On the Spot – Liz

Apologies, dear readers, for the lack of posts over the past few days. Translation assignments and my day job have kept me rather busy so I haven’t really been in the mood for writing my usual rants.

I thought I’d take the opportunity to post Liz’s language learner interview, the last in the series (for now). Liz is an avid language learner and a  writer for Pocket Cultures, a site and series of blogs devoted to world cultures, travel and expat life.

I would also like to point out that an archive of all of the language learner interviews posted on this blog can now be found by clicking on the Interviews tab above.

As always, click on the Continue Reading link if you want to read the full interview.

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Which languages are you learning? What level of conversational and reading ability to do you have in each of these? (I’ve avoided using the term ‘fluent’ here for reasons that will become clear below)

I speak and read French, Spanish and Italian fairly proficiently – I can say pretty much everything I need to say and read comfortably (although I’m still quite slow at reading Italian). I’m also learning Turkish and Arabic. By now I can have a conversation in Turkish and read simple newspaper articles. My Arabic level is still very basic.

How long have you been learning foreign languages? What was the first foreign language you learnt or were exposed to?

I studied French and German in school (aged 11 to 18) but I only really learnt to speak French well when I went to live there during university (I did an Erasmus exchange). The other languages I learnt more recently.

What attracted you to the language(s) you’re learning?

All for different reasons! At my school French and German were the only languages offered so no choices there. I wanted to learn Spanish because it’s such an important world language, and once I knew French and Spanish it seemed like a good opportunity to learn Italian because it is so similar. I learnt Turkish because I wanted to live in Turkey. My husband’s family speak Italian and Arabic so that is now my main motivation to learn those languages.

Which languages would you like to learn in future? What are your reasons for choosing these?

Well, for the near future I want to concentrate on Arabic. I’ve always wanted to learn Japanese, but I don’t know how useful it would be in practice given the amount of effort it would take and the little opportunities I would get to use it. Also Mandarin would be useful I think, but it must be very difficult.

How do you define ‘fluency’? Do you differentiate between oral fluency and literacy?

I think being fluent is being able to express yourself comfortably in every situation (and that includes reading). Actually I liked the example John Biesnecker used in his interview, I think that defined it better: if you only spoke the language in question and none other, you’d have no problems whatsoever.

Do you use languages in your job or everyday activities?

At the moment not so much, although I exchange emails with people all over the world with PocketCultures and that gives some opportunities. I have used languages more in my job in the past. I like being able to use different languages at work, it helps to keep in practice and it shows that all that effort was worth it!

How do you maintain and/or improve your skills in the languages you’ve learnt?

By reading, watching tv and taking every opportunity to speak (without being afraid of making mistakes!). I’m really interested in how languages work, so I’m constantly on the look out for new words or phrases and how they are used. I think that helps.

Do you prefer to learn a language through classroom-based learning or through self-study? Do you make use of language exchange sites or have a penpal?

Personally I prefer classroom learning. For Spanish and Turkish I definitely learnt much more quickly through classes than I could have done alone. Classes were especially useful for Turkish which uses very different grammar constructions to anything I had come across before. I went to a TÖMER school and it was very well structured. I always seem to have a lot of questions as well so it helps to have regular access to a teacher.

I can understand classes aren’t for everybody though. And if the class goes too slowly it can get very boring. I haven’t tried language exchange sites but I think they are a good idea, especially if you don’t have access to a native speaker. I have been lucky enough to live in a few different countries and I’m convinced that is the best way to learn.

Do you use flashcards as part of your learning?

I don’t like flashcards, I prefer to learn vocab in context. But I do keep a notebook where I write down new words so I suppose it’s the same idea.

Have you ever learnt a new alphabet or script? If so, how did you go about learning it?

The only new script I’ve learnt is Arabic and I can’t say I have learnt it properly yet. I’m still very slow at reading. Arabic script is not really difficult though because there are only 28 characters. I guess you have to be much more systematic about learning Chinese or Japanese scripts for example.

Have you ever learnt (or tried to learn) an ancient or extinct language? Do you think there are good reasons for learning an ancient language, or do you think time would be better invested in learning a living language?

This totally depends on your reasons for learning languages in my opinion. You can argue that ancient languages are useful for understanding more about ancient civilisations and how modern day languages developed. I’m more interested in learning about different cultures and from that perspective living languages are more useful.

