How well we need to speak

http://www.lingq.com/

Steve Kaufmann talks about what level of language proficiency we need to reach in order to be happy with ourselves and why we should not judge other learners or compete with them.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• language
• learning
• proficiency
• skills

[Mindpetals]

Well said. Very true. In 2009 I went to Buenos Aires and become conversational in Castellano. I'd like to be fluent one day. I'm also working on italiano. When did you start learning spanish? Thanks for doing what you're doing. Very inspirational.

[lingosteve]

@Mindpetals Mostly while hitch hiking in Spain in the sixties and a lot of reading and listening more recently.

[laoshu505000]

One of the biggest problems in this language community is lack of respect. Not only should one be a good language learner, but they should also show respect to other language learners as well no matter what. I won't tolerate disrespectful people in this language community. Steve, keep up the good work and forget about these types of people. You have my full support.

[lingosteve]

Thanks Moses. I think it is in the nature of the web. There will always be trolls. What matters is not the trolls, but that more people realize that enjoyment is such a big part of language learning. It keeps us going. It makes us spend the time. It keeps us positive. It is 80% of the battle. I think that is what we, you and I and the other "language exhibitionists" want to generate.- enthusiasm for language learning, not concern about how we perform.

[u2bealot]

You talk about perfection. Do you mean that a native speaker is perfect and that perfection is out the a non-native speakers reach?

[lingosteve]

The native speaker represents the reference. To speak like a native is perfection even though natives may stray from standard usage or may not all be equally eloquent. As learners we try to emulate the native, in most cases, at least the native form of the language that appeals to us. Not one in 100 learners will even get close. It is quite possible not to come very close and still communicate well and enjoy the language.

[loki2504]

5 stars !!! My goal is always to be able to communicate without thinking !

[Caroline6781]

Muy bien! por lo que veo eres un gran maestro. no importa qué dijeron ellos. no debes preocupar. te amo jejeje besos y abrazos.

Caroline

[jonesnunesadm]

@evelioto If you don't enjoy the process you're never gonna learn for real. Thinking about money and promotions you can only reach a certain level of your target language. That's why most people cannot become fluent. They take it too seriously. And I

[GriffenJC]

the only reason someone would pick on how well you speak is jealousy that you are having more fun with the language than you are, if we were all nice to each other the world would be a better place!!

[scottlarsen]

well said

[messi7japan]

　日本語でしゃべってる後　こっちの動画みたら　すごいと思いました！！　

[SYNTHPAINTANN]

What you have to say here Steve , is a wonderful affirmation to all of us language learners , who in our endevours to communicate with others whose language is not our own, are needy of the right to go about communcating in our chosen target languages as we see fit, without fear of unjust criticism and malign remarks about our skill levels.

[Mindpetals]

@lingosteve Awesome!

[usenetposts]

I'd be happy just to have 2000 characters. For a Western person to have 4000 characters is very sophisticated indeed.

I agree that everyone should be allowed to set their own targets in peace without criticism.

That having been said, we know from Pareto that you can do 80% of the effect with 20% of the work, if we focus on the frequent vocabulary. So in the same time as you'd get one language to 100% you'd get 5 languages to 80%, which seems more sensible to me.