Excellent video and show how difficult it is to MASTER a language rather than being able to grasp some basic principles and have the native speakers to use "foreigner talk" when conversing with us. I also play the guitar and took me YEARS to be able to say I know the basics.
I completely agree. For me, it was harder to learn French than Japanese. French is very similar to English, and a lot easier to Japanese. But I was never interested in France or the French culture, so it was really hard to learn.
Japanese was so much easier, it was a pleasure to learn, so it seemed easy.
I like to compare language learning with learning how to ride a bike. Especially in the beginning, you need to do it as much and as fun as possible - you wouldn't leave it at a few boring classes a week.
yeah but 80% is good enough. I speak english in my country, polish at home, and i dont think i'll ever even be 100% in ENGLISH or POLISH, even though ive spoke them since i was a kid.
Motivation, which could be love, is the key, rather than love itself. There are people desperate for learning languages and they are motivated by something else, such as earning money. Also, quantity is not quality, so how you spend your time sudying is as important as how much time you spend. The concept of fluency wasn't addressed either, but it's crucial for an in-depth study of polyglotism. Good video, though.
Though maybe it depends on what you consider "native" level. Many of the native english speakers I know probably only have an active vocabulary of 10-15k words and area able to comfortably converse, watch tv, and read books. That goal doesn't seem like a 10000 hour project to me, but as I'm on just starting on my first foreign language using L-R my opinion shouldn't hold much weight. If anything, the most difficult part should be absorbing idiomatic usage.
In the case of the hypothetical German speaker you mention in the video (or anyone else who moves to the country of their target language), aren't they flexing their language muscles much more than 3 hours a day while interacting with others at their job or in their community? For a person who is really engaging that language and culture (not rushing home every day to read L1 newspapers and books/tv) I would not be surprised if they reached near-native levels in 2-3 years.
This video is so inspiring. It means that there's an end to this seemingly endless tunnel. And and end to the "quick solution" i've been hoping to find. I have been studying Cantonese for 2 years for about 3 hours a day and feel like I'm only 50% there. I suppose it also depends on the difficulty of the language. And without complete immersion, there just aren't enough resources available to assit me. But I will continue diligently and realize its the love of language that drives me! Thanks!
The concept of mastering a language is flawed, because no one can master a foreign language; some people never learn to master even their native language. The most a person can strive for is to speak really well or NEAR native. Truth be told, a dedicated and hard working person can learn to *speak* a language as a native (regardless of accent) within 1-1.5 years; given that they employ an effective method. Staring at the pages of a text book for hours a day isn't an effective method, however.
FSI or Foreign Study Institute teaches diplomats almost every language within a year or two to a very high level. 365 days x 7 hours equals ~ 2500 hours of serious language learning. Also , adults learn a way better than children so it is possible to be almost native like fluent in a less then 5 years, including moving to a foreign country. Liked your video but it was a little bit discouraging :) I am kidding.
@verapamil07 I do mention courses such as FSI in the video, pointing out that a diplomat will study a language for, say, 2000 hours, and reach an 80% level - which is enough for daily business. Only complete mastery takes 10000 hours. In terms of children learning languages quickly, that is true, but then they can only talk about childish things. Being able to hold sophisticated adult conversations on complex topics is what takes most of the time, and that is beyond children's abilities.
What an amazing video! The principles you describe can be applied not only to language learning, but to so many other things in life as well. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. =D
@FrapaneseGirl Thank you, I am glad you liked it. I watched your 1st multilingual video, and see you have the passion too, the love for languages where the hours feel like minutes. I look forward to seeing more.
Thank you, I have been researching ways for the best way to learn languages/skills and this i guess you could say "scientifically" explains it. Thanks again
So many of the books out there and even other people make you feel as if there's something wrong with you because you can't understand anything or have the most basic conversation. I've been studying Finnish for 8 months or so and still can't have a basic conversation or understand the most basic things and I'm living in Finland so it can be very awkward. But I'll keep on trying and I know I'll eventually get there in good time (though I have to keep telling myself this). Thumbs up!
I would also like to say that after so long playing guitar, it felt like nothing. It felt like I learned it in seconds, it's become so natural to my fingers.
I don't know if I could say "seasoned" because I've only been playing guitar for about 2 years, but 6 months ago I got over the intermediate hump and now I can call myself "advanced" in terms of physical skill. I still know little about music theory and don't plan to learn much simply because of my language learning.
@FeralArtist I admire your achievements on the guitar, and you clearly have talent that I do not possess. Now, even after several years of playing, every time I start to think I am getting good, I come across a whole new level of playing that makes me feel like a beginner again. It keeps me motivated, but also remind me that (for me at least) it will be a life-long journey.
@FluentCzech Thanks! Getting to a new stage where you feel like a beginner is actually very, very good. It means you're progressing to another level, and I realized that early in my playing which helped a lot.
One of the contributing factors to it, however, was the 4-6 hours a day for a whole year haha
Well I don't like learning but I love acquiring.I have in total maybe 10h of English learning and probably 1000s of hours of watching movies and listening to music in English.And now I have almost no knowledge about grammar but I could probably translate almost any sentence from my language to English.I think when you start thinking,dreaming and spontaneously speaking that language you have mastered it.Now off to learn Esperanto.
