The secrets of learning a new language | Lýdia Machová | TED

Translator: Alba Calderón Castro Reviewer: Xosé María Moreno

I love learning foreign languages.

Encántame aprender linguas estranxeiras.

In fact, I love it so much that I like to learn a new language every two years,

Encántame tanto que me gusta aprender unha nova cada dous anos,

currently working on my eighth one.

actualmente estou coa oitava.

When people find that out about me, they always ask me,

Cando a xente coñece isto de min, pregúntanme:

"How do you do that? What's your secret?"

"Como o fas? Cal é o teu segredo?"

And to be honest, for many years, my answer would be,

E, sendo sincera, durante moitos anos a miña resposta era:

"I don't know. I simply love learning languages."

"Non sei, simplemente encántame aprender linguas".

But people were never happy with that answer.

Pero a xente nunca estaba contenta coa resposta.

They wanted to know why they are spending years trying to learn even one language,

Querían saber por que botaban anos intentando aprender unha lingua

never achieving fluency,

sen conseguir fluidez,

and here I come, learning one language after another.

e aquí estou eu, aprendendo unha despois doutra.

They wanted to know the secret of polyglots,

Querían saber o segredo dos políglotas,

people who speak a lot of languages.

xente que fala moitas linguas.

And that made me wonder, too,

E iso tamén me fixo pensar a min

how do actually other polyglots do it?

Como o fan os outros políglotas?

What do we have in common?

Que temos en común?

And what is it that enables us

E que é o que nos permite

to learn languages so much faster than other people?

aprender linguas moito máis rápido ca outros?

I decided to meet other people like me and find that out.

Decidín reunirme con outra xente coma min e descubrilo.

The best place to meet a lot of polyglots

O mellor lugar para atopar moitos políglotas

is an event where hundreds of language lovers

é un evento onde centos de amantes das linguas

meet in one place to practice their languages.

se reúnen para practicar as súas.

There are several such polyglot events organized all around the world,

Hai bastantes eventos así organizados en todo o mundo,

and so I decided to go there

polo que decidín ir a un

and ask polyglots about the methods that they use.

e preguntarlles a políglotas que métodos usan.

And so I met Benny from Ireland,

E coñecín a Benny, de Irlanda,

who told me that his method is to start speaking from day one.

que me dixo que o seu método era falalas dende o primeiro día.

He learns a few phrases from a travel phrasebook

Aprende algunhas frases dun libro de viaxes,

and goes to meet native speakers

vai coñecer falantes nativos

and starts having conversations with them right away.

e empeza conversar con eles de seguido.

He doesn't mind making even 200 mistakes a day,

Non lle importa ter 200 erros ao día,

because that's how he learns, based on the feedback.

porque así é como aprende, a partir dos comentarios.

And the best thing is, he doesn't even need to travel a lot today,

E o mellor é que hoxe en día non precisa viaxar moito,

because you can easily have conversations with native speakers

xa que podes conversar con nativos facilmente

from the comfort of your living room, using websites.

dende a comodidade do salón utilizando webs.

I also met Lucas from Brazil

Tamén coñecín a Lucas, do Brasil,

who had a really interesting method to learn Russian.

que tiña un xeito de aprender ruso moi interesante.

He simply added a hundred random Russian speakers on Skype as friends,

Só engadiu cen falantes aleatorios de ruso como amigos en Skype,

and then he opened a chat window with one of them

e logo --en serio-- abriu un chat privado cun deles

and wrote "Hi" in Russian.

e escribiu "Ola" en ruso.

And the person replied, "Hi, how are you?"

A persoa respondeu "Ola, que tal?"

Lucas copied this and put it into a text window with another person,

Lucas copiou isto e púxoo nun chat con outra persoa,

and the person replied, "I'm fine, thank you, and how are you?"

que dixo "Estou ben, grazas. E ti?"

Lucas copied this back to the first person,

Lucas copiou isto para a primeira persoa,

and in this way, he had two strangers have a conversation with each other

e desta forma tiña a dous estranxeiros conversando entre eles

without knowing about it.

sen sabelo.

(Laughter)

(Risas)

And soon he would start typing himself,

E axiña empezou a escribir el tamén,

because he had so many of these conversations

porque tiña tantas conversas deste tipo

that he figured out how the Russian conversation usually starts.

que descifrou como adoitan empezar as conversas entre rusos.

Que método máis enxeñoso, non si?

What an ingenious method, right?

And then I met polyglots who always start by imitating sounds of the language,

E logo coñecín políglotas que empezan imitando os sons do idioma,

and others who always learn the 500 most frequent words of the language,

e outros que sempre aprendían as 500 palabras máis usadas da lingua,

and yet others who always start by reading about the grammar.

e outros que sempre empezaban lendo sobre a gramática.

