By Shazia
Language means to express our thoughts. Two people can communicate with each other when they both share the knowledge of speaking a common language. When a child is born, he/she is introduced to the mother tongue at home. When children begin to explore the outside world through school and friends, they learn new vocabulary and, in many cases, also learn additional languages. In this blog, we will be sharing the top 5 tips to learn a new language.
There could be several reasons why someone would want to learn a new language. Some of the common reasons are:
- To relocate to a new country where the language is different.
- To better communicate with counterparts at work who speak another language (live in a different country).
- Traveling (as a hobby) to a country and the language there is different.
- To understand someone better by trying to communicate in their language.
- Out of passion for learning new languages and adding a new skill.
There are many different ways of communication such as oral, written, or through signs. However, the actual meaning of the content can only be conveyed precisely when we have the knowledge of the language that the other person understands. Learning a new Language is always possible. Having said that, it is easier to learn a new language when one takes it up at a younger age. People who are capable of speaking multiple languages are referred to as Polyglots.
Top 5 Tips to Learn a New Language
The process of learning a new language can be formal or informal. If someone lives in a mixed community, they are most likely to pick up a language from their acquaintances. On the other hand, one can obtain official training to learn a language. In either case, when one is interested in learning a new language, the following tips can be very helpful:
1- Find a Learning Partner
If possible, find a learning partner so that there is at least one person with whom you could practice the language. It would be a great help to you.
2- Use Post-it Notes
Use little post-it notes to stick on the things in the house with its name (in the new language) written on them. This way, whenever it is used, its name (in the new language) is recalled. This will help tremendously to quickly memorize the new words.
3- Try to Make New Sentences
Dedicate a fixed time for learning this language. Try to build 3 or 4 new sentences every day and get them corrected by a teacher or someone who knows this language already.
4- Learn from Different Sources
Accumulate sources beforehand (books, you-tube lectures, etc). Watch movies in this language, listen to the news in this new language, and read articles or books in this new language.
5- Read & Practice
Read and Practice. Read more and practice it every day. Understand and memorize new vocabulary and use it in your own sentences. Regular learning will definitely help you to learn a new language. Give it a try!
Learning a new language is not impossible but just as in learning any skill, it requires a lot of commitment, practice, and consistency. Just as with anything else, if a new language is learned and not used regularly, the knowledge could fade. Hence, it is crucial that one finds ways to keep interacting with someone in the new language so that the skill stays alive.