Thank you for this video and good luck with learning.
Great advice! I studied Spanish for years in school but never really advanced past the raw basics. When I got a job in a company which employs a lot of Hispanics, I finally had an immense pool of teachers to help me daily and I practised intensely and eventually married a lovely Ecuadorian woman who was able to explain complicated Spanish to me, thereby increasing my knowlege. I still have a long way to go, but its been worth every minute!
I must tell you a little bit about myself first. I was born in the United States and grew up speaking English. My father is Mexican and can speak Spanish but he never spoke it to me. After college I decided to learn Spanish in order to feel more at peace with my ancestry because I felt like something was missing and I fell in love with the language. I began spending every free minute studying it. Your video PERFECTLY captures what must be done it order to speak another language. Thank you.
wait how many languages do u know? im 14 and ive been learning french for like 2 yrs and ive gotten pretty good at it i can converse with native speakers pretty well and i also want to learn russian. love ur video!
I have a question.. Would you think that pronunciation can be something that you can just be naturally good at? I have personal experience with it being something natural. Having the ability to mimic and turn a native accent into yours in a very short time. What are you thoughts?
@flashatizer I am certainly no expert on this, but I have read that people who are poor at accents usually cannot hear the differences in sounds in the target language and therefore cannot mimic them. Some people believe this ability needs to be developed in childhood, or is lost. Other people believe that everybody can improve their accent if they want to - but most are simply not interested. It is undeniable, though, that some people do pick up accents very quickly and with little effort.
@FluentCzech My theory involves Music. Those who can successfully tune a guitar can usually mimic sounds more easily than others who can't. More research on this later.
@FluentCzech I think there's a difference between being able to hear accents and to mimic them. I am reasonably proficient in four languages and can readily identify regional accents in those languages. But for the life of me I can't seem to get rid of my native accent in my first foreign language which I otherwise speak very fluently. And then I know people who are nowhere near fluent in a language but nail the accent perfectly. It's a talent as far as I'm concerned, and one I'd like to have...
Amazing video...this should be shown in schools! however when in the country where the language is spoken 6+ hours a day or more of exposure and practice is easily feasible. Therefore 1 year in a country for someone who is highly motivated can actually equal around 2,000+ hours... of course there will still be 8,000 more to go ...
Good video. I think the reason a lot of people can't learn languages that well is because they don't really love it. They may be doing it for the wrong reasons, e.g., to impress people.
There is something more to take into consideration: regularity multiplies gains. Here's what it means: it is much better to study a language for just 20 min a day, 6 days a week, than it is to study it for 2 hours in a row, once a week. The total time spent is the same but learning is much more efficient when you apply yourself regularly.
I could share more ideas but too few commenting space on YouTube!
Thanks for this great video! I'm struggling to achieve a high intermediate level of fluency in English and the progress is positive, (I can feel my improvement compared to last year, for example) however, it's very slow, requires a lot of time and it's sometimes disappointing. I already knew that the learning line is faster at the beginning of the learning process, but this Pareto principle was revealing. I completely agree with it and I think is really interesting and something to have in mind.
I actually used the spanish version of that book to help me with spanish. I was way over my head, but it helped me with both guitar and spanish because I was going to try my hardest.
Excellent, Thank you for sharing. I learned a lot from this. I just discovered myself loving to learn new languages, although I've always enjoyed, but I had to hear from someone and I said... holy shit, your right. Every hour when I am studying or engaging conversation in that new language it feels like a minute. Every minute when I am not, it feels like hour.
This guy is right on target! I read the "Outliners" and found it to be extremely accurate. Michael De La Maza wrote a book on how he became an expert chessplayer in only 1 1/2 years of study (2000 hrs), even he state that it would take 10,000 hours of study to become a Grandmaster. Mr. Polgar said his children were going to be chess champions even before they were born, why? Bc he had them put in 10k hours of study and they did become champions.
This is a great video! At first, I was a bit discouraged about the time table you presented; mainly, because I am not a polyglot (yet!) and when I realized how much time it will take for me to be near fluency in just ONE language, it was depressing but then I remembered as you said, we do this for the love of learning the language. I understand now that it is the joy, fun and love of languages why we do this in the first place, not the race to learn as many as you can. Thanks for this!
This 10000 hour principle seems like somewhat of an oversimplification to me (even though it probably is a good and well-grounded approximation) but I am kind of sure that you don't mean that talent and the actual thing you are trying to learn play no role at all. I agree though that talent plays a whole lot smaller role as compared to what is generally perceived.
Thank you so much! I am a dedicating linguist who can speak more than three languages, this video is like a gem or jewel amongst the sea of youtube. Very Enlightening! It's true! I love learning new languages!
Some very good points are made here. It does take a very long time to get truly fluent in a language, simply because it involves mastering millions of bits of information. It took me more than 4 years to become fluent in Spanish, despite constant practice, and that's one of the easiest of all languages. Still, many people have mastered artificial languages like Interlingua and Esperanto in only about 4 months. I like your point about joy of learning.