If I asked a hundred different polyglots,

Se lles preguntei a cen políglotas,

I heard a hundred different approaches to learning languages.

escoitei cen formas distintas de aprender linguas.

Everybody seems to have a unique way they learn a language,

Todo o mundo parece ter un método único sobre como aprender un idioma,

and yet we all come to the same result of speaking several languages fluently.

mais todos chegamos ó mesmo resultado de falarmos moitas linguas fluidamente.

And as I was listening to these polyglots telling me about their methods,

Mentres lles escoitaba falar dos seus métodos,

it suddenly dawned on me:

de súpeto vino claro:

the one thing we all have in common

o único que todos temos en común

is that we simply found ways to enjoy the language-learning process.

é que atopamos xeitos de disfrutar do proceso de aprender linguas.

All of these polyglots were talking about language learning

Todos os políglotas falaban de aprender idiomas

as if it was great fun.

coma se fose divertido.

You should have seen their faces

Teriades que lles ver as caras

when they were showing me their colorful grammar charts

cando me ensinaban as táboas coloridas de gramática

and their carefully handmade flash cards,

e os cartóns cuidadosamente feitos a man,

and their statistics about learning vocabulary using apps,

e as súas estatísticas aprendendo léxico usando aplicacións,

or even how they love to cook based on recipes in a foreign language.

e incluso como lles gusta cociñar a partir de receitas noutra lingua.

All of them use different methods,

Todos usan distintos métodos,

but they always make sure it's something that they personally enjoy.

pero sempre se aseguran de que sexa algo que lles gusta persoalmente.

I realized that this is actually how I learn languages myself.

Decateime de que así é tamén como aprendo eu.

When I was learning Spanish, I was bored with the text in the textbook.

Cando estudaba español, aburríame o texto do libro de clase.

I mean, who wants to read about Jose

Quen quere ler sobre José

asking about the directions to the train station. Right?

preguntando direcións na estación de tren, verdade?

I wanted to read "Harry Potter" instead,

Eu pola contra quería ler Harry Potter,

because that was my favorite book as a child,

porque de pequena era o meu libro favorito

and I have read it many times.

e lérao moitas veces.

So I got the Spanish translation of "Harry Potter" and started reading,

Así que conseguín a tradución ao español de Harry Potter e empecei a ler,

and sure enough, I didn't understand almost anything at the beginning,

e por suposto, ao comezo non entendín case nada,

but I kept on reading because I loved the book,

mais seguín lendo porque me encantaba o libro,

and by the end of the book, I was able to follow it almost without any problems.

é ó final da novela, podía seguila case sen problemas.

And the same thing happened when I was learning German.

E o mesmo pasou cando aprendín alemán.

I decided to watch "Friends," my favorite sitcom, in German,

Decidín ver Friends, a miña serie favorita, en alemán,

and again, at the beginning it was all just gibberish.

e de novo, ao comezo, era todo un sensentido.

I didn't know where one word finished and another one started,

Non sabía onde acababa una palabra e onde empezaba a seguinte,

but I kept on watching every day because it's "Friends."

pero seguina vendo porque era Friends.

I can watch it in any language. I love it so much.

Podo vela en calquera idioma. Encántame.

And after the second or third season,

E despois da segunda ou terceira tempada,

seriously, the dialogue started to make sense.

de verdade, o diálogo empezaba a ter sentido.

I only realized this after meeting other polyglots.

Só me decatei disto ó falar cos políglotas.

We are no geniuses

Non somos xenios

and we have no shortcut to learning languages.

nin temos atallos para aprender linguas.

We simply found ways how to enjoy the process,

Só atopamos formas de gozar do proceso,

how to turn language learning from a boring school subject

como transformar o aprender unha lingua dunha materia aburrida

into a pleasant activity which you don't mind doing every day.

nunha actividade pracenteira que non che importa facer a diario.

If you don't like writing words down on paper,

Se non che gusta escribir palabras en papel,

you can always type them in an app.

podes telas nunha aplicación.

If you don't like listening to boring textbook material,

Se non che gusta escoitar o contido aburrido dos libros,

find interesting content on YouTube or in podcasts for any language.

busca contido interesante en Youtube ou en podcasts para calquera lingua.

If you're a more introverted person

Se es máis ben introvertido

and you can't imagine speaking to native speakers right away,

e non imaxinas falar con nativos aínda,

you can apply the method of self-talk.

podes pór en práctica o de falar contigo mesmo.

