Are Most YouTube Polyglots Lying?

[@davidp.7620]

People don't criticize KZbin polyglots for having low level in a language. They criticize them when they claim to have a level they don't actually have. Lying is bad, no matter who gets inspired by those lies. There's no need to lie to viewers.

[@ZadenZane]

Good point! I know several languages to a low level but would never claim to "speak" them.

[@revertrevertz5438]

Also, it is not motivating when you listen to them butcher your own language. They just come across as scammers, which tbh many of them are.

[@thepenguinofspace9291]

Good point. I know the word 'agus' in Scottish Gaelic that means 'and'! I'm C2 in Scottish Gaelic!

[@lordsiomai]

_"Look for the best educators, not the best polyglots"_ golden advice, and is applicable not just in language learning

[@calebw8189]

I think it's a good idea to learn from both.

[@totoroben]

My Spanish italki tutor is the best of the best.

[@jmr7368]

@@totoroben What her/his name?

[@totoroben]

@@jmr7368 Cristian Ruiz

[@thetrueoneandonlyladyprinc8038]

I am pretty sure they only know a few phrases in those languages, but want to think they are fluent, but if one asked them a tricky question, they wouldn’t understand or wouldn’t know how to answer - like, I heard some people say they feel ‘no limit’ in languages like English and Spanish etc, but if they were to read my lyrics (the most complex lyrical works with the most metaphors etc) that are written to perfection and extremely metaphorical, they would probably not understand most of the words or most metaphors etc...

[@WhiteSpatula]

I prefer “multilingual” to “polyglot”. And I totally agree with you about the pub test. I typically say (as with French, for example), that I can speak it well enough to order the wrong item from a menu but explain why I rather liked the dish anyway. And at the end of the day, I never undertake to learn a new language because I want to IMPRESS others. I learn them because I want to EXPRESS myself with others without using English as a universal crutch. Cheers! -Phill, Las Vegas

[@dancinggiraffe6058]

I'm surprised that you didn't start studying a language until you were 19. I was under the impression that there was some sort of foreign language requirement in schools in the UK.

[@alicemilne1444]

@@dancinggiraffe6058 Olly Richards (not the person you were replying to here) has said elsewhere that he had French lessons in school. So he was not a total novice when he went to France at 19. His point is that because he and many others in his particular environment had no interest in foreign languages as children, they didn't learn to speak them despite having lessons. England, in particular, is very parochial in that way. At one point, English schools began making a foreign language elective instead of compulsory. The rest of the UK has a slightly different approach.

[@monkey5878]

Yes I think the term “multilingual “ comes across as more of an explanation but the term “polyglot “ sounds like more of a name or label . If people just want to be a polyglot as if it’s some kind of prize or accolade then they’re missing the point of all the reasons why language learning is such a great thing .

[@guid3360]

Merci gros 👍 on apprécie les efforts

[@carloscarneiro7226]

Multilingual and polyglot are the same thing.

[@kindmulberry7196]

I feel fake polyglots make the real ones look bad. Some genuine language learners will get bad reputation because of guys who can say "I want coffee" in 58 languages

[@nidb2]

why let them ruin it? You are giving them power they do not deserve. Use your judgement and choose the ones you trust.

[@mcmerry2846]

Ppl learn 5 sentences and say they speak a language 😂

[@wittykittywoes]

@@mcmerry2846「こんにちは」　「元気ですか」　「元気です」　「NAMEです」　ええと　「ありがとうございます」 i am fluent in japanese. wow! im so cool and biliungal. now i need to learn chinese and arabic (so easy!!!)

[@toolworks]

I don't think people are criticising them for having a certain level. They are criticising them for intentionally making themselves look like a higher level than they actually are (through multiple takes, jumpcuts, notes off screen, etc). I have seen videos of people speaking Russian fluently to the camera after what they claim is 1 year of study (which I know to be impossible). Lo and behold there is never a single video on their channels of them speaking the language in a natural setting - it's always just them speaking to the camera and glancing off screen. I think misrepresenting yourself is toxic as it leads people to think impossible results are possible, which then leads on to ideas like "oh well maybe I'm not cut out for language learning, as I don't have the talent they have".

[@juliusjohnson5967]

Those people needs to look deep within themselves because most people learn languages the same way other people do.If they never tried to even learn another language, why even believe the naysayers.

[@toolworks]

@@MM-ej2wn Not at the level I'm describing. I learned for 5 or 6 hours per day for my first year and they were FAR better than I was after 1 year. They speak so fluidly, with very few grammar mistakes, and you can even see them glancing at their notes. If they uploaded a long form interview or a video of them speaking Russian while walking around outside, I would eat my words, but it's always the same with the fakers - they sit in their room so they can read a script and make jumpcuts less noticeably.

[@almazkairosh7976]

@@MM-ej2wn As a person who learned Russian as a second language and who speaks it pretty fluent I tell you that hours not enough to get fluency level.

[@gamermapper]

What do you think about Xiaomanyc? Even tho he doesn't know all those languages fluently I kinda like him anyway. I watch him more for fun than for education tho. He doesn't claim that he's fluent in all those languages, he just fastly learned the basic phrases to make the native speakers happy. And I think he's one of the only ones who did a video speaking Navajo while not being ethnically Navajo

[@red2]

Xiaomanyc learns scripts and has preset phrases he says back. All click bait and fake apart from the 2-3 languages he really knows.

[@olivcho]

I used to think those “polyglot speaking 50 languages, wowing locals by ordering a sandwich!” are harmless and that the average person understands that these people are not actually comfortable in the languages they try to speak in. And most people like me, whose native language is not particularly useful or popular meeting someone who even makes the smalles effort is interesting hence the reactions. But I didn’t consider that most people also do not have experience learning a foreign language beyond a high school course and it’s thus not as obvious as it might seem. And once it enters the territory of selling “language programs” claiming to teach you a foreign tongue in 30 days it’s entering the unethical territory for me. I have no problems with people who enjoy learning dozens of languages on some basic tourist level and sharing that. As long as they are honest, it’s harmless. A hobby like any other. But for someone who wants to learn a foreign language in a dedicated, progressive way those channels are largely useless and it’s probably much better to find channels dedicated to your language of choice. Those will surly be more helpful and inspiring. To each their own.

[@simontollin2004]

Spot on, that's exactly how it is 👍

[@nihaokellar180]

It's not clickbait that I mind so much. I mean, Benny's Fluent in Three Months for Mandarin is what heavily inspired my Chinese journey. What absolutely boils my blood is racialized titles on KZbin, seemingly mostly by Americans, like "LATINA shocked at WHITE GUY'S PERFECT Spanish" or "BLACK MAN SHOCKS locals with FLUENT MANDARIN," as if there aren't tons of ethnically diverse people that already speak those languages all over the world.

