Two quick inquiries, Professor. Have you heard of Alex Rawlings? He is a 20-year-old who was recently voted as the UK's most multi-lingual student, speaking 11 languages. Second, have you thought about updating your fans and followers from HTLAL with a video about your children's linguistic ability? I'm sure it could be an informational segway into raising multilingual children as a video topic. Keep up the high quality work and I await your next upload.
Secondly, thank you for the book recommendation. I immediately found it in the Apple iBooks store and downloaded it. Nowadays, about 95% of my reading is done digitally, and publishers have released a ton of digitally distributed material since the iBooks and Kindle became available a couple of years ago. What is your view on digital learning in general?
Dear Professor. I am currently atempting to learn latvian because my girlfriend of a very long time is a native latvian speaker. Currently i do the Teach yourself book combined with audio thirty minutes a day. And afterwords i use a dictionary and read from a latvian childrens book. I wanted to ask your opinion and the opinion of the other fellow language learners here. What could i do to improve my practical latvian better? I'm looking to be able to converse about things that concern me and her
Polyglottery would be my ultimate dream in life. As soon as I can fluently speak at least 5 foreign languages, I might say exaggeratingly that I can die.
haha i know exactly why i started learning languages. Growing up in the US you hear different languages constantly. I always kinda envied these people having 1 language for public and one for private. Some people feel uneasy about not understanding what they are saying but i found it intriguing, i plan to raise my children with english and french even though i'm learning more languages. it got addicting after seeing that its useful haha.
I wish that I could invite you to come teach in North Dakota. I live in the state's capitol, Bismarck, where the only foreign language available is Spanish; I have done some work to learn Russian, Greek, Japanese, Italian, and French (in a descending order of proficiency) on my own, but I'm an English education student, and so my language study always has to be a hedge against rare boredom, and I wish that I could take linguistics courses just for my own enrichment and interest.
Prof. Arguelles, if only you were at my university...I would actually have someone to speak to in many tongues. But the climate here is one of the hottest in the US, so i don't think the place would interest you.
I want to learn 3 I am an English speak who is already proficient in German has knowledge in French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. However I want to be fluent in German, French, Dutch, and English. I dabble in Russian here and there because I have a Russian speaking friend. I think it will be fascinating because French, Dutch, German, and English are all very similar.
Mario Pei was a polyglot and got me inspired to learn/study a dozen or so. I honored him by taking his same-sounding surname in Chinese! Working with SALVI in Angelopolis on Latin revival for officialdom in Vatican and Esperanto world-wide with Soros. Living tongues change fast. Ivrit came back. Just did Ladino of Izmir. American CIA thinks French is most important for starting foreign language study. Cheers and good luck to all. More communication will lead to more understanding between nations
Dear Professor, your sheer presence and online contributions are providing many of us language learners with so much information, help and motivation that a polyglot institute could only add to it, but never replace it. Even if your professional aims should never materialize the way intended, there are hundreds of people who will never forget your generosity and eagerly await your latest uploads. The sum of your posts on YT, HTLAL and your homepage IS in fact a virtual institute. - Good luck!
@vinayaka70 Thank you all so much for these kind words of appreciation. I am very pleased that the information and inspiration I am able to impart in virtual form is of value to many, and I will never stop providing it. That said, though, I really do yearn for the opportunity to assist others, live and in person, in their foreign language learning…
Come to the University of Washington in Seattle - we'd love to have your talent and expertise around! Or return to 한국 and teach foreigners from all over the world in their native tongues Korean at the 연세어학당. It could use a 21st century update to its methods... Still highly anticipating your Modern Korean Fiction Reader by the way! - BC
I am surious what languages you and your wife speak with your children. I remember that Charles Berlitz grew up speaking French with his mother, Spanish with his father and Russian with his grandfather. Sounds like an interesting way to get started down the road to being a polyglot. I do enjoy your videos. You are a great inspiration to us all. Buena suerte y muchas gracias para su consejo sobre los metodos mejores de aprender idiomas extranjeros.
