Learn To Speak A New Language Fluently In Six Months

Learn To Speak A New Language Fluently In Six Months


Get on the fast track to accomplishing one of your bucket list items — learning another language. Chris Lonsdale’s TEDx talk offers five principles and seven actions that will help anyone learn to speak a new language fluently within just six months.

In the 18-minute video, Lonsdale, who learnt to speak Chinese in half a year, busts some myths about language acquisition. For example, immersion per se won’t necessarily help you learn the language, and learning a language isn’t about acquiring knowledge. Instead, it’s in large part about psychology and physiological training: becoming familiar with sounds that our brains tend to filter out if the sounds are unfamiliar and coordinating the muscles in our faces.

The principles and actions recommended here include many we’ve discussed before for learning several languages in a few years, as well as creating your own 90-day program, such as getting a language mentor and concentrating on the most-used words. Lonsdale also, however, emphasises very important communication and listening skills: listing a lot for patterns and rhythms, focusing on getting the meaning first even if you don’t understand the words, copying the facial movements of someone speaking the new language, and using mental imagery to directly connect to the language.

Daring to Live Fully has a great summary of all the points in the video above if you don’t feel like watching (though you really should).

How to learn any language in six months: Chris Londale at Lingnan University [YouTube via Daring to Live Fully]


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