I love learning foreign languages. In fact, I love it so much that I like to learn a new language every two years, currently working on my eighth one. When people find that out about me, they always ask me, "How do you do that? What's your secret?" And to be honest, for many years, my answer would be, "I don't know. I simply love learning languages." But people were never happy with that answer. They wanted to know why they are spending years trying to learn even one language, never achieving fluency, and here I come, learning one language after another. They wanted to know the secret of polyglots, people who speak a lot of languages. And that made me wonder, too, how do actually other polyglots do it? What do we have in common? And what is it that enables us to learn languages so much faster than other people? I decided to meet other people like me and find that out.
我熱愛學習外語。 其實我愛到每兩年就學一種新語言, 目前我在學第八種語言。 如果有人發現這件事, 他們都會問我, 「你是怎麼辦到的?祕訣是什麼?」 老實說,多年來我的答案大多是: 「不知道耶!我就是愛學語言。」 但大家對這個答案都不滿意。 他們想知道,為何自己費時多年, 而且只學一種語言, 還是無法說得流利, 而我卻能一個語言接著一個語言學。 他們想知道語言達人的祕訣, 精通多種語言者的祕訣。 這也勾起了我的好奇心, 其他語言達人是怎麼辦到的? 我們有什麼共通點? 是什麼因素讓我們 比其他人學語言的速度還快得多? 我決定和其他像我這樣的人 見面來找出答案。
The best place to meet a lot of polyglots is an event where hundreds of language lovers meet in one place to practice their languages. There are several such polyglot events organized all around the world, and so I decided to go there and ask polyglots about the methods that they use.
要碰到很多語言達人的最佳地點 就在幾百位語言愛好者參加的聚會, 大家在同一個地方 練習自己在學的語言。 世界各地都有一些這種 辦給語言達人參加的活動, 所以我決定去那 問問語言達人他們用了什麼方法。
And so I met Benny from Ireland, who told me that his method is to start speaking from day one. He learns a few phrases from a travel phrasebook and goes to meet native speakers and starts having conversations with them right away. He doesn't mind making even 200 mistakes a day, because that's how he learns, based on the feedback. And the best thing is, he doesn't even need to travel a lot today, because you can easily have conversations with native speakers from the comfort of your living room, using websites.
我碰到從愛爾蘭來的白尼, 他告訴我,他的方法是 從第一天就開始說。 他先從旅遊書籍學幾個詞, 然後去和當地人碰面, 馬上和他們對話。 他不介意每天犯多達兩百個錯誤, 因為他就是這樣 從別人給的回饋學習。 最棒的是,現在 他根本不用到處旅行, 因為你可以輕易和當地人 在你舒適的客廳交談, 只要有網路就行。
I also met Lucas from Brazil who had a really interesting method to learn Russian. He simply added a hundred random Russian speakers on Skype as friends, and then he opened a chat window with one of them and wrote "Hi" in Russian. And the person replied, "Hi, how are you?" Lucas copied this and put it into a text window with another person, and the person replied, "I'm fine, thank you, and how are you?" Lucas copied this back to the first person, and in this way, he had two strangers have a conversation with each other without knowing about it.
我也碰到巴西來的盧卡斯, 他學俄語的方法超有趣。 他在 Skype 上任意 加一百個說俄語的人好友, 然後打開其中一個人的對話視窗, 用俄語寫「嗨」。 這個人回:「嗨,你好嗎?」 盧卡斯把這句話覆製貼到 另一個人的對話視窗, 這個人回: 「我很好,謝謝,你呢?」 他再把這句話覆製,貼給第一個人, 透過這個方法, 他讓兩個陌生人交談, 而且他們自己根本不知道。
(Laughter)
(笑聲)
And soon he would start typing himself, because he had so many of these conversations that he figured out how the Russian conversation usually starts. What an ingenious method, right?
不久後他就可以開始自己打字, 因為有過這麼多對話之後, 他就知道要怎麼開始用俄語交談。 很天才的方法,對吧?
And then I met polyglots who always start by imitating sounds of the language, and others who always learn the 500 most frequent words of the language, and yet others who always start by reading about the grammar. If I asked a hundred different polyglots, I heard a hundred different approaches to learning languages. Everybody seems to have a unique way they learn a language, and yet we all come to the same result of speaking several languages fluently.
