I have been using Lingq for years, but just go along with the reader and transcript. I want to get the most out of Lingq. Is there a video describing how to get the most out of Lingq?
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My view is that there is no best way to use LingQ. My approach is quite different from that described by Steve Kaufmann, for example, his method simply did not work for me. Other people use methods different from mine. Also thecway you use it will differ depending on your level, more study early on, more input later on, for example.
There are some tutorial videos, but they are out of date, and personally I found them rather tedious.
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There is no best method. You should try out what works best for YOU. For me, for example, the method recommended by LingQ of learning a language from the scratch with comprehensible input doesn’t work and only leads to unnecessary waste of time.
When I start learning a language, I do it with a conventional textbook with CD/mp3. Only when I know the language at least a little and, above all, have understood how the language actually works, I start using LingQ. Then LingQ is a great tool for expanding the vocabulary and training listening comprehension. I also take a break from LingQ every now and then and use other methods of learning languages ​​during that time.
So try out different things and you’ll soon see what’s best for you personally.
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Yes, I don’t understand how the suggested use-LingQ method is meant to work for complete beginners either. If it’s most effective to read text with 70-80% known words then how is one ever meant to get to first base? Even the most basic mini-story is initially going to have 0% known words for complete beginners.
It’s not even as if the mini-stories seem to be graded at all. Of course the new language journey has to start somewhere. But I’d have guessed that a mini-story limited to say the commonest 200-500 words in the language (or a more curated selection of the commonest verbs, nouns, adjectives etc) would be a great place to start. But such texts/mini-stories seem hard to find either within LingQ already, or anywhere out there on the Internet.
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The only thing I can think of when it comes to Lingq is to always have more lingqs than known words. Always make lingqs and the known words will come. The more lingqs you make, the more progress you will make
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Exactly. And this is precisely the advantage of conventional textbooks: unlike LingQ or any other websites, they are suitable for absolute beginners.
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To be clear, I don’t want to come across as overly critical of LingQ - I’m still here because LingQ has become a valuable part of my language-learning assets. And I must also confess to being a complete novice here - learning only one new language (Vietnamese) and with only a couple of months’ LingQ experience. That said, it’s already clear that are 3 areas where LingQ could be still more useful for me:
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The main topic of this particular thread, namely the difficulty of making the jump from zero known words to eg a modest working vocabulary of say 200 words or some such number, ie sufficient to start tackling the mini-stories in LingQ and other very basic content more effectively. Does seem to me that other approaches besides LingQ alone are needed to bridge this initial gap. And it would be good to see the LingQ team accepting this and actively looking for alternative approaches and the most basic of content to somehow bind into the LingQ ecosystem to help beginners take their first steps in acquiring an initial vocabulary and being able to comprehend that same vocabulary when spoken.
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More recognition that different languages can require different tool-sets within LingQ. It’s clear that the default word recognition engine in LingQ is not optimal for languages like Vietnamese that are largely monosyllabic, ie there a need to be able to recognise 2- and 3-word groups rather than individual words…
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I know that I am probably old-fashioned but I would absolutely value a well-written user manual for LingQ, at least in PDF or ePub format. There’s no way that any amount of videos can compare with the easy random-access nature of a good reference book. Whatever anyone says, the user interface of LingQ is not self-explanatory, especially since both mobile and web app versions exist with significant differences in their UI. Yes, such a manual would slowly become out of date over time, but barring major rewrites of the LingQ code (which are presumably fairly unlikely now post v5), a manual would still be invaluable for oldtimers like me
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I found that as a beginner the German short stories were too complex, with non straightforward sentences, and quite a few errors that I reported. However, it’s not hard to find suitable material on YouTube and import it. That of course might not be the case for Vietnamese and some other less widely spoken languages.
My impression is that LingQ has a relatively small staff, and huge ambitions. Not only do they have to maintain iOS, Android, Windows and Web apps, they also have to manage content for a ridiculous number of languages. And for some reason they are obsessed with adding non essential modifications such as pop up dialogs, and UI rearrangements.
User manuals might be an issue given how often they make UI changes and current work. There are some guides on YouTube which might be of interest to you. I haven’t watched any myself.
For me the issue isn’t really how to use the UI, it’s more a case of how best to learn a language from scratch. The method described by Steve Kaufmann just did not cut the mustard, for me. I have a method that works for me, but that doesn’t mean it will also work for other people.
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Yes, I can well imagine that the LingQ team is small and has to prioritise its roadmap carefully. Obviously I don’t the know the situation in detail but I’m tempted to say all the more reason for LingQ to develop partnerships with other individuals and enterprises who could maybe source and supply beginner content more easily and with more focus/specialisation in individual languages.