Hey Prof, why don't you travel around the world for some time, i guess you could improve your languages even further and relax. Would love to see you in Germany!
Agreed. Passion and commitment is what it takes, just like most fields of endeavour. I salute you for spreading your passion to others, who may then want to make the commitment, not necessarily to becoming a polyglot right away, which seems a little daunting, but to learning that next language. Once you have one or two new languages under your belt, it becomes easier to learn more, more tempting even, and it soon seems that polyglottery is not out of reach for anyone with passion and commitment.
I totally agree with what professor's opinion on polyglottery. By the statements quoted in the video it's clear that the book was written by a non-polyglot, and this explains his misperceptions. HIs observations may hold truth but only for an outsider. Moreover, this is a point of view only possible coming from a native speaker of English, because language learning is foreign to them. I think the opinions of a polyglot would be more enlightening. Maybe the professor should reply with his ownbook
@Imyirtshashem I completely agree, because I am a native English speaker living in Japan. I've learned 4 Asian languages so far which is why I can relate to what the professor is saying. I was speaking of English speakers in general. If you go to Asia, you'll find that knowing at least 2-3 languages is the norm. You cannot say the same for English-speaking countries.
@nilfmonkey I'm the author of the book, and I'm going to respond and argue that only a non-polyglot could have written this book. Can you imagine the sort of backlash and questions that would be raised about the conclusions of a book that was written by someone who had a perceived bias? I suggest you read the book and draw your own conclusions.
@babelnomore Thank you for your reply sir. I'm sure a non-polyglot perspective is interesting, and the book definitely sounds like a good read. I majored in Linguistics, so I'm definitely interested. I would say that a book by a polyglot is not illegitimate but has different strengths than a book by a non-polyglot. I think everyone would agree that a non-polyglot carries certain assumptions that a polyglot would not have. On the other a polyglot perspective has weaknesses too.
@qigonjin Thank you all very much for the expressions of concern. Indeed, I have lost weight, but this is not because I am ill, but rather because I have begun to substitute high intensity interval training (HIIT) sprinting for many of my long distance runs.
I remember learning about the book in its early stages and was surprised a couple weeks ago to hear about its publication something like 2 years later. I plan to buy it this summer and I expect it to be an exciting and insightful read. Thanks for the short review.
Is there any difference between someone that finds pleasure in learning many languages and someone that spends a huge amount of time trying to master chess.
The only complication is that for the chess champion there is a big monetary reward. But there must be many that get close but make no money, but they get pleasure out of it.
But essentially they are the same phenomenon! As ProfArguelles points out... it just takes a bit of discipline.
@ProfASAr, the psychological aspects of what constitutes a polyglot mentally and emotionally, I find whenever a person steps out the zones of what is deemed as "normal", the intellectuals wants to do a psychoanalysis on what makes a person want to step outside the box for good or bad reasons due to wanting to be an individual and not follow the crowd is suppose to make you a "freak of nature". And as an American, not settling in being a a dumb ass, makes one a freak of nature by many.
@TheSeductiveArts I fully agree with you in everything what you have said but one : Don´t blame it to USA. It is the same all over the place. Individualism, intelectualism... are no longer desired in the New World Order. You have to be a good slave.
@TheSeductiveArts I, on the other hand, have found the exact opposite to be true. People have been very supportive of me, and while they always ask why I'm interested in languages, they aren't negative or mean about it in any way, just curious. Also, condescending all those around you is not the best way to gain their favor. "We are ALL very ignorant, but not all ignorant of the same things." -Albert Einstein
@ProfASAr, and looked at me weird "Are you studying Japanese? Why???!!!!! What for? What you going to do with that?" They gave me a disdained look as if I had made a really funky, smelly fart odor in the room. What am I planning to do with Japanese? What a really stupid question. What to most people do with languages? THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THEM. I guess, I am a weirdo for wanting to communicate in anything besides English as an American. But going back to the book, as for wanting to delve in...
