5 Language-Learning Mistakes That Are Holding Back Your Progress
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- Опубліковано 3 сер 2024
- In this lecture I discuss 5 very common reasons why language learners struggle with their studies. Rather than things that you are actively doing wrong, these are more likely to be things that you have not yet considered doing at all, so this video provides an introduction to a philosophy of language-learning that will enable you to conceptualize doing them.
00:00 Introduction
02:00 Lack of a conceptual framework
09:40 Lack of regular time/place for practice
13:58 Lack of digital detox periods
17:10 Neglecting the spiritual side of language-learning
20:48 Neglecting the physical side of language-learning
26:00 Summary and conclusion
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Merlin is Back! And he brought Professor Arguelles with him!
He is indeed. And for all those who missed it and might want more of him, you can always access him or have him available for you here: ua-cam.com/video/vI3eoYg3hXU/v-deo.html
A Korean friend showed me his technique for concentrating in the library (or anywhere). Sit down for a set time (start with 15 minutes) with zero distractions; no phone, no laptop, no food or sugary drinks (water was ok). Focus on a specific task. Do not let the mind get distracted or get up. Then a 5 minute break to stand up, use the bathroom, etc. He said work up to say 60 minute focus + 5 minute breaks. This technique was life-changing.
Eventually, I supplemented with clean desk, earplugs, baseball cap to boost focus.
Whatever way of maintaining focus works best for you, do it!
When I was young I sat exams at school that lasted 4 hours per subject. I really don’t understand why people say they struggle to concentrate for extended periods
Professor Arguelles, you're a superstar of language learning. Thanks so much for your advice.
Thank you for your kind words of appreciation. You are very welcome.
@1:53 "I might be too long winded at times..." That's what sets you apart from other language learning UA-cam personalities. You have almost too many details about everything involved and it's what makes you great and appreciated.
Thank you for the kind words of understanding. I think most of my viewers know that, as a university professor, I am habituated to giving lectures for 60, 75, 90 minutes or more at a time. However, there are still plenty of rude commenters out there who say things like "stop rambling," "get to the point," "you sure like to hear yourself talk," etc. So I do truly appreciate your appreciation!
I was thinking hard after/during watching this video and decided to share some of the things I've noticed overall while pursuing my language learning goals. I find that the key is that you need to actively develop a mentality of creating a kind of 'nutritive space'. As a 6 year student of Japanese, I've kind of done a lot of psychological spelunking into what I find the most productive, general points of reference for learning that I've found effective. I think there is much, much, much truth to what Professor Arguelles is saying, and I actively employ his methods in fine-tuning and expanding my knowledge of my target language. But I do think there are some things I might like to add or append. This is going to be quite long winded so I apologize.
- Having material you truly enjoy learning, and want to learn from- IE, material you're willing to grapple with even if it's far above your level- was one of the most important sources of progress for me. Even if I understood only 5% of the Kanji, what mattered is that by actually using it (it was a video game) it forced me to constantly engage my 'linguistic instinct of survival'. I was grappling with the language, not just trying to 'learn it' if that makes any sense. There's this kind of raw emotion involved where even if you see it as a bottomless pit you keep wrestling with it, because the goal is not just mastery for its own sake, but learning to 'understand' in another paradigm. This in turn plays into some of my personal beliefs about language (and actually dialect) which is that they're not codified books of set description but rather the gradually cultivated soul of a culture and how it confidently relays itself and its forms of information. I currently am studying a Japanese dialect now as well, and it's fascinating to see the history and feeling of the people of that particular region born out etymologically and so forth.
- as part of the dimension you describe with exercise, I find that it is also incredibly important in a way cosanguine with what you describe in decluttering your brain from technology. In my experience running and cardio are immeasurably important ways to help find a kind of 'zen' and psychological structure. I can reset with exercise and find a clock. By the same measure, some degree of routine is generally important, so try not to overdo it with stuff like caffeine which can really mess it up.
- Centering is important, but also I think some degree of phenomenological description of the optimal 'language learning state' is also useful. I find that when I'm in the 'zone', the information I imbibe becomes the thrum of my current mental state. It is no longer just 'one piece of info' out of many disparate things, but 'the sole mental object'. In a sense then because there is nothing to distract 'you', your mind 'identifies' your own mental process with what it is exclusively working on. This is a deeply enriching moment as it usually accompanies the best progress in my case.
