Answer 3 Questions Before You Study A Foreign Language
You want to study a foreign language, but there are so many obstacles! You’ve probably expressed at least one of these objections:
- "I don’t have time!"
- "I’m too old!"
- "Studying is no fun!"
We understand your concerns. We’ve been in your shoes. We used to feel the same way as you. But after learning three ancient foreign languages (Latin, Greek, and Hebrew) and three modern foreign languages (French, Spanish, and German), we’ve realized that if you answer these Three Key Questions before you begin the hard work of studying a foreign language, you’ll know your priorities, and soon you’ll discover that you do have time, you’re not too old, and studying can be fun!
Question 1: What is your purpose?
Why do you want to learn a foreign language? Are you going on vacation where they speak the foreign language? Do you want to read original texts in the foreign language? Do you have children who need foreign language credits for graduation? The answer to this first question will determine how you spend your study time.
For instance, if your primary purpose is learning to speak fluently with the residents when you travel, then spend the bulk of your time listening to normal conversations so that you acquire the basic vocabulary, understand the word order in a sentence, and become familiar with the sound of the language. In addition to listening skills, practice your speaking skills so that you pronounce the words like they do instead of saying them like an English speaker says them. Learning the proper grammar (like verb tenses) is not as important because people are generally flattered that you are trying to speak their language, and they can be very forgiving of your mistakes like using the incorrect verb tense.
If your primary purpose is learning to read original texts, focus your study time on learning translation skills instead of listening and speaking skills. Learn the basic grammar such as sentence structure, noun declensions, and verb conjugations. Additionally, you’ll need a broader vocabulary than the traveler so that you can read a variety of original writings from different authors. Although learning how to pronounce an ancient language is helpful, it doesn’t really matter how you say the words if the language isn’t spoken regularly anymore.
Finally, if you are learning a language for high school credit, then your focus will be equally weighted towards acquiring both visual and auditory skills: (1) seeing grammar and vocabulary in your mind’s eye so that you can easily translate on written tests and (2) hearing the spoken word so that you can respond accurately to oral quizzes. You may not need a long-term retention if your objective is performing well for a final grade; however, don’t discount the fact that you may need to recall the language later in life when you decide to travel or read for pleasure and enlightenment.
When you know your purpose in learning a foreign language, you can prioritize your study time and eliminate unnecessary work. You will have time to study a foreign language after all!
Question 2: What do you already know?
To which areas of learning a foreign language can you devote less time and energy? You probably think you are starting from scratch, but you already know many of the fundamental principles of human language because you speak and write one of the most convoluted languages of all: English! Before we tackle learning any new subject, we do what we call "jamming" which is a brief brainstorming session. We take a piece of blank paper, set the timer for 2-4 minutes, and write down everything that comes to mind that we already know about the subject. In this case, the first subject to jam about is the general category: language.
As already mentioned, you speak one of the most difficult human languages fluently, and so you know the 8 parts of English speech. Parts of speech (i.e. words to convey meaning) are common to all human languages. So when you jam "language," you know there is the noun which is the subject of the sentence (the boy), a pronoun which substitutes for the subject (he was a boy), the adjective which describes the noun (the little boy), the verb which indicates action or being (the little boy ran), the adverb which modifies the verb (the little boy energetically ran), the preposition which locates the boy in time and place (the little boy energetically ran to the swing), the conjunction which joins two words or phrases (the little boy and girl energetically ran to the swing), and the interjection which conveys emotion (Oh my! The little boy and girl energetically ran to the swing.) See how much you already know about grammar and the English language? Nouns, pronouns, and verbs are universally used by all people.
Although not every language has 8 parts of speech, every language does have a basic grammar which is like the one you already know. For example, every human language has a sound system (the fancy word is phonetics) which can be combined in syllables to make words. Every human language has a way of putting together the words (educators call it syntax) in the sentence. In English, a direct object might conclude the sentence, whereas in Latin, the action verb is always the last word in the sentence. Another common element of human grammar is a way of determining the meaning of the words (also called semantics.) The point is this: you already have a great understanding of how a language works and one set of rules; now you will apply what you already know with new rules. You aren’t starting from ground zero.
Next, jam all that you know about the particular foreign language. You’ll probably be surprised about how much you already know about the culture, the history, economics, and even the politics of the people of your chosen language. Our family continues to learn more and more about the people of our chosen ancient languages: we learn about the Roman Empire and it helps us understand the Latin translations that we are reading. We learn about the nation of Israel while reading the Old Testament, and it helps us interpret the Hebrew vocabulary. We learn about the Carolingian Renaissance and the influence of the European migrations, and this understanding enriches our learning of the French language. You may have taken a class in high school in your chosen language, so you may even remember many of the vocabulary words.
Once you have an idea of what you already know about a foreign language, you can then decide what areas you don’t need to study and what areas require work. Additionally, you already know so much about human language, that your age and experience is actually a benefit which will make your language acquisition easier in some ways!
Question 3: What do you need to accomplish your purpose?
What product will help you succeed in reaching your goal? Foreign language courses are structured differently to meet differing objectives. You could search the internet and find foreign language instruction in any of the following formats: textbooks, audio, video, software, and distance learning classes. You could search the yellow pages and find community college classes or even personal tutors. Prices will fluctuate wildly from less than $50 for a short beginners course to thousands of dollars for extended personal tutoring. But you shouldn’t base your decision on price or even learning style preference.
Remember your purpose before selecting the product or you’ll waste a lot of money. I regret to confess that I learned this lesson the hard way. Several years ago when my family was planning an extended trip to Peru, I purchased a popular, expensive Spanish language course that was focused on teaching vocabulary first. As my children dutifully followed my lead, they learned vocabulary word after vocabulary word. What I failed to realize until I arrived in Huancayo was that I had not considered my ultimate purpose before purchasing. What we needed was a method that immersed us in the regular conversations of Latin America…our first few attempts at communication were embarrassingly stilted because we primarily spoke in one-word phrases! I had to hire a private tutor so that we could learn how to piece together our knowledge and form coherent (though simple) sentences. Not only had I wasted money, but more importantly, we had wasted time.
What was your purpose in studying a foreign language? Was it learning to speak fluently? If so, you should purchase a product that immerses you in the normal conversations of the culture by concentrating on listening and speaking skills. Was your purpose to read and translate texts from the original language to English? Then you should purchase a textbook that’s heavy on teaching comprehensive grammar with lots of exercises in translation; you might also want to collect some of the more famous writings in the original language so that you can practice your new skills. Perhaps you wanted to learn a foreign language for high school credit. You need a complete course that allows to you listen, speak, read, and write in your new language.
Would you like some guidance in selecting the right product to learn your chosen foreign language? We have selected our 6 favorite products for each of the three modern and three ancient languages that we have studied. You can find our favorites courses or textbooks in the left hand column under Favorite Products. Just pick the language of interest and click on the link to begin studying your foreign language. Additionally, we have included links to other products that have helped us round out our foreign language education including podcasts, videos, study aids, and games. Finally, when you know your purpose and select your tools according to that purpose, you’ll find that studying a foreign language can be quite enjoyable and rewarding!
Wishing you much success and joy in your foreign language studies,
