How to Learn a Foreign Language

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“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 authors of this book spent many years as linguists in Africa – which is where we 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 our pleasure to reveal it to you in our new book.

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.


Questions people always ask us about language learning

  • It depends if you want to work hard or work smart.

    You can work very hard for years at language learning and not make any meaningful progress.

    Or you can work smart and be able to communicate quickly.

  • This terrifying term is merely an intimidating label to explain the way that individual words can be combined in a way that makes sense to your listener.

    Every language has rules and knowing them - the grammar - can help you learn faster.

  • Far from it. The author has met many people with limited education - some of whom couldn’t even read - who are able to express themselves in multiple languages.

    There is no “gift,” only methods and techniques to help you get where you want to go.

  • By learning what it actually is that makes your target language sound different to your mother tongue. If you are not aware of the mechanics behind these differences, you will always have a strong foreign accent.

    There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, of course, but you may have the goal of blending in more with native speakers of your chosen language. It can be done.

  • Perhaps because of the way that languages were taught in your school.

    Maybe you are intimidated by the unknown.

    It could also be because you’re a perfectionist - and perfectionism is the number one enemy of language learning.

  • There are many. Most language courses spend unnecessary time learning words and linguistic structures that you will only rarely need.

    Learn how to find the essential information more quickly.

  • They don’t. They really don’t, except in the very few areas of a small number of countries where a person’s job depends on a knowledge of English.

    But even if they did, isn’t just good manners to be able to communicate with people in their own language in their own country?

    And you would not believe the horizons that open up when you make the effort to speak another language.

  • Yes, there are.

    Here we introduce the vital concept of language “families.” If you are learning a language that has a family link to your own, it will be much easier for you to learn.

    Ukrainian, for example, is difficult for English speakers, but far easier if you know another Slavic language, such as Polish or Russian.

  • Many of us have the mistaken impression that everybody else is comfortable in English.

    Others have been put off by inadequate language teaching in school. With ever fewer language learners, there is a corresponding shortage of competent language teachers, particularly in lesser-known languages that we may wish to learn.

  • Because English is closely related to some of the most widely spoken languages in the world.

    And it has absorbed huge amounts of vocabulary from languages that have official status in most of Europe, Africa and the Americas.

Do you have a question about learning a language?

Our passion is language learning, so we’d be delighted to answer any questions you many have