- For me personally I tend to view languages less as 'blocks of knowledge' (even though the adult mind can make learning more 'convenient' by blocking ideas into knowable things) and more as somewhat 'solidified' paradigm. What this helps me realize is that I'm not just learning 'something'. Languages, for as much solid fact they can be comprised of, also have I suppose what could be likened to aqueous, gaseous, and liquid components relative to sheer facts. These have in turn to do with how intonation or tone might inform either meaning or intention in irreducible ways, things that can only be understood via conversation or in-person usage, and so on. Once I moved away from simply looking at the 'things' I learn as facts, but rather as parts of something closer to a constantly moving stream, I could more readily grasp what it Is I'm really trying to do when 'learning'. To put it simply, I feel like when I'm 'using' the language I am now adopting another persona of sorts, or that I am shifting to a new wiring. It's really a very radical thing and generally entails (at least from English to Japanese) a complete rupture with what is 'normal' processing in one to the other.
Sorry for the massive harangue and overall prolixity, but I find language learning deeply fascinating as well. Thanks for everything you do Professor.
You are so very welcome, Herakliet, and thank you so much for providing such a substantive and reflective comment. In particular, I love what you say about language being the gradually cultivated soul of a culture.
very well said I agree you take on the soul and culture not just the mechanics of the language and you are a different person of sorts when thinking in , or speaking the language
You are correct about the importance of getting in some physical stuff. Getting in some exercise definitely allows me to get in better quality studies
Upon reflection, it is really rather astounding that this is so little recognized or acted upon.
Yeah , i think it suprised me also to a certain extent when I came to know that exercise helps with developing certain parts of the brain , reducing anxiety and increasing grey matter
I think we often need a reminder that language learning is a slow, life-long process, as you said; it helps to fight off discouragement.
Absolutely - and needless discouragement at that.
As a Christian, your advice to PRAY before studying a language was beautiful. I believe prayer is effective for not only NOT getting distracted but also for learning a language better and for better retention of grammar and vocabulary.
Thank you. Do you know the prayer Saint Thomas Aquinas said before he sat down to read, write, study? If not, you can find it easily by searching this title: Oratio S. Thomae Aquinatis ante studium
Profesor you inspired me to start learning new language. Thank you sir, I appreciate your work very much.
I am happy to hear that I have had a good influence upon you! Thank you.
Studying is my favourite time of the day.
Mine too!
I have one thing to add about the point about it being a lifelong commitment. I am taking the official German exams administered by the Goethe-Institut and I view passing the final C2 exam as the end target for my learning. So although I'm well aware that learning German is a lifelong task, at least the end of the exam process represents the point at which I will have a high enough level to be able to use it. (I'm a long way from there now though.)
Use and maintenance certainly count as part of a lifelong relationship with a language. There are certain jobs that require a certain score to obtain a certain position or pay grade, but don't these also then expect you to use that language? And if you are learning on your own, do you not expect to live in it afterwards (in country) or live with it (on your own, reading, etc.) for the rest of your life?
Could you do a video where you show off your library? I am really curious to see what you have
library tour is long over due imo
I cannot overlook this call forever.
Yes! I'd love a bookshelf tour! 😯
Polysthenics seems interesting. I’ve always maintained that physical exercise should be done as an auxiliary to mental activity of any caliber, as it calms the body and brightens the mind. I never considered, as it seems you do here, that they could be mixed. Would very much enjoy a video if you’re feeling out the room.
Thanks for the interest. Since I threw it out, I am willing to do a session, but I must admit that I am a bit self-conscious that it could look rather strange - even after having done my shadowing marches. So I'd like to see lots of up votes for this kind of comment to encourage me to do it!
I'm tried to learn many languages in the same time and I failed, So I decided to focus on one language (English) and I find your channel when I was searching for help videos!! Thank you so much professor 💗
You are very welcome. I am not an English teacher per se, but I have developed a mode of delivery for non-native speakers, and if you find that helpful, may it serve you well!
Don't forget many people here in England speak very simple English. Honestly, perhaps they know around 6,000 words. So you could be far better with effort.
Physical activity is part of my learning habits. When I read a book in a foreign language, I read aloud while walking slowly. When I review recordings of lessons I stand up or walk too because I do not need to listen intently anymore, and so do I when I take a break by listening to the radio or to music videos in the target language. I may also listen to music while doing physical exercise as a warm-up for the learning time to come, as I'll be picking up and remembering random words as well as interiorising the rhythm of the language.
Thank you for confirming that I am not the only one who does this.
Now agree with the prof. There is a spiritual side. The discipline leads to an expansion of mind and therefore consciousness.so much in this video.
Thanks so much for voicing your understanding. I always feel like I am going out out a limb when I state what I really believe, so it is very nice to get this validation. Thank you!
You're my hero, Professor Arguelles.
Thank you!
