How to ACTUALLY use Comprehensible Input!

[@Gidizz]

Balding white guys on the internet ranting about languages, unite! I found this to be slightly unhinged yet delightfully insightful. As a faithful subscriber of yours, that is what I have come to expect and love. Also, I like how you started to cut off the threats. It makes them more intriguing and, surprisingly, even more menacing somehow! Last thing, what kind of games do you develop? Great video, as always.

[@Evildea]

Thanks! :D I currently run a indie studio developing a survival game. We plan to release our first devlog come January showing off the current state of the game. Maybe I'll drop a video here on this channel talking about it as well even though not really language related.

[@michaelcorbett4236]

I’ve been learning Korean for two years and some and I started your Anki deck method recently using natural voice and Chat GPT to grind variations of structures etc. It really does help and I think it helps even more when you know more because what were words now becomes nuance. And once you have the decks you can keep going over them. It all compliments other stuff including walking round with the dog talking to myself.

[@Evildea]

Yeap! 100% percent. Glad it’s helping you! And yes it should totally be mixed with other methods :D

[@RachelEliason]

Great video. I consider immersion "the king of the middle" because it's very effective for taking an upper level beginner into being able to understand everyday conversation. But too many youtubers forget how much explicit learning they did before the discovered immersion or fail to understand how that work laid the foundation for them to be able to immerse. And most don't ever get past the basic conversational stage, so they don't know how long it would take to learn less common words or grammar structures just using immersion.

[@Evildea]

100% on point!

[@Anna_Batista-w6v]

I'm already grinding my Chinese sentences. But I'll keep coming here for my daily dose of motivation. Hope you don't mind. 🤩

[@Evildea]

I don't mind as long as you don't stop grinding. If you stop grinding I will find you and we know how that goes.

[@MarmaladePeaches]

Yes!! I watch these videos as like reminders for me. It's not even what I spend most of my time on. I've been putting in the hours to actually learn the language. You really do need to build a foundational knowledge of whatever it is you want to learn, and I mean ANYTHING. You need to put the phone down and learn about it. I learned English as a child because I would watch English shows and build an understanding of when to use them in a contextual setting. You don't just want to learn the words, but when native speakers use it. And that's where you use comprehensible input. You won't know what they're literally saying word per word, but what they're trying to convey in the overall conversation.

[@Evildea]

100% :D

[@theymademepickaname1248]

My name is Jimmy, and I'm tired of people beating my noun.

[@Evildea]

Here he is boys! Get him!

[@sebastianmasson1003]

Hi, i really love your channel and i especially found your video showing your learning process to be the most helpful and i was wondering if you could show your process of how you start learning a language, the first thing you do when you learn a language to get to the point where you can use the methods previously shown as well as why and how you choose your language. Sorry if it is much to ask for, anyway keep up the good work and i hope to see you keep on posting throughout the year. Thank you.

[@Evildea]

Hey there! Sure I can do a video on how I select languages and what I do on day one. I’ll add it to my list.

[@NoahNobody]

Thanks, Richard. I've finally managed to get the Anki app with some audio decks. It's been hard, but I think it's having a positive effect.

[@Evildea]

Yeah, once you get into the flow of it the whole process will just become second nature. Since you’re new to it don’t overload yourself at the start. Keep card numbers small.

[@badger1296]

This is the first video of yours that YT had sent me in a long time. Watching it is funny and a bit wierd without any context. 🤔🤣🤔

[@Evildea]

Welcome back. There’s no escaping now :)

[@Yihwa-G__]

Every extreme comprehensible input advocate tells you to just consume content. When you hear they’re listening to podcasts for 8 hours a day or watching anime non-stop, all I can do is laugh. Most people simply don’t have the time to do something like that. With only 1-2 hours a day for a language like Japanese, it will take at least 10 years to reach a higher level with comprehensible input only-and that’s without even practicing speaking. I don’t buy into the claim that one day, “when you’re ready,” you’ll magically open your mouth and speak flawlessly like a native. I totally agree that needing a lot of input is just common sense-it’s a given. But it is not the only thing people need for quick progress, especially when having a professional and social life.