@19fas88 I would love it if that were true, unfortunately with languages nothing seems to be permanent. If you leave a language alone for too long, it becomes rusty, so you have to keep up a lot of maintenance work.
@FluentCzech i couldn't agree more with your statement about maintaining a language. i agree that with languages nothing seems to be permanent, i know this because i change my accent in German sometimes, and i relearned how to use certain words and expressions.
@19fas88 I am a native English speaker, but i went to Hungary for 12 years and when i came back it took me months to figure out English again. Languages aren't permanent
I've heard it put one other way: "practice makes permanent." And as a musician who has been studying piano for almost 16 years, the bit about having to love what you're doing enough so that it's not a chore really resonates with me. Thanks for posting!
Hello! I was one of those US Army gals who learned Czech for 8 hours a day for a year. This video has inspired me greatly. Much of that learning has gone by the wayside. This video has inspired me to stick with it. It is worth it.
@Squeedow Marvellous. I am quite jealous that you manage to go on the US Army course. I have the full DLI course (if this is the one you mean) and worked through it some months ago, and found it very impressive.
@FluentCzech Yes, it was the course at DLI in Monterey. However, it was in 1986, and they were still using textbooks from WWII. So when I watch WWII era Czech films, I can understand a fair amount, but not most of it. I loved that course, and I loved being around so many native speakers. Thank you again for your inspiration. Ahoj!
Very nicely put and presented. I have to say, that knowing what I know about Wilf Pareto's views, I would dissuade any polyglot from attempting the 100% approach to languages, and just go for the 80%. 80% of five languages is like 4 full languages, for the same time input as one language to native fluency. It doesn't make sense. If I have 80%, I'll move on to the next language.
Thank you for an excellent video, in particular, this part of your reply to Richard: 'You helped me see clearly the difference between short term lust for results, and long term love for and commitment to the whole experience of learning languages.' Languages for life, not just for next week! (although I also enjoy the occasional "language dabbling" as a break from other language learning). :-)
Yes, this is an excellent video here showing deep insight in how the quantity of language learning is accumulated. This discussion here about your video is very interesting, I enjoyed reading it. A more detailed feedback I gave you in the language forum. Fasulye
@Fasulye2009 Hello Fasulye, thanks for the kind words here, and for your comments on the forum too. I must say I have been quite surprised by the very positive responses, since I was concerned that people would think I was being negative by stating that mastery takes a lot of work over a long time.
@getreallanguage That is very kind. I have never been a teacher. Many years ago I was an academic who had to make lots of presentations defending my research at large scientific conferences, and there I startedd to enjoy explaining my thoughts on things. Making youtube videos reminds me a little bit of that, in that there is a very short time to get points across, and you can never know who will be in the audience. I enjoy it very much.
This video is absolutely insightful! You've taken universal principals and applied them to language mastery in a masterful way. Thanks for putting this up on the web.
Great video. I like your definition of "mastery of a language". I also agree with the 80/20 rule. Those first few hundred hours you just absorb so much every day. It's like building a house; you start like anyone else, building the foundation off the blueprints, you measure out the door and shim it to fit the doorway, but no one tells you where to hang the pictures or what color drapes to hang.
@jmichaelrout Thanks. One thing I like about the 80/20 rule is that it explains why people become frustrated saying they are "stuck" at the intermediate stage. After the first 80 of rapid progress, the remaining 20% s indeed very slow. It isn't a "hump" to get over, but rather a long process of gradual refinement. Accepting this helped me personally to stop beating myself up at just how long things were taking.
@loki2504 That is correct. It is similar to an English speaker hearing French. They will pick up lots of words, but the differences mean you have to concentrate hard and will miss a lot unless you deliberately study the other language.
@jmichaelrout Great analogy! Fantastic video Anthony. It's introduced a concept I wasn't aware of and a book that I'll buy if I see around :) Definitely deserves such collective praise.
@PaulSLambeth Thank you. When I make a videos I am never sure what the reaction will be, so I am really happy to hear that people are enjoying this one.
Since I'm learning polish, I just wonder if polish and czech are very similar and to what extend? Can you understand polish if you speak czech and vice versa?
@loki2504 Now that is a good question. Even though Polish is from the same language family (west slavic) as Czech, it is surprisingly different. There are lots of similarities, of course. For example, you do have a "head start" once you have absorbed the complexities of aspect and case. much of which relates to both languages. Even so, also lots of unexpected differences so that after learning one there is quite some effort required to learn the other.
Dear Anthony, this is a FANTASTIC video. The main and most important factor for achieving this "most desired and legendary" fluency (and I mean REAL fluency) is not the "raw talent". It does make things easier and fuels enthusiasm, but what really count is 1) motivation and 2) a constant study (I call it "fun" :)) over a long time. It is not just a matter of learning languages. Is is a lesson for life in general. As Richard put it, language learning is a marathon, not a 100m spring race :) Luca
@poliglotta80 Thank you Luca. When I watch your videos, and those of other polyglots I am, of course, impressed with your high levels of achievement. More than that, though, I see how much passion and work has gone into that achievement, and I find that even more admirable. Thanks for being so inspiring to us all.