後來我碰到一個語言達人, 他都會從模仿一個語言的聲音開始; 有一部分的人會先學 最常用的五百個單字; 還有一些人會先學文法。 如果我問一百個語言達人, 會聽到一百種不同的語言學習法。 每個人都有自己 獨特的方式學習語言, 最後大家都能流利說多種語言。
And as I was listening to these polyglots telling me about their methods, it suddenly dawned on me: the one thing we all have in common is that we simply found ways to enjoy the language-learning process. All of these polyglots were talking about language learning as if it was great fun. You should have seen their faces when they were showing me their colorful grammar charts and their carefully handmade flash cards, and their statistics about learning vocabulary using apps, or even how they love to cook based on recipes in a foreign language. All of them use different methods, but they always make sure it's something that they personally enjoy.
聽著其他達人說他們的方法時, 我突然明白: 我們的共通點 是都會去找出 享受學習語言的方法。 所有達人在談語言學習的時候 都像是學語言超有趣。 可惜你們沒看到他們 給我看他們做的彩色文法表、 精心自製的單字卡、 在應用程式上學單字的統計, 以及他們熱愛用外語食譜作菜 這些時刻的神情。 每個人都採用不同方法, 但他們都先確定這些事能帶來樂趣。
I realized that this is actually how I learn languages myself. When I was learning Spanish, I was bored with the text in the textbook. I mean, who wants to read about Jose asking about the directions to the train station. Right? I wanted to read "Harry Potter" instead, because that was my favorite book as a child, and I have read it many times. So I got the Spanish translation of "Harry Potter" and started reading, and sure enough, I didn't understand almost anything at the beginning, but I kept on reading because I loved the book, and by the end of the book, I was able to follow it almost without any problems. And the same thing happened when I was learning German. I decided to watch "Friends," my favorite sitcom, in German, and again, at the beginning it was all just gibberish. I didn't know where one word finished and another one started, but I kept on watching every day because it's "Friends." I can watch it in any language. I love it so much. And after the second or third season, seriously, the dialogue started to make sense.
我理解到其實這也是 我自己學語言的方法。 我學西班牙語的時候, 覺得課本上的文章很無聊。 我的意思是,誰會想讀 何西問去火車站要怎麼走? 我反而想先讀《哈利波特》, 因為那是我小時候最愛的書, 我看過很多次了。 所以我找到這本書的西班牙語譯本, 然後開始讀, 當然一開始我幾乎完全看不懂, 但我還是繼續讀, 因為我超愛這本書, 到最後我已經能毫無障礙讀下去了。 我學德語也是同樣的情況。 我決定用德語看《六人行》, 這是我最愛的喜劇, 同樣地,一開始全都是 我聽不懂的話, 我根本分不清這些聲音 是一個字的頭還是尾, 但我每天繼續看, 因為那是《六人行》。 我可以每個語言都看, 我真的超愛這個影集。 看了兩三季之後, 真的,我開始聽得懂一些對話了。
I only realized this after meeting other polyglots. We are no geniuses and we have no shortcut to learning languages. We simply found ways how to enjoy the process, how to turn language learning from a boring school subject into a pleasant activity which you don't mind doing every day. If you don't like writing words down on paper, you can always type them in an app. If you don't like listening to boring textbook material, find interesting content on YouTube or in podcasts for any language. If you're a more introverted person and you can't imagine speaking to native speakers right away, you can apply the method of self-talk. You can talk to yourself in the comfort of your room, describing your plans for the weekend, how your day has been, or even take a random picture from your phone and describe the picture to your imaginary friend. This is how polyglots learn languages, and the best news is, it's available to anyone who is willing to take the learning into their own hands.