[@Evildea]

Yeap, 100% god damn percent haha

[@kafejoeo]

​@@EvildeaOr like with Esperanto that maybe harder.

[@narsplace]

The main issue I find with CI, is how CI is promoted via KZbin. Where they talk about is if you do easy reading and listening you will be fluent in time. Which isn't true. Proper from of CI isn't doing easy reading and listening and becoming fluent. It is understanding the level you are at and using the appropriate steps of input that you are required to reach the next level of language development. I know this because I can use Japanese comfortably. Yet I reach that level because I spend hours texting and voice chatting Japanese. Reading manga light novels and watching drama and anime. Spending hours watching and listening to KZbin videos, video games in Japanese. I can speak Japanese with little issues because each time I saw improvements I didn't continue I pushed harder. Like right now I want to be more sophisticated in my conversation so I have started reading more light novels. Which I have seen results already because I am not sticking to the easy stuff. My weakness with Japanese is I have push the lever but I have also become more lazy. Which is something I need to work on.

[@Evildea]

The grind always requires one to push outside their comfort zone. Now stop being lazy and get back at it :P

[@EMPANAO321]

Grinding comprehendible input 😎 >>>>

[@crbgo9854]

Its always hard for me to find people to talk to in my target language. Im very uncomfortable talking to strangers on the Internet.

[@Evildea]

What’s your target language?

[@crbgo9854]

@Evildea I've started to learn French I would like to be more familiar with the Canadian variety. Esperanto has been super helpful in learning it.

[@Evildea]

@@crbgo9854 Maybe we can find someone in this comment section who wants to practice with you :D

[@crbgo9854]

@@Evildea eble

[@karlturner9038]

Actually, I agree about that several methods should be used, including comprehensible input, what I always did. Perfect methods do not exist, but one could pick up the best from each of them and use for learning. I have learnt English and even Esperanto, btw, using exactly grinding approach, and it worked, because regularity is the key. That's it :D

[@Evildea]

But... but have you purchased my '10 rules to make you fluent in 60 seconds' yet?

[@karlturner9038]

@@Evildea Obviously not yet :D

[@Evildea]

:'(

[@EMPANAO321]

I think some people don't understand that comprehensible input is how you learn a language, the methods of learning a language make it comprehensible, being some better than others

[@Evildea]

That is true but so many people for some reason or another think that means “Just watch endless content and eventually it will become comprehensible”

[@EMPANAO321]

@Evildea oh in that case you are completely right

[@TheCompleteGuitarist]

Language is acquired when messages are understood. Krashen

[@Stevenwalks]

Fantastic all you video, will start doing them. I have 300 sentences ready but still struggle in Anki. It's not that user friendly right?

[@Evildea]

I find it quite easy but maybe that's because I've been at it for a while :P

[@Stevenwalks]

@@Evildea Not sure really. I have a list of 300 sentences that I was able to import. When I "learn" and "grind" those and I put some of them at "Pass"., will they never show up again? And more importantly, do I add 50 new ones tomorrow to the same set? So my set just keeps on growing and Anki will only show me my "Fail" sentences? (In a nutshell )

[@Evildea]

@ it will reshow those sentences at specific intervals that follow the forgetting curve (an algorithm). If you mark good it will show the sentence less and less frequently. If you mark wrong it will reset the forgetting curve. Then the next day you just add more sentences and those sentences you consistently get right it will show less and less frequently.

[@Stevenwalks]

@@Evildea great man! So you basically have 1 set of thousands of sentences? (Ok I understand why you should make different sets, like for a specific topic) but the grinding should work with a big list?

[@Stevenwalks]

@@Evildea I just found out about HyperTTS Pro. Seems to add automatically audio to Anki cards. Bunch of different voices available- testing it now

[@francegamble1]

To be real, though: who isn't listening to their songs and watching TV in their languages? We have to be doing something to get the language in our brains. I thought Elmo there was going to attack. 😂

[@Evildea]

I know right. I'm not sure what Elmo is up to but I get the feeling is can't be good.

[@francegamble1]

@Evildea He is looking down as if contemplating a tough subject... or his next crime.

