch”.
Myth #5: Polyglots have a lot of free time.
When we read articles about polyglots, it seems that all they do is give interviews from morning to night and tell how they managed to achieve success in the field of learning foreign languages. From this arose the myth that those who do not work learn languages, they say, they mastered English simply “from nothing to do”.
Truth:
To confirm our words, watch this video by polyglot Ollie Richards, he talks about life hacks that will help even the busiest people learn the language:
Myth #6: Polyglots travel a lot.
Many people believe that “really” learning a foreign language is possible only abroad, in the country of native speakers of this language. There is an opinion that abroad you can completely “immerse yourself” in the subject being studied, create an ideal language environment, etc. It turns out that in order to become a polyglot, you need to constantly travel around the countries.
Truth:
In fact, most polyglots say that they communicate a lot with native speakers of the language being studied, are interested in their way of life, culture, etc. However, this does not mean at all that people who study foreign languages travel 365 days a year. Technology allows each person to communicate with people from any country without leaving home. Visit the language exchange sites listed in this article. On them you can find an interlocutor from the USA, Great Britain, Australia, any other country. Polyglots use the same opportunity and successfully learn new languages for themselves. In the article "" we have given 15 tips for creating a language environment for learning English in your native country.
You can recreate an immersion environment at home, by streaming movies, listening to podcasts, playing music, and reading in your target language... all you need is an internet connection.
You can immerse yourself in the language environment at home by watching movies, listening to podcasts and music, reading in the language you are learning... all you need is an internet connection.
Myth #7: Polyglots have a lot of money
This myth is closely related to the previous two: people believe that polyglots do not work, but only travel. In addition, people think that polyglots constantly spend large sums on learning materials: they buy self-study books and dictionaries, take expensive lessons from native speakers, travel abroad for language courses. People believe that polyglots have a lot of money and therefore opportunities to learn foreign languages.
Truth:
At the time of this writing, "millionaire" and "polyglot" are not identical concepts. As we have already found out, polyglots are not on a continuous journey, and among them there are many ordinary working people like you and me. It's just that those who want to know many languages use every opportunity to gain knowledge. It should be said that we have a lot of such opportunities: from various courses to thousands of online learning resources. For example, you can learn English online for free, and to make it easier for you to find the sites you need, we constantly write articles with collections of tips and useful resources for developing certain skills. Subscribe to our newsletter and you will not miss important information.
Secrets of polyglots: how to learn foreign languages
1. Set yourself a clear goal
Learning a foreign language "because everyone is learning it" won't last long, so decide why you need to know it. The goal can be anything from serious, like getting a position in a prestigious company, to entertaining, like “I want to understand what Sting is singing about.” The main thing is that your goal motivates you and in every possible way strengthens the desire to learn English. To strengthen your desire to learn a language, we advise you to read our articles "" and "".
2. Take at least a few lessons from a teacher at the beginning of your studies
We've all read about how polyglots learn any language on their own. However, many polyglots blog and often indicate that they started learning the language with a teacher, and after learning the basics, they moved on to self-study. We recommend that you do the same: the teacher will help you lay a solid foundation of knowledge, and if you wish, you can build the next “floors” yourself. If you decide to follow this advice, we suggest you try it with one of the experienced teachers of our school. We can help you "advance" English to any level of knowledge.
3. Speak out loud from day one of learning a new language
Even if you are learning your first ten words, say them out loud, so you will better remember the vocabulary. In addition, you will gradually develop the correct pronunciation. From the very first day, look for interlocutors for communication. For beginners, a professional teacher will be an ideal “partner” for the development of oral speech, and from the level you can look for an interlocutor on language exchange sites and hone your speaking skills with a native speaker. Please note: almost all polyglots claim that the most effective and interesting method of learning a new language is communication with native speakers. At the same time, polyglots say that during communication, words and grammatical constructions are easier to remember: you do not force yourself to study them, but memorize them in the process of an interesting conversation.
My absolute favorite language learning activity is talking to people! And it turns out, that’s pretty convenient, because that’s the whole reason we learn languages anyway, right? We learn the language in order to use it. And since language is a skill, the best way to learn it is by using it.
My favorite activity in language learning is talking to people! And it turns out that this is quite convenient, because this is the reason why we learn languages, right? We learn a language in order to use it. And since language is a skill, the best way to improve it is to use it.
4. Learn phrases, not single words
Watch this video by Luca Lampariello, he tells how to learn new words (you can turn on Russian or English subtitles in the settings).