Well researched, well put together and well delivered. Good job!
I love your style and I am flattered by your compliments. I particularly appreciate your inclusion of Government language teaching programmes, which do indeed require a very intensive process to acquire basic fluency in a relatively short space of time. This is certainly reflects my experience. And even after those 10/20/30/40/50... years, you still have things to learn and still make mistakes! ;)
@Torbyrne Richard, it is you more than anybody that helped me realise what true passion for language learning is. You helped me see clearly the difference between short term lust for results, and long term love for and commitment to the whole experience of learning languages.
@laoshu505000 Hello Laoshu, thank you. I am really happy to hear you like it. I enjoy watching your own videos, and seeing your own passion for languages.
I have been using a variation of the "80-20 Rule" for many years now in regards to my diet. If I eat good, wholesome foods 80% of the time, I try not to worry too much about the other 20% when the "real me" finds where my wife has hidden the chocolate cake.
@syzygycc Thank you. Recent discussions on forums, in person, and in youtube comments compelled me to make this video. The content actually stems from the chapter I am writing for you book. The chapter is nearly finished - so now you already know pretty well what it is about ;-)
Excellent video
silentboxer1989 6 days ago
Comment removed
LRowe55 1 month ago
Excellent video and show how difficult it is to MASTER a language rather than being able to grasp some basic principles and have the native speakers to use "foreigner talk" when conversing with us. I also play the guitar and took me YEARS to be able to say I know the basics.
Cheers
aulasdejapones 3 months ago
I completely agree. For me, it was harder to learn French than Japanese. French is very similar to English, and a lot easier to Japanese. But I was never interested in France or the French culture, so it was really hard to learn.
Japanese was so much easier, it was a pleasure to learn, so it seemed easy.
leonardo899 4 months ago
I like to compare language learning with learning how to ride a bike. Especially in the beginning, you need to do it as much and as fun as possible - you wouldn't leave it at a few boring classes a week.
Rognalf 5 months ago
yeah but 80% is good enough. I speak english in my country, polish at home, and i dont think i'll ever even be 100% in ENGLISH or POLISH, even though ive spoke them since i was a kid.
FishyMoe 5 months ago
If you could play the Star Spangled Banner like Jimi Hendrix... not that's something!
criskity 5 months ago
Fantastic video! :D could apply to so many aspects of life too, great advice and concepts :)
Jshaw1ful 6 months ago
Motivation, which could be love, is the key, rather than love itself. There are people desperate for learning languages and they are motivated by something else, such as earning money. Also, quantity is not quality, so how you spend your time sudying is as important as how much time you spend. The concept of fluency wasn't addressed either, but it's crucial for an in-depth study of polyglotism. Good video, though.
Poliglotismo 7 months ago
Though maybe it depends on what you consider "native" level. Many of the native english speakers I know probably only have an active vocabulary of 10-15k words and area able to comfortably converse, watch tv, and read books. That goal doesn't seem like a 10000 hour project to me, but as I'm on just starting on my first foreign language using L-R my opinion shouldn't hold much weight. If anything, the most difficult part should be absorbing idiomatic usage.
Thanks for the videos! Peace.
ma1achite 7 months ago
In the case of the hypothetical German speaker you mention in the video (or anyone else who moves to the country of their target language), aren't they flexing their language muscles much more than 3 hours a day while interacting with others at their job or in their community? For a person who is really engaging that language and culture (not rushing home every day to read L1 newspapers and books/tv) I would not be surprised if they reached near-native levels in 2-3 years.
ma1achite 7 months ago
This video is so inspiring. It means that there's an end to this seemingly endless tunnel. And and end to the "quick solution" i've been hoping to find. I have been studying Cantonese for 2 years for about 3 hours a day and feel like I'm only 50% there. I suppose it also depends on the difficulty of the language. And without complete immersion, there just aren't enough resources available to assit me. But I will continue diligently and realize its the love of language that drives me! Thanks!
rokkst4rr 7 months ago
The concept of mastering a language is flawed, because no one can master a foreign language; some people never learn to master even their native language. The most a person can strive for is to speak really well or NEAR native. Truth be told, a dedicated and hard working person can learn to *speak* a language as a native (regardless of accent) within 1-1.5 years; given that they employ an effective method. Staring at the pages of a text book for hours a day isn't an effective method, however.
ToaoRaj 7 months ago
Well conceived, well spoken and well delivered.
A hidden gem on youtube.
rfwelsh 8 months ago
He had a Reading Rainbow moment at 4:14... "Don't just take my word for it." LoL!
rza139 8 months ago
FSI or Foreign Study Institute teaches diplomats almost every language within a year or two to a very high level. 365 days x 7 hours equals ~ 2500 hours of serious language learning. Also , adults learn a way better than children so it is possible to be almost native like fluent in a less then 5 years, including moving to a foreign country. Liked your video but it was a little bit discouraging :) I am kidding.
verapamil07 9 months ago
@verapamil07 I do mention courses such as FSI in the video, pointing out that a diplomat will study a language for, say, 2000 hours, and reach an 80% level - which is enough for daily business. Only complete mastery takes 10000 hours. In terms of children learning languages quickly, that is true, but then they can only talk about childish things. Being able to hold sophisticated adult conversations on complex topics is what takes most of the time, and that is beyond children's abilities.