[@eduarda2534]

I also hate those videos, it looks like they have no respect for language they are learning and only use it as a party trick. I saw a video that said "WHITE GUY speaks native language and SHOCKS NATIVE AMERICANS". Like??? Native American languages are struggling to survive and you are just using the language for attention. So disrespectful

[@stevencarr4002]

@@eduarda2534 I wouldn't worry too much about Native Languages. After all, even 'dead' languages like Latin and Ancient Greek are still studied because of the wealth of classic literature people want to experience that was written in those languages. Similarly, Native American languages will still be studied in 2000 years time for much the same reasons.

[@paulbradford6475]

Good point. Let's not racially charge anything. It's a straw man.

[@eduarda2534]

@@stevencarr4002 But that's not the point, I'm just saying that using a endangered language just to get views and likes is pretty disrespectful. Also it is still very sad when a native American language dies, since the only reason they died is because Native Americans were forced to only speak English (and Spanish in Latin America) during the colonization

[@solsi2486]

Moses (laoshu) was doing that but it was funny because the names of the videos were titled the same way as on Pom videos, but others are just obnoxious.

[@ДмитрийФедин-р8ч]

This is probably the most mature attitude to this matter I've seen on KZbin - another reason for me to respect Olly

[@shadman8227]

That is true Capitan Greg

[@natalienm5445]

Короче, тут Ютюб цензура не пойму за чтооо:)), а я хочу на русском написать:) Согласна, а ещё мне нравится прямолинейность автора канала DaysofFrenchandSwedish, на которого я недавно тоже подписалась. Такие дела:)

[@natalienm5445]

Вооот, наконец-то поняли, что я тут на русском никого не оскорбляю, наоборот, хвалю🤗♥️

[@sheldonbodryn1003]

Очень интересно.

[@lohphat]

I had dinner with my German teacher from highschool recently (it's been 35 years), I'm old. She speaks 4 languages and we were talking about having a "good ear" which makes our pronunciation more native. She admitted when she went to a teacher's conference and was placed in the advanced German teacher's pool because of her perfect accent. They were speaking at a level which was esoteric to her and she had to insist to be placed in the intermediate group. I have to be just as honest with my apparent skill when all it is is a good accent. My vocabulary isn't nearly where I want it to be.

[@Adaguflo]

I can totally relate

[@blotski]

I have the same problem. Well, obviously it's not actually much of a problem really but, all modesty aside, I am really good at accents. I always have been even as a kid. The thing is I can say something in a language I've started to learn and people react telling me I speak really well but I've actually just said the only 15 words I actually know!

[@UnexpectedTurnOfEvents]

Wish I could say the same... Vocabulary and grammar aren't an issue for me in the languages I speak, but even though I hear the fine subtlety of accents, I sound foreign in all languages, including my own native one after living away for so many years. But hey, my writing's smooth... ;)

[@gogakushayemi]

This is me in Korean. One of my Korean tutors ask me for advice on how to get his other students to speak with natural Korean accents. Also, I am always really fluent at my level. So I will only know 52 words, but I will make all the conversation in the world, with just those 52 words, fluently and with a great accent. Ask me to listen to anything but beginner material and all I can catch is the verb endings.

[@calebw8189]

A good accent is actually a huge advantage as it makes you much easier to understand. You have skill. What you're worried about is vocabulary and knowledge, which will all come with time.

[@lunachartae]

I rather describe myself as multilingual than identify as a polyglot. Multilingual is an attribute - one can possess the trait weakly or strongly and if someone criticizes my language skills, it doesn't feel like a personal attack. Polyglot seems to be used far more often as an identity. If I say I'm a polyglot, and someone criticizes my language skills, it'll feel more like an attack on my sense of self. It's like the difference between saying a person is beautiful versus call that person a "beauty." One is a trait that may be important, but it is one of many, and "losing looks" won't cause an identity crisis. However, if you're a "beauty," that's the central aspect of your self-conception and "losing your looks" is an existential crisis.

[@SallijaBule]

I couln't agree more.

[@aphr0d]

What an interesting perspective!!

[@storylearning]

Wonderful comment

[@marikothecheetah9342]

In reality polyglot is just a Greek term for multilingual, which is a Latin equivalent, but yeah, people love to hijack words for their own agenda. :/ I am a wanna-be polyglot. Always and probably forever :3

[@lunachartae]

​@@marikothecheetah9342 it's also funny to me that two words that are foreign language equivalents of each other and have the same dictionary definition have evolved to have such different connotations. I'm sure people who study linguistics have a lot to say about that.

[@Ronlawhouston]

I agree with you about the Dunning Kruger effect. The more I learn about a language, the more I see how far I need to go for fluency. I see how people could get discouraged. To me, it's like eating an elephant, you do it one bite at a time.

[@Soulskinner]

"I agree with you about the Dunning Kruger effect." - frankly, it sounds kinda strange to me. I mean, there's a simple way to check out your level: you turn on some content. Content for native speakers, on the target language. If you're comfortable with understanding it, then you're fine. If you're not - you're far from fluency. Well. You can make multiple checks. Or even the toughest one - try to read native fictional literature. If you're comfortable, then yeah. At least, you're fluent in understanding it.

[@juliusjohnson5967]

I bet they get discouraged because they are focusing way too much attention on grammer in the beginning levels.

[@marikothecheetah9342]

One of my favs quotes is the one from Socrates: I know that I know nothing. I always use it and despite my vast knowledge about languages and solid knowledge of three of them I know learning of any kind is an ongoing and never ending journey.

[@marikothecheetah9342]

@@Soulskinner fiction is relatively easy. and in some cases can be very misleading (take for example Asian languages - oh, the formal language!) I judge myself by reading scientific/non-fictional books on topics I know well in my native language. But that's just me.

[@Soulskinner]

@@marikothecheetah9342 The point is that fiction is using more complex language (if we're not talking about books for children), than scientific/non-fictional books. At least, judging by my experience with English. Ok. Maybe not quite "scientific/non-fictional", but various textbooks, math books and this kind of stuff, seemed quite easy for me to read. At least, I rather had troubles with understanding the topic, than the language. XD While fiction... I haven't read it much in English. But usually had much more troubles with literature.

[@irinaspalve8356]

I don't care if I am/will be polyglot! I'm just enjoying learning languages, exploring new worlds, readings books in their original language! Videos of people who learn languages encourage me, I returned to Japanese that I left a few years ago, I picked some new languages... I'm happy right now and that's all that matters. Thanks for the video and have a nice weekend!