I enjoy how quirky you are! As an ex-professor, now yoga teacher, it's clear that movement is super helpful to language study.
Thank you so much supporting the idea! I think you will love the video I have planned for this Friday. Please watch for it!
Thank you again for your advice! It is very useful!
You are very welcome.
This video was very helpful. I have not been as successful as I hoped to be with learning one language, Spanish. I realized I needed to make it a part of my daily life and stop worrying about whether I was "fluent or not". I found things I enjoy reading and I started watching telenovelas for listening practice.
I took notes while listening to this video. Today I am preparing a digital detox space where I can practice scriptorium and do some listen and repeat audios with a CD player without the distraction of my computer.
I appreciate you the way you share your experience with others.
Thank you and have a blessed day.
Long time no see, Robnoftz, it is good to hear from you again! I am glad that this is of help to you!
It is very useful and inspiring, thank you very much!
You're very welcome, I am glad it was helpful.
Thanks, excellent job, and conception...
You are very welcome. I am pleased you enjoyed it.
Thank you Professor for yours Advice.
I am from Poland, i am studying English and German. I always before my study pray to God and I can say that this is really helpful. I am a Tradidional Catholic so I am practicing my Latin too.
Thank you Professor one more time and with Good.
In polish Z Panem Bogiem! :)
Thank you, Rafal, for validating my suggestion to incorporate prayer into one's studies.
Sir. Thank you. Needed that pep talk .
You are very welcome!
Thanks for taking care of your adorable cat. It looks so happy and tranquil.
Actually, it is more the case that he takes care of me and keeps me happy and tranquil. If you'd like to see more of him doing his thing, watch this please: ua-cam.com/video/vI3eoYg3hXU/v-deo.html
Beginning in May of 2022, I will offer virtual options for working with me to improve your skills in reading French, German, Latin, or Spanish literatures, to engage in Great Books discussions, and to provide support for the self-study of foreign languages. If these might interest you, please fill out the application form on my website at alexanderarguelles.com/academy/ If this is not for you, but you know someone whom it might interest, please pass this information on to them.
🙏 Gracias, profesor Arguelles 😊🎉🌈
De nada.
Great video sir!
Thank you kindly! I hope you can employ some of its advice to your benefit!
Ihr Name war mir zwar ein Begriff, aber ich hatte bisher noch nie ein Video von Ihnen gesehen. Ein echtes Versäumnis wie ich jetzt sehe. Vielen Dank das ist wirklich äußerst inspirierend und motivierend.
Bitte sehr. Es freut mich, dass ich helfen kann.
Thank you Alexander, I really found this very helpful, I will use your suggestions and let you know my progress.
You are very welcome. Keep me posted!
This is one of the best videos on language learning that I have ever seen! Thank you for your practical insights and advice Professor Arguelles.
You are so very welcome. May it serve you well.
Thank you so much for the content, Professor! It was really well explained, I feel more prepared to join this long journey of learning multiple languages. I'm really grateful for your explanations.
You are very welcome. Best of luck to you as you set out on your journey!
I feel like this man is going to fix all my problems 👋🏼
I don't know if I can fix them ALL, but if I can genuinely solve even one for you, then it was worth all the time and effort it took to make this!
Very good and pertinent advice as always! Gonna recommend this to my students next week, as I planned to talk about the approximate trajectory of language-learning, which you mention here
Thanks so much for the appreciation, Yan, and I hope it helps your students.
Thank you, Mr. Alexander. I am already seeing how the layout of my room will transform through this advice. Your words are realistic, and fueled by a strong belief and passion. I have recommended your channel to a very, very dear friend of mine. Have a wonderful day.
You are very welcome. Thanks for recommending my videos to others!
Of course, it was useful. I appreciate the opportunity to learn from your experience. Especially the point about fifteen minutes and taking a physical exercise break seems most relevant to my current situation. Thank you.
I am glad that this was helpful for you!
It's nice to see you again. I used to read your website, I liked the page on key novels from different languages.
Thank you. I will have similar pages on my new site.
Thank you for my daily cup of wisdom, in this crazy world.
You are very welcome.
Spiritusl side of studying. Never heard that before but definitely something in that. Very interesting as always from the prof.
Thanks for the compliment. Cultivate this aspect for a while and see if it doesn't make a difference in your progress.
Breathing exercises before studying sounds like a great idea. I will give it a try.
Thank you for the great advice!
You're so welcome, Katerina, may it work well for you!
Appreciate the insights and encouragement. Definitely have hit lulls in the process of trying to get my Russian toward fluency and slowly reinitiate Spanish. Поехали и vamos:)
Thanks for the appreciation and confirmation of the lumpy road....
