Learning Languages Through Stories with

[@Thelinguist]

How has technology changed the way you learn languages? 10 Secrets of Language Learning ⇢ www.thelinguist.com LingQ Grammar Guides ⇢ www.lingq.com/en/grammar-resource/ My blog ⇢ blog.thelinguist.com/ The LingQ blog ⇢ www.lingq.com/blog/ My Podcast ⇢ open.spotify.com/show/4TbcX8ilVmVTi6jdQVHuwK --- Social Media Instagram ⇢ instagram.com/lingosteve_/ TikTok ⇢ www.tiktok.com/@lingosteve Facebook ⇢ facebook.com/lingosteve Twitter ⇢ twitter.com/lingosteve LingQ Discord ⇢ discord.gg/ShPTjyhwTN

[@-danR]

Speech-looping in an audio editor (not Audacity, they've changed their loop procedure so badly it's easier to solve differential equations) has made a remarkable difference in acquiring a smooth native-like prosody. Being able to change looping over a word, phrase, sentence, (of any recording you wish) by re-dragging the boundaries on the fly would have been unthinkable 20 years age.

[@MDobri-sy1ce]

The most important thing I learned with language learning is to have patience especially, with yourself. Things will make sense eventually!

[@almazkairosh7976]

Patience and consistency is the key.

[@Tehui1974]

I've been following the channels of both of these people for the last two years now. Both people strongly recommend using reading (in whatever interests you) as a solid basis for naturally acquiring the language. I'm now at a B2 in my target language and trying to push on to a C level. I can tell you that it works!

[@mauricioamado5975]

how is your method specifically?

[@Tehui1974]

@@mauricioamado5975 No real method as such, I just use 'comprehensible input' everyday, and embed those activities into my daily routine.

[@mauricioamado5975]

@@Tehui1974 I am learning italian and using the same method, also I talk alone, repeat etc

[@eugeneproff5404]

@@Tehui1974 Are you talking about reading only? How do you deal with speaking?

[@Tehui1974]

@@eugeneproff5404 I do lots of reading and listening a day. I probably do more listening, as I can do that when I'm exercising in the gym and listening to podcasts or when I'm commuting between home and work. I'm currently exploring opportunities to increase my time speaking with others, as it's not as strong as my listening and reading skills.

[@johnirvin5582]

Two of the Best!!! They have had the most influence on me on my new 3 month old journey of learning a language. Thank You Both!!!

[@Sunshine-rq1ow]

Love both Olly and Steve! Always watch both of them.

[@storylearning]

Thanks Nat!

[@daygordon-wint6369]

I am really enjoying your Spanish short stories with audio, Olly. Find them quite interesting! Keep up the good works!

[@sk8_bort]

The part about grammar was super spot on!

[@elderhiker7787]

Fantastic discussion and spot on other your observations and conclusions. This reason that I am watching this specific video is that I am in the position of eagerly encouraging my grandchildren in their school-based language learning. In their case that is Spanish and German which, by coincidence, are the same two languages this I studied in school. I have watched a ton of language learning videos on KZbin and have filtered out the “wheat from the chaff”…I think. I very much like LINQ app for all of the functionality that is embedded within and I also like the story-based approach for the diversity that it has. Additionally, there are a plethora of Spanish language programs on TV and KZbin, so I plan to use those as well. My goal is two-fold: to create a supportive environment for my grandchildren and to enrich my own life by opening a world of experience that is closed to me now. They scary part, however, is taking the language into actual conversations. It is easy to memorize phrases and sentences from language books that are written for tourists. But, understanding the responses that are spoken at double-speed is a challenge. Final question: how does a language learner ramp-up to conversation speed using books and apps?

[@MDobri-sy1ce]

I used buy the old Living Language sets that you could buy at a bookstore in high school. I used to save up my allowances to afford them. They did get boring and a bit dry button worked as long as I was consistent.

[@APlusRussian]

2:33 - wow, as a fellow KZbinr, I just LOVED hearing all the details about your set up for this interview 🤓 Also, I've been building up _my own_ STORYTELLING muscle in the past few lessons I posted - inspired by Olly 💪

[@storylearning]

Very cool!

[@augustsong5861]

Hi，Steve. Hello from California. Can you make a video to show us how do you study？Maybe you can record when you are reading or listening to show us some details when you study. I think those details will be helpful for us. Thank you.