@ProfASAr, There is a certain expectation of being a mediocre educated person in America. If you go beyond that expectation then you are deemed as a freak, a weirdo, or a person wasting their own time trying to educate themselves because American culture does not any importance in language learning. Last month I was teaching myself to read the Japanese "alphabet" (syllabary) system in both Hiragana and Katakana and brought my Japanese book to work to study on break. My coworkers saw the book...
@ProfASAr, If a person of non-bilingual household attempts to speak a second language, they are deemed as being super-intelligent, therefore when you try to shoot for 3, 4, or 5 languages, they think you are uber-mensch (beyond human), or that you are lying about your language skills. Because in their minds, "who in the hell wants to STUDY all those languages." They barely want to study how to speak English - there own language- correctly, let alone a second language, so why several?
@ProfASAr, I think maybe Micheal Erard wanted to study the psycological, genetic, and whatever of a polyglot's background because I believe in American society people in general are quite lazy. They only study the bare minimum of what is required in order to pass a test for school, or to get a particular job. People only associate being bilingual with "Oh, your parents must be from another country. You just lucked out having that opportunity to be in a bilingual household."
I agree about some of the frustrating elements. I found it fascinating but it could have been a bit more inspiring if it hadn't tried to dissect the phenomenon down the level of free will and causality. Do we dissect musicians brains and say 'Oh, larger audio processing areas. This is why they were skilled!'? They're larger because they were disciplined, motivated, and effective learners and exercised those areas. It's good to see you online again. Thank you for the great channel.
I'd like to thank you for bringing this book to our/my attention, I will most certainly look into it.
As well, I'd like to praise you on your calm approach to dispelling any misconceptions about your part in the book, I think a lot of people, including myself, appreciate your additional insight.
Professor, I've been a big fan of your videos. There have not been enough of them. I hope there will be more coming. If you don't mind me asking, what brought you to Singapore? Have a great day.
Congratulations on a very level headed (& forgiving) response to Mr. Erard's valuable book which, in my read so far, is both compelling and frustrating. I found his investigation unconvincing where he tries to isolate generalizable characteristics of hyperpolyglots (psychological trauma, genetic disposition, neurological orientation).
Also, Mr Erard and his publisher is to be congratulated for not misrepresenting the book as a guide to becoming a polyglot, which others would have done.
Two quick inquiries, Professor. Have you heard of Alex Rawlings? He is a 20-year-old who was recently voted as the UK's most multi-lingual student, speaking 11 languages. Second, have you thought about updating your fans and followers from HTLAL with a video about your children's linguistic ability? I'm sure it could be an informational segway into raising multilingual children as a video topic. Keep up the high quality work and I await your next upload.
QKlilx 6 days ago
Secondly, thank you for the book recommendation. I immediately found it in the Apple iBooks store and downloaded it. Nowadays, about 95% of my reading is done digitally, and publishers have released a ton of digitally distributed material since the iBooks and Kindle became available a couple of years ago. What is your view on digital learning in general?
Gina1fan 2 weeks ago
Professor, first, thank you for the channel.
Gina1fan 2 weeks ago
Dear Professor. I am currently atempting to learn latvian because my girlfriend of a very long time is a native latvian speaker. Currently i do the Teach yourself book combined with audio thirty minutes a day. And afterwords i use a dictionary and read from a latvian childrens book. I wanted to ask your opinion and the opinion of the other fellow language learners here. What could i do to improve my practical latvian better? I'm looking to be able to converse about things that concern me and her
MrNoexcuses 2 weeks ago
Polyglottery would be my ultimate dream in life. As soon as I can fluently speak at least 5 foreign languages, I might say exaggeratingly that I can die.
pansitkantonify 2 weeks ago
How many languages do you speek?
