Summary of How 5 Polyglots Broke Language Learning

Main Ideas and Techniques

• Jeppe Caspar Mezzofanti:
  • Background: An Italian cardinal and linguist known for speaking at least 30 languages.
  • Technique:
    • He learned languages by asking native speakers to recite the Lord's Prayer, which he used to decode the structure and rhythm of the language.
    • This method inspired Tim Ferris's "12 Golden Sentences" technique, where learners translate 12 essential sentences to grasp basic language structures.
• Kato Lomb:
  • Background: A Hungarian interpreter who spoke 16 languages and developed a unique language learning formula.
  • Technique:
    • Lomb's formula: Invested Time x Motivation / Inhibition = Best Results.
    • Suggested practices:
      • Auto-Lexia: Reading interesting material.
      • Auto-Graphia: Writing about personal thoughts.
      • AIA (Auto-Interactive Activities): Speaking to oneself casually.
    • Emphasized the importance of motivation and overcoming fear of mistakes.
• Kenneth Hale:
  • Background: An American professor who spoke about 50 languages.
  • Technique:
    • Advocated for a "silent period" where learners listen intently to native speakers before speaking themselves.
    • This aligns with the "Comprehensible Input Hypothesis," suggesting that understanding precedes speaking.
• Pow Janulus:
  • Background: A Canadian translator reputed to speak 42 languages.
  • Technique:
    • Emphasized the importance of making mistakes and having fun while learning.
    • Key methods:
      • Intoning: Assigning rhythms to words to enhance memory retention.
      • Encharting: Creating sentence-building systems from frequently used words to form multiple sentence combinations.
• Steve Kaufman:
  • Background: A Canadian polyglot fluent in about 20 languages.
  • Technique:
    • Advocated against rote memorization; instead, he promotes the "Vagabond Technique."
    • This involves exposing oneself to the language in various contexts, allowing natural learning through repeated exposure rather than forced memorization.

Summary of Methodologies

• Jeppe Mezzofanti: Use foundational prayers or sentences to decode language structure.
• Kato Lomb: Focus on motivation and practice through reading, writing, and speaking to oneself.
• Kenneth Hale: Listen before speaking to absorb the language naturally.
• Pow Janulus: Embrace mistakes, use rhythm for memorization, and create flexible sentence structures.
• Steve Kaufman: Engage with the language in diverse ways to learn naturally without memorization.

Speakers Featured

• Jeppe Caspar Mezzofanti
• Kato Lomb
• Kenneth Hale
• Pow Janulus
• Steve Kaufman

These polyglots provide valuable insights and practical techniques that can help anyone looking to learn a new language more effectively.

Notable Quotes

— 07:59 — « Janus believes that to successfully learn a language we need to love making mistakes and for that wearing a silly hat lets us be carefree and relaxed. »

— 11:23 — « Steve strongly believes in not using memorization to learn a language. Steve thinks that it's pretty ineffective to repeat the same word over and over to remember it not only because this is boring but also because there's a better and more enjoyable way to do it. »

— 11:30 — « It's more about wandering or vagabonding around the language, becoming aware of the words and the grammar and then encountering them so many times that the brain has no other option than to remember them naturally. »

Category

Educational

Video