[@wingedhussar1117]

As for me, I am a native speaker of German, I have a C level in English, at least B2 (if not C1) in Spanish, B1 in French, B1 in Polish, A2 in Italian, A1 in Russian and I have good reading comprehension skills in Portuguese and Swedish. However, I never call myself a polyglot, because I simply don't want to have all the pressure on me... Whenever I am called a polyglot, I usually just play it down by saying "I am just a language enthusiast, my language skills are still a little bit too mediocre, but I hope that I will eventually become a polyglot in the future" :) Whenever I say this, people still see me as a polyglot, because in most cases my language skills are still much better than theirs, but at least they think I am a modest one and not an arrogant prick :)

[@irinaspalve8356]

@@wingedhussar1117 I am native Russian speaker, bilingual in Latvian. I guess I have C1/C2 in English, don't know exactly. Then Japanese is around JLPT N3, Spanish B1/B2, Turkish/Chinese/Korean - almost beginner A1, I guess. I do understand to some extent Latgalian, Ukrainian, Slovak (and maybe some other Slavic languages that I haven't been exposed to) though can't speak them at all. But even this small knowledge makes people think that I am some kind of genius, though I have a long way ahead. Most of people around speak barely can speak second language. So, of course, I may look very gifted. 😄

[@mug7703]

@@wingedhussar1117 You are a polyglot by definition then. It’s not easy to achieve those kinds of levels in multiple languages so well done. And I respect your humility. Any amount of pressure you feel is in your head and unnecessary. It’s a bit silly to pretend the meaning of a word doesn’t apply to them if it’s technically true. Like a person who bikes, swims and runs for recreation and competes in the odd swim-bike-run event pretending they aren’t a triathlete. Or an unmarried man saying they aren’t a bachelor.

[@ellbo2]

I think the problem is, if I see "learn perfect x" in 3 months whilst i'm compeltely struggling learning Korean, I just feel bad. I feel like im slacking, and will never get to a good level. I do get the sense that their videos aren't entirely honest in whats considered "perfect". I actually posted this commet before I got to your section at the end, and I'm glad to see it finally mentioned and properly discussed.

[@paulbradford6475]

A small tale: I'm retired. I've been riding my bike for decades and even did a little racing way back, but I'm just an average cyclist, not born with the genetic gifts that make a champion cyclist. While riding, I have to remind myself daily that I have to go at my own speed and not worry about, or be disappointed in myself if some young lady zips by me that I have absolutely no chance of catching up to. To her I silently say, "God love you, girl. Power on!" The same holds true with language study; I've been studying Spanish from grammar books and some KZbin videos for about a year. It's a slow and rocky road, but I persist. Some language learners are quick study's. Most, I guess, are like me - not so quick. But I do see progress, however incremental. I make a lot of mistakes, but I'm at least recognizing how the mistake was made and that's a sign of progress in my book. I'll persist. As some polyglot out there once said, "It's not difficult, it's complex." That struck me. How does one eat an elephant? In small bites.

[@michaelschiller7871]

I struggle with this as well. Whenever I get bothered by it, I just remind myself that there are 2 possibilities: 1. This is a complete lie and I shouldn't feel discouraged by it 2. There is some truth in it, in which case I can achieve my goals faster than I was planning to Now, number 1 is basically always the truth. If, however, number 2 were ever true, then I should be excited and not discouraged

[@ellbo2]

@Zane Goebel - Everyday Indonesian That's true, but that also create the problem that most people won't have 8 to 12 hours a day to study because they have work and other commitments.

[@ellbo2]

@@michaelschiller7871 Good way at looking at it. My way is I can go at my own pace and enjoy it rather forcing myself to learn it.

[@ellbo2]

@@paulbradford6475 I agree. Learn at your own pace. Tbf the progress is great, I can now actually read Korean sentences and understand them (but stuff I learnt, like the weather haha) so if I think I couldn't do that four months ago then its a good way to look at it.

[@Guyomar]

It's not being criticized for the level at which you speak a language. It's being criticized when you going on TV shows claiming that you can be fluent in 3 months (literally using that terminology) while having a truly mediocre level, yet think you are an authority on language learning. Worse, when that's praised by people who have no idea how well that person actually speaks the language because they don't speak it themselves.

[@KyleMcMullan_Musician]

If you watch to the end of the video he does address that

[@JennHayden]

@@KyleMcMullan_Musician he didn't address it. He deflected. He makes it seem like it's something totally different from what he does and it's not. It's that "it's not me, it's those other people doing that". "On the whole on this topic, I think it's a good thing".

[@nidb2]

@@JennHayden he addressed it, head-on

[@Nethezbet]

"I understand if you disagree with me, but I don't really care." I wish more people lived under this rule.

[@calebw8189]

Ah yes, I will never forget when a certain famous KZbin polyglot "learned French in 24 hours".

[@ingela_injeela]

That sounds convenient.

[@KevinTyler123]

Only 24 hours? How is that possible? 🤦

[@ingela_injeela]

@@KevinTyler123 It isn't.

[@gefen314]

I can't stand him he obviously constantly on my recommendation page and I cannot believe people still buy his bullshit

[@英語わかりません]

The problem is that people (content creators) and "youtube-polyglots" waste peoples time by claiming shit they aren't. What makes people kind of annoyed is clicking on a video about learning languages and some moron runs around memorizing a few phrases and clickbaits the video as being a "polyglot" or "shocking" people with their immense language skill.

[@ronaldonmg]

Here in the Netherlands, dutch people who speak *only* three foreign languages (typically English, German and French) are NOT considered polyglots. I'm guessing that speaking only 4 languages isn't considered special in places like India, Indonesia or Nigeria either

[@wolverine712]

Exactly. I'm from India and in my locality 5 languages is the norm. People don't care unless you speak a sixth language.

[@joemiller947]

India is not as multilingual as one might think, only 26% of indians can speak more than one language which is far lower than the world average

[@MoreThanFuel]

PREACH

[@DoomShrm]

My nigerian-american uncle speaks English igbo, a pidgin between the two ( with its own rules/concepts ) and a little French.

[@drunkpekka4284]

Same for the Philippines. If we're going by stereotypes, especially from those outside the captial, the minimum is 3. It's swings from being normal to quite controversial when the topic of education comes up.

[@skalpathal]

The problem I see is people promoting methods or selling things on false pretenses. A beginner searching KZbin for advice and inspiration isn't going to be able to tell how good or bad someone really is. If the person can speak quickly and sound confident it's going to look and sound impressive even if half of what they say is gibberish. I've seen a couple of KZbinrs, one or two of them prominent in the "polyglot community", who are selling materials or methods and claim to be fluent in my native language and they're just not. At least not to a level I think anyone setting out to learn a language aims for even as a first step. It's kind of like someone boasting that they have the perfect method for teaching you maths, but they can't actually do anything beyond addition and subtraction. There's nothing wrong with not being great at maths, and you can definitely celebrate the joy of learning maths and talk about the journey of learning maths even if you're not an expert. But they look a bit silly if they start boasting about their skills, and if they start trying to sell maths classes to beginners they're just being jerks.

[@007Layanne]

Who is he ?

[@marinahendou8517]

The issue for me isn’t the level they speak, it’s the people who claim they learned it 30 days or 90 days. I don’t believe it’s true. I believe they’re practicing for months and then coming out and saying they’re going to do a challenge and learn the language in x amount of time when they already had a headstart. Anyone who has started to learning a language knows how challenging it can be and how much consistency ir requires. So we go to these liars looking for methods to find a more efficient process and it’s not doable. That is discouraging.

[@daysandwords]

I know. I can't believe how SOME channels in particular go several months without uploading but when they upload, they've magically learned Spanish in a month! It's like "Ok what have you been doing for 6 months then?"