You can talk to yourself in the comfort of your room,

Podes facelo na comodidade do cuarto,

describing your plans for the weekend, how your day has been,

describindo os plans para a fin de semana, como che foi o día

or even take a random picture from your phone

ou collendo unha foto aleatoria do móbil

and describe the picture to your imaginary friend.

e describíndolla ó teu amigo imaxinario.

This is how polyglots learn languages,

Así é como os políglotas aprenden linguas,

and the best news is, it's available to anyone

e o mellor é que pode facelo todo aquel

who is willing to take the learning into their own hands.

disposto a aprender pola súa conta.

So meeting other polyglots helped me realize

Coñecer outros políglotas axudoume a ver

that it is really crucial to find enjoyment

que é crucial atopar divertimento

in the process of learning languages,

no proceso da aprendizaxe de linguas,

but also that joy in itself is not enough.

pero tamén que só co divertimento non abonda.

If you want to achieve fluency in a foreign language,

Se queres ter fluidez nun idioma estranxeiro,

you'll also need to apply three more principles.

tamén deberás aplicar tres principios.

First of all, you'll need effective methods.

Primeiro, precisarás métodos efectivos.

If you try to memorize a list of words for a test tomorrow,

Se intentas memorizar unha lista de palabras para un test mañá,

the words will be stored in your short-term memory

as palabras quedarán na memoria a curto prazo

and you'll forget them after a few days.

e esqueceralas aos poucos días.

If you, however, want to keep words long term,

Porén, se queres mantelas na memoria a longo prazo,

you need to revise them in the course of a few days repeatedly

tes que revisalas varias veces ao longo duns poucos días

using the so-called space repetition.

usando a chamada "repetición espacial".

You can use apps which are based on this system such as Anki or Memrise,

Podes empregar aplicacións baseadas neste sistema coma Anki ou Memrise,

or you can write lists of word in a notebook using the Goldlist method,

ou podes escribir listas de palabras nun caderno co método Goldlist,

which is also very popular with many polyglots.

moi popular entre moitos políglotas.

If you're not sure which methods are effective and what is available out there,

Se non estás seguro de que métodos son efectivos e están dispoñibles,

just check out polyglots' YouTube channels and websites

busca canles de Youtube e webs de políglotas

and get inspiration from them.

e colle inspiración deles.

If it works for them, it will most probably work for you too.

Se lles funciona, seguramente a ti tamén.

The third principle to follow

O terceiro principio a seguir

is to create a system in your learning.

é creares un sistema adaptado á túa aprendizaxe.

We're all very busy and no one really has time to learn a language today.

Todos estamos moi ocupados e ninguén ten tempo de aprender unha lingua hoxe,

But we can create that time if we just plan a bit ahead.

pero podemos crear ese tempo se o planeamos un pouco antes.

Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier than you normally do?

Podes levantarte 15 minutos antes do normal?

That would be the perfect time to revise some vocabulary.

Sería un momento perfecto para revisar algo de vocabulario.

Can you listen to a podcast on your way to work while driving?

Podes escoitar un podcast mentres conduces de camiño ó traballo?

Well, that would be great to get some listening experience.

Ese sería un momento xenial para adquirir experiencia auditiva.

There are so many things we can do without even planning that extra time,

Hai moitas cousas que se poden facer sen planear sequera ese tempo extra,

such as listening to podcasts on our way to work

como escoitar podcasts indo ó traballo

or doing our household chores.

ou facendo as tarefas da casa.

The important thing is to create a plan in the learning.

O importante é crear un plan na aprendizaxe.

"I will practice speaking every Tuesday and Thursday

"Practicarei o oral cada martes e xoves

with a friend for 20 minutes.

cun amigo durante 20 minutos".

I will listen to a YouTube video while having breakfast."

"Escoitarei un vídeo de YouTube mentres almorzo".

If you create a system in your learning,

Se creas un sistema para aprender,

you don't need to find that extra time,

non precisas buscar tempo extra,

because it will become a part of your everyday life.

porque se volve parte da túa vida cotiá.

And finally, if you want to learn a language fluently,

Para terminarmos, se queres aprender unha lingua con fluidez,

you need also a bit of patience.

necesitas un pouco de paciencia.

It's not possible to learn a language within two months,

Non se pode aprender un idioma en dous meses,

but it's definitely possible to make a visible improvement in two months,

pero si se poden facer mellorías visibles en dous meses,

if you learn in small chunks every day in a way that you enjoy.

se aprendes todos os días en pequenas doses dun xeito que che guste.

And there is nothing that motivates us more

E non hai nada que motive máis

than our own success.

que o noso propio éxito.

I vividly remember the moment

Lembro vividamente o momento

when I understood the first joke in German when watching "Friends."

en que entendín a primeira broma en alemán vendo Friends.

