Why learning languages in 2024 is just NOT worth it

[@Thelinguist]

📲 The app I use to learn languages: bit.ly/43DMEPx 🆓 My 10 FREE secrets to language learning: bit.ly/3vyeCj4 ❓Was I able to convince you to give up? Let me know in the comments!

[@BoxerBoy-gs8eq]

Even as a joke, I think what you said was very serious. I thought a lot about it and it is true. Translators in our devices are very good nowdays and will keep getting better. There really is no point to knowing a language in a few years. That is why I am going to quit my hobby of language learning. Thanks for enlightning me Steve! It's April 1st by the way.

[@DrDavidThor]

You got me. I should have been more wary on April 1st.

[@thiagoleonelsoto3592]

I understand the point and it is good to have worries before starting to learn a new language. If you don't need it for a job or to live in a country where people only speaks that objective language, you have to be really sure about your reasons of your study. Talking about me, I do it because it is a very healthy habit and i have fun learning japanese. I lose nothing, but maybe i just win entertainment. I prefer doing this than playing videogames. Finally, i think there is a lot of time left before you can talk and understand in real time with people, not being dangerous. In conclusion, if you don't need a language, and you can't find a way to enjoy learning, you shouldn't bother learning, but if you do like it or need it, it is a very good idea to begin this healthy habit.

[@thiagoleonelsoto3592]

oh, i just realize it is april...

[@faith9505]

The Winning Side The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time. -Psalm 34:19 From the moment we come into this life, there are all kinds of troubles. Life is filled with challenges, and it seems as though when you have one problem finally resolved, three more take its place. In fact, the Bible says, “People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire” (Job 5:7) Some people may say that if you accept Jesus Christ, then all your troubles will go away. The implication is that if you become a Christian, then your problems will be gone. On one hand that’s true, because when you become a true follower of Jesus, many troubles do go away. The issues of an ever-present guilt, an emptiness in your life, and the fear of what happens beyond the grave are resolved. But in all fairness, other troubles start once you give your life to the Lord. The moment you decide to follow Jesus Christ and seek to do the right thing, the devil will do everything that He can to stop you. But you also need to know that God is far more powerful than the devil. And God will do everything He can to strengthen you. You are on the winning side. That doesn’t mean you aren’t going to be tempted. It doesn’t mean you aren’t going to face hardships or that you won’t have obstacles in your life. But it does mean that you will ultimately get through these things with the help and power of God. When the disciples were afraid, Jesus gave them some words of assurance to bring calm to their anxious hearts. He said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1) We could also translate this to say, “Don’t be agitated or disturbed or thrown into confusion.” Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to mull over their problems. Instead, He told them not to be troubled. He was saying there are reasons to be troubled in life, but there is a greater reason not to be. Yes, we have all kinds of troubles in our lives: health troubles, family troubles, relationship troubles, and financial troubles. Things don’t go the way that we hoped they would go. And there are times in our lives when things happen that we just don’t understand. Why did God do a certain thing? Or why did God not do a certain thing? When I don’t understand something about God, I try to always fall back on what I do understand. I understand that God loves me and that He’s looking out for me with my best interests in mind. I do understand that no matter what happens, He will get me through it. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. There is no addiction so strong that He cannot free someone from it. And there is no problem so complex that He cannot unravel it. There is no hope without God. But with Him, you have all the hope that you ever will need.

[@GerardMenvussa]

Why learn a foreign language when you could just kidnap Steve and force him to translate for you? Work smart, not hard (ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง

[@jhoansebastianmirandamonzo3935]

You're super genious

[@KS-zb2yq]

Made my day 🎉🤣

[@travishurst2242]

That would definitely be harder than it would smart. He already learned Cthuluan so he'd prolly just summon something to ruin your life

[@MrLeeSensei]

best comment here

[@grapesofmath1539]

Ah yes, a fellow Lenny fan ( ͡° ͜^ ͡°)

[@Mohammed.HJaber]

"If you read well , people will get jealous at you , if you read badly , they'll laugh at you " So true .

[@Tamake872]

So screw people, nothing good comes out of this

[@anemonotogen]

No.

[@13hehe]

I read well in french class and this is true. people look at me with soul-less dead looks in their face when they speak their anglo french.,\..

[@merelynominal]

​@@13hehe Ikrrr. My classmates think I'm an insanely good TTS machine when I'm reading in my English class. Although some of them can't even read properly in their native language.

[@Br4nd0nS4n7os1995]

​@@13heheSe llama vivir en un mundo competitivo

[@LanguageSimp]

I agree completely. Language learning is a huge waste of time these days.

