Author: John Stedman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
"What do you call someone who speaks three languages?" "Trilingual" "What do you call someone who speaks two languages?" "Bilingual" "What do you call someone who speaks one language?" "English/American/Australian" The author of this book spent many years as a linguist in Africa - which is where I first heard the joke that begins this introduction - and frequently met people who spoke eight, nine or ten languages. Most of these people would not consider themselves remarkable in any way. Some of them could not even read. But, unwittingly, all of them had stumbled upon The Language Secret. And it is my pleasure to reveal it to you in the pages that follow. None of the information we are about to present is new or unknown in academia. It is, however, almost entirely absent from language teaching in classrooms, and lamentably under-used in self-help language books. Some very simple, but powerful ideas and linguistic discoveries have remained a secret to non-specialists, even in countries where people tend to speak several languages as a matter of course. But The Language Secret should be available to everyone who wants to know it. In the course of our quest for answers we shall be meeting and learning from a varied cast of characters including Inspector Clouseau (he of Pink Panther fame), Harold Godwinson and his nemesis William the Conqueror, Lemmy from Motörhead, Jürgen Klopp, Dick Van Dyke, Michel Barnier, Nimrod the Hunter and Jane Birkin. Seriously. One of the neglected tools in the language-acquisition toolbox is humour. And although we shall be employing that instrument to the full, do not be deceived: this is an academically rigorous book. But if you do want to learn, and you have ever asked yourself any of the following questions, this book is for you. How long does it take to learn a language? What is grammar, and do I really have to learn it? Can only "gifted" people learn languages? How can I acquire an authentic accent? Why have my previous attempts at learning a language ended in disappointment? Are there any shortcuts to communicating quickly and effectively in other languages? Since everyone speaks English anyway, why make the effort to learn another language? Are some languages easier to learn than others? Why are we mother-tongue English speakers notoriously monolingual? Why are we, in fact, among the best-placed in the world to be multilingual? This modest tome will not, though, make you a specialist in any one language. There are plenty of self-help books and exhaustive grammars available if you want to master any particular tongue. But what we will do is show the principles that apply to learning all languages, any language. And in case you don't want to plough through the next 200-odd pages to discover the secret, here it is in one sentence: If you want to communicate well in another language, you first have to learn to speak it badly. Not as easy as it sounds. But we can show you how.

Author: Gabriel Wyner
Publisher: Harmony
ISBN: 038534810X
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • For anyone who wants to learn a foreign language, this is the method that will finally make the words stick. “A brilliant and thoroughly modern guide to learning new languages.”—Gary Marcus, cognitive psychologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Guitar Zero At thirty years old, Gabriel Wyner speaks six languages fluently. He didn’t learn them in school—who does? Rather, he learned them in the past few years, working on his own and practicing on the subway, using simple techniques and free online resources—and here he wants to show others what he’s discovered. Starting with pronunciation, you’ll learn how to rewire your ears and turn foreign sounds into familiar sounds. You’ll retrain your tongue to produce those sounds accurately, using tricks from opera singers and actors. Next, you’ll begin to tackle words, and connect sounds and spellings to imagery rather than translations, which will enable you to think in a foreign language. And with the help of sophisticated spaced-repetition techniques, you’ll be able to memorize hundreds of words a month in minutes every day. This is brain hacking at its most exciting, taking what we know about neuroscience and linguistics and using it to create the most efficient and enjoyable way to learn a foreign language in the spare minutes of your day.

Author: Paul Pimsleur
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1442369027
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Book Description
In this entertaining and groundbreaking book, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, creator of the renowned Pimsleur Method, the world leader in audio-based language learning, shows how anyone can learn to speak a foreign language. If learning a language in high school left you bruised, with a sense that there was no way you can learn another language, How to Learn a Foreign Language will restore your sense of hope. In simple, straightforward terms, Dr. Pimsleur will help you learn grammar (seamlessly), vocabulary, and how to practice pronunciation (and come out sounding like a native). The key is the simplicity and directness of Pimsleur’s approach to a daunting subject, breaking it down piece by piece, demystifying the process along the way. Dr. Pimsleur draws on his own language learning trials and tribulations offering practical advice for overcoming the obstacles so many of us face. Originally published in 1980, How to Learn a Foreign Language is now available on the 50th anniversary of Dr. Pimsleur’s publication of the first of his first audio courses that embodied the concepts and methods found here. It's a fascinating glimpse into the inner workings of the mind of this amazing pioneer of language learning.