Mrberlinnh 2 weeks ago
haha i know exactly why i started learning languages. Growing up in the US you hear different languages constantly. I always kinda envied these people having 1 language for public and one for private. Some people feel uneasy about not understanding what they are saying but i found it intriguing, i plan to raise my children with english and french even though i'm learning more languages. it got addicting after seeing that its useful haha.
dudeonthasopha 3 weeks ago
I wish that I could invite you to come teach in North Dakota. I live in the state's capitol, Bismarck, where the only foreign language available is Spanish; I have done some work to learn Russian, Greek, Japanese, Italian, and French (in a descending order of proficiency) on my own, but I'm an English education student, and so my language study always has to be a hedge against rare boredom, and I wish that I could take linguistics courses just for my own enrichment and interest.
greatbigdragon 3 weeks ago
I think you are most interesting. I like to study different languages myself.
Do you know a book "The loom of language?" --wish we could talk.
When discussing the brain construct, I like the humour, What is a normal person ?
Best regards P J Eaton. Gracias, domo arigato, didi madoba(Georgian) & thank you
pjeaton58 3 weeks ago
Prof. Arguelles, if only you were at my university...I would actually have someone to speak to in many tongues. But the climate here is one of the hottest in the US, so i don't think the place would interest you.
alkantre 3 weeks ago
I want to learn 3 I am an English speak who is already proficient in German has knowledge in French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian. However I want to be fluent in German, French, Dutch, and English. I dabble in Russian here and there because I have a Russian speaking friend. I think it will be fascinating because French, Dutch, German, and English are all very similar.
GriffenJC 3 weeks ago
Mario Pei was a polyglot and got me inspired to learn/study a dozen or so. I honored him by taking his same-sounding surname in Chinese! Working with SALVI in Angelopolis on Latin revival for officialdom in Vatican and Esperanto world-wide with Soros. Living tongues change fast. Ivrit came back. Just did Ladino of Izmir. American CIA thinks French is most important for starting foreign language study. Cheers and good luck to all. More communication will lead to more understanding between nations
MrScaredsacred 3 weeks ago
Comment removed
wild0016 3 weeks ago
Dear Professor, your sheer presence and online contributions are providing many of us language learners with so much information, help and motivation that a polyglot institute could only add to it, but never replace it. Even if your professional aims should never materialize the way intended, there are hundreds of people who will never forget your generosity and eagerly await your latest uploads. The sum of your posts on YT, HTLAL and your homepage IS in fact a virtual institute. - Good luck!
vinayaka70 3 weeks ago 48
@vinayaka70 Thank you all so much for these kind words of appreciation. I am very pleased that the information and inspiration I am able to impart in virtual form is of value to many, and I will never stop providing it. That said, though, I really do yearn for the opportunity to assist others, live and in person, in their foreign language learning…
ProfASAr 2 weeks ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
Come to the University of Washington in Seattle - we'd love to have your talent and expertise around! Or return to 한국 and teach foreigners from all over the world in their native tongues Korean at the 연세어학당. It could use a 21st century update to its methods... Still highly anticipating your Modern Korean Fiction Reader by the way! - BC
lokijeong 3 weeks ago
Comment removed
lokijeong 3 weeks ago
I am surious what languages you and your wife speak with your children. I remember that Charles Berlitz grew up speaking French with his mother, Spanish with his father and Russian with his grandfather. Sounds like an interesting way to get started down the road to being a polyglot. I do enjoy your videos. You are a great inspiration to us all. Buena suerte y muchas gracias para su consejo sobre los metodos mejores de aprender idiomas extranjeros.
rickjones53 3 weeks ago
Hey Prof, why don't you travel around the world for some time, i guess you could improve your languages even further and relax. Would love to see you in Germany!