[@tomasgombik3363]

They only forgot to add that it is 30 days x 24 hours doing nothing just learning the language:)) Which is absolutely possible if you happen to be a time traveler.

[@derpderp9281]

the BEST advice I heard about language learning (and any other leaning really) is to not compare yourself with others, but with yourself in the past I keep track of the dates I do my studying and I like to check it back later. Even if I feel like a month has been really slow with the studies, I can see a BIG difference from some months ago - This always boosts my self confidence and motivates me to continue my progress

[@darkalligraph]

oh hello, I recognise this username

[@3_up_moon]

Yes, when measuring yourself, don't use someone else's ruler. -internet quote

[@xxxqwertxxx]

When I first saw an “I learned x language in 7 days”, video - and saw that smug, self important look on the KZbinr’s face that made that claim, it really soured my taste to the term “polyglot” and self proclaimed KZbin polyglots in general. It made me feel like they were making a mockery of all the hard work real people put into learning a language and like it was all just self wankage for their own ego. I went on an unsubscribing spree after that. It was such a turn off 😅

[@KM-uh5ro]

I also find their videos to be insulting. The shocking ppl videos are of them just punking ppl. The learning a whole language in a day is just them memorizing a bunch of sentences. Now this one “polyglot” is even putting videos out on how dead ancient languages probably sounded like when nobody in the world knows. It’s so much bs

[@tokukao8987]

As someone that watches this community from the outside, all the videos of people attacking each other and saying x and y don't actually know a language, I am better, general elitism, etc just seems so pathetic, their lives could be so much better if they just lived their own lives, and it's made me not even want to watch them casually anymore, I appreciate that you took it more objectively and that you are the one person to say "who cares", I had concerns clicking on this

[@storylearning]

Cheers Jake! Hopefully this is an example of how a clickbaity title can be a positive. i.e. you have to get people to watch in order to be able to receive your opinions in the first place.

[@tedcrowley6080]

@@storylearning I agree. A video creator has to use the title (or the picture) to get people to start watching. That's fine. You know within a minute if the video provides great information (like Olly's) or is just fluff. I'm not upset about things I started watching...

[@zuglymonster]

As another person who watches from completely outside the community, although I'd love to learn another language it genuinely gets so confusing for me just watching people explain different languages but seeing all these different "I hate fake polygot videos" is irritating and some of the people I've seen criticized in the comments admit they're only at a beginners level at some languages (like Woulter)

[@yeahimawesome1]

i've seen a lot of people that pretend to speak my language but they actually don't

[@nendoakuma7451]

After a while participating in the polyglot community, I decided that negative comments were rarely if ever helpful and it’s best to just stay positive. I really like your comment about how the people who speak the most languages are not necessarily the ones whose advice you should follow most closely. I think that’s totally true.

[@paholainen100]

We learn languages to enrich our lives. It doesn’t matter if we speak well or not. Of course we can improve over time but it’s not a competition. Let’s keep things positive

[@kindmulberry7196]

Very well said

[@equalityforever302]

Just don't say you know a language when you can only speak a handful of sentences.

[@paholainen100]

@@equalityforever302 I’ve never made that claim. There are only three languages I claim to speak. English German Italian. Other languages I barely even mention ( because I’m not good those such as Hungarian Indonesian Chinese etc etc )

[@equalityforever302]

@@paholainen100 You seem to have misread my intentions. I am not talking about you in particular, just people in general.

[@thinking-ape6483]

Complains about clickbait. Also: Uses clickbait.

[@KC-vq2ot]

To the questions in the type of "Can you discuss morality of roman law in X?" I say "Can you do that in your native language?". As for language level... Unless person misrepresents their level in bad faith, just be polite and constructive in your criticism

[@bestrafung2754]

Honestly, I've been learning Japanese for 7 years and still can't do that. I don't care either because I'm never gonna talk about stuff like nuclear power, physics, Roman law etc. I prefer to focus on things I will actually use.

[@metaphoricdirigible1499]

I consider myself functionally fluent in a language when I can express almost everything I do on a day to day basis from daily life to politics, philosophy, and subjects I know well. Not on the level of a philosophy professor maybe, but at least able to have the type of discussions I regularly have, and have the sufficient grammar to speak fluidly on complex topics even if I need to look up some specialized vocabulary first.

[@TomasSchertel]

As part of the "silent majority", I can say that most polyglots from KZbin don't add much to my learning. Like you said, they are just amusement. On the other side, your videos really add something. You don't need to teach me German in order to make me learn the language. You help me just showing the reality. Thank you.

[@storylearning]

I appreciate that Tomas!

[@kojayeoja]

The fastest way to discourage someone from learning a language is to tell them they're not good enough in that language. It's so cruel, and also elitist and gate-keep-y. You don't see language teachers (good teachers, anyway) saying "Oh Jimmy that sucked, you need to be better." Language learning is hard and it takes a long time to become "fluent" (whatever that means) so calm down! Whoever is making these claims and being critical is someone who's insecure and wants to feel superior to other people. I imagine most of these people are native English speakers too, since it's very common to be a monolingual English speaker, and no doubt they feel superior if they speak more than one language. But actually, bi/multilingualism is super common around the world and you're not special or superior. Have a piece of humble pie and just go back to studying. lol

[@storylearning]

Thanks for your comment, I agree completely

[@MaryGouge]

I know how to say “I love you” in roughly 10 languages. Am I a polyglot? 😂

[@canchero724]

No but you've expanded your dating pool to speakers of 10 languages .

[@Ackie0Adash]

I'm learning russian, it's extremely hard (French native) but I am also really motivated and enjoying it a lot. Never give up on your dreams!

[@OwenRhodri]

I have just started Russian. I come from a B1 Czech level so I have a bit of a base with the language but although I understand the cyrillic alphabet it is definitely putting the breaks on my writing and reading comprehension. I think I have a tough time ahead too 😅

[@marikothecheetah9342]

Polish here, learning French. Subjonctif gives me headaches, but Dumas in original is Dumas in original :P

[@menopriezvisko94]

I am lewrninr french lol

[@o.lyandzberg2784]

for me, it's kinda the inverse situation - I'm a Russian guy who moved to France and had to learn French, but it's amusing that in the end, we presumably speak the same set of languages. Please dont be discouraged, and toujourstoujoursouviens souviens pourquoi tu fais ça! Удачи!

[@alexwang6207]

"Why are you learning a language?" Me? Oh. I'm learning Norwegian for basically no reason. I don't know. Norwegian's only spoken in Norway, by only five million people, I'm no Norwegian, there are so many other languages that are much more useful, and equally as easy. But I don't know. I like Norwegian, and I have no plans of quitting. Learn what you like. Stop listening to other people and just do it. Who really cares what others think? You're learning for yourself.

[@hoagiesupreme]

One of my life goals is to speak two foreign languages fluently. I'm hovering at around B2-C1 in Spanish and just started learning French a couple of weeks ago. I have never told someone that I am bilingual, and only have become comfortable very recently telling people "I can speak Spanish." Otherwise I feel like a scumbag.

