1天前

Have you tried talking to someone in the language you are learning?

Any experiences? At home or abroad.

My recent experience:

Tried to talk to someone and it was going well until they said 2 sentences really fast and I had no clue what they said.

I must've looked confused, trying to mutter something, ANYTHING! What were the words I'm supposed to say?! I forgot the polite "sorry, could you repeat that" in every language I know.

They caught me off guard, damn it. Then came the killing blow: "English?".

In my moment of weakness I submitted and gave them a nod. From there on we were talking as equals, but my pride had taken a hit. I was defeated. I must go back to my books and duolingo and hide until I have courage again.

(Sorry for the dramatic text, wanted to make a boring interaction sound bit more interesting)

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I used Tandem to find patient and compatible language partners. They are adults working on learning my language while I learn theirs. So we take turns failing and being patient and kind with each other.
We use texting and translation apps as needed.
- I tried this as well, but my main native language is not that popular amongst people from my learning target language. Guess I should checkout online tandem communities.
  
  What’s your main language?

Belize is an English-speaking country, but many of the innkeepers, shopkeepers, and waiters are Chinese. I asked a shopkeeper, in Chinese, where I could find a particular item, and got quite a surprised look, but was understood, and I understood his answer.
Though later on, in another shop, when I didn't know the Chinese name of the item I was looking for, I of course came upon the person stocking shelves who spoke only Chinese.
In the same country, I was a house guest, when two men came looking for my host, who was out. They spoke at me really fast, and I had no clue what they said. Then more slowly, “Do you speak English?”
“Yes,” I answered. “But please speak slowly.” They were English speakers, but I did not understand them with their Belizean accent.
Somehow I have a problem understanding most people speaking English, except my fellow Americans (and I even have difficulty understanding some southerners there) but I can understand any accent in Spanish except the Cubans.
Though it turns out about half the people in Punta Gorda can speak Spanish as well as English, which helped me immensely.
Later, in Guatemala, I was at the grocery store asking where to find raisins. And saying not just raisins, but describing them as little black dried-up grapes. Most Guatemalans understand me, and I them (in Spanish). But now I know that is because they are accommodating me by slowing their speech. Every once in a while, I run into someone who is like me with the Belizeans and foreigners speaking English. And then there is a failure to communicate.
- Those are very interesting experiences, thank you for sharing!
  I'm not a native English speaker but I don't usually struggle understanding others speaking English EXCEPT for Scotts when they speak in their normal speed. I often have to ask them to slow down for me.
  I'm impressed by your language set. Chinese, English, and Spanish let you speak to a huge portion of the world! Maybe I should pick up Spanish as well.. This all reminds me of my favourite quote related to languages:
  "The limits of my language mean the limits of my world" - Ludwig Wittgenstein

One compelling theory I've seen for why children learn languages so absolutely quickly, is there in a completely positive environment, where every single person around them encourages them to learn, and any mistakes are seen as cute and meet with more encouraging. There is no shame in a child's language acquisition.
Adults... Have more roadblocks :)
Glad your getting out there!
- Makes a lot of sense. I definitely am self-conscious about it and therefore have roadblocks. But my inner child tries to tear them down and I get nice interactions like this :)
  Thanks! I do my best!
- When I was a student in Japan, there was one professor that insisted on taking his classes, a mix of natives and exchange students, out to drink. He said when you've been drinking, you don't worry about mistakes and it's very good for learning language. Pretty sure he was an alcoholic, but couldn't blame him as he was hibakusha.
  
  “Have a beer” was standard advice from upperclassmen when I was a foreign language major in college. Of course, the drinking age then was 19 and only loosely enforced, so we could go to a bar. But it was the best advice for beginners to get over their nerves.

Every interaction in your non native tongue is a positive. Period. The biggest hurdle learning a new language is dropping your self consciousness and speak. Keep it up and you'll be comfortable in no time at all!
- Thanks for the encouraging words! I'll be sure to keep it up! :)

Ah, you've reminded me to review how to ask someone to repeat themselves. I have only spoken via text with 1 native speaker so far and it was really eye-opening how unprepared I was, haha. I still have trouble with basic sentences that you might find in a kindergarten-level book so I think I jumped in too soon.
- Yeah talking is hard! I often forget words in the moment that are so basic..
  But! We wont give up!

Though I learned Spanish over a decade ago, I barely used it since. So as I found someone who I talk to also speaks Spanish, I asked if we could interact in that language so I could train, and we have been talking mainly in Spanish since.
I also try to exchange some messages with a Norwegian I talk to in his native language, though I'm not quite there yet so non-English exhanges tend to be short. He also comments in a direct and (to my understanding) polite way when I make mistakes. =)
Both text only.
- I admire the effort you have put into it. When I try to ask friends (who speak my target language) to speak in their native language I get frustrated looks. They get tired of the limited conversation we can have.
  Sounds like you've got cool pen pals :)!

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