Stone8age 3 weeks ago
Agreed. Passion and commitment is what it takes, just like most fields of endeavour. I salute you for spreading your passion to others, who may then want to make the commitment, not necessarily to becoming a polyglot right away, which seems a little daunting, but to learning that next language. Once you have one or two new languages under your belt, it becomes easier to learn more, more tempting even, and it soon seems that polyglottery is not out of reach for anyone with passion and commitment.
lingosteve 3 weeks ago 4
I totally agree with what professor's opinion on polyglottery. By the statements quoted in the video it's clear that the book was written by a non-polyglot, and this explains his misperceptions. HIs observations may hold truth but only for an outsider. Moreover, this is a point of view only possible coming from a native speaker of English, because language learning is foreign to them. I think the opinions of a polyglot would be more enlightening. Maybe the professor should reply with his ownbook
nilfmonkey 3 weeks ago
@nilfmonkey 'Language learning is foreign to them'. Strange that some of the greatest polyglots are native English speakers. :)
Imyirtshashem 3 weeks ago
@Imyirtshashem I completely agree, because I am a native English speaker living in Japan. I've learned 4 Asian languages so far which is why I can relate to what the professor is saying. I was speaking of English speakers in general. If you go to Asia, you'll find that knowing at least 2-3 languages is the norm. You cannot say the same for English-speaking countries.
nilfmonkey 2 weeks ago
@nilfmonkey I'm the author of the book, and I'm going to respond and argue that only a non-polyglot could have written this book. Can you imagine the sort of backlash and questions that would be raised about the conclusions of a book that was written by someone who had a perceived bias? I suggest you read the book and draw your own conclusions.
babelnomore 2 weeks ago
@babelnomore Thank you for your reply sir. I'm sure a non-polyglot perspective is interesting, and the book definitely sounds like a good read. I majored in Linguistics, so I'm definitely interested. I would say that a book by a polyglot is not illegitimate but has different strengths than a book by a non-polyglot. I think everyone would agree that a non-polyglot carries certain assumptions that a polyglot would not have. On the other a polyglot perspective has weaknesses too.
nilfmonkey 2 weeks ago
Professor Arguelles,
You look thinner than usual. Did you lose weight?
I reallly admire your work and I hope that you are ok!
qigonjin 3 weeks ago 43
@qigonjin Thank you all very much for the expressions of concern. Indeed, I have lost weight, but this is not because I am ill, but rather because I have begun to substitute high intensity interval training (HIIT) sprinting for many of my long distance runs.
ProfASAr 2 weeks ago 3
I remember learning about the book in its early stages and was surprised a couple weeks ago to hear about its publication something like 2 years later. I plan to buy it this summer and I expect it to be an exciting and insightful read. Thanks for the short review.
QKlilx 4 weeks ago
@QKlilx I hope you read it and enjoy!
babelnomore 2 weeks ago
Well said!
Is there any difference between someone that finds pleasure in learning many languages and someone that spends a huge amount of time trying to master chess.
The only complication is that for the chess champion there is a big monetary reward. But there must be many that get close but make no money, but they get pleasure out of it.
But essentially they are the same phenomenon! As ProfArguelles points out... it just takes a bit of discipline.
espukr 4 weeks ago
Keep up the good work...Curious are you involved with a university still??
terrierislander1 4 weeks ago
Dear Professor Arguelles, How do you personally define a "polyglot,"--as opposed to someone who is "simply" multilingual?
DJW519 4 weeks ago
Even though I'm aware the book will have a few flaws (which book doesn't?) I'm rather keen on reading it. For now, I'll continue studying...
Thanks, Professor.
Imyirtshashem 4 weeks ago
@ProfASAr, the psychological aspects of what constitutes a polyglot mentally and emotionally, I find whenever a person steps out the zones of what is deemed as "normal", the intellectuals wants to do a psychoanalysis on what makes a person want to step outside the box for good or bad reasons due to wanting to be an individual and not follow the crowd is suppose to make you a "freak of nature". And as an American, not settling in being a a dumb ass, makes one a freak of nature by many.