[@williamread8632]

By not playing the Best Polyglot Game, he has earned my respect as my new favorite polyglot. He doesn't brag, he is encouraging, and he stresses what is actually important in language learning.

[@LympyDownunder]

This was never a problem in the past ... as you said ... but "influencers" decided to market their brand with fluency to fool the average viewer which obviously made makes the average person mad... especially when the person is unable to communicate but markets themselves as 'fluent' so viewers became more savvy and critical as a result. These people got millions of views so, it's only natural that polyglots and people who understood (-ish lol) got mad.

[@Glassandcandy]

“Lying” implies deception. Most KZbin “polyglots” genuinely believe their own hype, so no- technically they aren’t lying. It’s just a stunning example of the Dunning-Krueger effect in action

[@KyleMcMullan_Musician]

That's a really big generalisation, and I can't imagine you have any way to verify this.

[@Mia199603]

@@KyleMcMullan_Musician Ockham's razor. Dunning-Krüger effect is found universally, across all populations, no person is immune to it - it's just how human brain works. It's more probable it is the reason behind these youtubers' actions than some elaborate plot to deceive the audience, concocted in minds of all of these pretend-polyglots separately from each other. There you go, there's your evidence.

[@KyleMcMullan_Musician]

@@Mia199603 That's an anecdote, not evidence. It's also entirely likely that these people are aware of the obvious fact that if you can successfully pretend to be better than you are, you, almost universily, get more money. I'm concerned that you've both had an idea and are so convinced that its true that you're willing to not only disagree with someone who has put a lot of thought into this (the guy who made the video), you're also willing to spread the information as fact to everyone, dispite the fact that, again, you have absolutely no way to know if its true. Coincidentally, that could also be attributed to the Dunning-Krueger effect.

[@MM-fg4tw]

Not really. If they have become fluent in one language, then they know exactly what it takes to become fluent in another and I think on a whole they are very aware of their skill level.

[@jenm1]

Dunning Krueger isn't real

[@MrKoalaburger]

My only Problem with the "polyglot community" and "fake polyglots" is that many of them exaggerate how easy it is to learn. I've seen numerous youtubers claim that it should only take a few months to speak a language comfortably, and one guy state that English speakers can learn the romance languages fluently in about a year. Just staying these things as a fact of life. It can be discouraging for the 95% of people that cannot do this (for whatever reason) and in fact discourage people. I just want people to be realistic and honest. If you dedicate your entire life to languages and spend 6 hours a day in classes, studies, practice, and travel the world to immerse yourself then sure. Maybe you'll be at a higher level of competency in a year. That's just not reality for most.

[@JennHayden]

YES!!! THIS ENTIRE VIDEO MISSED THAT POINT. THAT IS BY THE BIGGEST PROBLEM! well done Alex K. You get it.

[@RovexHD]

I know. Teachers will sell you lies about learning difficult languages from the comfort of your home to get you on board with lessons. Realistically, how many English natives speak decent Mandarin Chinese that way ? Unless you study Chinese full time, it’s probably unheard of. And few people have the time to devote such dedication for a hobby.

[@MrKoalaburger]

@@RovexHD my German instructor speaks 3 languages with fluency, and beginner in 1. She's devoted the last 20 years of her life to mastering languages and traveling the world. 20 years of dedication and only has fluency in 3 languages. I doubt it's cuz she's stupid, I just think she's honest about what it takes to truly learn a language and speak them at a high level.

[@MrKoalaburger]

@@ivanhoewindsor4749 it's how pervasive they are. When I first started looking into videos for my second language, all the polyglots were front and center. And gave some disheartening advice, to say the least. I had to dig a little deeper and expand the breadth of my search to find better material. Such as native speakers with legit degrees in their language and/or formal teaching background.

[@therm3632]

Lol the Pub Test is something that I could really get behind 🍻

[@someperson9536]

Instead of making outlandish claims, make modest claims like "Learn to talk about your hobbies, family, and job in a couple of months" or "Learn to read and understand a simple story in a few months."

[@fredcastor1]

I saw a xioama video on him learning norwegian like in two weeks, thought "that so inspiring, now I have more believe in what I can do", tried to learn french in a month, failed astronomically and got discouraged for a while, then got deeper into languages and actual language learning, learned about how many hours you have to actually put in. Those videos are somewhat inspiring but very harmful, they set unrealistic goals on what you can achieve, they are technically fake natty gym influencers but in languages xd.

[@Kinotaurus]

What is toxic is not calling people out on their claims, it's people misrepresenting their level for clicks because it discourages honest learners.

[@reedperrino6772]

I’m part of the silent majority that I’m inspired by the “polyglots” lol. It helps my motivation

[@JessicaNyquist37]

Same.

[@littleredcelt]

Me too.

[@greywn2611]

Honestly, I love watching language learning videos…however, I am getting tired of the whole, “white guy shocks locals by speaking blah blah blah”. I wish they would share their process instead of choosing to constantly show off their “skills”. It’s getting old and no one cares

[@dominicberry5577]

I spent thirteen years learning Japanese while living in Tokyo. You know what? Learning Japanese was hard. I just started learning Arabic now. You know what? That’s just a whole new kind of hard.

[@aar5153]

Agree; broken plurals… 💀💀💀

[@LegoCityFilms]

Shokran

[@okamiwithacamera6077]

Hell yeah bro. But, speaking from experience, it is NOTHING compared to chechen....

[@bhbxgoclran2174]

I feel your pain

[@simontollin2004]

@@okamiwithacamera6077 or Georgian, that one is seriously difficult

[@edenjay406]

It's interesting because one of those outlandish claim videos of "learning a language in 7 days" actually was the video that first got me motivated to learn a language and now I speak fluent Spanish. (I'm a native English speaker from Scotland)

[@dunyahali8926]

How long did it take you to get to that level in Spanish?

[@tomdoesstuff1978]

Surely criticism of one's language ability is entirely justified when said person purports to speak a language/languages at a much higher level than they actually do, and in some cases attempts to sell courses/advice based on their apparent language abilities? A quick way to overcome this would be to clearly state your ability level when/if making videos in multiple languages. These videos of "How X learnt to speak 20+ languages" are nonsense. More often than not the person only speaks a handful of those 20+ really well but goes along with the self congratulatory title knowing full well it will drive more views/subscribers/income.

[@Pier-wy6dd]

The best polyglot are the people "in the environment", as they have to deal with circumstances; such as Language 1 at home, Language 2 and 3 at school (national/official plus another one). Then, if the situation is (e.g.: war, poverty, personal reason, etc...), and this person migrate in a XXXX country, probably one more language is added. In any form, those people are never or barely heard in KZbin.