¡Ud. se estira como profesional!
¡Muchas gracias!
I am really happy that Alexander is getting more subscribers that he deserves.
Thank you for the good wishes.
Hi professor, I love the fact that you also teach us by giving the example. Like the video walking showing shadowing and here doing push-ups 🔥. Thanks for the video as always 😊❤
You are very welcome. Should I do a full video on poly-sthenics?
I should incorporate some physical exercises in my routine. When we study a lot we tend to have a square butt haha thanks for the tips professor!
You are very welcome. Now... get moving!
Thanks Professor Alexander for the useful suggestions. I'm building a beginner French course based on your language learning videos and videos from polyglot conferences.
Excellent - may you enjoy the journey!
Thank you
You're welcome!
Thank you so much, Professor! I love listening to you. Polysthenics is a great concept. I firmly believe that learning a language should be a tool / key to developing every area of one's life. When the level is suitable, one can not only learn about the world in a foreign language, yet also improve it at the same time.
P.s. please, don't forget about breathing during push-ups
Thanks for the validation, and the good advice.
Your videos are both inspiring & useful! You're the man \m/
Tusen Takk! Είσαι μεγάλος παίχτης δικέ μου !!
Thank you so much for your kind words of appreciation!
Good evening!
These are the best language learning tips I've ever heard....
The mental and physical aspects are of utmost importance.
Digital detox is essential!
Thinking of learning as a holistic task is a fantastic idea...!
Thank you very much Alexander!
Greetings from Vienna
Michel
PS.
Stroke the cat from me please !:)
Hello Michel, and thank you for the validation on so many levels. Please do implement these ideas and may they do you well. I will give Merlin your regards, but if you want more of him and his purr up close, I have shared that here: ua-cam.com/video/vI3eoYg3hXU/v-deo.html
@@ProfASAr Thank you very much Alexander for your answer and a wonderful video!
This video made me really happy...:)!
There are so many good things in it...
Thank you very much!
Your Merlin is awesome !!!
amazing content, greetings from germany
Welcome aboard!
These are perfect at 1.75 speed, thanks for sharing all your knowledge!!!
It is my duty and pleasure to share with those who want it.
Es freut mich ein neues Video von dir einzugucken. Schon zehn jahre her seit das letze mal ich Deutsch geschprochen habe. Now I am starting to learn Spanish. I want to do it right.
Willkommen & bienvenido! If you were formerly able to speak German well and might like to do so again, you are an excellent candidate for the kind of in-person reading and discussion circles that I lead. If you might like to consider this, please write to me for more information.
@@ProfASAr From about 14 to 19 I was obsessed with learning German. At 18 I went on a year-long exchange with Congress-Bundestag scholarship in Germany and studied German a bit in college. I remember watching your earlier videos at the time. I got my first Assimil book, 'German without Toil', because of your videos. I haven't spoken a word of German since 2012, but the language is still there inside me, I would just need to do a major vocabulary refresher; there are too many words on the tip of my tongue. I am now starting to learn Spanish and started revisiting some of your videos. I have always been around Spanish growing up in California, so I probably know more than I think. The main reason I put off learning Spanish for so long is I could never trill my r's but now I can do it perfectly. Just got a copy of Spanish without toil recently.
Hi Dr. Arguelles! I signed up for a course in reading Classical Chinese! I am really only reading on a beginner 2 level ( 200 - 300 characters ), but the course is an introduction. Also, I have a month before it starts. I am moving towards my goal of reading Journey to the West in Chinese! Also, thanks for including your cat in the video. I was very close to my cat Timothy. We were inseparable for 17 years.
How wonderful! Classical Chinese is obviously one of the great source rivers of culture and etymology. What will you do in the month before the course starts to get ready? And ah yes, thanks for letting me know that you are a kindred spirit when it comes to feline companionship.
Could you make video or language discussion with other polyglots? It would be great! For example: Steve Kaufmann, Luca Lampariello and so on
Thanks for the suggestion.
Thank you for this helpful video.
I will need to keep the physical side of language-learning in mind more.
I often experience how distracting digital devices can be. A frequent example for me is that when I am to about to start to work on language study for the day, I will decide to check whether any of the language channels on UA-cam (or other types of channels) that I regularly watch have any new videos. I then will notice a video that looks interesting and then another and another. Before I know it, I will have spent several hours watching videos.
You are very welcome. Do keep these things in mind and you should be a much more effective student.