FluentCzech 9 months ago 3
What an amazing video! The principles you describe can be applied not only to language learning, but to so many other things in life as well. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. =D
FrapaneseGirl 9 months ago 8
@FrapaneseGirl Thank you, I am glad you liked it. I watched your 1st multilingual video, and see you have the passion too, the love for languages where the hours feel like minutes. I look forward to seeing more.
FluentCzech 9 months ago
Thank you, I have been researching ways for the best way to learn languages/skills and this i guess you could say "scientifically" explains it. Thanks again
ILiekFrieRice 9 months ago
This video is fantastic!! :D thankyou very much sir
Jshaw1ful 9 months ago
So many of the books out there and even other people make you feel as if there's something wrong with you because you can't understand anything or have the most basic conversation. I've been studying Finnish for 8 months or so and still can't have a basic conversation or understand the most basic things and I'm living in Finland so it can be very awkward. But I'll keep on trying and I know I'll eventually get there in good time (though I have to keep telling myself this). Thumbs up!
Rennonz 9 months ago
I would also like to say that after so long playing guitar, it felt like nothing. It felt like I learned it in seconds, it's become so natural to my fingers.
FeralArtist 9 months ago
I don't know if I could say "seasoned" because I've only been playing guitar for about 2 years, but 6 months ago I got over the intermediate hump and now I can call myself "advanced" in terms of physical skill. I still know little about music theory and don't plan to learn much simply because of my language learning.
FeralArtist 9 months ago
@FeralArtist I admire your achievements on the guitar, and you clearly have talent that I do not possess. Now, even after several years of playing, every time I start to think I am getting good, I come across a whole new level of playing that makes me feel like a beginner again. It keeps me motivated, but also remind me that (for me at least) it will be a life-long journey.
FluentCzech 9 months ago
@FluentCzech Thanks! Getting to a new stage where you feel like a beginner is actually very, very good. It means you're progressing to another level, and I realized that early in my playing which helped a lot.
One of the contributing factors to it, however, was the 4-6 hours a day for a whole year haha
FeralArtist 9 months ago
Brilliant!
montblanctins 10 months ago
IT'S A TRICK!
;) But worth watching and very poignant. :)
spatzenbrett 10 months ago
Bravo! This lesson rings so true with my experience! Thanks for sharing!
MagicMaximo 10 months ago
Well I don't like learning but I love acquiring.I have in total maybe 10h of English learning and probably 1000s of hours of watching movies and listening to music in English.And now I have almost no knowledge about grammar but I could probably translate almost any sentence from my language to English.I think when you start thinking,dreaming and spontaneously speaking that language you have mastered it.Now off to learn Esperanto.
Thank you for this video and good luck with learning.
iWannaHearUScream 10 months ago
great video
ProfoundVirgin 10 months ago
Wow. what a great message. So true. the point you make at the end is absolutely brilliant to say the least. well done. thank you =)
popylu2000 10 months ago
very good point :)
kalphabetcom 10 months ago
Wow,that was a life changing video,revolutionary even.
stinkypepe 11 months ago
Great advice! I studied Spanish for years in school but never really advanced past the raw basics. When I got a job in a company which employs a lot of Hispanics, I finally had an immense pool of teachers to help me daily and I practised intensely and eventually married a lovely Ecuadorian woman who was able to explain complicated Spanish to me, thereby increasing my knowlege. I still have a long way to go, but its been worth every minute!
comercuuy 11 months ago
hey love you topic and also your accent though i speak american english. Good job.
Alessonpolyglot 1 year ago
I must tell you a little bit about myself first. I was born in the United States and grew up speaking English. My father is Mexican and can speak Spanish but he never spoke it to me. After college I decided to learn Spanish in order to feel more at peace with my ancestry because I felt like something was missing and I fell in love with the language. I began spending every free minute studying it. Your video PERFECTLY captures what must be done it order to speak another language. Thank you.
daberr2 1 year ago
You live in the Czech Republic but are you Czech or from the UK?