[@raylinjimenez4896]

A fallen hero

[@obedalexiscano]

Yooo hahaha I just came from your videos hahaha 😂

[@doslittleduendes2569]

Cuando vas a continuar tus lecciones de vasco? Duolingo is waiting

[@raylinjimenez4896]

Ahora me acuerdo que pude poner el comentario en español porque este man lo habla 🗿

[@serberus7778]

The gigachad u.u

[@hiramdouglaswilliams705]

It's kind of like saying " Why should I go hiking or jogging, I can just in a car and go there."

[@mrBlue3000]

"Why fly a kite when I can just pop a pill?"

[@CCTVinoperation-01]

“Why have a baby when you can just have a doll?”

[@miloradowicz]

​@@CCTVinoperation-01 more like "why give birth, when you can adopt".

[@CCTVinoperation-01]

@@miloradowicz yeah that sounds better XD I wrote that reply pretty late so my brain doesn’t think most of the time

[@blacksheepassignment]

Why live healthy if there are pills

[@amesstoday]

Thanks for the April fools joke.

[@jordendarrett1725]

I get it now 🤣

[@Haeunlluvshii]

I thought it was real

[@jorgegmp33]

oh gosh....yept..and I wrote a long text...lmao

[@koshka02]

almost fell for it

[@DrDavidThor]

I fell for it.

[@yusuferdogan9715]

Language learning benefits: Enhanced cognitive abilities: Improved memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills. Boosted career prospects: Increased job opportunities and earning potential. Greater cultural understanding: Appreciation for different cultures, perspectives, and customs. Improved travel experiences: Seamless communication and deeper connections with locals. Personal growth: Expanded horizons, increased confidence, and a sense of accomplishment. Greetings from Türkiye

[@muhammedmustafa1558]

It is very important to study and to aquire foreign languages. I do not agree with the theme of this presentation.

[@globaltech075]

I have been trying to learn turkce for the last 2 weeks and it's my passion

[@CrankCase08]

You didn't mention that it also helps prevent Alzheimer's disease.

[@caledoniantours220]

Also, you get more insight into your own culture by experiencing other cultures.

[@camilapalmeida]

I was getting so sad and unmotivated while watching my polyglot idol saying that it wasn't worth it until you say the last sentence of the video! You got me on that one! 😅

[@josephqu579]

I have no motivation anymore, and I don’t want to continue learning foreign languages. I feel that learning foreign languages ​​is really useless.

[@Jeffrey-g8d]

Still, nothing he said wasn't true, although these are things I believe most language learners have long since considered.

[@emrd27]

@@josephqu579 isnt useless if it makes you happy. (and if we notably ignore thousands of beneficts besides happiness)

[@rihana_1604]

​@@josephqu579 the only way to language learn effectively is to have a keen interest in it . If you don't like it you won't be able to do it

[@snowangelnc]

@@Jeffrey-g8d Yeah. It would have been a lot easier to take this as the joke that it's meant to be if all of those points that he made weren't in fact legitimate.

[@kkarx]

Your friend should not worry. I get refused even in my own language. 😁

[@Thelinguist]

Yes but the likelihood of making a contact is higher if we can speak the language rather than stumbling with a phone. I can tell you using my iPhone when my wife and I were in Vietnam only worked in emergencies.

[@mh5854]

i like learning languages, and in my country if u know arabic and english there is no way that u will not find a job at all@@Thelinguist

[@californianorma876]

LOL. I figured, yeah, a jerk is a jerk no matter the language! 😂😂😂 Maybe she just did not want to be bothered!!!

[@Kielimies]

Because Some People aren't into honesty and straightforwardness.

[@hulumneger7083]

@@Thelinguist I found about you today . You motivated me ,thank you

[@alex10291]

Damn I was like Steve gave up on life 😅

[@Kender591]

😂

[@Tehui1974]

🤣🤣

[@aasonly]

😂😅😅

[@r_ramon]

😅😅😅😂

[@dhavamaneeganesh2147]

😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@pumpkinsandme6238]

My kids started learning Mandarin 6 years ago. Last year my daughter competed in the Chinese Bridge Chinese Competition for fun. She wound up winning an all-expenses paid trip for her and myself to China to compete there. We had an amazing time and she won first for the Americas. Doors open when you know another language that you never expected. And we've made so many friends on the way, been exposed to a whole new culture, and my children are learning to have empathy, perseverance, and to think in new ways.

[@nendoakuma7451]

Wow, that is fantastic. Congratulations to your daughter.

[@Giovanni-Learning-and-Stuff]

That's inspirational, thank you : )

[@hayabusa1329]

Are you Chinese Americans

[@hayabusa1329]

Are you guys Chinese Americans

[@nendoakuma7451]

@@hayabusa1329you can check out her channel

[@senco445]

After seeing the title and the person who posted it, I suddenly decided to throw the Russian book I was just using every bit of my brain cells to comprehend and read out of the window to the very depths of hell and finally yell from the heart "Freedom". Until I saw the date. Steve is a monster.

