50 Fun Facts About World Languages
Check out this nifty infographic from NeoMam Infographic Studios that shares 50 facts about languages, some interesting (Pinocchio is the book available in the most languages after The Bible), some funny (a man spoke to his baby for 3 years in Klingon), and some downright sad (e.g. one endangered language dies out every 2 weeks). Enjoy!
Language Learning: Why Most Fail & How You Can Succeed
If an adult fails to learn a foreign language (and most do), most of us assume they simply don’t study hard enough or just aren’t good at languages. It’s certainly true that some learners are lazy, and given the same methods, certain folks tend to pick up languages faster than others. But neither of these is the real issue; both are but symptoms of the underlying problem: 1) Crappy Methods, 2) Crappy Materials, and 3) Crappy Attitudes.
The NOT To Do List for Successful Language Learners
To do lists seem like a good idea in theory, but they have one major disadvantage: there is an infinite number of potential to do items. With this in mind, Timothy Ferriss, best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek (and a speaker of 6 languages), recommends “not to do lists” instead. Since they isolate a finite set of behaviors that are getting between you and your goals, they are far more effective than traditional to do lists. This tool applies perfectly to language learning, where most learners waste a lot of time on ineffective methods, bad materials, and counter-productive attitudes.
Benny Lewis Interviews Tim Ferriss, Author of “The 4-Hour Chef”
Benny Lewis, the Irish Polyglot, and Tim Ferriss, the author of The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef, discuss language myths, and how to learn languages quickly using the 80/20 rule.
5 Good Reasons to Raise Your Children Bilingual
Are you a parent seeking ways to improve your child’s future academic and professional prospects? Read on to see how being bilingual can give your children a leg up in today’s hyper-competitive world.
Comedy is Translation, Chris Bliss TED Talk
In his excellent TEDxRanier talk, Chris Bliss posits that “Every act of communication is an act of translation” and that great comedy can “translate deep truths for a mass audience”. I couldn’t agree more.
Interview with Paulino Brener
Paulino Brener is one of the few people I know who’s managed to successfully blend all of his passions into one. In our interview, he discusses creative ways to harness one’s passions in language learning & teaching.
Interview with Jason West of English Out There
In my interview with Jason West, the creator of English Out There, we discuss the weaknesses of traditional English schools, methodologies, and materials, and how his approach aims to overcome them.
The Secret to Learning a Language in 10 Days?
Check out this beautifully illustrated talk about how to learn foreign languages using the Pimsleur approach. No, I don’t believe you can learn a language in 10 days, but you can certainly get started in one, and Pimsleur is a good way to help get your brain and tongue used to a new language.
Interview with Arkady Zilberman
Arkady Zilberman, creator of Language Bridge and a former simultaneous interpreter in Russia, addresses what is perhaps the greatest impediment to adult language learning success: cross-translation to and from one’s native language.
Language as a Window into Human Nature
In the video, Harvard’s Steven Pinker discusses the great mysteries of language and human nature, backed up by the amazing whiteboard illustration of RSA Animate.
Interview with Randy the Yearlyglot
Randy is on a mission to learn a new language fluently every year (hence his nickname “The Yearlyglot”). His current project is Italian, with Lithuanian as a side-project saved for weekend fun.
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