So true
Thanks for the affirmation!
i enjoyed these lessons... a lot of people are not aware about the idea that learning a language is a lifetime endeavor. It kind of makes me sad... on the flip side people are impressed whenever you make fast progress in a language... Nothing in the world worth having comes easy, so Prof. Alex :D I hope you apply the same mentality to your calisthenics. I am still struggling a bit with my one arm handstand, but it's a livelong journey. There are so many handbalancing, gymnastics and flexibility exercises out there that it will keep you busy for a lifetime.
Thank you so much for your insightful comment. The older I get, the more analogies I see between physical exercise and language learning as mental exercise.
Mindfulness for 5-10 minutes before studying, followed by another 5-10 minutes of light exercise after study, has been quite beneficial for my learning over the years. Additionally, listening to a second language whilst exercising is something else I find helpful as well. I think Steve Kaufman mentioned it in one of his videos many years ago. If a rest period is required between sets and exercises, instead of using phones or staring into the abyss, use that time for brief moments of intensive listening.
Thank you for sharing your valuable experience.
04:45 The cat is looking at us with an expression that says, “I hope you’re listening to all this”.
In that case, watch this: ua-cam.com/video/vI3eoYg3hXU/v-deo.html
I sincerely thank you Dr. Arguelles about the making of this video. I agree with most points showed here. I think we should talk more deeply about these points in a discussion circle, because I think we disagree with the details. All my language learning resources are digital, so I do not agree with digital detox: I think people should learn how to leverage digital resources so they can work WITH the digital resources, not making them a nuisance to the learning process. Also, since I have some sicknesses, I do not possess a fixed time schedule: I learn languages when I can. I believe more than fixed times, the ability to leverage "dead time" to learn any languages is essential, specially when your life is more outside of control, like mine. Fixed times and schedules may help, but sometimes they are not possible. Overall, I think the video was well made and I want to see a "Polysthenics" video, I shamefully must confess that I am a heavy sedentarist. Any help on this part would be greatly appreciated.
Hello William, and thanks, as always, for the appreciation and the substantive comment. It would be good to have a discussion about the philosophy of language learning with you, Paul, and indeed all those who took part in the discussion circles after my lecture series - and probably many new faces as well! I suspect that all you digital-native whippersnappers are so habituated and conditioned to spending your every waking moment in front of a screen that this advice is making you panic. Old-timer that I am, though, I remember what is was like B.I. (Before the Internet), and, believe it or not, in some ways it WAS better. So relax and listen again: I am saying unplug and disconnect just once a day (the rest of the day you can be online), and find a fixed place and time where you can do that (the rest of day you can be on the go or on the fly). As for a polysthenics session, I will commit to that for your sake if you will promise to do it along with me, not just watch it, OK?
@@ProfASAr The majority of my life was without internet connection too. If you do the Polysthenics video, I promise I will do it as well!
I do exercise while listening to music on my Spotify and at the same Time I watch the lyrics of the music in my target language . I’m doing physical as well as mental exercise along with studying 😅 doing all three things .
Well done! Thanks for sharing!
16:32 I can't agree with this point about computers, since on Internet you can find a lot of videos on youtube for listening , dictionaries with the good examples of word usage etc.
Also it is much better to have digital records rather than paper, because you can easily find particular things using the key words, and find them from any place you are now.
Also such records allow you to copy big parts of data, saving time from handwriting which can take hours.
Also on the early stages this is much better to avoid reading serious fictional literature and go for the short articles written on news sites or personal blogs
Thanks for commenting, but you are missing the point. I am not saying don't use computers. I am saying that if you do use them all day, you should consciously and deliberately unplug from them to do some book learning at least once a day.
@@ProfASAr Thank you for your answer. Now I understand what you meant
I believe that Professor Arguelles is on to something here. The idea has been lost in the modern world, but I do wonder whether the optimal environment for serious scholarly activity would be something akin to a _monastic_ life? Indeed, it seems to be little coincidence that universities (I refer to Britain; of course America does have a more recent history) originally grew out of monasteries, and were for a long time essentially controlled by the church. I realise that many students today have a lifestyle which one would have to describe as somewhat decadent and hedonistic. In many cases these young people sadly devote as much time (at least!) to their social life and to various forms of self-gratification as to actual study. But I wonder whether the _ideal student_ would have a very disciplined (perhaps even spartan) lifestyle? He or she would have minimal social contact with others outside of the classroom, would read voraciously and in silence. He or she would take regular physical exercise, would regularly devote time to spiritual reflection or meditation. Arguably he or she should be celibate - although I suppose that is debatable? At any rate, there is surely a certain similarity between the life of a true scholar and the life of a monk?
Yes. It's no coincidence. Try unplugging the internet for a month (which is pretty much monastic by today's standards) and you'll soon realize that the only things you have left are books, long walks, and whatever social life you can maintain away from the internet.