Author: Benny Lewis
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062282700
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 156

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Book Description
Benny Lewis, who speaks over ten languages—all self-taught—runs the largest language-learning blog in the world, Fluent In 3 Months. Lewis is a full-time "language hacker," someone who devotes all of his time to finding better, faster, and more efficient ways to learn languages. Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World is a new blueprint for fast language learning. Lewis argues that you don't need a great memory or "the language gene" to learn a language quickly, and debunks a number of long-held beliefs, such as adults not being as good of language learners as children.

Author: Steve Kaufmann
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1420873296
Category : Linguistics
Languages : en
Pages : 142

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Book Description
The Way of The Linguist, A language learning odyssey. It is now a cliché that the world is a smaller place. We think nothing of jumping on a plane to travel to another country or continent. The most exotic locations are now destinations for mass tourism. Small business people are dealing across frontiers and language barriers like never before. The Internet brings different languages and cultures to our finger-tips. English, the hybrid language of an island at the western extremity of Europe seems to have an unrivalled position as an international medium of communication. But historically periods of cultural and economic domination have never lasted forever. Do we not lose something by relying on the wide spread use of English rather than discovering other languages and cultures? As citizens of this shrunken world, would we not be better off if we were able to speak a few languages other than our own? The answer is obviously yes. Certainly Steve Kaufmann thinks so, and in his busy life as a diplomat and businessman he managed to learn to speak nine languages fluently and observe first hand some of the dominant cultures of Europe and Asia. Why do not more people do the same? In his book The Way of The Linguist, A language learning odyssey, Steve offers some answers. Steve feels anyone can learn a language if they want to. He points out some of the obstacles that hold people back. Drawing on his adventures in Europe and Asia, as a student and businessman, he describes the rewards that come from knowing languages. He relates his evolution as a language learner, abroad and back in his native Canada and explains the kind of attitude that will enable others to achieve second language fluency. Many people have taken on the challenge of language learning but have been frustrated by their lack of success. This book offers detailed advice on the kind of study practices that will achieve language breakthroughs. Steve has developed a language learning system available online at: www.thelinguist.com.

Author: Mykel Hawke
Publisher: Racehorse
ISBN: 9781631583018
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
There are many reasons why you might need to learn a foreign language quickly—perhaps an unexpected business trip or a sudden travel opportunity. A. G. Hawke, a U.S. Army Green Beret, often travels to foreign countries on short notice and has been able to work intimately with officials who do not speak English. Frequently, he needs to be able to communicate in a foreign language in a matter of days or weeks. He tried all types of schools, classes, books, and tapes, but none delivered what he needed when he needed it. Subsequently, he developed his own method for learning languages. It proved so effective for him (he is certified by the military in seven languages) and his fellow Green Berets that he decided to share it with others who are struggling to learn a foreign language on the quick. The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast is designed for people who have no time t for learning complicated rules of grammar. Hawke promises that his method will help anyone become functional in any language in as little as seven days and proficient in thirty days. How? Because he has trimmed that fat for you, freeing your time for what’s truly useful. Hawke provides a detailed day-by-day schedule, a hands-on workbook format, and secret tips to help you master the key elements of any new language. In true Special Forces style, this quick-and-dirty method contains no fluff; it’s all action so you can quickly get into the action yourself. If your mission is to learn a foreign language, why not learn how from the very best?

Author: Kat— Lomb
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1606437062
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Book Description
KAT LOMB (1909-2003) was one of the great polyglots of the 20th century. A translator and one of the first simultaneous interpreters in the world, Lomb worked in 16 languages for state and business concerns in her native Hungary. She achieved further fame by writing books on languages, interpreting, and polyglots. Polyglot: How I Learn Languages, first published in 1970, is a collection of anecdotes and reflections on language learning. Because Dr. Lomb learned her languages as an adult, after getting a PhD in chemistry, the methods she used will be of particular interest to adult learners who want to master a foreign language.

