It's frustrating when you find yourself mentally translating all the stuff you hear in your target language in your mother tongue. I know, that it makes us feel dumb when we don't understand what is being said but for languages it is the only way forward - Just do it!
Even if it doesn't make sense - Just do it!
Even if it seems so so childish - Just do it!
Even if your cheeks redden 'cos of sheer embarrassment - Just do it!
Even if your methods seems insane - Do it anyway!
Continue to move your body around in this river and eventually it's gonna start making sense and One Fine Day, without you even noticing it - you'll be swimming like a natural.
It takes a while before our ears start responding to the various sound and speech patterns of any language. My trick for getting myself beyond this initial mental parsing ( translation ) state is by using Massive Listening. Which is to say, that I'd keep listening to the Music in the language, watch a movie or two even if it doesn't make any sense to my mind what so ever.
I'd put on my Google-skills hat on and type away all my questions over the internet, sometimes a blog shows up and at others some Video. But it all moves me towards the language I want to learn.
Recently, I have really come to appreciate the Value of Podcasts! Seriously, once you change the Coutnry Flag down at the bottom right corner of iTunes Store - you can see the magic unfold. You can discover your own interests in any language using this Podcasting revolution that's been going on.
Don't fret if things don't make even the slightest sense whatsoever, stick with it anyway. You know, with all the interesting stuff you expose yourself to in a Language is Like watching a river flow by, try to enjoy the moment rather than worrying about controlling the river. Personally, I don't remember much of anything I hear in podcasts and that's the reason why I repeat them all over again after a while and this time I pay more and more attention.
Well, this works wonderfully for me and I use this method to just expose myself to new and interesting things in the language - temporary ignorance mustn't come in the way of constant exploration. That's the only way we Grow!
My advice to any one who wants to learn a language is Just-Do-It. Ideal conditions don't exist, rather you create them yourself.
On a sidenote, I wonder why I don't find Iran in the Flags menu! I mean, come on - Farsi is such a beautiful language and there are no native Iranian Podcasts listen over at iTunes. Though I still managed to find the Chai and Conversation Podcast through my surfing excursions.
P.S. This Mental Parsing might actually be a blessing in disguise! How, you ask?
If you are learning multiple languages and you wish to keep most of them active at the same time, then instead of translating a target language to your mother tongue, why not try translating it to another language you have learned in your journey.
Learning a language is not so much the ability of a person, rather a Universal feature of the Human Mind - Just Do It;P
Even if it doesn't make sense - Just do it!
Even if it seems so so childish - Just do it!
Even if your cheeks redden 'cos of sheer embarrassment - Just do it!
Even if your methods seems insane - Do it anyway!
Continue to move your body around in this river and eventually it's gonna start making sense and One Fine Day, without you even noticing it - you'll be swimming like a natural.
It takes a while before our ears start responding to the various sound and speech patterns of any language. My trick for getting myself beyond this initial mental parsing ( translation ) state is by using Massive Listening. Which is to say, that I'd keep listening to the Music in the language, watch a movie or two even if it doesn't make any sense to my mind what so ever.
I'd put on my Google-skills hat on and type away all my questions over the internet, sometimes a blog shows up and at others some Video. But it all moves me towards the language I want to learn.
Recently, I have really come to appreciate the Value of Podcasts! Seriously, once you change the Coutnry Flag down at the bottom right corner of iTunes Store - you can see the magic unfold. You can discover your own interests in any language using this Podcasting revolution that's been going on.
Don't fret if things don't make even the slightest sense whatsoever, stick with it anyway. You know, with all the interesting stuff you expose yourself to in a Language is Like watching a river flow by, try to enjoy the moment rather than worrying about controlling the river. Personally, I don't remember much of anything I hear in podcasts and that's the reason why I repeat them all over again after a while and this time I pay more and more attention.
Well, this works wonderfully for me and I use this method to just expose myself to new and interesting things in the language - temporary ignorance mustn't come in the way of constant exploration. That's the only way we Grow!
My advice to any one who wants to learn a language is Just-Do-It. Ideal conditions don't exist, rather you create them yourself.
On a sidenote, I wonder why I don't find Iran in the Flags menu! I mean, come on - Farsi is such a beautiful language and there are no native Iranian Podcasts listen over at iTunes. Though I still managed to find the Chai and Conversation Podcast through my surfing excursions.
If you are learning multiple languages and you wish to keep most of them active at the same time, then instead of translating a target language to your mother tongue, why not try translating it to another language you have learned in your journey.
Learning a language is not so much the ability of a person, rather a Universal feature of the Human Mind - Just Do It;P
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