5. Don't get into theoretical grammar
But this advice must be understood correctly, because recently the opinion that English grammar is superfluous knowledge has been actively discussed on the Internet. Allegedly, for communication it is enough to know three simple tenses and a lot of words. However, in the article "", we explained why such an opinion is fundamentally wrong. What do polyglots mean? They urge us to pay less attention to theory, and more to practical exercises, the use of grammatical structures in speech and writing. Therefore, immediately after getting acquainted with the theory, proceed to practice: do translation exercises, grammar tests, use the studied constructions in speech.
6. Get used to the sound of a new speech for you
I love to listen to podcasts, interviews, audiobooks or even music in my target language while walking or driving. This makes efficient use of my time and I don't feel like I'm making any particular kind of effort.
I like to listen to podcasts, interviews, audiobooks, or even music in the language I'm learning when I'm walking or driving. This allows me to use my time effectively without feeling like I'm putting in any special effort.
7. Read texts in the target language
While reading texts, you see how the studied grammar “works” in speech and new words “cooperate” with each other. At the same time, you use visual memory, which allows you to remember useful phrases. On the Internet you can find texts in any language for beginners, so you need to start reading from the very first days of learning the language. Some polyglots are advised to practice, for example, to read the text in parallel in Russian and English. So you see how sentences are built in the language being studied. In addition, polyglots claim that this allows you to unlearn the habit of translating speech verbatim from your native language into the target language.
8. Improve your pronunciation
9. Make mistakes
"Get out of your comfort zone!" - that's what polyglots call us to. If you are afraid to speak the language you are learning or try to express yourself in simple phrases in order to avoid mistakes, then you are deliberately creating an obstacle for yourself to improve your knowledge. Feel free to make mistakes in the language you are learning, and if you are so tormented by perfectionism, take a look at Runet. Native Russian speakers write words like “potential” (potential), adykvatny (adequate), “pain and numbness” (more or less), etc. without a shadow of hesitation. We urge you to take an example from their courage, but at the same time try to take into account your own errors and eradicate them. At the same time, polyglots remind us of how children learn to speak their native language: they begin to speak with errors, adults correct them, and over time the child begins to speak correctly. Do the same: learning from your mistakes is okay!
Make at least two hundred mistakes a day. I want to actually use this language, mistakes or not.
Make at least two hundred mistakes a day. I want to use this language, with or without errors.
10. Exercise Regularly
The main secret of polyglots is hard work. Among them there is not a single person who would say: "I studied English once a week and learned the language in 5 months." On the contrary, polyglots, as a rule, are in love with learning languages, so they devoted all their free time to this. We are sure that everyone can find 3-4 hours a week for learning, and if you have the opportunity to study for 1 hour a day, any language will submit to you.
11. Improve your memory
The better your memory is developed, the easier it will be to memorize new words and phrases. Learning a foreign language in itself is a great memory training, and to make this training more productive, use different ways of learning a language. For example, guessing is a fascinating and useful activity for both learning and memory. - another good idea for training: you can learn the lyrics of your favorite hit by heart, so you will remember a few useful phrases.
12. Take a cue from successful people
Polyglots are always open to new ways of learning, they do not stand still, but are interested in the experience of other people who successfully learn foreign languages. We have dedicated several articles to one of the most eminent polyglots, you can read about the experience of learning languages, or study.
13. Moderate your appetite
A variety of materials allows you not to get bored and enjoy learning a foreign language, but at the same time, we advise you not to “spray”, but to focus on some specific methods. For example, if on Monday you took one textbook, on Tuesday you grabbed the second one, on Wednesday you studied on one site, on Thursday on another, on Friday you watched a video lesson, and on Saturday you sat down to read a book, then by Sunday you risk getting "porridge" in the head from the abundance of material, because their authors use different principles for presenting information. Therefore, as soon as you start learning a new language for yourself, determine the optimal set of textbooks, websites and video lessons. There should not be 10-20 of them, limit your “appetite”, otherwise disparate information will be poorly absorbed. You can find ideas for choosing the materials that suit you in our article "", where you can download a list of the "best" materials for learning a language for free.
14. Have fun learning
Among the famous polyglots, there is not a single person who would say: “Learning languages is boring, I don’t like to do it, but I want to know many languages, so I have to overpower myself.” How do polyglots learn languages? These people enjoy not just understanding that they know a foreign language, but also the very process of learning. Do you think studying is boring? Then use interesting language learning techniques. For example, or hardly anyone will find it boring.
Languages are not something one should study, but rather live, breathe and enjoy.
Languages are not something to be learned, but rather something to live, breathe and enjoy.
Now you know how polyglots learn languages. As you have seen, everyone can learn foreign languages, regardless of "giftedness" and the number of banknotes. There is nothing complicated in the advice of polyglots for learning languages, all techniques are available to any person and are easily applicable in practice. Try to follow the given recommendations and have fun learning.
