Join the group
I was reading Krashen again today. He is full of very clear views of language learning. He makes the point that to learn a new language you have to want to "join the group", the group of the speakers of that language. If you only want the language for a test or for your job, you will not succeed.
I have always felt a sympathy for the people of the language that I was learning. I wanted to get together with them, to get to know them, to connect with them as human being to human being. Without this kind of attraction, it is hard to learn a language.
Sunday night here in Vancouver, I was on Chinese television. While I was having my make up put on, I was chatting with one of the attendants, a girl from China, probably in her twenties. She said she wanted to learn English. I offered some advice. When she heard my explanations, she kind of withdrew a little and said. "Well, perhaps now that China is doing so well economically, Chinese will become so important that it won't matter that I don't speak English well."
We live in Vancouver. People who only speak Chinese and live in a Chinese society earn less than half of what people who can also speak English well can earn. So there are some very practical reasons to learn English. But these practical reasons are not enough. If a person is not interested in joining another group. If that person looks for reasons to hold back and not bother, that person will not learn.
I asked her what her name was. She said her name was 'Sicky'. I did not ask how it was spelled. She said that her initials were C.K. so she called herself "Sicky". I tried to think if I chose a Japanese name like "病人" or "infermito" in Spanish, what the reaction would be.
To learn a language you have to "join the group". I have always felt that way. I can feel at home in Chinese, French, Japanese, Spanish, Swedish etc.. When I speak their language I join the group. I do not really care if they want me in the group, I am coming in! The next group that I am going to crash is the Russians, then come the Koreans, and the Brasilians are not far behind.
Comments
Everybody can learn a second language if they don't give up. The people who only want the language for their job or for a test may just not be motivated enough.
Sure, there are many factors which affect language learning. Being able to "joint the group" is a big help. Those whose personality is different just have to hang in there keep at it, even if others misjudge them.
Hi, Steve:
You know Steve, please do not try to call any Spanish person by "enfermito". It would be regarded as a kind of offense to any hispanic community ( at least it is regarded as an offense in my country, Venezuela).
You are only allowed to call a person "enfermito" wheter he/she is really sick and you are very close friend of her/him. Only then, you can say him/her something like this: "Hi, Steve. How do you feel today?. How is "the enfermito" today".
I agree totally with your post here. In fact, my experience living in Canada has taught me that this is not only important but mandatory. Most of the hispanic people here in London have failed to learn fluent English due to they have refused for any reason to join native English speakers.
I can say nothing about languages learning methods but what I can say is I agree with you, above all in the second paragraph :
I have always felt a sympathy for the people of the language that I was learning...Without this kind of attraction, it is hard to learn a language.
yes, I agree :)
Yesterday, I read that Chinese is the first language to be spoken (1 293 milliard but there are 1 242 milliard of chinese in China..) and english is the second language with 508 million of people.
have a good day.