[@lapkrit]

I swear I was going to sleep when I saw this video pop up and almost had a heart attack. I watched the whole video, contemplating the years I've spent on language learning Normally I don't get bothered by someone else's words, but I have so much respect for Steve's knowledge and approach to language learning, that I not only 100% believed every word in this video, but also felt like a part of my soul left me I hope i have nightmares about this video tonight.

[@anires1195]

@@lapkrit you do know that the video is a joke right.

[@wolfstadt_]

@@lapkrit April fools!

[@heyyy1325]

Hahahah I'm Russian! Good luck with learning that... even I myself don't know the full alphabet or grammatical rules 💀

[@victorbimantara4258]

He got me as well 😂

[@Lovely_xiao_ai]

Yesterday, I really wanted to give up, but this morning, I set a schedule. I'll definitely not give up😊 I just needed motivation

[@chaoslanguagelearning]

Get up, stand up, don't give up the fight! Remember? 😊

[@tamilsk2670]

you gave up now?

[@thomasitataylor6450]

I had an excellent high school Latin teacher and an excellent high school French teacher. 40 years later, I went to French speaking Switzerland and Paris, France and the natives were able to understand me in French. What a wonderful experience!

[@BijuuMike]

very motivational thank you so much for finally giving it to us straight Steve.

[@Arthonika]

Mike?! Let me guess you're trying to learn Japanese?

[@ericcsuf]

I've found learning Norwegian has been about as useful and fun as when I trained to run my first marathon at 58. Worthless in day to day life and exhausting. But I loved every minute of both accomplishments. I'm 80+ now and can no longer run marathons or even 5K's, but I can still exercise my most important "muscle". My brain. I continue to study Norwegian and have added Spanish to the mix. I live in So Cal so Spanish might actually be useful, but that's not why I'm doing it. Thanks for the videos and thanks for LingQ, Steve.

[@Marllang]

hvordan går det med norsken din?, blitt noe bedre?.

[@maschmek]

I feel ya, man. I started learning Swedish a year ago and I'm sixty. Even if I go to Sweden (been there once) you can't convince Swedes not to switch to English. So why do I learn it? Because it's interesting and fun. Statistics tables tell me I have 259 months left to live. Can I figure out how to spend some time there in that expensive country after retirement? Mebbe. Doubtful. But it's about being able to say, Hey, did you know that in Swedish this is called that, or that the Dutch word is almost the same, or this expression is almost exactly like English... Jag önskar dig lycka. Og jeg ønsker deg lykke.

[@spraguesean]

Dark thoughts 😂 but in my case, having conversations in three languages other than English (French, Spanish and Russian) every morning for about an hour, thanks to the free language sharing site Tandem, and being 77 years old, retired and in the demographic perhaps most at risk from dementia, I must say that switching between languages and learning new vocabulary in all of them has sharpened my mind and given me a more positive attitude. Best way to start the day!

[@georgesonm1774]

That's just masturbatory. Why not congratulate yourself immediately so that you don't have to go through the whole ordeal? just kidding :) , congratulations on your accomplishments, and good luck on many others!

[@rcyadav9746]

When I will die u will get magic magic of no hope

[@lapkrit]

Thank you, Steve! This came just in time. I've realised I've been spending too much time staring at my screen learning German and Swedish. It's really unhealthy for my mental health and it worsens my attention span. So I'm officially quitting wasting my time on language learning and instead gonna go get a degree in rocket science! I hope other people open their eyes to this modern plague of language learning that corrupts our children 🙏

[@egmccare]

Today is April fool’s day! 😂 🙏

[@borntobesaint3733]

