Yet again some LingQers like to bitch and whinge about perceived others’ language abilities, instead of rallying and supporting those who are passionate about learning languages. Polyglots Lindsay, Jana, Judith, Mike, Kris, Jan, Connor, Steve et al give respect to Benny, even if they don’t agree on every detail, including amongst themselves. They understand where he’s coming from and share his enthusiasm and passion for learning, even if some of them weren’t in the beginning. I for one love how Benny rose from “underdog” to having a very successful blog and business whilst others were busy looking down their snooty noses at him. I say to Benny and others up against the mockers - good on ya mate! ( ͡° ͜ʖ͡°)
(I deleted my posts - it has all been said before. The world is just the way it is. Chancers tend to get ahead. Sigh.)
Blindly rallying to support ‘passionate’ people is idiotic. Do you really think Benny would have put all the time and effort into this if someone told him he couldn’t put his website or real name on the video ? Of course not. He’s used it as an advertising stunt.
He is a fantastic showman. Even down to purposefully minimising his Irish accent to be more globally acceptable - why would anyone just ‘passionate about language’ do this ? He’s done this to be able to attract more viewers/visitors to his site. Watch his first youtube videos he sounds like Brad Pitt in Snatch.
What, are we not allowed to criticise people ? Is criticising someone YOU think is ‘passionate’ not allowed ? Is criticising something someone does not allowed because YOU find them great ? Is that not just having an opinion, rather than ‘bitching and moaning’ ? Aren’t YOU ‘bitching and moaning’ about us having our opinions ?
You’re coming across as a massive fool.
Benny is a snake. A snake-oil salesman. He cleverly talks around subjects using sentence subject markers to take his cue. He talks at people rather than with them, cleverly taking the conversation in the direction he wants. This is how he manages to convince people that he speaks a language in 3 months because he doesn’t really understand what anyone is saying. You can’t learn to understand people in 3 months. It’s not do-able unless in very, very closely related languages. He can’t do it. You can learn to speak in a language in weeks. Convincingly. You can’t learn to understand people, group conversations, fast native speakers who mumble, idioms, cultural references. It’s NOT POSSIBLE.
He’s built an entire industry around the false promise of being fluent in an unrealistic amount of time and people like you have made him a very wealthy man.
Are we wrong to point this out as our opinion that he might just not be such a ‘nice’ guy and may have ulterior motives for why he’s in this industry ?
Let’s get one thing straight - he did NOT just fall into this industry through his love of languages. He got into the industry and then tried to convince people he loves languages.
And saps like you fall for it.
Interesting. I’ll have to watch some of his more recent videos and compare.
I followed him about 6 years ago, so I’m curious to see how his brogue has been minimized. At least back then I don’t remember him selling anything (other than his ebook) and his vids seem to lay bare all his errors, mistakes, and learning awkwardness. You didn’t leave with the impression he was fluent at all.
I watched the first minute or two of this video, and wasn’t able to continue. Does it get considerably better? Why do people like it so much?