OmegaRage 1 year ago
@OmegaRage I was born in the UK, but have lived most of my life in other countries, including (now) the Czech republic. My wife is Czech.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
love this video makes a lot of sense it flows well
MostRecklessENT 1 year ago
wait how many languages do u know? im 14 and ive been learning french for like 2 yrs and ive gotten pretty good at it i can converse with native speakers pretty well and i also want to learn russian. love ur video!
davidgararay 1 year ago
I have a question.. Would you think that pronunciation can be something that you can just be naturally good at? I have personal experience with it being something natural. Having the ability to mimic and turn a native accent into yours in a very short time. What are you thoughts?
flashatizer 1 year ago
@flashatizer I am certainly no expert on this, but I have read that people who are poor at accents usually cannot hear the differences in sounds in the target language and therefore cannot mimic them. Some people believe this ability needs to be developed in childhood, or is lost. Other people believe that everybody can improve their accent if they want to - but most are simply not interested. It is undeniable, though, that some people do pick up accents very quickly and with little effort.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
@FluentCzech Thanks! It helps!
flashatizer 1 year ago
@FluentCzech My theory involves Music. Those who can successfully tune a guitar can usually mimic sounds more easily than others who can't. More research on this later.
lbb2r 1 year ago
@FluentCzech I think there's a difference between being able to hear accents and to mimic them. I am reasonably proficient in four languages and can readily identify regional accents in those languages. But for the life of me I can't seem to get rid of my native accent in my first foreign language which I otherwise speak very fluently. And then I know people who are nowhere near fluent in a language but nail the accent perfectly. It's a talent as far as I'm concerned, and one I'd like to have...
turikfj 9 months ago
Amazing video...this should be shown in schools! however when in the country where the language is spoken 6+ hours a day or more of exposure and practice is easily feasible. Therefore 1 year in a country for someone who is highly motivated can actually equal around 2,000+ hours... of course there will still be 8,000 more to go ...
pamination 1 year ago
good video, I liked the explanation about the title at the end!
UKNihonNickUK 1 year ago
yea this is all true. i noticed these polyglots are speaking just basic grammar with a few mistakes here and there.
thetimothyjr2155 1 year ago
Good video. I think the reason a lot of people can't learn languages that well is because they don't really love it. They may be doing it for the wrong reasons, e.g., to impress people.
yurismir1 1 year ago
Beautiful! Thank you.
surrected4526 1 year ago
Nice twist at the end! :)
There is something more to take into consideration: regularity multiplies gains. Here's what it means: it is much better to study a language for just 20 min a day, 6 days a week, than it is to study it for 2 hours in a row, once a week. The total time spent is the same but learning is much more efficient when you apply yourself regularly.
I could share more ideas but too few commenting space on YouTube!
bilingueanglais 1 year ago
Thanks for this great video! I'm struggling to achieve a high intermediate level of fluency in English and the progress is positive, (I can feel my improvement compared to last year, for example) however, it's very slow, requires a lot of time and it's sometimes disappointing. I already knew that the learning line is faster at the beginning of the learning process, but this Pareto principle was revealing. I completely agree with it and I think is really interesting and something to have in mind.
alsuvi 1 year ago 2
I actually used the spanish version of that book to help me with spanish. I was way over my head, but it helped me with both guitar and spanish because I was going to try my hardest.
nihongogogo 1 year ago
I absolutely LOVE that quote at the end there. Thanks for sharing
coolsteven2 1 year ago
Great video! Very inspirational!
hommesdumonde 1 year ago
I managed to build (just at the beginners level) my body in only 6 months !!! I have visited the gym every day, 7 days a week :)
180 days x 3 hours plus reading about nutrition and practice every day , let's say 3hours x 180 days = 540 hours :)
verapamil07 1 year ago
and I can not understand even the english yet =(
thales2008 1 year ago
Excellent video
negativeEclipse 1 year ago
An inspiring video! Thank you
sigendut1 1 year ago
AMEN to everything you just said
bryantuten 1 year ago
Excellent, Thank you for sharing. I learned a lot from this. I just discovered myself loving to learn new languages, although I've always enjoyed, but I had to hear from someone and I said... holy shit, your right. Every hour when I am studying or engaging conversation in that new language it feels like a minute. Every minute when I am not, it feels like hour.
SeanKimStyle 1 year ago
Thanks man, really helpful advices
inphrased 1 year ago
This guy is right on target! I read the "Outliners" and found it to be extremely accurate. Michael De La Maza wrote a book on how he became an expert chessplayer in only 1 1/2 years of study (2000 hrs), even he state that it would take 10,000 hours of study to become a Grandmaster. Mr. Polgar said his children were going to be chess champions even before they were born, why? Bc he had them put in 10k hours of study and they did become champions.
legalrule 1 year ago
This is a great video! At first, I was a bit discouraged about the time table you presented; mainly, because I am not a polyglot (yet!) and when I realized how much time it will take for me to be near fluency in just ONE language, it was depressing but then I remembered as you said, we do this for the love of learning the language. I understand now that it is the joy, fun and love of languages why we do this in the first place, not the race to learn as many as you can. Thanks for this!
ilovetheniqab 1 year ago
Very nice video!
This 10000 hour principle seems like somewhat of an oversimplification to me (even though it probably is a good and well-grounded approximation) but I am kind of sure that you don't mean that talent and the actual thing you are trying to learn play no role at all. I agree though that talent plays a whole lot smaller role as compared to what is generally perceived.
l4rion 1 year ago
Great video. I suscribed to your channel about 30 seconds in.
alexbadfurday 1 year ago
this was lovely thank you!
poeticised 1 year ago
Thank you so much! I am a dedicating linguist who can speak more than three languages, this video is like a gem or jewel amongst the sea of youtube. Very Enlightening! It's true! I love learning new languages!
tiamtheelf 1 year ago 6
@tiamtheelf Wonderful. Congratulations on your success, and your passion for languages.
