Daniel Tammet and language learning

http://www.lingq.com/

Steve talks about Daniel Tammet, a savant and language learning. Tammet learned Icelandic and German in one week each. Here is his website: http://www.optimnem.co.uk/

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• savant
• Daniel
• Tammet
• language
• learning
• online
• english
• french
• icelandic
• german
• brain

[Moh1Z]

I'm sorry, but how can you not know even the first number of pi? I've never been particularly interested in math, but I can't NOT remember 3.1415926535 from upper secondary school maths class.

[lingosteve]

@Moh1Z Knowledge has to be useful, or provide me with enjoyment. I no doubt know the value of pi when I was in school. Today this is of no use to me, so it is gone. Sorry but good riddance I say.

[shimmeringreflection]

Excellent point you touched on, Steve. "I want to get away from my native language, culture -- project myself as Russian, Japanese" etc.

One simply must identify with being a native of that language. This sends a powerful message to your subconscious that you must improve until you match the belief.

I've found people who never reach native level identify too strongly with being from their mother country.

If you're learning Japanese, be Japanese! And be like a baby, mimic in every way!

[lingosteve]

This is a point that I feel strongly about but am reluctant to stress because I have no proof. I feel that one's own cultural weightlessness, while learning another language, is one of the most important characteristics of a good language learner, much more important than "talent" or " an ear for languages". It is the key, in my view, but it is difficult to explain or prove. The teachers think that classroom instruction is the key and poo learners think it is some talent they do not have.

[rsherfan]

Amazing... btw Steve I'm wondering if you stumbled upon Daniel Tammet from an email I sent last month? He learned Icelandic in 1 week also! Until we can tap the enormous potential of the human brain, we mortals must do things the hard way I guess!

[lingosteve]

Actually Irene and Vera mentioned him recently on the LingQ forum.

[Jazzper79]

Very interesting. I have noticed that Daniel Tammet talks a lot about emotion and intuition -- I really think he remembers a lot emotionally, where most people remember kognitively. For example I need to hear a word a lot of times to remember it - but I don't think Daniel need that - I think his brain connects what he is hearing emotionally somehow and therefore it goes fast. I am only guessing, just an observation.

Jesper, Denmark

[cantabri99]

it´s pretty unfeasible to know all words of any language, even of your own mother tongue except you are a savant or sthg extremely extraordinary like that.

though i understand pretty much in english there will always be words i have never heard before, especially those deriving from the latin language.

and english has a whole range of them.

[jacquisaysno]

@Moh1Z He's like Sherlock Holmes; he only remembers things that are useful to him.

[MrBooshibonton]

@lingosteve correct, i think very much. however, if you find (as i also may) that one's being able to learn another language relies so strongly upon one's ability to attain 'cultural weightlessness', then why shouldn't you employ this thought structure and see how it works out for you? or have you already? possibly lying to yourself could have some benefit. let's, we shall incorporate this mode of study into our way of thinking - for the while... have run out of characters - bye. :D

[MrBooshibonton]

@lingosteve pi may come in handy sometime, though. and wouldn't you be more happy knowing pi if if should ever come of use? if not for math, then at least for a bite :D. har

[Moh1Z]

@lingosteve I didn't claim it should have to be useful for you, I was just wondering how could one forget. But I guess I'm still using it enough to keep it in memory.

[RoboticusMusic]

right when he said pi is 2 point something I knew this video was not for me.

[obscureandincognito]

Steve,

In your video you said,

"..In our maths at school pi was two point I don't know what it is.."

The first few digits, as you could easily have checked, are 3.14159265358979..

Daniel Tammet recited the first 22514 digits of pi from memory.

Couldn't you at least make the effort to get the first one right? :)

I'm sure someone has mentioned this already but I think it's worth repeating.

[hellophoenix]

I've lived in the US for 24 years and for the last 15 years, I only had American friends and sopke only English but I am still learning new words. Last month, I was with a friend of mine in a small town and we stayed in a B&B near a train station. So, my friend said let's turn on the fan,,,,,then he said ,,,,"white noise",,,,,,and that was the first time I've heard that word.