Thanks for the insightful comment, Jay Burgess. I often refer to the period I spent in Korea, most intensively studying multiple languages, as my "monastic phase."
I do need that cat!
You need a cat for sure, but you can't have mine!
19:34 - "Do some breathing exercises" - > see here, the CAT will show you how :D
Watch out, Wim Hof, for Merlin's deep breath!
I'm partially giving up on commenting on this video as youtube won't let me post my own comment. I'll try it in segments and see how it goes
Great points. Any skill that needs to be learnt well cannot be compartmentalized but needs to be integrated as part of a lifestyle (just like one's nutrition and exercise) via habit formation. Some observations from my own experience
regular time/place: this is ideal, but if this is not possible for whatever reason (perhaps you're in a chaotic hospital job where your shifts are all over the place or you're on call constantly) I've found that another 'anchor' to help ground my studies has been to aim for time quotas and try to meet them as soon as any opportunity comes up (similar to what was mentioned). I use an app (you could just use a planner for a non-tech approach) that seamlessly tracks the minutes I've used for a genuine, focused learning session (intensive/extensive reading, shadowing while walking, etc.)
digital austerity: this is very effective and I think it applies not just to digital products (though these are undoubtedly the worst offenders when it comes to unnaturally stimulating the reward centers of the brain) but also anything else in your life that distracts or tempts you to waste time. I probably do a poorer job at this than most people but the fact is that if you manage to get yourself in a more austere lifestyle, at least for a week or two, you can leverage the reward centers of your brain in two ways: 1) language learning will automatically become one the most interesting activities for your brain to work on and 2) if you want to, you leverage and use your vices in small quantities to reward and reinforce your hard work and focus.
spiritual side: These are great points. Personally, I regularly like to think or remind myself of the things I'd like to experience in the language and the places I'd like to visit or live in, books I'd like to read, etc. and reflect on the progress I've made thus far. If you've visited a place where your target language is spoken or have some other personal connection to, or experiences with, the language or people who speak that language, recalling those is also another great way to get inspired and excited to get studying.
Hello Trayamolesh, so sorry that you had trouble posting and needed to do it in segments as replies to your own original. Thanks, as always, for providing substantive comments about options when regularity is not possible, the value of "detox," and memories associated with the language.
@@ProfASAr I wasn't quite sure what was triggering the automatic comment removal so I tried to use alternative word choices to 'detox' (austerity - could've chosen something more accurate perhaps) and removed direct references to dopamine - alas this is the state of things apparently...
Additionally, regarding the physical aspect: another benefit not mentioned is that regular movement (a few minutes as prescribed here is enough) stimulates the circulation of your blood through the vessels - this will help immensely not only with cognition but may also save lives by preventing your language study (and your life) from being cut short - by blood clots. This almost happened to a relative who drove a long commute to work. There are a good many people who are genetically predisposed to this condition who are unaware of it (myself having been included in that population). Regardless of who you are, sitting for extended periods of time without moving your legs (where clots are most prone to forming) is playing Russian roulette and is pretty much as detrimental to overall health as daily smoking.
Would you suggest first obtaining "fluency" in a second language prior to starting out in other languages, or do you think it matters? I'm low-intermediate in Vietnamese and beginner in Dutch and I want to continue studying both, but I'm unsure if it's a good idea. Thank you.
If you wait until you are "fluent" in Vietnamese to start Dutch, you will probably never get to it. By all means start now.
@@ProfASAr Thank you so much for your reply
học tiếng Việt tới cấp B2 rồi hẵng nhảy qua tiếng Hà Lan vì nếu học 2 ngôn ngữ cùng lúc mà trong đó một ngôn ngữ vẫn chưa vững thì dễ tẩu hỏa nhập ma lắm. Đây là kinh nghiệm cá nhân của tôi đó. Chúc bạn may mắn.
@@damtran993 cảm ơn rất nhiều
Zack bushes 4 min exercise protocal called nitric oxcide dump. Is exellenct 4 times a day every 2 hours or so while studying. Mercola gives the best explination
Haven't heard of this before - sounds interesting!
m.ua-cam.com/video/M1CzSAmnIew/v-deo.html it only takes 2 minutes. I also do it on long road trips, like waiting for a train to pass. After a couple of months when you try a really tough workout like the magic 50, you will wonder why you dont feel winded as before.
This one has the cross pattern movments in it to activate left and right brain. m.ua-cam.com/video/QLR-CgrvfRc/v-deo.html
Squish the kitteh! 😘
Oh no!