我在和其他語言達人碰面之後 才了解這一點。 我們都不是天才, 沒有學語言的捷徑。 我們只是找到享受過程的方法, 找到將學語言這個在學校無聊的科目 變成愉快的活動, 不介意每天都要做。 要是你不喜歡手寫單字, 你可以在應用程式裡打字。 要是你不愛聽無聊的課文, 你可以上 YouTube 或播客 找到各種語言的有趣內容。 要是你比較內向, 你無法想像馬上和母語人士對話, 你可以試著自言自語。 你可以在房裡舒舒服服 和自己說話, 談談你週末的計畫、 今天過得怎麼樣, 或是從手機裡找出一張照片, 跟你的虛擬好友形容這張照片。 這是語言達人學語言的方式, 最棒的是每個人都可以做, 尤其是那些想要自學的人。
So meeting other polyglots helped me realize that it is really crucial to find enjoyment in the process of learning languages, but also that joy in itself is not enough. If you want to achieve fluency in a foreign language, you'll also need to apply three more principles.
和這麼多達人見面讓我理解到, 在學習語言的過程中找到樂趣 真的很關鍵, 但只有喜悅還不夠。 如果你想達到外語流利的程度, 你得依循三個原則。
First of all, you'll need effective methods. If you try to memorize a list of words for a test tomorrow, the words will be stored in your short-term memory and you'll forget them after a few days. If you, however, want to keep words long term, you need to revise them in the course of a few days repeatedly using the so-called space repetition. You can use apps which are based on this system such as Anki or Memrise, or you can write lists of word in a notebook using the Goldlist method, which is also very popular with many polyglots. If you're not sure which methods are effective and what is available out there, just check out polyglots' YouTube channels and websites and get inspiration from them. If it works for them, it will most probably work for you too.
第一,要採用有效率的方法。 為了明天考試背的一長串單字, 這些字會儲存在短期記憶裡, 過幾天你就會忘了。 如果你想要長時間記得這些單字, 就必須每隔幾天複習一下, 這是採用所謂的間隔重覆法。 你可以用運用這種系統的應用程式, 像是 Anki 或憶術家, 或是在筆記本寫下單字, 採用所謂的黃金字表法(Goldlist), 這個方法在語言達人間也很受歡迎。 如果你不確定哪些方法有效, 或是有哪些方法可以用, 可以上語言達人的 YouTube 頻道和網站, 從中找尋靈感。 如果對他們有效, 對你來說也八成有效。
The third principle to follow is to create a system in your learning. We're all very busy and no one really has time to learn a language today. But we can create that time if we just plan a bit ahead. Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier than you normally do? That would be the perfect time to revise some vocabulary. Can you listen to a podcast on your way to work while driving? Well, that would be great to get some listening experience. There are so many things we can do without even planning that extra time, such as listening to podcasts on our way to work or doing our household chores. The important thing is to create a plan in the learning. "I will practice speaking every Tuesday and Thursday with a friend for 20 minutes. I will listen to a YouTube video while having breakfast." If you create a system in your learning, you don't need to find that extra time, because it will become a part of your everyday life.
第三個要依循的原則 是去找到你學習的系統。 我們都很忙,沒人有空學語言。 但我們可以創造一點時間, 只要我們提早計畫就行。 你可以比平常早 15 分鐘起床嗎? 那是複習單字最好的時間。 你可以在開車上班途中聽播客嗎? 那也是練聽力的絕佳時間。 我們不需要事先 規畫時間就能做很多事, 像是上班通勤的時候聽播客, 或是做家事的時候也可以。 重要的是去訂學習的計畫。 「我會每個星期二和四練口說, 和一個朋友聊二十分鐘。 我會邊聽 YouTube 影片, 邊吃早餐。」 如果你有了一套學習系統, 你就不需要額外找時間, 因為那會成為你生活的一部分。
And finally, if you want to learn a language fluently, you need also a bit of patience. It's not possible to learn a language within two months, but it's definitely possible to make a visible improvement in two months, if you learn in small chunks every day in a way that you enjoy. And there is nothing that motivates us more than our own success.
最後,如果你想把語言練得流利, 你需要一點耐心。 兩個月就學會新語言是不可能的事, 但是兩個月內看到進步絕對有可能, 只要你每天用喜歡的方式學一點。 沒有什麼動機比自己的成功 更能激勵我們。
I vividly remember the moment when I understood the first joke in German when watching "Friends." I was so happy and motivated that I just kept on watching that day two more episodes, and as I kept watching, I had more and more of those moments of understanding, these little victories, and step by step, I got to a level where I could use the language freely and fluently to express anything. This is a wonderful feeling. I can't get enough of that feeling, and that's why I learn a language every two years.