TheSeductiveArts 4 weeks ago
Comment removed
AnAmericanlinguist 4 weeks ago
@TheSeductiveArts I fully agree with you in everything what you have said but one : Don´t blame it to USA. It is the same all over the place. Individualism, intelectualism... are no longer desired in the New World Order. You have to be a good slave.
koolibrii 4 weeks ago
@TheSeductiveArts I, on the other hand, have found the exact opposite to be true. People have been very supportive of me, and while they always ask why I'm interested in languages, they aren't negative or mean about it in any way, just curious. Also, condescending all those around you is not the best way to gain their favor. "We are ALL very ignorant, but not all ignorant of the same things." -Albert Einstein
AnAmericanlinguist 4 weeks ago
@ProfASAr, and looked at me weird "Are you studying Japanese? Why???!!!!! What for? What you going to do with that?" They gave me a disdained look as if I had made a really funky, smelly fart odor in the room. What am I planning to do with Japanese? What a really stupid question. What to most people do with languages? THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THEM. I guess, I am a weirdo for wanting to communicate in anything besides English as an American. But going back to the book, as for wanting to delve in...
TheSeductiveArts 4 weeks ago
@TheSeductiveArts Communicating is a bonus. Learning languages is still loads of fun without it. Though communication with natives helps a lot.
raydredX 3 weeks ago
@ProfASAr, There is a certain expectation of being a mediocre educated person in America. If you go beyond that expectation then you are deemed as a freak, a weirdo, or a person wasting their own time trying to educate themselves because American culture does not any importance in language learning. Last month I was teaching myself to read the Japanese "alphabet" (syllabary) system in both Hiragana and Katakana and brought my Japanese book to work to study on break. My coworkers saw the book...
TheSeductiveArts 4 weeks ago
@ProfASAr, If a person of non-bilingual household attempts to speak a second language, they are deemed as being super-intelligent, therefore when you try to shoot for 3, 4, or 5 languages, they think you are uber-mensch (beyond human), or that you are lying about your language skills. Because in their minds, "who in the hell wants to STUDY all those languages." They barely want to study how to speak English - there own language- correctly, let alone a second language, so why several?
TheSeductiveArts 4 weeks ago
@ProfASAr, I think maybe Micheal Erard wanted to study the psycological, genetic, and whatever of a polyglot's background because I believe in American society people in general are quite lazy. They only study the bare minimum of what is required in order to pass a test for school, or to get a particular job. People only associate being bilingual with "Oh, your parents must be from another country. You just lucked out having that opportunity to be in a bilingual household."
TheSeductiveArts 4 weeks ago
I agree about some of the frustrating elements. I found it fascinating but it could have been a bit more inspiring if it hadn't tried to dissect the phenomenon down the level of free will and causality. Do we dissect musicians brains and say 'Oh, larger audio processing areas. This is why they were skilled!'? They're larger because they were disciplined, motivated, and effective learners and exercised those areas. It's good to see you online again. Thank you for the great channel.
ddiss443 4 weeks ago
Thank you professor! You inspired me to learn foreign languages. It all began when I saw one of your videos.
paroxyzm21 4 weeks ago
@paroxyzm21, Yup, I started my polyglot journey by seeing one of his videos firsts.
TheSeductiveArts 4 weeks ago
I'd like to thank you for bringing this book to our/my attention, I will most certainly look into it.
As well, I'd like to praise you on your calm approach to dispelling any misconceptions about your part in the book, I think a lot of people, including myself, appreciate your additional insight.
SmokenTotalled 4 weeks ago
Professor, I've been a big fan of your videos. There have not been enough of them. I hope there will be more coming. If you don't mind me asking, what brought you to Singapore? Have a great day.
Iceland1944 4 weeks ago
Thank you for your thoughts on the book, professor.
MikeCarlBassett 4 weeks ago
Your videos are very inspiring :) Thank you.
piotrekk123 4 weeks ago
Congratulations on a very level headed (& forgiving) response to Mr. Erard's valuable book which, in my read so far, is both compelling and frustrating. I found his investigation unconvincing where he tries to isolate generalizable characteristics of hyperpolyglots (psychological trauma, genetic disposition, neurological orientation).
Also, Mr Erard and his publisher is to be congratulated for not misrepresenting the book as a guide to becoming a polyglot, which others would have done.
r0ryM 4 weeks ago
"Language" must be the word you use most frequently!
RysioACF 4 weeks ago