that video is a very excellent point. I think that learning must be doing wisely not stupid, with no waste of time and with the pleasure . frist question what this language will give me? is it useful for me? will I ever use it? if I won't use it, because nobody speaks it, and I won't use it for me ( e.g. this infoirmation isn't in my native language, than I must learn another language), than I won't learn this language. that's why I will never ever learn national language what speaks only one nation with few million people like danish, swedish (exept this situation if I want to live in in Sweden (not only 2 weeks holiday), that I must learn swedish, or my best forein bisnes partner is swedish or sth like that. It isn't in my reality, it is only an example). this why I will learn only the languages what are the most spoken in the world and in how many countries. I won't learn languages like japanese, chinese, arabic, hindi, because I won't use it, this is second question is this language is very hard and will able to learn it easily? or at least very hard and with very much time, but will I able to do it? and will other people understand me? learning language must give pleasure and not bad fellings. being frustrated and very tired is not the pleasure, this is bad feeling. life is hard enough, so that's no point to be more frustrated and very tired. frist, the writing system. that's why I will never learn chineese and japaneese. I don't have much time to waste. and I won't even able to remember theese characters. second, tonal language, I will never learn the tonal language. third, the grammatics, fourth the pronucision. and I'm not the person, who cannot speak forein language and who doesn't like learning languages. on the contary, I'm bilingual, I can speak forein language, this is english for me and I come from Poland. I was able to learn language, as you can see. I used to speak german good, but I forgot a lot of german. I've always had a lot of fun to learn languages. and what's more I want to learn more languages. this must be languages what are very popular and very widely (to use it), and easy (to be not frustrated and very tired and to have fun and pleasure). for me this will be english, french, spanish, than german, portugal. these are language are frist to learn for everybody in the world (except the situation when there is a need to learn another language like moving to another country to live, specific job etc) I am going to learn english (to be fluent) and french (I never learned it). after that I will learn maybe german and maybe spanish (or maybe not, I think probably not). after that maybe portugal, and that's it.

[@lapkrit]

@@borntobesaint3733 man you really had an emotional rant here. I hope it helped you to clear some of your thoughts. Whatever is your reason for learning, just go with it and never restrict yourself to anything specific. If you wanna learn x language because of music, literature, entertainment or just to communicate with more people- whatever works for you dude. Like you said, just have fun with it

[@swerv7728]

The sad thing is that ALOT of people think like this, I USE TO THINK THIS. Now language Learning is my favorite hobby and I have a mexican girlfriend who I never would have met if not going through the journey of learning spanish :)

[@edmondpiffard2771]

Haha! Good one! Steve you inspired me to learn five languages during Covid. Now learning five more and I won’t stop till I die. Most fun Ive ever had. The salient message from you that I took to heart was that if you’re motivated and take the time you will get there. Forever thankful for your inspiration .

[@georgesonm1774]

He had you fooled from day 1, this can never amount to anything but a huge waste of time.. good he's finally admitted to it Just kidding of course ;)

[@ingela_injeela]

Five?! Which ones?

[@edmondpiffard2771]

@@ingela_injeela High German, Low German (from Schleswig Holstein), French, Spanish, Dutch, and Swedish.

[@ingela_injeela]

@@edmondpiffard2771 Inte dåligt! 🇸🇪👍

[@siahfishin5295]

@@edmondpiffard2771 hwo the fuck did u learn 5 languages just over covid time? lol

[@esmirnaaulasdeturco6880]

I am a Turkish teacher, I always tell to my students; "ok, you may use your phone as a translater but when the battery goes off what will you do?, or you go to a dentist how do you explain your problem while you are sitting on the chair without a phone?" Learning a language needs time and patience but gives you a freedom when you visit the country which language you learnt. My wife is a Brazilian, she teaches Portuguese to foreigners, I have been still learning this language. Learning a languange is endless, like swimming in an ocean. Every minute or day or hour you learn something.

[@shahidabbas8601]

I agree with you from Pakistan

[@chaoslanguagelearning]

The fact that Steve quoted this Chinese parable (which he most probably learned it in Chinese) proves learning languages is worth it. :)

[@shahlabadel8628]

exactly!

[@georgesonm1774]

I heard the parable years ago and don't speak a word in Mandarin. Which proves that learning languages is way overrated - studying parables and metaphysics is a much better use of your limited time

[@Mamoona-fw8ty]

Long live PAK CHINA friendship !

[@Marinaxp1]

I read that parable in Russian a few years ago :)

[@NathanDudani]

​@@georgesonm1774 lol

[@wastingtimeop]

With AI and upcoming translation apps (live and nearly perfect), soon there will be no pressing need to speak another language. However, it is not the same as chatting to people in their language. People almost always appreciate it and you can make friends easier. Knowing the language also helps to understand the culture. It is really hard to really understand a culture really well, without knowing the language. For me, it is a hobby, it is fun most of the time and satisfying once you reach a certain point. I will keep on studying. But, for practical communication it won't really be needed in a few years. It is also probably become less common for people to speak other languages due to this.

[@NeonBeeCat]

everyone should learn languages not because they have to but because they want to

[@sorenpx]

Using a translation app may be practical in certain brief situations but there will never be a time when friends are going to sit around having long conversations like that. If you want to actually talk to people and not just exchange a few brief phrases, you will need to share a language with them.

[@rcyadav9746]

Can I speak wrong english means

[@BugJuiceFlavor]

AI isn't going to save you on the fly from horrible context or cultural understanding. Locals will give far more respect if you're learning the local language or another language they also understand.

[@wastingtimeop]

@@BugJuiceFlavor Agree. Culture understanding, respect from the locals as you said and convenience. I love studying and learning languages and plan to continue once it is not really needed per se anymore. In the future it will become odd to many people why we learn other languages once full translation real translation becomes widespread and used in work and travel by even one.