[@pedroglucas02]

Up

[@Thelinguist]

I'm going to give some thought to how to do this. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@过客-g4c]

@@Thelinguist 我感觉学语言最大问题不行动，什么方法只要坚持下去都会有效果。

[@stevencarr4002]

Those 30 day challenge story books for Spanish grammar are really up my street. I think they are great.

[@gringoglot]

Two giants of the polyglot world!!!

[@MDobri-sy1ce]

My first foreign language was also French. It’s mandatory in Canada 2-6 I think. However, I hated it growing up because when am I ever going to use it but now I am thankful as an adult that I had to take French. Not because every language is exactly, “the same “ but what to expect in the language learning process.

[@steveb851]

@Olly Richards talks about the grammar challenges comparing the Spanish past tenses, which I think is a great idea and I thought it would be great to have this with Russian (or other Slavic languages) perfective/imperfective verbs as I’m sure they drive most learners insane.

[@brianmitchell2202]

Olly has a russian version of grammar hero, although I don't know exactly what the contents are since I'm not learning a slavic language currently. It seems to cover Verb Aspects (Perfective vs. Imperfective), ​Verbs of Motion, Verbal Prefixes, and ​Prepositions and the cases they trigger according to the sales page.

[@steveb851]

Yeah I have seen it but I like the idea of the 30 day challenge and concentrating on a particular issue for a month.

[@michaelrespicio5683]

I kind of wish there were more details on what these stories are about. Maybe offering a sample like the first chapter for free or something like that might be nice. Unless the stories were too short to explain what the synopsis was, I suppose that it understandable, but having some kind of easy-to-access reference would still be nice so we know what to expect. Truth be told, I'm writing a story of my own that is meant for beginners of a certain language. The problem with short stories (in general) for language learning purposes is that they are (more often than not) boring cliches about, for instance, a guy who wakes up at 6am, goes to work and comes back home to eat and sleep. They tend to fail at retainingthe audience's attention all the way through. My story is full-fledged with character development; quality over quantity. The best stories, in my opinion, are the ones that establish an emotional connection with the characters which I try to encorporate while at the same time allowing the readers time to learn and grow accustommed to the language through context and repetition. The characters, I would argue, are the most important and valuable part of any story. They are the catalyst of the story; how the events unfold depends on their actions and words. Writing a story that accomplishes that requires a lot of creativity which not many people seem to possess if I'm being honest, but establishing an emotional connection with the characters is what makes the story memorable; as the author, you want the audience to remember the story AND the characters, not just use them as a means to an end. Sure the point is to learn a language but my message is that the audience can learn better if the story is actually relevant and enjoyable. If it's too short, the intended impact these stories are supposed to have are not as strong as they should be

[@Thelinguist]

If you want to see in detail what the mini-stories consist of, sign up to learn Ukrainian, which is free. All the mini-stories have English translation or at least translation in your language.

[@peterwosny1104]

I would stress the point of Steve, that it would be great to have a grammar aid/practice for an higher level. I wouldn‘t made this point only for foreign languages. Think about your mother tongue. How many people do you know, who make constant mistakes while writing in their mother tongue, even if they are regular reader. I think there is a functional point after which you don‘ t pick up special rules because the cases don‘t show up often enough.

[@eeeee323]

☺️👏😃¡Estoy emocionada¡ Un video con dos personas a las que admiro ☺️

[@benjackson7872]

Igual

[@tetsuyakurahashi4654]

単語暗記や文法を以前はしていましたが（単語帳で三冊分覚えた）、今はLingQで多読多聴をし始め、2週間が経ちました。もうすでに独り言をある程度できるようになりました！スピーキングの練習は一切してません。インプット仮説が正しいのかと思います！これからもLingQ使い続けて語学勉強を楽しみます！スティーブンさんありがとうm(_ _)m

[@Thelinguist]

続けて楽しく勉強してください。

[@austin4768]

The video ends rather abruptly - is there going to be a part 2?

[@Thelinguist]

Yes, next week.

[@austin4768]

@@Thelinguist Looking forward to it!

[@pierreabbat6157]

What two audio programs are opposites? Audacity and TiMidity.

[@PippyPets]

Nice video. 👍

[@scottm2683]

Such a fan of these two guys!

[@storylearning]

Cheers Scott!

[@komoru]

It seems like the interview was too short and cut off at the end

[@ihavenoname6724]

I've read the short stories in German.

[@gabrielevert1513]

Hey Steve, I don't know if you already mentioned this in a previous video but do you think listening to large amounts of music in the target language is a good idea instead of podcasts? I'm trying to learn neapolitan and there are many great songs in the language and I stay more entertained/ focused with songs rather than podcasts/ videos so that's why I'm wondering.