And yes you’re right, at least to a degree. There is beginner content out there on the Internet even for Vietnamese but it is often hard work to track down (ie it may not easily be found with a simple YouTube search) and then also to extract what might be say 2 minutes of beginner content from a 20 minute video and to check/carefully edit a successful import into a LingQ as a new lesson. And you may have to subscribe to another company’s course to get access to some of this material which might be on a different platform, eg I have found some suitable Vietnamese beginner content but it’s on a paid-for Vimeo channel. I don’t expect everything for free, but costs do mount up.
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I use a well know search engine
There are 2 threads from lingq:
Videos:
That could be a good starting point with the extra posts from this thread.
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Although I do think it’s probably going to be different for different people, I would suggest the following rough outline of a method.
Use reading on LingQ to gain vocabulary. Try to read mostly stuff where you at least get the general idea of the meaning of the material. When you are a total beginner, this isn’t possible, but then move towards that point. Switch levels up and down sometimes for a bit, up to challenge yourself and see how there is still a long way to go, down to rest a bit an celebrate how you can actually understand a lot and be able to tell how you have progressed.
Listen to consolidate your vocabulary and understanding. You can start out mostly just reading and then listening later. When you have become fluent at reading or nearly fluent, focus much more on listening.
Once you have the input (reading and listening) down more, start writing, talking online and trying to chat to people in real life.
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In my view, LingQ is not a method, a way to learn a language from A1 to C2. Instead, LingQ is a collection of online tools that many people learning a new language find useful. And these tools work for 40+ “new languages”.
Each person has different learning methods, different goals and different personal limits. As a result, people learn a new language in different ways. Some people (at some levels, in some languages) will find that some of the tools at LingQ help them.
Personally, I only use a few of the tools. I read A1/A2/B1 content (the mini-stories and other LingQ courses) in sentence mode, with a bunch of helpful features just a click or two away. My goal is simply to read each sentence and understand. I do that at least a half hour each day.
Doing that in LingQ is so simple that it is easily worth 45 cents a day. LingQ takes any “chore” and turns it into a button click. Need a conjugation? Click. Look up a noun and its 3 suffixes? Click. Sound? Click. Word meaning? Click. Sentence translation? Click.
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I make no claim to the Best Way to use LingQ.
I import text (mostly novels) then read/listen/speak to the text and use the dictionaries as necessary. I’ve come to appreciate the streak feature for encouraging daily discipline.
What I do differently from most LingQ users:
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I don’t bother with the mini-stories or much of the LingQ content. I don’t import YouTubes.
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I write down all words I don’t know and the phrases/sentences I find important into a notebook for later review.
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I started reading French way over my head – 60-70% unnkown words. I read it “intensively.” I looked up all words, phrases and grammer. I just struggled through it. ChatGPT was a big help.
Maybe that wouldn’t have worked for a very foreign language. I consider French “kissing cousins” with English. Maybe I would have learned faster with a more graded approach. But that’s what I did.
It’s taken me close to two years, but now I read most French pretty well though slowly. I can barely output, but I don’t care. I’ve got the basics and the vocabulary. I will get there.
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For Greek, which I and others consider hard; and which it’s not super easy to find interesting content for; • I use sentence mode + translation + audio.
There is no one button for this which is disappointing.
When I know Greek better, I may use Lingq differently.
I know longer see the point of Lingq. I either broadly know the word or I don’t. Lingqs mess up the statistics (which should be improved).
LingQ gives quick access to a dictionary for individual words, and a translation of the current sentence. That for me makes the cost worthwhile. The gameification is tolerable as long as it does not screw usability.
Easy. Import interesting content. Read a lot in sentence mode. Mark words you recognize as known. Repeat. Enjoy watching your known word total and your comprehension skyrocket.
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Well, “quick”. I use a free browser plugin that gives me a translation when I double click on a word. Immediately. That’s quick. A popup window that takes around 2 seconds to load is not quick if you have to look up a lot of words.
It’s faster then using a dictionary app where you manually type in the word (especially on mobile devices if you have no physical keyboard to actually type) or using printed dictionaries, though.
I don’t remember writing that.
Lingq has flaws but is also very powerful.
I simply quoted from your post.
Unfortunately I use a tablet. I do agree that the usability is poor. I have to click on a word, then wait for the dialog, then click again to see a list of meanings. And I can’t click when on video mode, I have to switch to reader mode first.
I could skip LingQ for French, but with German I find a conventional dictionary useless.