[@japanesefromzero]

This got me... I was ready to make a rebuttal video telling you all why Steve was wrong. I kept waiting for Steve to turn around and talk about the joys of learning or something, but it never came... this was VERY convincing. Good job Steve!

[@Venganza_]

thank you for this wonderful message steve! i have been preaching the benefits of giving up and resigning oneself to total failure and inadequacy for years!!! great to see this glorious truth be spread further :D

[@Gusteam_ofc]

Exercising your brain is one of the pillars for a happy and healthy life!

[@kadirkaratas8081]

STEVE! I FORGOT WHAT DAY IT WAS!! You freaking got me after a long day at work !

[@EdifyGodsKingdom]

On your point about natives replying in English. What I've discovered, is it depends on the native speaker. I'm fluent in German [Learned it whilst stationed in Germany for 5 years], but when I speak German to Germans here in the states, they reply in English. I called on out on this once, and she told me most Germans - especially those who now live here - want to hone their English skills. She complimented me on my German, and revealed that she as confident in her English as she'd like to be. I also speak conversant Mexican Spanish, and when I speak it with native speakers, they ALWAYS respond in Spanish. I guess I'm trying to say that it is annoying when native speakers respond in English when we native English speakers make the effort to speak their language, but rarely is it because the native foreign language speaker is trying to be rude. Great video.

[@Thelinguist]

It depends on how well we speak as well. But the speaker of the language we are learning has every right to practice their English. We can also insist on using the language we are learning.

[@wesleyoverton1145]

1:37 it's over for non bilinguals, you all need to start language maxxing, but you can only mew while doing comprehensible input, so delay speaking so you can mew more.

[@BigdaddyDalaodie]

I think that language learning is still very satisfying, especially when you finally make some progress, just like beating a video game. And in this era, we all live in our own information cage; learning a different language could help us understand our world better.

[@maxmust-dw1mu]

The secret to learning a language successfully is to invest €100,000 in learning materials

[@There_Is_No_Spoon]

🤣

[@روانميرغني]

😅I was shocked when I saw the title at first glance

[@anires1195]

bro was not already prepared for today! 💀

[@muhinyi]

We should learn languages not only to communicate with others but to enrich our souls. Language learning transcends mere social interaction, offering a deeper connection to culture, thought, and self-expression

[@canadagood]

Even though it is April 1st, I half agree with what you say here. I have travelled the world and it is very useful to know the basics of the local lingo. One should be able to say please and thank-you, ask the price of things and puzzle out the names of places on local sign posts and station names. At that point you have perhaps learned 10% of the local language. But anything past that, until you study for years and are fully fluent is almost useless. I have studied French for years. I can slowly read the front page of the newspaper and I can ask directions to the nearest hotel; but I can hardly discuss why there is a railway strike this week, what school students are reading or why the girl at the next table is smiling. (Unless of course I am lucky to meet a local who speaks English well). In the last year, I have studied four different languages on Duolingo. Though I am confident that the local people I might meet in France, Spain, Indonesia and Japan would appreciate my efforts at being polite, I am afraid that almost anyone that I meet in a forward-facing hospitality position will speak English far better than I will ever speak their language.

[@motte5962]

Bonjour 🇫🇷 I am French and appreciate every bit of French you can use! It's all about motivation and need. If you want a little and know a little, fine. If you are passionate about something, you will acquire a lot. No stress. Native speakers should accept you wherever you are at!

[@foolmoron]

People often describe this dichotomy between simple sentences and deeper sentences, but it's kinda wrong. If you can say "I would like 2 chocolate croissants" then you can also say "I would like more money", and so you CAN discuss the railway strike. You can really discuss a ton of deep topics with simple grammar and the 100 most common words, if you're willing to forego some nuance. But that's okay - your croissant ordering isn't as nuanced as your native language either.

[@darthyall841]

I was scared when I read the title, but then I saw the upload date. 😂

[@rumpelstiltskin9768]

To your point, years ago in the Japanese newspaper, there was a story of this foreign woman (American, I think) who arrived in Japan, marvelled at the culture and wanted to communicate with the locals, so she spent years studying the language only to find out that no one was saying anything important.

[@uwe1969]

Don't learn swimming. Just drink the water you are already in.

[@user-iy8kt8sf5k]

Even though this video was posted on that special day, that was an honor for me to be able to see your darker moments, to see you, not only as a language guru but as a realistic and even pessimistic person. I love that Chinese story as well. I am now more than motivated to learn languages, because I could enjoy it in English, which is your mother tongue and my first foreign language. I was born on April 1st by the way and this was a great present from you, thank you Steve.