Do you use podcasts in your language learning? If so, which ones do you listen to? if you only spoke the language in question and none others, you’d have no problems whatsoever.

I hadn’t used podcasts until recently when I used JapanesePod101 to prepare for a trip to Japan. I was really impressed with how well it worked. I’ve just started using Arabic Pod for Arabic so we’ll see how that works out. It looks good so far but maybe I will find it unstructured. I’ll probably supplement it with a grammar book at some point.

How do you go about learning new vocabulary? Do you avoid certain subject areas and focus more on the subjects that interest you, or do you make an effort to develop a wider vocabulary base and learn words you will rarely get to use?

I don’t consciously avoid any subject but I guess I focus naturally on areas which I’m going to use or which I find interesting.

What are your thoughts on learning grammar? Do you prefer to learn it from a grammar guide or do you prefer to learn it through intuition?

Well, I think I am a bit geeky when it comes to grammar. I like to categorise things and with grammar I like to understand the rules first so that I can recognise them when I hear them used.

Have you ever taken any language proficiency exams (e.g. JLPT, HSK) to test your abilities? Do you plan to?

I haven’t taken any formal exams. I think unless you need to get certified for your job or something the best test is whether or not you can communicate!

What would you say is the biggest obstacle in your language learning? What keeps you back from reaching your desired level of fluency?

Not getting enough practice. I’m not a big talker even in English and I think I would get more speaking practice if I was.

What has been your greatest language learning achievement to date?

Giving a client presentation at work in Spanish. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out but it went fine.

Have you made any embarrassing linguistic blunders or cultural faux pas?

I often get mixed up between Spanish and Italian because they are so similar, and words from the wrong language slip in when I am speaking. I’ve never said anything really embarrassing (I think..) but people look at me a bit strangely sometimes.

Do you have any favourite words or expressions?

Turkish has many very nice expressions. My favourite is seni dört gözle bekliyorum – literally it means ‘I am waiting for you with four eyes’ and you say it when you are looking forward to someone’s visit.

Do you think language learning should be made compulsory in schools?

I grew up in the UK and language learning was compulsory for only 2 years of secondary school (between ages 11 and 13) at the time. Now it is compulsory in primary schools (ages 5-10)

But in the UK many people don’t see the use of learning foreign languages because they are not used to needing them, so I think changing this attitude would have more effect than making languages compulsory.

What are your thoughts on constructed languages such as Esperanto or Klingon?

A language is usually a window on a culture, and these languages aren’t really attached to any culture, which makes them less interesting for me.

I don’t really agree with the argument that using English (or any other language) as a global communication language gives an unfair advantage to native speakers of that language. I read of a few studies recently which showed that non-native speakers use a kind of ‘international English’, which puts native speakers at a disadvantage unless they learn it themselves.

Is it better to speak one or two foreign languages perfectly or have a basic understanding of many?

I think you have to aim to reach a certain level for the language to be useful. Whether that is basic conversation, being able to read literature or something more proficient depends on your circumstances. If you plan to spend a long time living in another country it helps to be as proficient as possible. I don’t think you need to be perfect, especially if the time spent on it stops you learning another language.

Are there any linguists/polyglots that you admire? If so, what do you admire most about them? Do you use any of their methods in your language learning?

I’m very ignorant on this – I’ve never studied languages formally and I don’t really know anything about famous linguists or polyglots.

Do you have any resources that you would like to recommend to other learners? These can include dictionaries, blogs, software, online media, online courses and pretty much anything that can be used for learning a language or improving one’s skills.

WordReference is a good online dictionary for European languages, and Sesli Sozluk is good for Turkish. Apart from online dictionaries, podcasts are the only online tool I’ve used, so I’ll let you know how the Arabic Pod works out when I’ve used it a bit more. I like the BBC foreign language news sites as well. They have video and audio clips and it’s useful to be able to check back to the other language versions of the stories to make sure you understood properly.

Finally, do you have any tips or advice to share with other language learners? Do you have any mottos or tips for staying motivated?

It’s not always possible but if you have the opportunity try to visit (or even better live for a while in) the country whose language you are studying because it’s really motivating to use the language every day.  If not try to find native speakers to practice with. Try to practice as much as possible, even if you are worried about making mistakes. Most people will be really pleased to see you making an effort to speak their language.

Also, don’t overdo the studying! It’s easier to keep it up if you do a short session every day than trying to cram in a two hour session once a week.