FluentCzech 1 year ago 2
Excellent video!! Found the title confusing until I got to the end and it does make sense :D
irishpolyglot 1 year ago
@irishpolyglot Haha - yes, I worried that the title was a bit misleading, but decided to go with it just for fun. Glad you liked the video Benny.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
I have learned english for 8 years and I think my english is rather fluent now
ElizabethxPete 1 year ago
Some very good points are made here. It does take a very long time to get truly fluent in a language, simply because it involves mastering millions of bits of information. It took me more than 4 years to become fluent in Spanish, despite constant practice, and that's one of the easiest of all languages. Still, many people have mastered artificial languages like Interlingua and Esperanto in only about 4 months. I like your point about joy of learning.
alkantre 1 year ago
@alkantre Esperanto and Interlingua are supposed to be the easiest languages. That's why. I think they were actually designed to be easy.
yurismir1 1 year ago
thank you very much n.n
i want to be a polyglot :)
my native language is the spanish
but i'll do my best in other languages
TheMamezz 1 year ago
The years will feel like minutes... This was very nice and motivating, thank you. =)
Carb0ndereyes 1 year ago
practice does not make perfect, rather practice makes permanent
19fas88 1 year ago
@19fas88 I would love it if that were true, unfortunately with languages nothing seems to be permanent. If you leave a language alone for too long, it becomes rusty, so you have to keep up a lot of maintenance work.
FluentCzech 1 year ago 13
@FluentCzech i couldn't agree more with your statement about maintaining a language. i agree that with languages nothing seems to be permanent, i know this because i change my accent in German sometimes, and i relearned how to use certain words and expressions.
NorseRonin 1 year ago
@19fas88 I am a native English speaker, but i went to Hungary for 12 years and when i came back it took me months to figure out English again. Languages aren't permanent
knoxville255 1 year ago
@knoxville255 Nothing is, use it or loose it. That goes for your body too.
LordShandor 1 year ago
Well, you tricked me! Ha! Ha!
I loved your video!
That's my problem. I can never commit to one thing!
Languages, Singing, Dancing, Guitar Lessons! I've dabbled in everything! But, I have never mastered any of it!
MsJanetWood 1 year ago
Great video, and very well presented with a lot of insight!
LearningFrenchNow 1 year ago
I've heard it put one other way: "practice makes permanent." And as a musician who has been studying piano for almost 16 years, the bit about having to love what you're doing enough so that it's not a chore really resonates with me. Thanks for posting!
rhapsodyinblue18 1 year ago
Hello! I was one of those US Army gals who learned Czech for 8 hours a day for a year. This video has inspired me greatly. Much of that learning has gone by the wayside. This video has inspired me to stick with it. It is worth it.
Djěkuji mnoho krát!
Squeedow 1 year ago
@Squeedow Marvellous. I am quite jealous that you manage to go on the US Army course. I have the full DLI course (if this is the one you mean) and worked through it some months ago, and found it very impressive.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
@FluentCzech Yes, it was the course at DLI in Monterey. However, it was in 1986, and they were still using textbooks from WWII. So when I watch WWII era Czech films, I can understand a fair amount, but not most of it. I loved that course, and I loved being around so many native speakers. Thank you again for your inspiration. Ahoj!
Squeedow 1 year ago
Very nicely put and presented. I have to say, that knowing what I know about Wilf Pareto's views, I would dissuade any polyglot from attempting the 100% approach to languages, and just go for the 80%. 80% of five languages is like 4 full languages, for the same time input as one language to native fluency. It doesn't make sense. If I have 80%, I'll move on to the next language.
usenetposts 1 year ago
I like that accent! Is there a method to sound like that in 5 minutes? : )
translipcorsia 1 year ago
Thank you for an excellent video, in particular, this part of your reply to Richard: 'You helped me see clearly the difference between short term lust for results, and long term love for and commitment to the whole experience of learning languages.' Languages for life, not just for next week! (although I also enjoy the occasional "language dabbling" as a break from other language learning). :-)
polyronin 1 year ago
@polyronin Glad you liked it. I took a look at your webpage, and your research looks very interesting!
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Yes, this is an excellent video here showing deep insight in how the quantity of language learning is accumulated. This discussion here about your video is very interesting, I enjoyed reading it. A more detailed feedback I gave you in the language forum. Fasulye
Fasulye2009 1 year ago
@Fasulye2009 Hello Fasulye, thanks for the kind words here, and for your comments on the forum too. I must say I have been quite surprised by the very positive responses, since I was concerned that people would think I was being negative by stating that mastery takes a lot of work over a long time.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Very well done, very clever. Thank you for this!
djc463 1 year ago
Anthony, you make a remarkable public speaker. Have you ever taught classes?