I was so happy and motivated

Estaba tan feliz e motivada

that I just kept on watching that day two more episodes,

que continuei vendo dous episodios máis ese día,

and as I kept watching,

e segundo ía vendo máis,

I had more and more of those moments of understanding, these little victories,

tiña cada vez máis deses momentos de entendemento, de pequenas vitorias,

and step by step, I got to a level where I could use the language

e pouco a pouco, cheguei ó nivel en que podía usar a lingua

freely and fluently to express anything.

libremente e con fluidez para expresar calquera cousa.

This is a wonderful feeling.

É un sentimento marabilloso.

I can't get enough of that feeling,

Nunca te fartas del,

and that's why I learn a language every two years.

e por iso aprendo unha lingua cada dous anos.

So this is the whole polyglot secret.

Así que este é todo o segredo políglota.

Find effective methods which you can use systematically

Buscar métodos efectivos que poidas usar sistematicamente

over the period of some time in a way which you enjoy,

durante algún tempo dun xeito que che dea goce,

and this is how polyglots learn languages within months, not years.

e así é como os políglotas aprenden linguas en meses e non en anos.

Now, some of you may be thinking,

Agora algúns estaredes pensando,

"That's all very nice to enjoy language learning,

"Iso está moi ben, gozar da aprendizaxe,

but isn't the real secret that you polyglots

pero o segredo real non será que os políglotas

are just super talented and most of us aren't?"

simplemente teñen moito talento e a maioría de nós non?

Well, there's one thing I haven't told you about Benny and Lucas.

Hai unha cousa que non vos dixen sobre Benny e Lucas.

Benny had 11 years of Irish Gaelic and five years of German at school.

Benny fixera 11 anos de irlandés gaélico e cinco de alemán no colexio.

He couldn't speak them at all when graduating.

Non os podía falar cando se graduou.

Up to the age of 21, he thought he didn't have the language gene

Ata os 21, pensaba que non tiña o xene da lingua

and he could not speak another language.

e que non podía falar outra lingua.

Then he started to look for his way of learning languages,

Entón empezou a buscar o seu modo de aprender linguas,

which was speaking to native speakers and getting feedback from them,

que era falar con nativos e recibir as súas críticas,

and today Benny can easily have a conversation in 10 languages.

e hoxe Benny pode ter facilmente unha conversa en 10 linguas.

Lucas tried to learn English at school for 10 years.

Lucas intentou aprender inglés no colexio durante 10 anos.

He was one of the worst students in class.

Era un dos peores alumnos da clase.

His friends even made fun of him

O seus amigos facíanlle burla

and gave him a Russian textbook as a joke

e déronlle un libro de ruso de brincadeira

because they thought he would never learn that language, or any language.

porque pensaban que nunca aprendería ese idioma, nin outro.

And then Lucas started to experiment with methods,

E Lucas empezou a experimentar con métodos,

looking for his own way to learn,

buscando a súa propia forma de aprender,

for example, by having Skype chat conversations with strangers.

por exemplo, falando por chat no Skype con estraños.

And after just 10 years,

E 10 anos despois,

Lucas is able to speak 11 languages fluently.

Lucas pode falar con fluidez 11 linguas.

Does that sound like a miracle?

Soa a milagre?

Well, I see such miracles every single day.

Vexo milagres así todos os días.

As a language mentor,

Como mentora de linguaxe,

I help people learn languages by themselves,

axúdolle á xente a aprender idiomas por si mesmos,

and I see this every day.

e véxoo todos os días.

People struggle with language learning for five, 10, even 20 years,

A xente loita para aprender linguas cinco, 10 e 20 anos,

and then they suddenly take their learning into their own hands,

e de súpeto toman a aprendizaxe pola súa conta,

start using materials which they enjoy, more effective methods,

empezan a utilizar materiais que lles gustan, métodos máis efectivos,

or they start tracking their learning

ou fan un seguimento da aprendizaxe

so that they can appreciate their own progress,

para poder apreciar o seu propio progreso,

and that's when suddenly

e é aí cando de súpeto

they magically find the language talent that they were missing all their lives.

atopan maxicamente o talento lingüístico que lles faltara toda a vida.

So if you've also tried to learn a language

Así que se intentaches aprender unha lingua

and you gave up, thinking it's too difficult

e te deches por vencido, pensando que é difícil

or you don't have the language talent,

ou que non tes talento para os idiomas,

give it another try.

inténtao outra vez.

Maybe you're also just one enjoyable method away

Quizais esteas a só un método divertido

from learning that language fluently.

de aprenderes esa lingua con fluidez.

Maybe you're just one method away from becoming a polyglot.

Quizais esteas a un método de converterte en políglota.

Thank you.

Grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)