@@ProfASAr. There is a You Tube veterinarian who makes videos with his cat, called Mr Pirate, and he always holds Mr Pirate and says to camera “Squish your cat”. 😂
Woah so many books
And a furry friend!
Can we switch roles 😭 pls
No, sorry, you can't have my cat! (or my books!)
Hey professor! I have a little dilemma currently with my language learning. I’ve been learning French for 7 months or so and I’ve made pretty great progress (around B1, tested into 4th semester French at my Uni). I want to explore my Italian ancestry, so I’ve spending an hour and a half or so a day for 15 days, but over the last day or two I feel like my French is slipping and I’m confusing it a bit with italian. Do you think I should stop learning it all together? I am also interested in russian and German. Should I decrease the amount of time? Thanks so much.
I have always relished answering requests for guidance such as this, but not in a video comment section. Also, if you would like for me to answer this in a meaningful way, I need more details about you, your background, your situation, and your goals. Please look at some of the requests for advice that I received and answered on the How-to-Learn-Any-Language forum in the past, write such a formal letter to me using the contact information in the description, and I will be happy to answer this publicly to help not only you but others in similar situations.
@@ProfASAr thanks so much professor!
Hello! I was wondering if you’ve studied Japanese. I studied Japanese before but didn’t get as far as I wanted. After watching your tutorial about using Assimil, I got the Assimil for Japanese. I like it very much but I was wondering what you do after you’ve finished the Assimil series for a language? How do you keep learning the language after that?
I did study much Japanese in the past and I have a lot of resources for it, but as it is one of those languages that I consciously sacrificed in order to continue with others, I don't have a fresh perspective on this and would prefer to defer to others who are more actively involved in its study. If no one chimes in, then I'll mention some other resources for you.
@@ProfASAr thank you 😊
@@coconutmilch2351 I am learning Japanese, I think I may have some good resources to help you get the B2 level. Remember, get reading, because without reading, all the resources will be dry and boring. Japanese needs a lot of words(probably more than most languages) to get off the ground. For vocabulary, I recommend the JLPT tango series(JLPT tango N5, N4, N3,N2, N1), go through the entire N5-N4 books as fast as possible and listen to the sentences using the words. Focus on understanding those sentences first, then maybe go on to the other books of the series(N3,N2,N1). For grammar, I recommend the Dictionary of Japanese Grammar series(There are 3 books: basic, intermediate and advanced. Don't get scared by the books' names, basic is frequent grammar, intermediate is just a bit more eloquent grammar and advanced is just needed to polish the grammar you got in all the other books). Hold off on those though, get a big vocabulary in Japanese or else they will be very dry.
@@fisicogamer1902 Thanks for coming through, William! CoconutMilch, is this what you needed?
@@fisicogamer1902 thank you very much! I’m going to check out all the resources you recommended 😃
Some say that it's a mistake to study individual words. Do you agree?
You mean learning isolated vocabulary words, as from a list, devoid of context? I have never done this as I consider it to be an inefficient waste of time. It might make sense in a classroom context with testing as a goal, but there are much better and more productive ways for self-teachers to learn languages.
The most important thing is *cat*
Indeed, and here you can watch him up close: ua-cam.com/video/vI3eoYg3hXU/v-deo.html
♥
Thank you!
Jewish people have a specific prayer that they do before studying Tora literature. It's very normal.
What is the prayer? For Catholics before saying the Divine Office, it is to kneel and say: Apéri Dómine, os meum ad benedicéndum nomen sanctum tuum: munda quoque cor meum ab ómnibus vanis, pervérsis et aliénis cogitatiónibus; intelléctum illúmina, afféctum inflámma, ut digne, atténte ac devóte hoc Offícium recitáre váleam, et exaudíri mérear ante conspéctum divínæ Majestátis túæ. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Amen.
I had Covid in 20’ before vaccines were available. Had the Pfizer vaccines. Got a new covid variant a few months ago. But with this latest variant something has happened cognitively. I can’t remember words. I can’t remember’s people’s names. I’m having trouble selecting the right word to say in my native language. I get off work and start to study Spanish and unlike in the past, this is a real challenge. I can’t remember things. I’m exhausted. I’m struggling. And I’m so afraid that this is going to be permanent. Anyone go through something similar with covid and if so did it get better?
I am sorry to hear that you have gone through this. I don't know of anything similar, but perhaps others will.
Immerse yourself in the language, practice breathing exercises and try to find minute details in some activities like describing the nature of soap bubbles or the types of stones in your backyard.
Most importantly get yourself some sunlight in the morning, and walk around interacting with the nature. You will get better 👍
This video convinced me NOT to try to learn a new language (going downhill with Italian about 3 years) anymore. As you mentioned a foreign language is a lifelong execise; so to me it means I have to spent 3 lifetimes to mainteain my English, Swedish and German skills. Or I'm just plain stupid because I don't get even the basics regardless of method and time I'm using.