[@SanderIwase]

Amazing way to use April 1st, Steve. I felt relieved at the end of the video 😅

[@BobHill-s2c]

What wasn't worth it...the 2:07 minutes before I switched it off. I'm learning one-on-one on Preply. Progressing really well in one of the hardest languages.

[@Chtigga]

Good one Steve!

[@berenyiandre2040]

Sir Steve, I'm sorry to hear your aguments. I'm convinced language learning is great and worth, it can change our lives. In fact it has changed mine when I studied Hungarian. I succeeded to learn Hungarian: you can make friends and carry on your career abroad. Your videos are great. Thanks, have a great day. Andre BERENYI English language trainer based in France.

[@heinrichvon]

Good one, Steve... with some serious food for thought embedded in there.

[@syater]

This post is that slight push at the right time that has made me realize I've been wasting my time all these years. I can't actually remember why I thought it was good idea to begin with. So thank you. I feel set free.

[@michaelsmith4904]

On a more serious note, I have myself wondered if learning languages is worth it, although for a different reason - one you sort of touched on in the video, and that is technology. If I learn a new language now, what happens if in 5 years we have a "universal translator" which renders learning other languages obsolete? It's already possible, as you alluded to with the iphone example, to translate to (and from!) other languages with a device you can carry everywhere with you. You can even have your device listen to someone speak another language and translate it into your own. The only drawback is that it's not quite fast enough - yet. There is extra friction - going through this intermediary device which doesn't always quite understand what is being said. But... given the progress of technology it seems possible that in the future these obstacles will be overcome and you will be able to wear a bluetooth headset that translates what you hear in near real time, as if you have an actual human translator with you. Going back the other way - well, maybe everyone will have them and you won't even have to do the translation yourself, but if not, maybe you can subvocalize what you want to say and hear the right words to say or something, I don't know. That part seems like it will need more work.

[@commentarytalk1446]

LLMs for example are linguistic and predictive. They don't do what the human is doing which is have a model of the world from which a linguistic capacity then picks and selects from. A world of a difference. It's true AGI/ASI one day will probably have a kind of model of the world and even surpass our own but it also probably won't be human either nor your own or another's. That alone let alone many other reasons is good grounds to learn a language if you wish to communicate or have a need to do so. Additionally the doing bit in living is the fun part and the bit that uses your brain and body which need using (correctly). That all said time is limited one must pick activities that are most appropriate to one's life.

[@samp1312]

I'm not sure they will be able to translate all the nuance of the language even with advanced technology, so if you want the raw experience there's nothing like the old fashioned way :)

[@commentarytalk1446]

@@samp1312 The enjoyment of food is in the tasting as much as the visuals and knowledge about food are rewarding. Same with doing it yourself eg talking.

[@greeneraser9885]

I can think of a lot of reasons why you might still prefer to learn a language, even if a "universal translator" existed. Does the "universal translator" cost $30/month to use? Does it have ads? Does it stop working when your phone runs out of battery or you lose your internet connection? If you're in a foreign country and it breaks for some reason or you lose it, are you now stranded with no way to communicate with anybody? Is it even slightly slower than a brain would be? Do you trust it to convey all the nuances of your ideas correctly? Can it explain cultural references to linguistic communities that don't know about them, such as local politicians, celebrities, TV shows, history, and cuisine? Can it explain puns well, or tell you when there's rhyming or alliteration? If it can explain cultural references and puns and semantic nuances well, does it significantly slow down the conversation to hear these explanations all the time? Does hearing explanations like this ruin comedic timing and make it very difficult to enjoy the humor of a language? Does the "universal translator" record your conversations and use them to "improve the product"? Are there situations where you couldn't legally use it because you're not allowed to record? In a crowded location with lots of voices, how would you specify which ones you wanted it to translate? Would you be able to coin new words in a language you don't speak the way you could in one you spoke? Do you have to push a button to turn on and off the translation, making it difficult to understand things if your hands are full? If it's a bluetooth headset, does it look ugly? A lot of these aren't just technological hurdles that could be figured out, a lot of them are fundamental issues with the concept itself.

[@Thelinguist]

That was the point of my opening made up story. AI is not going to replace language learning, not for learning about other cultures, and not for interacting with people in any meaningful way.

[@goodlawyer1813]

I was upset and confused until the very last second...and then I literally laughed out loud. You just won a new subscriber sir.

[@Tea4Texas]

You are blessing to my journey and I started learning Japanese because of you.

