Where is the Light Bulb?

I have read a few posts here that explain the importance of learning another language. However, few actually explain the painstaking process of acquiring the appropriate lingual skills, accents, and slangs that it takes to acquire the complete package of a language.

Learning another language does not happen over night or in a moment where a bright light blub turns on in the head. It doesn’t happen like that. In a way I am upset that fellow bloggers would lightly touch on the subject and superficially describe the benefits of learning another language when they do not actually go into detail about the strenuous process that one must be inaugurated into in order to learn the precious order of another’s tongue.

If you want to learn another language my first suggestion is to actually live in the region where the majority of the population speaks in the language you desire to learn. This will immerse you in the culture and help you understand why they say certain slangs, phrases, and why they have certain reactions to situations. It will be difficult, but the experience will force you to speak the language and in their accent. I took three years of a certain language and didn’t understand a word of the language when spoken because I was never introduced to their slang and accent. Being able to speak another language fluently is useless if you have the wrong overpowering accent accompanying it, and nothing is a bigger turn off than a heavy American accent.

While in the country I do not recommend that you tell anyone that you can speak English or come from an English speaking country. This could potentially prevent you from learning the language because once a person hears that you speak English there is a high probability they would prefer to talk to you in English. This is because English is the universal language and practically everyone knows a little of English and would prefer to know a little more. If you surround yourself around English speakers you will never learn the language.

I also suggest if you truly want to learn another language you should carry a pocket-dictionary wherever you go. If you have a question about a word you can just pull out your dictionary.

Most of all you can not be scared when you want to learn a language. You must have the confidence to speak up and ask questions about the language. You must expose your mistakes before you can correct them. I would suggest smiling and looking happy when you ask the question. This makes the person feel more comfortable, and they are more likely to help you out. This is the most difficult part.

You must also have patience. Many people believe the foreign language will just one day pop up in their mind. That will not happen. You must work to learn a new language. It happens by studying, many trails and errors, and a dash of courage.