[@Thelinguist]

If you mean songs, I'm sure that is a good language source if you like these songs. The vocabulary might be a little limited, but why not.

[@awxangel6781]

While they have their limitations, I found songs a really approachable way to get into some languages. Depending on the type of music you pick, you'll see some similar vocabulary a lot which will help you become familiar with some basic words. They also lend themselves naturally well to repetition, and listening repeatedly is great

[@carlo7503]

The problem with his books is that they are too much short !

[@michaelrespicio5683]

If the stories are too short, I can definitely see why that can be a downside. Short stories generally fail to keep the audiences interested. I'm writing my own story for learners of a certain language and mine is full-fledged with character development. From my experience as a writer, I've learned that the characters are THE most important aspect of any story since the narrative is essentially told through them; their actions and words. The best stories are the ones that typically develop an emotional connection between the characters and the audience which I aim to do while making it educational. A story about a guy named Jimmy who wakes up at 6am, goes to work, returns to eat and sleep is not the most exciting thing to read.

[@YogaBlissDance]

Steve the intro bit on tech stuff was way too long...please think of your audiences need...Loved the actual conversation. Your setup is fine, you stopped the odd backdrop, and then the blur background and got rid of the disco mic. Keep it simple. Usually your videos are engaging in content and to the point right from the get go. I appreciate what you do.

[@reygiez.remando8429]

I don't see any problem about it. Since Im also genuinely interested about their set up

[@priyatishan8397]

You do have the option to forward wind.

[@clairegittens3707]

The video name is misleading. “Technology in Languages” or something similar would have better represented it.

[@Thelinguist]

I think there are people who are interested in making KZbin videos themselves and are interested in the technologies used by different people. Not every video is going to appeal to everyone.

[@Tehui1974]

What a rude comment to make. If you're not interested, simply skip the segment or go watch something else.

[@ullinhope3866]

Hey, does anyone know the Jordanian KZbin channel with the Flintstones on Legatine Arabic? Trying to find suitable material for my five year old son.

[@Thelinguist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h366fIWrmMp8hq8 might be too difficult for a five-year-old though

[@ullinhope3866]

@@Thelinguist you're probably right. But it might be something to work towards.

[@ullinhope3866]

@@Thelinguist thanks for all you do 👍

[@manfredneilmann4305]

Flintstones on *Levantine Arabic

[@Jamesulchip]

WORLDS ARE COLLIDING!

[@joseluismaranonbenavides170]

Me gustaría preguntarle a Steve cómo se puede aprender una lengua extranjera en Perú, el inglés es tal vez un caso especial.

[@razorrabone4098]

Hi Steve - did you know Ехо Москвы radio has been cancelled in Russia. I’m really dismayed about this. Can you recommend any other similar useful sources ? I know you used this to help with Russian

[@Thelinguist]

I'm not aware of any similar source of interviews. You can find old ones audio and text at LingQ.

[@razorrabone4098]

@@Thelinguist Thanks Steve - I’ve nearly completed my first year in Russian on LingQ

[@Thelinguist]

Check out the Russian LingQ podcasts

[@eugeneboichuk]

👍

[@eugeneproff5404]

So the only argument you have in favor of reading paper books - is there's less distraction? I'm not buying even that. Distraction is not a problem innate to digital reading it's a question of your ability to concentrate. Personally, I prefer digital reading any time. It's faster and cheaper to get an e-book, it is easier to get a definition of an unknown word, it's more convenient to carry about, it saves the place you use for book storage, it saves trees for Christ's sake!

[@behnamjohnson7518]

That would be much better if their argument was the fact that digital reading can do harm to your eyes!!

[@laramelek]

i agree now that our world digital , i stopped buying books i just use services like kindle and audible or other PDF ones

[@eugeneproff5404]

@@behnamjohnson7518 Any extensive reading would do harm to your eyes, no matter digital or not. And, actually, using right devices can be safer for your eyes then paper reading.

[@behnamjohnson7518]

@@eugeneproff5404 What are the right devices to keep your eyes safer?

[@michaelrespicio5683]

I agree with the OP. The world is evolving and paper books are becoming a thing of the past. Just about the only people who consume paper books nowadays are the ones who just happen to have them and there is no digital version, or students reading textbooks. I don't know anybody who reads, for instance, newspapers anymore when we can find news quicker on TV or online for free. When you see people in public transit, how often do you see someone holding a book? I don't know about you but I hardly ever see that anymore. Physical books are also costly to print AND distribute compared to online distribution which is mostly free. Besides you always have the option to place the screen down and take a break.