[@jaybrodell1959]

My best story took place in Mazatlan early morning Aug. 11, 1984, at a local cafe. A gringo couple were expressing their anger at not being allowed to board the massive seagoing ferry, the Díaz Ordaz, the previous day. They were anxious to travel to California del Sur across the Gulf of California. They were expressing their outrage in English, of course. Meanwhile, the local radio is playing the morning news that mainly was about how the ferry with 437 passengers, 69 crew members and 120 vehicles suffered a mishap as it was leaving the harbor and overturned as it returned to the dock. The couple probably do not realize to this day that they ducked a disaster.

[@schmebulock4567]

This video almost made me give up - but then he told the story of Zhuangzi and I thought: "Wait a second. Maybe I am just a dream and the real me already speaks the language and also made a girl with a lovely smile fall in love with him." So I will now go to sleep and hope for the best.

[@bonjourmedical]

The last part just made me delete my comment😂😂😂😂. And the way i had energy and defence for why i learn new languages. You caught me 😅

[@Arcansel]

Unironically, only those that aren't really committed to learning a language will probably give up after watching the video and saving them from its hardships.

[@jazzyeric21]

Oh my God! I was thinking, "what the hell happened?" as an American living in Brazil with my non English speaking Brazilian wife as I am speaking Portuguese 24x7 and happier than ever. I was ready to unsubscribe lol. Nice one Steve but I hope that you did not lose followers who did not wait until the end of the video. For anyone with doubt, learning another language as COMPLETELY changed my life and I am now living in the country of my target language and have never been happier. It's uphill all the way but absolutely worth the journey! If you REALLY want it, you will achieve it without doubt!

[@mimosa9638]

I’m over 70. The US Defense rates Chinese as level 5. Most difficult level with Arabic and Japanese. Great! I picked Chinese…to ward off Dementia and will travel to Taiwan for exercise (walking) and good food. 5 months later, now I really enjoy the work. No conjugaison. No plural ending. 👍😊

[@streetmanners9048]

C'est génial! Bienvenue à Taïwan!

[@aoeu256]

你的中文的水平是什么高。

[@KetilDuna]

I just read the title, and thought "what an oddly american (usa-ish) thing to say", and then had to watch the whole thing. There was some chuckling, and a sombre nod to being answered in english. Thank you for sharing!

[@leonardgibney2997]

I lived in Germany as a Brit and found the more l spoke German the less social contact l got. They all wanted to practice their English, they need it for commercial reasons. Travel narrows the mind.

[@u_ok]

bro ahahhaah🤣

[@zachfenton608]

Das ist nicht gut

[@AI-go622]

Damn you got me there 🤣 I was even about to say something like "I admire your honesty despite of how much you have to lose saying that".

[@travishurst2242]

You legit had me stressing about your well-being till i saw a comment about april fools!! 😂😅 Regardless, i hope you're doing well, and we're all here to support you like you have for us!!! ❤❤❤❤

[@TonyLudlow]

True stuff, Steve! At 67, my motivation for language learning has less to do with communication and more to do with keeping my brain from shrinking. I've known a ton of folks who just couldn't bear to make mistakes in the language they were learning and couldn't suffer the embarrassment. That was your best piece of reality. If you're not willing to put yourself out there ... well ...

[@zephrynk9693]

Oh, he really had me there, all the way up to the end.

[@mysterycheez]

Love the "blah blah blah" text. Too funny.

[@JasonPolyLinguo]

The goat! ❤

[@2hereyez]

Someone remind Steve April fools is on the 1st of April not on the second. ☺

[@Joshua-f7e8k]

Timezones

[@matthewtenney2898]

I work (volunteer) to teach English to immigrants and refugees. For them, there is no question that learning English is worth it.

[@maxharbig1167]

Most reasnably educated people in continental Europe have at least one other language as well as their mother tongue plus a smattering of a few others. We all live in countries that border on other countries just a few hours away that speak a different language. Being monolingual in Europe can also be a career handicap. As the saying goes "A man who gains another language gains another life.".

[@とも-x1y]

That depends. In my case learning foreign languages(5 languages) really helped as I have to deal with people from various countries/backgrounds. You do not want to /should not talk to your international business customers using a smartphone all the time. Anyway it is a shame that 'NOT WORTH IT' was your conclusion/final verdict. I suspect one of the main reasons for that is because English is your mother language and you can afford to stick to your own language in most of the situations. Leaning languages is not just memorising words and phrases, as you may agree.

[@severine_aurelia]

I know this is a joke, but the moral of the story is still that women don't want you bothering them in cafés.

[@Thelinguist]

I obviously made up this story, placing it in any of four or even other cities. Maybe not too funny in retrospect but I wanted to use it as an example of why AI generated conversation is no substitute for learning a language.