Thanks for sharing. You might do well to consolidate what you have before adding more.
Do you speak American English or (UK) English 😊
And can you explain what is the difference please?
American. There are plenty of videos out there not just explaining but demonstrating the differences - please do a search.
@@ProfASAr thank you very much, greetings from El Salvador
My throat hurts alot when I switch between languages especially when I switch from Chinese/ Arabic to other languages. How you protect your vocal chords when you speak 7 more languages daily? Languages like Persian, Japanese ,Turkish , Hebrew, Russian are softer but American English, Chinese /Arabic / Hindu/urdu/ Tamil are hard on facial / Chest muscles. Is there any neutral tonal excercize you can do to speak without disturbing your throat? Also the first few minutes of switching I tend to speak bit louder without realizing it . How can I keep the calm natural voice in speech?
Interesting questions. I have never had any difficulty with throat muscles...
I'm getting villain mastermind vibes
I do not understand why you write this.
@@ProfASAr Smart man, fancy chair, cat on your lap (it's a villain cliché in many movies and books)
@@Maidaseu Hmmm... seems unfairly prejudicial to cats. Must be the work of the pro-canine lobby...
13:40 - I don't think that it was humiliating at all. It was very sensible. Of course it would be more comfortable in a personal study with a lot of space, but you didn't have it. I didn't whine about it (maybe just a little), but you used your available resources as best as you could.
Thanks for appreciating this.
I have been studying English for just two years. So I need to improve it. But, with a video with 27 minutes and speak fast isn't pedagogical.
Maybe, I'm not be a part of the target audience.
Good lucky everyone!
@@atep3254, thanks! I'll try it!
Hello Edgar. As the other commenter pointed out, I am actually speaking in a deliberately slow, clear, and didactic teaching voice. I am not an English language teacher per se, so I am not targeting English language students like yourself, but you are most welcome here, and to use my lectures as study material.
berlits 1996 edition basic french with read along book and audio cassette done. It combines my 3 interests Jesus Christ, Language and analog media. althought 80% the french here don't speak french the road signs and police do
Thanks for commenting.
The cat on his lap makes him look like an evil genius with ambitions to take over the world
That is a vile stereotype propagated by the pro-canine lobby. In reality, any autodidactic language learning value my videos may have aside, I think I am providing documentary evidence that in point of fact CAT is man's best friend!
سلام عليكم سؤال هل اللغه العربيه ام الانقلش🤔😂!
شكرا للتعليق
منم خیلی دلم میخواد به زبانهای دیگری صحبت کنم اما همزمان من تازه کانال شمارا پیداکردم اهل ایرانم و من از ترجمه ای که خیلی تسلطی ندارم وزیرنویس متوجه کمی از صحبتهای شما شدم اگر میشه لطفا کتابی که به زبان فارسی از شما ترجمه شده باشد بمن معرفی کنید پروفسور عزیز من همیشه تمرکزروی یک کار ندارم و باید متفاوت باشد والا حوصله ام از ان یادگیری سر میرود
با تشکر از شما برای نوشتن. چه زبانی را می خواهید یاد بگیرید؟
@@ProfASAr ممنون ازینکه جواب دادید من فرانسه انگللیسی ترکیه ای ایتالیایی روسی هندی اسپانیایی روگوش میدم ک مثلا یاد بگیرم کلا دوسدارم همه رو بلد بشم 🥰امابه فرانسه روسی خیلی علاقه دارم گوش دادن به این زبانهااحساس خوبی بمن میده. شرمنده دیر جواب میدم ایران نیمه شب هست دیر میبینم فقط توروخدا بهم نخندین
@@maryamkj1264 متاسفم اما از کتاب هایی به زبان فارسی برای یادگیری زبان های دیگر خبر ندارم. با این حال اگر دوست دارید به زبان فرانسه گوش کنید، می دانم که سریال تن تن به فارسی ترجمه شده است. شما می توانید ویدیوهای اینجا را در یوتیوب تماشا کنید، کتاب ها را به زبان فارسی بخوانید، سپس متن فارسی را با اصل فرانسوی مقایسه کنید. موفق باشید به شما!
Argüelles,not "Arguelles"
Ngl you kinda look like a supervillain right now
You are not the first to say this. Maybe I need to work on my image!
@@ProfASAr but the content is what matters and the video was great
@@aftersea2450 Thanks for that!
learning mistakes are gay. we should avoid them.
Thanks for commenting.