getreallanguage 1 year ago
@getreallanguage That is very kind. I have never been a teacher. Many years ago I was an academic who had to make lots of presentations defending my research at large scientific conferences, and there I startedd to enjoy explaining my thoughts on things. Making youtube videos reminds me a little bit of that, in that there is a very short time to get points across, and you can never know who will be in the audience. I enjoy it very much.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
This video is absolutely insightful! You've taken universal principals and applied them to language mastery in a masterful way. Thanks for putting this up on the web.
thelinguistblogger 1 year ago
@thelinguistblogger That is a great compliment. Thank you very much.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Your answer is always so clear ! Thanks !
loki2504 1 year ago
Great video. I like your definition of "mastery of a language". I also agree with the 80/20 rule. Those first few hundred hours you just absorb so much every day. It's like building a house; you start like anyone else, building the foundation off the blueprints, you measure out the door and shim it to fit the doorway, but no one tells you where to hang the pictures or what color drapes to hang.
jmichaelrout 1 year ago
@jmichaelrout Thanks. One thing I like about the 80/20 rule is that it explains why people become frustrated saying they are "stuck" at the intermediate stage. After the first 80 of rapid progress, the remaining 20% s indeed very slow. It isn't a "hump" to get over, but rather a long process of gradual refinement. Accepting this helped me personally to stop beating myself up at just how long things were taking.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
@FluentCzech Does that mean that a polish doesn't understand what a czech says and vice versa?
loki2504 1 year ago
@loki2504 That is correct. It is similar to an English speaker hearing French. They will pick up lots of words, but the differences mean you have to concentrate hard and will miss a lot unless you deliberately study the other language.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
@jmichaelrout Great analogy! Fantastic video Anthony. It's introduced a concept I wasn't aware of and a book that I'll buy if I see around :) Definitely deserves such collective praise.
PaulSLambeth 1 year ago
@PaulSLambeth Thank you. When I make a videos I am never sure what the reaction will be, so I am really happy to hear that people are enjoying this one.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Hello ! thanks for this very good video !
Since I'm learning polish, I just wonder if polish and czech are very similar and to what extend? Can you understand polish if you speak czech and vice versa?
Thanks !
loki2504 1 year ago
@loki2504 Now that is a good question. Even though Polish is from the same language family (west slavic) as Czech, it is surprisingly different. There are lots of similarities, of course. For example, you do have a "head start" once you have absorbed the complexities of aspect and case. much of which relates to both languages. Even so, also lots of unexpected differences so that after learning one there is quite some effort required to learn the other.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Great video!
I'm so motivated now!
adrean83 1 year ago
Dear Anthony, this is a FANTASTIC video. The main and most important factor for achieving this "most desired and legendary" fluency (and I mean REAL fluency) is not the "raw talent". It does make things easier and fuels enthusiasm, but what really count is 1) motivation and 2) a constant study (I call it "fun" :)) over a long time. It is not just a matter of learning languages. Is is a lesson for life in general. As Richard put it, language learning is a marathon, not a 100m spring race :) Luca
poliglotta80 1 year ago
@poliglotta80 Thank you Luca. When I watch your videos, and those of other polyglots I am, of course, impressed with your high levels of achievement. More than that, though, I see how much passion and work has gone into that achievement, and I find that even more admirable. Thanks for being so inspiring to us all.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Beautiful video Splog!
mekalika 1 year ago
I've heard the 10,000 hour rule before. It's so true!
darkmatter88 1 year ago
This is probably the most well thought out, inspiring video I have seen on youtube in years. Bravo !
ABOUJAD123 1 year ago
@ABOUJAD123 That is, for me, a great honour to hear. Thank you very much for your comment.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
@ABOUJAD123 Thank you. That is a beautiful comment.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Haha nice good to see paraeto efficiency being applied to language learning.
Owner46 1 year ago
Well made video.
I agree, that love is the ultimate impetus to anything.
shanikuzai 1 year ago
Well researched, well put together and well delivered. Good job!
I love your style and I am flattered by your compliments. I particularly appreciate your inclusion of Government language teaching programmes, which do indeed require a very intensive process to acquire basic fluency in a relatively short space of time. This is certainly reflects my experience. And even after those 10/20/30/40/50... years, you still have things to learn and still make mistakes! ;)
Torbyrne 1 year ago
@Torbyrne Richard, it is you more than anybody that helped me realise what true passion for language learning is. You helped me see clearly the difference between short term lust for results, and long term love for and commitment to the whole experience of learning languages.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Great video. Outliers is a great book.
laoshu505000 1 year ago
@laoshu505000 Hello Laoshu, thank you. I am really happy to hear you like it. I enjoy watching your own videos, and seeing your own passion for languages.
FluentCzech 1 year ago
Great video :D
idiomasaur 1 year ago
This is your best video yet--Bravo!
I have been using a variation of the "80-20 Rule" for many years now in regards to my diet. If I eat good, wholesome foods 80% of the time, I try not to worry too much about the other 20% when the "real me" finds where my wife has hidden the chocolate cake.
syzygycc 1 year ago
@syzygycc Thank you. Recent discussions on forums, in person, and in youtube comments compelled me to make this video. The content actually stems from the chapter I am writing for you book. The chapter is nearly finished - so now you already know pretty well what it is about ;-)
FluentCzech 1 year ago