Language Learning: The Art of Perseverance

Hello again!

You know, I learned something today. (Yes, one of my current pastimes)

It's not easy to get rid of a bad habit. In this post I shall talk about this one: giving up too quickly. This is a topic that is close to my heart. Let me just say, in all honesty, that I'm not one to speak when it comes to this. There, I've said it.

It's always easier to talk about how you want to improve. Talk is cheap.

There are still times when I experience a sudden loss of motivation/interest in a particular language (I'm looking at you, Chinese). You can say my interest sort of fluctuates if it's not strong.

This is why I can be prone to stopping after learning a few basic phrases.

 

 
Okay, so you've got all the basic phrases engraved in your head. But hey, why stop there? If you enjoy it, then pursue it further. If not, then it's fine. Nobody's going to scream at you (unless you were being forced to learn in the first place). Study more words, or slangs even. Learn to carry a less tourist-esque conversation. Find a conversation partner online, etc (whatever method you prefer). Eventually reach fluency :)

However, it's not easy, and finding the motivation can be tough. At some point you're most likely going to rethink about why you're learning that language. There are various reasons you may want to learn a language, but whatever it is, it should be able to give you that push whenever you close your phrasebook/webpage.

Language study has quite a few perks, namely:

• On its own, by learning a language you get a lifelong skill (a language that has been studied for a while doesn't just fade so easily).  
• By finding a conversation partner, you can make new friends.
• Confidence booster!
• You get to learn about other countries' cultures and ways in the process.
• You will be able to communicate with more people, as not everybody speaks the lingua franca.
• If you decide to pursue a dying language, you will be an endangered speaker :)

I just tend to focus on Eastern languages (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) that I cause that's where my biggest interest has always been. That is where I persevere, despite the lack of time, native speaker resources, practice companions, worksheets and tests. Most of those just mentioned are former problems, fortunately. I still don't have any worksheets or tests because I study on my own, but...oh well. I hope to soon ;)

Bon travail! :)

アリシア

Now listening: Nothing - The Script