[@arthemas8176]

How to be yt polyglot Memorize some phrases in 7 languages mainly Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Russian, English First step Introduce yourself in x language Second step Switch into a different language, talk about yourself and explaining why did you learn these languages. Make some cut offs in case you forget the lines. And now you are officially a nice polyglot

[@ceeveekaye]

I'm so glad I found this video! I also clicked on another video that questioned KZbin polyglots or multilingual people depending on what term you prefer, and it really led me down an unhealthy rabbit hole. I appreciate the positivity of this video and your message. I think this is so important for people who have been discouraged by whatever level they're at with whatever language they're learning. I also think it's important for people who are interested in learning other languages and have started focusing on the wrong things, including other people and where they're at, in their journey toward learning a new language. Thank you!

[@janstozek4850]

Actually, I did "learn" Spanish in about 10 weeks myself. :-D OK, at the time I knew only very basic vocabulary and the present tense. But still, I managed to go from Madrid to Santiago on a bicycle, speaking Spanish (ok... barely :-) ) with virtually everybody who did not escape fast enough, and refusing to speak any other language (except for one Spanish guy in the middle of nowhere, with whom I spoke Russian :-D ). I knew my level was very basic, and was happy like hell with every phrase I understood or was able to say and be understood correctly - and that I managed to arrange my daily bread and nightly accommodation in the interior where English is not that much popular. Half a year later I went to Spain again. My capabilities somewhat grew by that time (not to discuss nuclear physics in the pub, of course), but my expectations grew even more. Consequently, I was really disappointed with the outcome albeit objectively speaking, my language level was significantly higher by that time. My learning from those trips was to manage your expectations properly. Expect less and be happy.

[@UniDocs_Mahapushpa_Cyavana]

You don't actually need more than the present tense in any language. Just say (time phrase) before the rest or after. Stories won't work otherwise so every single language has this feature.

[@janstozek4850]

@@UniDocs_Mahapushpa_Cyavana indeed, missing vocabulary posed more of a problem at the time. And still does.

[@wingedhussar1117]

As for me, I am a native speaker of German, I have a C level in English, at least B2 (if not C1) in Spanish, B1 in French, B1 in Polish, A2 in Italian, A1 in Russian and I have good reading comprehension skills in Portuguese and Swedish. However, I never call myself a polyglot, because I don't want to have all the pressure on me... Whenever I am called a polyglot, I usually justg play it down by saying "I am just a language enthusiast, my language skills are still a little bit too mediocre, but I hope that I will eventually become a polyglot in the future" :) Whenever I say this, people still see me as a polyglot, because in most cases my language skills are still much better than theirs, but at least they think I am a modest one and not an arrogant prick :)

[@RogerRamos1993]

You sound like a fake modest.

[@wingedhussar1117]

@@RogerRamos1993 Hahaha, I saw that comment coming

[@bocastannn2733]

@@wingedhussar1117 theres a line that can be crossed when trying to be humble and you crossed it dude just accept you’re a polygot its not arrogant its true

[@marikothecheetah9342]

I need to brush up on my German. I can exchange for Polish convos :D

[@alessandrofacciani7209]

People want them to be recognized as genius and so they just want to say they can learn everything in less time than everybody else

[@sazji]

"Multilingual" is an adjective. "Polyglot" is a noun. Somehow saying "I speak several languages," feels less self-aggrandizing than saying "I am a polyglot." I believe that in modern society many people feel a little lost. As we get on social media and see so many people proudly broadcasting their impressive lifestyles, it tends to create a wider need to get acknowledgement and praise for something and stand out somehow. The addition of $$ into the equation just makes it all the more insidious. As someone who speaks a second and third language, I will admit it's fun when I can totally surprise someone with their language, where they least expect it. And it's fun to see. But I do think it's gotten a little out of hand, with people running around seeking out people to shock with [insert clickbait title here]. It seems to turn people into vehicles for self-promotion. Which is not to say that the subjects didn't agree to be in the video, but it doesn't feel like a good way for our culture to be going.

[@jccbm]

Duolingo speedruns are quite fun though!

[@ianlewis7749]

Guess how long it takes to learn a language....A Life Time ! It doesn't stop...You will always be learning new words...

[@ThriftShopTunes]

Very true! That's what I love about language learning, you never stop, it's like a garden that keeps growing so long as you keep taking care of it. I still learn new words in my native language!

[@pourquoipas971]

Yes even your native language!

[@bensomes7662]

@@ThriftShopTunes Yes! I agree so much, it's like a garden. Some people want to plant a tree for a long period of time and commit to it (like getting a language to C1 level or higher) and some people want to have lots of plants (like getting many languages to an A2 or B1 level). Either way, it takes dedication and care :)

[@canchero724]

You can even forget a language in a lifetime if you don't use it. Absolutely 100% agree with it being a lifelong process to even maintain the level you're at, let alone progress to an advanced level

[@sonderexpeditions]

True.

[@mho1799]

I started learning Portuguese about a year ago, just out of pure interest in a third language (I'm a German native speaker) and simply because there was a lot of time available during the lockdowns in my country. My family and the majority of friends were immensely supportive about it, but some just shook their heads and called it a waste of time. Well ...... even though I consider myself far from being fluent, I have fallen in love with the language, have made many new good friends from Portugal and Brazil online and now I think it was one of the best decision I ever made in my entire life. I never thought that learning more languages was so much fun and enriched my life at a level I couldn't imagine before. All of this lead me to start with Spanish and Dutch as well in the meantime. I totally agree on your point of view here and don't understand all the criticism going on in the web about the fluency level of certain people. I think as long as you are honestly trying, you already deserve credit rather than criticism. You''re getting out of your comfort zone, try new things and this I think will be one of the major reasons why those people are bashing in the first place. I think they secretly are jealous, because it's something that can be scary at first, but can also broaden your intellectual horizon and can give you the possibility to connect with people, countries and cultures that you couldn't connect with before. They simply don't dare to take this step as well and therefore see the necessity to bash on those who dared to do it. This is just my own opinion of course.

[@misscamay]

best answer to this drama … I unfollowed toxic “polyglots” criticizing other polyglots…

[@foreverlearningfrench]

Olly, faire cette vidéo était absolument la bonne chose à faire. Merci d'être si positif. Je suis heureux que tu aies abordé le sujet des vidéos "J'ai appris X langues en X jours/semaines". Elles sont nuisibles et décourageantes.

[@TheHaining]

If you don't mind me saying, the whole problem stems from the fact that you are ALL trying to make money out of it. There is not one of you who doesn't plug their own product. This will inevitably lead to people being dishonest.

[@motegod3787]

Woulter, the Dutch guy is the perfect example of a “”FAKE POLYGLOT””. If you watch his videos, he speaks 4 or 5 language with decent fluency but all the other ones, just memorizing few sentences and saying you learned from tourists and friends and divert every question to can we eat together is not the way pal. You aren’t a polyglot that way, you just know phrases in many languages and that’s no genius. That takes away from the real polyglots like Olly and Moses. Xiaoma does the same, he speaks fluent Chinese but remembering few words in a African language doesn’t make you a polyglot. I felt that I was the only one felling enraged by these fake polyglots but feels good to know there are a lot more of me. I personally speak 6 language fluently and plan on learning more.

