Gosh Helen, I wonder if that person in that pub was me? I’ve been in probably 500 arguments with Brits over the fact that the language of Shakespeare is different than any of the forms of English spoken on either side of the Atlantic, (and another 500 hundred on why American Football is better than European football too).
As for Benjamin, I remember about a year or so ago when I first came across his blog he was in the middle of Czech and he had this other list of languages he already knew and the big title “Fluent in three months”. Czech being arguably the closest language to Polish and reading that his guy as far as I could tell was claiming he could learn languages (a Slavic language at that with all there weird ass word endings) really discouraged me.
If Benny is reading this, your blog is a bit misleading, much like Tim Ferriss and his learn a language in an hour post. Oh sure once we get reading fine print we can see, oh Czech is the first language he’s 'learning in 3 months" oh he only wants to “pass as a native” of 20 seconds. Oh he wants to only memorize a little Thai…
I think Benny you can see where some of the complaints come from, even if they are a bit too harsh and direct for you (and me sometimes, but you know the Canadians and Germans it’s all elbows in football and all fighting in hockey ). But Benny, a bit misleading you are, I only wish you could change your blog to “How to have fun with and get a great start at learning a language” or “How to overcome your innate fear of speaking”, because learn a language in 3 months, you do not.
Am I the only person here who finds that Benny has got a damn nerve to post here at LingQ after having censored Steve from posting comments at his blog?
It’s a bit like telling a guy that he isn’t welcome in your house - yet still thinking you can walk into to HIS kitchen anytime you like and help yourself to a beer!
Anyone who doesn’t believe in free speech and free debate is completely below contempt, in my opinion.
Well, I for one have got some useful language learning ideas from Benny. I like sharing ideas with him. I’m just not prepared to pay him for his ideas while I am giving my own away for free. I haven’t paid much attention to his claims so I haven’t got strong opinions about whether they are credible or not.
All language learners have valuable advice to share, advice that comes from their experience. Benny is definitely a successful language learner and while everyone’s personality is different, there are no doubt tricks and methods that he uses that can help others. Just which these are will vary from individual to individual.
The main thing that I agree with Benny on is the exhortation to just use the language and not to worry about how we are doing. We will gradually get better.
Recommendations for web sites and online tools mostly. Like using Open Office as a multilingual word processor. The kind of recommendations I generally get from LingQ members for free.
No, I didn’t try to question him about his ideas. I only asked Steve questions about his methods once I realised he was very well read and had probably thought things through more carefully than the average “guru”
). But Benny, a bit misleading you are, I only wish you could change your blog to “How to have fun with and get a great start at learning a language” or “How to overcome your innate fear of speaking”, because learn a language in 3 months, you do not.