[@Evildea]

Lets hope it's 'subject' haha

[@ramonek9109]

Funny, a video directed at me. I have to admit your "good faith" was lost on me, when you said that comprehensible input is merely a pleasant pastime, that has little to no effect on actual learning and is a cop out for lazy people. I also find it highly amusing that at no point the irony of explaining to a non-native English speaker why his method of language learning has not worked out, in English while being understood and responded to, dawned upon you. Maybe you should do some comprehensible input in English, so you would be able to understand another person's argument. I will try again. I believe you. I believe you, that active study will help you to faster acquire active knowledge about a language. I believe you that you are an intelligent and organized learner who will accomplish his goals. There is just one thing I contested, and that is that you will be able to actually be functional in a native environment without massive amounts of comprehensible input. The grinding of vocab and rules will not enable your listening comprehension, will not help you when words are used in new and creative ways. The grind will not help when the chatter starts. You will have to be able to understand and respond instinctively and intuitively. Because the language is inside of you, is part of your life, your personhood, your friendships and the art and media that you appreciate. This simply a deeper way of knowing a language. This leaves us with two points: 1. Comprehensible input works (albeit not as fast as you would like it to). 2. In the end you will have to do it anyway, so why not just do it to begin with. The reason that the idea of spending so much time reading novels, watching shows and movies and listening to audiobooks is less daunting and ridiculous to us, who like comprehensible input, is that these are the activities we would be doing anyway even after having learnt the language. Often they are the reason why we do want to learn. This is dependent on character and personal traits and interest. If you walk about calling other people's personal interests lazy and useless, I don't think you get to complain about not being taken in good faith. Since you seem to be allergic to even minor criticisms, I will end this on a friendly note and wish you good luck in pursuing your personal interest in more active study of vocab and rules. A completely valid interest worthy of pursuing in itself.

[@elwoodbirgden342]

Excuse my unwisdom, but I have a few questions:- 1. Of active and passive learning, which do you think should get more time? 2. Wouldn't you say speaking counts as active, since it requires an active recall of vocabulary, on-the-spot thinking, etc.? I thought reading and listening were passive, whereas writing, speaking, vocab, and grammar were the active parts. Anyway, these are minor details, since every method works eventually, but some are slower than others. Thanks for the video; your thoughts yield a fertile harvest, and your Jimmy metaphors are unmatched.

[@Evildea]

Here I’m just using active and passive for stand ins. Active meaning the self directed and focussed period in which you grind learning new words in context. It’s a highly focussed activity. Passive meaning the exercise of what you’ve already learned in order to cement what you’ve already learned. Hope that clears up my meanings :)

[@Alec72HD]

Passive listening is just listening while doing something else, like chores or driving. Input may or may not be entirely comprehensible.

[@reggietkatter]

The only reason you’re wrong about this one is because comprehensible input is sufficient itself to learn a language. No amount of “grinding” will do the same.

[@VanegeEsperanto]

Comprehensible input is extremely time-inefficient for beginners of languages where they understand less than two thirds of the words.

[@reggietkatter]

@ I’m not sure how many times I should, but I keep repeating to folks on the internet: I learned a language using solely comprehensible input, and it was the only time I ever used my time well learning a language! I think you basically don’t need anything else to learn.

[@reggietkatter]

If it is time inefficient, what is the efficient means of learning!!! I’m convinced people simply don’t have real comparisons in their experience because they judge CI without trying it!

[@aetherel]

@@reggietkatter What language did you learn?

[@reggietkatter]

Spanish as I wrote above, primarily using Dreaming Spanish, then native content and Crosstalk.

[@Paulo34343]

I've been grinding German hard for the last 6-7 months. Duolingo, ChatGPT, Anki, Seedlang, KZbin videos. According to chat GPT, i'm getting really close to B1 level. This language is so damn hard, and it's closely related to english. I don't even know how do you people study chinese, korean, japanese, etc.

[@Evildea]

Yeah, as someone grinding Chinese and only now at a level where I can take part in conversations I can clear say, it’s a long term project spanning years and years of active study to reach.