[@_sparrowhawk]

Unfollowing until LingQ improves their account cancellation policies. Seems like they're scamming users.

[@michaelrespicio5683]

If you used LingQ, I have a question about it. What exactly is it they offer that is so revolutionary? I don't want to talk down to the system, I just sincerely have no idea what it is that makes it worth the money. I know it revolves around input but this strategy can be implemented for free with some resourcefulness online. I've done it with a few languages and right now doing it with Icelandic which I realize has been made available recently. I've been learning it for a while and have not needed to spend any money for it or any other language so I don't plan on switching just to pay for something I've been doing for free. Also kind of a turn-off that it takes forever to add new languages so yeah. Thanks in advance

[@_sparrowhawk]

@@michaelrespicio5683 I am a paying member - essentially it allows you to read in foreign languages - and as you go from basic to intermediate to advanced, you build a vocabulary list. What LingQ owns in a nifty tech and dictionary tool that allows you to classify words as either NEW, LEARNING, or KNOWN... Over time you read more and more advanced texts. One of the cool features they often brag about is importing captions from KZbin videos (eg. in Spanish), which works well. I read one article per day.

[@michaelrespicio5683]

@@_sparrowhawk Oh okay, I think I'm starting to get it, but what do you mean my them scamming users, if I may ask? Sounds concerning

[@LetoDK]

@@michaelrespicio5683 I think M R is likely referring to the fact that LingQ will delete all of you data if you cancel your membership, so no taking a break etc., because when you return, you will have to start all over. I would like to add that on top of this the site is way too buggy and unintuitive to justify the price. Additionally, they use the "secretly constantly on discount" system to create a sense of urgency for new potential customers - I practice that is literally against the law in my country.

[@michaelrespicio5683]

@@LetoDK Wow I can imagine. Honestly, I don't have as much time to invest in language learning as I did before so I don't think I'd get the money's worth if I only use it sometimes. Besides, I already have a method that works for my lifestyle and target language. Where are you from by the way?

[@bacontf2]

Don't use LingQ the cancellation process is deliberately complicated to discourage you from unsubscribing, it's not worth your money

[@Aliraza10107]

LingQ is the best resource out there . Please Don’t discourage new people.

[@bacontf2]

@@Aliraza10107 I really doubt that but my comment wasn't about the quality of the service itself, it's that they make it incredibly difficult to stop paying them money when you no longer want to

[@michaelrespicio5683]

If you used LingQ, I have a question about it. What exactly is it they offer that is so revolutionary? I don't want to talk down to the system, I just sincerely have no idea what it is that makes it worth the money. I know it revolves around input but this strategy can be implemented for free with some resourcefulness online. I've done it with a few languages and right now doing it with Icelandic which I realize has been made available recently. I've been learning it for a while and have not needed to spend any money for it or any other language so I don't plan on switching just to pay for something I've been doing for free. Also kind of a turn-off that it takes forever to add new languages so yeah. Thanks in advance

[@Aliraza10107]

@@michaelrespicio5683 well for starters I can look up every word while I read in the app . I don’t want to look up every new word by opening up a dictionary app or a physical one if you prefer , as it’ll take a lot of my time and will make reading boring . Also I can hear the words and the whole lessons in my target language which is good for listening comprehension. Not to mention I can literally read my favorite shows from Netflix and KZbin in my target language by importing them into LingQ , which I can’t otherwise do so without it .

[@bacontf2]

@@michaelrespicio5683 It does have some merit in that it essentially makes immersion a little bit more convenient, in that sense you're paying for a slightly streamlined experience to be fair but I don't think it's anything revolutionary. Trying to be fair here but obviously I have issues with the company so take that into account & what the other commenter said.

[@muazdil9463]

Hay tanta publicidad en el vídeo que da verdadero asco ver el vídeo, una pena.

[@ExploreBC79]

You need a haircut, Steve.

[@rayword2794]

@lingosteve There is a great podcast for Spanish grammar called Hoy Hablamos Gramática

[@peterwosny1104]

I would stress the point of Steve, that it would be great to have a grammar aid/practice for an higher level. I wouldn‘t made this point only for foreign languages. Think about your mother tongue. How many people do you know, who make constant mistakes while writing in their mother tongue, even if they are regular reader. I think there is a functional point after which you don‘ t pick up special rules because the cases don‘t show up often enough.