Author: Dan Seidman
Publisher: AMACOM
ISBN: 0814417272
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 209

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Book Description
Spanning the use of storytelling, humor, emotion-evoking language, and questions that advance the sale, this entertaining and practical book demonstrates the power of words to break down resistance and incline buyers toward purchase. A few simple words--the right words--can transform an awkward sales call into a comfortable conversation and a resistant prospect into a happy customer, which is why author Dan Seidman teaches you to think of influence as something occurring at a level just below the buyer’s awareness. The Secret Language of Influence does this by explaining not only how to identify the right words--and which to avoid--but how to use strategic key words and phrases with different potential buyers. You’ll learn the best ways to approach buyers who are: motivated by benefits vs. problems (i.e., wanting to hear about the money they’ll save rather than the pain they’ll avoid); proactive vs. reactive; big picture vs. detail oriented; systems thinkers vs. creative minds; and those who are influenced by external feedback (testimonials, evidence) vs. internal factors (feelings, personal experiences, beliefs). Today’s buyer is savvy and all too familiar with traditional selling techniques, but great selling is invisible. By identifying different ways buyers are motivated, salespeople can quickly customize their conversations and lead prospects to a yes.

Author: Steven Pinker
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062032526
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 578

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Book Description
"A brilliant, witty, and altogether satisfying book." — New York Times Book Review The classic work on the development of human language by the world’s leading expert on language and the mind In The Language Instinct, the world's expert on language and mind lucidly explains everything you always wanted to know about language: how it works, how children learn it, how it changes, how the brain computes it, and how it evolved. With deft use of examples of humor and wordplay, Steven Pinker weaves our vast knowledge of language into a compelling story: language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution. The Language Instinct received the William James Book Prize from the American Psychological Association and the Public Interest Award from the Linguistics Society of America. This edition includes an update on advances in the science of language since The Language Instinct was first published.

Author: Anthony Metivier
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781499725377
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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Book Description
If you've ever wanted to experience a massive boost in your language learning efforts and see an improvement of 100% ... 200% ... 300% (or more) sooner than you ever imagined possible, then this book may be the most important language learning book you'll ever read. In "The Ultimate Language Learning Secret," you'll discover: * How to escape from the prison of your mother tongue so that you can enjoy the benefits of fluency, including better understanding, communication and advanced experiences in travel for pleasure, business and personal development. * How to identify language learning heroes who can literally transform your current lack of words into an abundance of fluency. * The magic formula for developing discipline, ability and self-control all at the same time so that you can sit and accomplish your language learning goals quickly, easily and in ways that are effective, easy and fun. (This formula alone is worth double the price of this book.) * Exactly how to earn and spend the "currency" of fluency so that you can exchange new ideas with the speakers of your target language, earn their admiration and enjoy their respect. * How to completely re-wire your mind so that the "work" of language learning becomes playtime - every time. * A precise method for using travel magazines to boost your fluency (and whet your appetite for travel so that you get your butt in the plane and enjoy the amazing benefits of traveling in and through the language you're learning to speak.) * How to research the absolutely best training materials so that you can always instantly choose the best and invest your time and money wisely. * How to eliminate negative labels about language learning that most people hold so that you're no longer held back by the nasty "earworms" responsible for "language learning depression." * Why you need a monolingual dictionary in order to truly succeed at language learning and feel like you're really learning the language like a pro. * The ultimate no-nonsense time management strategies for language learning that no one has ever taught you before. * How to train your family, friends and loved ones to give you the necessary space for language learning without having to worry about feeling selfish, needy or coming off as a language learning diva. * ... and much, much more. None of the language learning techniques in this book require rocket surgery or brain science. There's no hype and no exaggerated claims. Frankly, if you can learn to flip a coin, you can learn to speak a language. But there's really no time to lose. Every day that you're not using the Ultimate Language Learning Secret, you're missing out on one of life's most precious and easily accepted gifts: foreign language fluency.