So, I finally listened to Tim Doner. I mean LISTENED. Not just "Oh, that guy speaks 20+ languages, I wish I could, but I could never do that"
Yesterday I realized that he learned most of his languages IN THREE YEARS. 20 languages in three years. And then I started listening to him. "This language I have studied now for 8 weeks". EIGHT WEEKS!!! WTF!
He said that he uses the memory palace technique, and other mnemonic devices.
(Take that all those who say "you shouldn't memorize things, just learn somehow without memorizing, because memorizing is baaaaaaaad".)
He said that he is good at imitating people. And that he is :-D Someone in the comments said that it's funny how his Turkish doesn't have an American accent, it has a Persian accent. (Or something like that.) Or how funny it was that he spoke one language with a very deep voice and another with a very light voice - I assume his usual exchange partner was man in the one instance and a woman in the other.
(Reminds me of the Finnish actor, who was the main character in a language course. He said he doesn't speak the language, he just learned his lines by heart and delivered them when needed. He didn't have the slightest idea of what he just said or what was said to him, it was like repeating nonsense. Now... I don't quite believe him, but it wouldn't take much to actually understand what one has memorized. And, again, take that you who say one shouldn't memorize things. Do what ever works for you.)
And his motivation is to understand people and their culture through the language, and communicate with people in their own language. He goes out to find people and to talk with people in their language, like Mezzofanti. He says he's lucky to live in New York that has probably most people speaking different languages in the world. I can believe that.
Another thing he says is that "no-one speaks 20 languages". Because it is impossible for people to keep that much information in their heads.
Though... I wonder. How much of all languages are borrowed words? Most languages are not like Icelandic, strongly focused on keeping the language pure. Philosophy is something that sounds like that in most languages. So just learn it in Greek and use that word in every language you speak. Just say it with the accent of the language you are speaking :-D
So... how many languages could I handle if I set my standard to a five years' old's level? With bonus borrowed words.
Uh. Never mind. I am more concerned about learning languages than speaking languages. In the end I want a passive skill, not an active. I don't care about communicating with people, I only want that for the bragging rights :-D But I do care about the ability to read and understand what is written in other languages. "Sooo muuuch information...." says the Aspie. :-D
So - I am thinking. It's not going too well :-D My brains aren't working too well now-a-days. But, I am thinking how I could do what he does. I know I can.
(That is why I feel stupid - I have had this knowledge for at least 20 years, if not more, I just haven't been able to put it in action.)
But, while I'm trying to figure this out (and part of me is looking at me with distaste, because there is nothing to be figured out. It's like Columbus's Egg. Someone already did it. Now, just do what he did, and get it over and done with :-D) I keep doing things the way I have done them.
So, I have been at Duolingo and trying to gild my trees :-D
I have studied Korean, French, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, Greek, Turkish, and German on Duolingo.
I am reading a book parallel in Greek, Turkish, Spanish and German. I kind of feel I would need to do more than just try to understand it... like look at the words and grammar and how they say things and all that... But I don't want to. Too much work. Can't be bothered.
So... I don't think I will do what Tim does. Can't be bothered :-D I just want the results, not do the work.
*sigh*
Yesterday I realized that he learned most of his languages IN THREE YEARS. 20 languages in three years. And then I started listening to him. "This language I have studied now for 8 weeks". EIGHT WEEKS!!! WTF!
He said that he uses the memory palace technique, and other mnemonic devices.
(Take that all those who say "you shouldn't memorize things, just learn somehow without memorizing, because memorizing is baaaaaaaad".)
He said that he is good at imitating people. And that he is :-D Someone in the comments said that it's funny how his Turkish doesn't have an American accent, it has a Persian accent. (Or something like that.) Or how funny it was that he spoke one language with a very deep voice and another with a very light voice - I assume his usual exchange partner was man in the one instance and a woman in the other.
(Reminds me of the Finnish actor, who was the main character in a language course. He said he doesn't speak the language, he just learned his lines by heart and delivered them when needed. He didn't have the slightest idea of what he just said or what was said to him, it was like repeating nonsense. Now... I don't quite believe him, but it wouldn't take much to actually understand what one has memorized. And, again, take that you who say one shouldn't memorize things. Do what ever works for you.)
And his motivation is to understand people and their culture through the language, and communicate with people in their own language. He goes out to find people and to talk with people in their language, like Mezzofanti. He says he's lucky to live in New York that has probably most people speaking different languages in the world. I can believe that.
Another thing he says is that "no-one speaks 20 languages". Because it is impossible for people to keep that much information in their heads.
Though... I wonder. How much of all languages are borrowed words? Most languages are not like Icelandic, strongly focused on keeping the language pure. Philosophy is something that sounds like that in most languages. So just learn it in Greek and use that word in every language you speak. Just say it with the accent of the language you are speaking :-D
So... how many languages could I handle if I set my standard to a five years' old's level? With bonus borrowed words.
Uh. Never mind. I am more concerned about learning languages than speaking languages. In the end I want a passive skill, not an active. I don't care about communicating with people, I only want that for the bragging rights :-D But I do care about the ability to read and understand what is written in other languages. "Sooo muuuch information...." says the Aspie. :-D
So - I am thinking. It's not going too well :-D My brains aren't working too well now-a-days. But, I am thinking how I could do what he does. I know I can.
(That is why I feel stupid - I have had this knowledge for at least 20 years, if not more, I just haven't been able to put it in action.)
But, while I'm trying to figure this out (and part of me is looking at me with distaste, because there is nothing to be figured out. It's like Columbus's Egg. Someone already did it. Now, just do what he did, and get it over and done with :-D) I keep doing things the way I have done them.
So, I have been at Duolingo and trying to gild my trees :-D
I have studied Korean, French, Spanish, Russian, Hebrew, Greek, Turkish, and German on Duolingo.
I am reading a book parallel in Greek, Turkish, Spanish and German. I kind of feel I would need to do more than just try to understand it... like look at the words and grammar and how they say things and all that... But I don't want to. Too much work. Can't be bothered.
So... I don't think I will do what Tim does. Can't be bothered :-D I just want the results, not do the work.
*sigh*
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