[@motegod3787]

@Ólaf Sigurðsson that’s true, but I meant in a sense that he could actually understands the “ how where what why” questions instead of woulter who just says whatever. You are right tho, except for Chinese and Cantonese he isn’t fluent in no other foreign language

[@Foatizenknechtl]

also had to think of woulter and a few others. You aren’t a polyglot that way, you just know phrases in many languages and that’s no genius your sentence describes it perfectly. there are so many people out there fluent in a few languages and calling themself fluent in like 12 languages... for me personally its really pissing me off, seeing people be like "oh i know sooo many languages" and then i hear them talk in my native language and I'm just short of vomiting out of my ears man. especially since many just repeat their sentences 2000 times and its always the same. they could speak a language for 20 minutes straight and i could sum the information up in like 20 seconds...

[@anthonyp9591]

@@Foatizenknechtl why does it piss you off what other people say and do...it has absolutely no bearing on your life what so ever, mind your business and live your life....

[@thomasmurrell9394]

@@kavinravichandran2931 His french was quite clean, a bit formal but easy to understand, and i'm sure he understand it pretty well. He spoke french with a lot of different kind of foreigners (moroccans, senegaleses, haitians...) he understood them and they understood him.

[@MM-fg4tw]

Wouter is completely open about the fact that he only speaks 5-6 languages fluently. The rest are only conversational level or beginner, he has explained that plenty times.

[@rg-pq1kb]

“KZbin Polyglot” sounds like a whimsical Victorian rapscallion

[@Nemo_Anom]

There are a few reasons that this subject bothers me: people claiming to learn a language in an unrealistic amount of time or claiming to be a polyglot with no proof are essentially lying. That's annoying, but then they are typically making money off of lies. This is their business, and other businesses are not allowed to lie, so why are they? Further, if someone claims to be a polyglot and offers no proof, then I don't believe them. Period. I also don't think it's particularly helpful or healthy to be a polyglot. Most often that just means a person has learned a bunch of languages badly to a low conversational level. Why the fuck bother? "Jack of all trades, master of none" is an idiom that exists for a very good reason. I have much more respect for someone who learns one or a couple of languages to a truly deep and fluent level, and who exists in those cultures. Sure, that's my preference, but it's also the most healthy and reasonable attitude/approach to take. In my "radical" take, I believe that almost all language learning/resources should be free, so it especially bugs me when bad-language learners (polyglots) or fake language learners (the scammers) try to monetize or scam people. I believe that they should go to jail for fraud. I've been around the language-learning youtube community for many years now. Far too many content-creators are still not demonstrating their language skills or cultural life, and are just hawking their own materials or sponsorships/affiliate links. I dislike this immensely. I would love to see the rise of polyglots admitting the levels they speak at and showing their processes, and how they exist in those cultures. This would essentially put the kaboosh in the polyglot trend because then people would see how shallow the skills are there. I would also love to see the trend of authentic language learners putting their methods and actual skills out there, along with their cultural life. This would be the best model for language learners. They could see the variety of methods and styles, along with what reasonable and realistic progress and setbacks looks like. This would be the ideal future.

[@BelaPuma]

I don't think people are criticising them for having a certain level. They are criticising them for intentionally making themselves look like a higher level than they actually are , you completely missed the point

[@ntatenarin]

Best wishes to all of you wanting to be a polyglot, or just learning one new language! Remember that it takes a long time and hard work, so please don't give up just because you feel like you're not progressing fast enough. Even if you just learn one new word today, it's still one step closer to your goal! 🤗

[@storylearning]

Amen!

[@wishimbit]

Unfortunately, I am under the age of 18: I cannot enter a bar, therefore I fail the pub test every time and speak zero languages.

[@gringoglot]

Consider this my attempt at having a gushing post about how much I love your channel and this video. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said here. Thanks!

[@storylearning]

Wow, thank you!

[@annmcdaniel1092]

My problem with people claiming to speak a language they only know a few sentence s in ,and then charging people to teach that language! That's definitely dishonest!😢😕

[@jinnebrass]

the best athletes don't make the best coaches... so true

[@marconewman7202]

What I think about most so called "polyglots" on KZbin who speak X amount of languages: I think the videos they post, the narrative they show isn't really accurate. Often the protagonist learned 5 sentences in a foreign language, then says "I speak language X" and when encountering someone who also speaks it they control the narrative with what limited knowledge they have by non stop talking. To me this isn't really knowing or speaking a language, and just barely shows how well someone can learn a few sentences by heart and respond to the common responses

[@georgios_5342]

Polyglot is a very misunderstood word that brings some people discomfort. Originally it just means "person who speaks more than one language". It's from Greek, πολύς=many, much, and γλώσσα (γλώττα)=tongue, language.

[@StuartJayRaj]

well said Olly - a balanced look at the issue

[@Jorin06]

I would be happy if someone simply tried to learn portuguese, I would never judge these people's capabilities.

[@thelightningwave]

A KZbin Polyglot that comes to mind who most probably is lying is none other than Olly Richard's he almost never talks about his languages, almost never does any language talking, and literally is in every video trying to sell his shifty language learning course and his books.

[@alisonwilks302]

Ahhh I was inspired by you !! I was learning German for 3 years but didn't love it. Now I'm learning Xhosa/ Zulu and I am obsessed by it ! I've learnt 200 words in 2 months and I know I'll keep going. . lots of love to you xxxxxxx

[@storylearning]

That's great!

[@sanne3288]

I am always deeply amazed by people who dare to strike up a conversation with people in another language regardless of their knowledge of grammar or their vocabulary, and watching people on KZbin doing exactly this DOES INDEED INSPIRE! As I am learning EU Portuguese (with many sounds that are NOT in my native language), I found it hard to just go out and talk to people, but lo and behold, I have mustered up the courage after watching language videos, and I have managed to have some decent conversations (though sometimes with a lot of gestures haha)! For people on KZbin learning languages, their videos are also a testament to their progress!

[@anastasiaricardo_]

I am definitely in that silent majority that is inspired by all of these videos. I’m currently learning Portuguese and watching these videos just helps me know I’m not the only one out here trying to deeply learn another culture.

[@skamarfire]

Fala irmão... como estão os estudos?

[@anastasiaricardo_]

@@skamarfire Oie! Ta muito bom! Eu estive no Brasil por 4 meses, entao eu treinei muito!

[@DJSt3rling]

From what I've seen, most polyglots exaggerate their experience for monetary gain. Thus, "polyglot" is merely a marketing term to me now.

[@blantonman11]

As some one who is a part of that silent majority, I want to say that these polyglot videos have inspired me even if they do not have full mastery of the languages. I first got inspired when watching Laoshu50500 and came across other videos that make me appreciate the idea of speaking to people in their native language. So don't feel discouraged any one who is trying to learn mutliple langauges, it is an awesome thing to even know a little bit of communication that is not traditonal to yours.

[@waybatch1506]

'I understand if you disagree with me!... I just DON'T REALLY CARE!'🤷🏻‍♂️ Makes you so likeable!😁 I loved it.