我清楚記得 聽懂德文版《六人行》 第一個笑話的那個時刻。 我超高興且大受鼓舞, 當天又多看了兩集, 我在看的時候, 又得到更多那種理解的時刻, 這些小小的勝利, 一步步地,我到達的程度 讓我可以自在流利地 用這個語言表達任何事情。 這是很棒的感覺。 這種感覺我永遠都不嫌少, 因此我每兩年就學一種新語言。
So this is the whole polyglot secret. Find effective methods which you can use systematically over the period of some time in a way which you enjoy, and this is how polyglots learn languages within months, not years.
這就是語言達人的祕訣。 找出有效的方法,讓你能夠有系統 且愉快地進行一段時間, 這就是語言達人只要幾個月而非幾年 就能學會語言的方法。
Now, some of you may be thinking, "That's all very nice to enjoy language learning, but isn't the real secret that you polyglots are just super talented and most of us aren't?"
現在,在座有些人可能會想, 「享受學語言很好, 但真正的祕密是你們語言達人 就真的很有天分,而我們沒天分吧?」
Well, there's one thing I haven't told you about Benny and Lucas. Benny had 11 years of Irish Gaelic and five years of German at school. He couldn't speak them at all when graduating. Up to the age of 21, he thought he didn't have the language gene and he could not speak another language. Then he started to look for his way of learning languages, which was speaking to native speakers and getting feedback from them, and today Benny can easily have a conversation in 10 languages. Lucas tried to learn English at school for 10 years. He was one of the worst students in class. His friends even made fun of him and gave him a Russian textbook as a joke because they thought he would never learn that language, or any language. And then Lucas started to experiment with methods, looking for his own way to learn, for example, by having Skype chat conversations with strangers. And after just 10 years, Lucas is able to speak 11 languages fluently.
嗯,我還有件事沒和你們說, 和白尼與盧卡斯有關。 白尼在學校學了 11 年 愛爾蘭蓋爾語和五年德語。 他畢業的時候還沒辦法 用這兩個語言說話。 他 21 歲的時候,覺得自己 應該沒有語言基因, 無法說外語。 後來他開始去找自己的語言學習法, 也就是和母語人士交談, 並從他們身上得到回饋, 現在白尼可以輕鬆 用十種語言和人聊天。 盧卡斯在學校學了十年英語。 他是班上掉車尾的學生。 他朋友還會作弄他, 送他一本俄語課本來開他玩笑, 因為他們覺得他不可能 學俄語或是其他語言。 後來盧卡斯開始嘗試新方法, 尋找自己學習的方式, 像是用 Skype 和陌生人聊天。 只花了十年, 盧卡斯已經可以 流利說 11 種語言了。
Does that sound like a miracle? Well, I see such miracles every single day. As a language mentor, I help people learn languages by themselves, and I see this every day. People struggle with language learning for five, 10, even 20 years, and then they suddenly take their learning into their own hands, start using materials which they enjoy, more effective methods, or they start tracking their learning so that they can appreciate their own progress, and that's when suddenly they magically find the language talent that they were missing all their lives.
聽起來像奇蹟嗎? 我每天都看到這樣的奇蹟。 身為語言訓練師, 我幫大家自學語言, 我每天都會見證這個奇蹟。 有人努力學了五年、 十年、二十年語言, 突然開始自學, 用自己能享受其中的資源, 更有效的方法, 或是開始記錄自己的學習, 這樣就能看到自己的成長, 也就是在這樣的時刻, 他們神奇地找到 在生命中遺失的語言天分。
So if you've also tried to learn a language and you gave up, thinking it's too difficult or you don't have the language talent, give it another try. Maybe you're also just one enjoyable method away from learning that language fluently. Maybe you're just one method away from becoming a polyglot.
如果你試過學一種語言, 然後你放棄了,覺得太難, 或是自己沒語言天分, 再試一下。 也許你只需要一個有趣的方法 讓你能學會並流利運用那個語言。 也許你只要一個方法, 就能成為語言達人。
Thank you.
謝謝。
(Applause)
(掌聲)