[@VictorTalking]

Great video Olly! Agree with many points! I like how positive you are! - Victor

[@ingela_injeela]

The "Pub Test" is a good gague. Byt wait till you take the "Church Coffee Test"! 😄

[@andrewvelazquez7179]

I like that you are bringing attention to this content. I think a lot of polyglots on youtube memorize how to say certain things in a language and then pass it off as being able to speak the language. I will use an example. I am American and we border Mexico. Many people in the US have memorized how to say "¿Dónde está el baño?" but that does not make them Spanish speakers, and I think what we see on TikTok and youtube are people saying things like "Polyglot check! This is me speaking English, this is me speaking Italian, this is me speaking Farsi etc" but its all memorized, so IS it language learning if you don't actually UNDERSTAND what you are saying other than memorized how to say something. I hope that makes sense. Something else that bothers me is "WHITE GUY SURPRISES LAUNDROMAT WORKER BY SPEAKING PERFECT CANTONESE" Lol why do we only sensationalize white people speaking languages when many people of Asian descent speak 3-4 languages but we don't see sensationalized titles like that. I work with kids who speak 3-4 indigenous Maya languages at native proficiency but people are more impressed at white people repeating sentences... sorry for the rant and thanks for shedding this light.

[@Gregory-Palamas1349]

I love your concept of the "Pub Test"!

[@thanoschedelstein3304]

If you are able to keep an everday conversation while: a) getting your point across b) not making the other person dumb-down the use of their native language c) not making the other person uncomfortable having to listen to you you are fluent.

[@fluffyunicorn57]

If people are lying it stops being entertainment. Yes, it might be funny, but when someone is deceiving people for money it stops being funny.

[@Eliean77]

Seeing Lomb Kató's name here brought back childhood memories. :) As for the pub test, I usually speak more fluently after a beer or two :D

[@storylearning]

Me too. Every time 🤣

[@kendrickpatrick]

Hi Olly, big fan of your work. Fellow Englishman here - I work as a conference interpreter. Well done on being so classy on such a delicate subject matter. Personally I have a hunch that the term "polyglot" is a linguistic calque from the romance languages that has been assimilated into English. Either way, here's my take on the issue. I have no issue with people purporting to speak X number of foreign languages. Where it does become a problem, however, is when those individuals seek to monetise that "ability" by selling books/courses backed up by little academic evidence and charge extortionate amounts for what is essentially snake oil. Mercifully the market seems to have consigned him to irrelevance now but the Irish guy with his overt condescension about "traditional language-learning methods" and his three-month shortcut schtick was the main culprit. In summary, live and let live when it comes to people speaking foreign languages. Except for the grifters and charlatans - they're misleading people for personal financial gain. Thanks again for your positivity on foreign language learning

[@cameronhubberstey6039]

Until I discovered you, Luca Lampariello, Lindie Botes, Steve Kauffman, Xiaoma and Matt vs Japan… I was reliant on the “I learnt x in y” videos which made me feel really shit about my progress. But 7 months later, I’m now happy with my Italian level (but I still have a lot to improve on)

[@storylearning]

Congrats!

[@PetraStaal]

Didn't make Xiaoma a couple of those "I learned X in Y" type of videos?

[@cameronhubberstey6039]

@@PetraStaal yes, but he never claimed to be fluent in the language used in those videos (as far as I’m aware). Plus, for the most part, he advises that if you want to learn a language well to fluency etc, you have to spend a LONG time

[@JV-km9xk]

I got inspired by Nathaniel Drew's I learned Italian in 7 Days. I was impressed and got motivated to learn and followed his advice. A year later, I found out that what he claimed wasn't completely true yet I still got the benefits. Sometimes those fake vids can help people too.

[@JV-km9xk]

Oh you're learning Italian too? How's your 7 months of progress?

[@lostcandy]

If only more people followed that idea - caring more about what you're doing yourself than what someone else is doing! Great video Olly, thank you!

[@Lawfair]

I learned French in 6 weeks because I was super motivated... I found myself time displaced to early 12th century France, and because I popped out of thin air wearing weird clothing I was accused of witch craft. I had to learn the language in order to defend myself and save my self from execution.

[@ShadowValleys]

lmao

[@tedcrowley6080]

Olly focuses on speaking. I don't. But Olly says it is different for each person. In understanding (speech and writing), I am intermediate in 3 languages, and an advanced beginner in 2 others. In speaking, I'm not very good. Speaking requires a patient listener, and that usually requires money -- for Skype teachers or for travel. But I don't make videos, and I don't call myself a polyglot. Many people define "bilingual" and "multilingual" as being able to speak (at the "pub level") two or more languages. So I haven't figured out a good term for people like me.

[@cyclenutter2715]

Been ages since you first came up with this concept, thanks for putting all of the thought into it!

[@Ole_Rasmussen]

I went to a language learning website and it asked how soon I want to be fluent. I said I want to be fluent in Japanese in a year. The website estimated that I would have to study 11 hours per day. Sounds fairly accurate to me.

[@RovexHD]

Pretty much. But If you lived in Japan, i think you could cut that number down some bit. Otherwise, yes, Japanese requires a lot of will and time to obtain a decent level.

[@blotski]

The Dunning-Kruger effect made me smile. Have you ever been asked for advice from a new learner and you don't know how to answer because you realise they have no idea what goes into learning a foreign language? I had a friend once told me they wanted to learn enough Greek to be able to cope in shops, order in cafés/restaurants and just manage in everyday situations - so did I have a tape they could borrow that they could listen to on the plane? I just gave her a tape.

[@sonderexpeditions]

This is so true. When people ask me how long it took to reach my level, I don't want to say because it'd be discouraging maybe. A lot of my early years was on and off.

[@thedrewb2273]

Random Internet Person 'You're the guy who speaks 20 languages!" Lingualizer: "Yes. Where are you from?" Random Internet Person: Greece Langualizer: *Says Merry Christmas in Greek* Random Internet Person: "Oh my god!!!"

[@abigailbrookes7721]

I think it’s a good thing to keep in mind that any language takes years to gain fluency, even your mother tongue.

[@davidcattin7006]

I agree! I have been learning Spanish for over 50 years, and still learn something new almost every day. I studied Russian 8 hours a day for a year, and don't think I'd pass the pub test. Languages are hard, and anybody who says they learned one in 3 months... well, maybe, but mostly nah! Thank you for bringing this subject to light.

[@stevencarr4002]

Excellent video. A most excellent rule is 'What do you want from a language?'. I know people who learned just enough of the language to read the football headlines in the local sports papers. If that's the level you want, then go for it.

[@MrSalas]

I can tell you, from personal experience, most people in latin America get DISCOURAGED by ridiculous and obviously fake/exaggerated videos (Xiaomanyc learning fluent Spanish in 20 days, for instance) as it makes them feel "Wow he learned Spanish and I can't even introduce myself". The rest of your points I couldn't agree more, especially with the pub test. Which, sadly, is almost impossible to carry out in country where 70% if its population never even dabble into a second language. Keep making great content, Olly.

[@storylearning]

Yes, the pub test needs to be carefully engineered!