[@maalikserebryakov]

don’t worry Trust me no one’s gonna bother you 💀💀

[@maalikserebryakov]

don’t worry Trust me no one’s gonna bother you 💀💀

[@severine_aurelia]

​@@Thelinguist Thanks for the reply. I realize it was a made-up story, and I liked that your April Fool joke was aimed at having a bit of fun with your reputation as a positive guy, rather than trying to shock or confuse people like some gags. I just want to point out to anyone watching that coming on to random women in public spaces, especially after they've already said no once, is a losing move for all involved.

[@KnightOfEternity13]

@@maalikserebryakov u made my day with that

[@bertonguillaume2674]

I love how the story of your friend at the beginning underlines so well why so many of us are trying to learn a new language 😅

[@lorenzovonmatta8278]

Wow. I totally fell for it! Threw me off at the end and I laughed out loud haha. I have been aimless on my quest for French so far this year. Way too passive. This video actually woke me up. I don't want to waste time. I want to use the time and dedicate it to my love for French. Life is short after all. I will be more purposeful! Who knows, that story you told...might be my future, but this time there won't be an iPhone. I'll tell that French lady her compliment myself haha.

[@biggsleezy]

You almost made me give up with your video title alone😄, because despite my education background I'm currently working in a shitty job and I've spent so much time working on my French that I was thinking that I could get a better job with it one day.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

Leaving aside the April Fool possibilities of the video, it is not a good idea to be over-sensitive when embarking on a foreign language. I remember once in Istanbul a tourist trying to make himself understood to metro staff. He was a Spanish speaker, trying to explain that he wanted to get to Kabataş. I helped him out - the metro staff did not understand English, much less Spanish. At least a decade ago Istanbul was one of those places where it was worth picking up the local language basics because you cannot count on anyone speaking English.

[@zhirv9649]

You know what? Now I'm gonna start learning new language even harder. I've felt motivation now, thanks

[@DC-wo2yb]

you got me 😅

[@Kitiwake]

I've been to France recently and was surprised by the amount of people that offered to speak to me in English. Two years french learner here.

[@timtench3334]

You miss the point: the young woman in your story just didn't want to be pestered by some strange man. She had a right to her privacy - and she exercised it!

[@P4intNoBleChannel]

I think it was probably part of the whole April fool's joke

[@pashacold6056]

No, she wasn't impressed by his language knowledge... He wasn't even simping for a foreign language... So she was in disgust

[@lifewithchris-9964]

Hi Steve, as I watched the video, my thought was, "Screw you Steve! I LOVE learning languages!" But, all that went away when you mentioned it was April 1st. :p haha Classic Steve.... Honestly, the biggest draw for me learning languages is connecting with people. We can talk one on one for hours about their home culture and languages and it creates great relationships between people, such as between students and teachers. The same goes when I travel or meet people in my own country. They instantly perk up when you show competent knowledge of their home culture and language. It brings people together in a way that nothing else can, which could save the world these days from war, the climate crisis, etc. Learning each other's languages is exactly what we need to make a better world. Thanks for all you do Steve! :-)

[@Erzkreutz]

this hurt more than 10.000 flashcard reviews.

[@anires1195]

you do know this is a joke right.

[@stuartlong6217]

I know Steve meant this as an April fool's but there is a thing called the Law of Unintended Consequences. I have been a Lingq subscriber for many years, and speak 4 foreign languages to some degree. However, at 64 years old, how many meaningful conversations do I think I'm going to have going forward?? I often wonder why I keep going? To ward off dementia most likely, but apart from showing off if someone ever asks(they never do) why indeed??

[@Thelinguist]

I don't learn to show off although I am happy to surprise an Iranian store clerk now and then. I learn languages to better understand different cultures. I enjoy working my through podcasts or YT videos in Arabic or Persian, learning about those societies as I learn new words.

[@stuartlong6217]

Sorry Steve, I know you don't. It did touch a nerve however since I am beginning to question why I do and what I do, beginning with drinking.

[@JojoNY1980]

Moral of the story, don't harass women in any language.

[@Thelinguist]

The story was not true of course. I was not aware that trying to strike up conversation was harassment. It's easy enough to say I'm busy, or my boyfriend is the bouncer at the door so leave me alone.

[@israelrivera835]

Correct...it has nothing to do with language.

[@mrvx_fa3030]

omg i was watching this 7 months later, you got me there!!

[@leavesofme1183]

Lol!! Same!

[@GMack224]

😂 you can take the hook out my mouth, Steve. I will continue to learn IsiZulu, because in KwaZulu Natal, there are people who can speak, write and think in English better than most people I know in the US. I want to show them that I can do the same in their language…Ngiyabonga Mnumzane!!!!

[@utkarsharora9081]

Thanks for the motivation, Steve. It always helps when someone tells the truth.

[@MajinSaha]

If you plan to settle in a country for a long period of time or forever, learning their local language is a must if you want a higher chance of blending in. I too had a superstition that English is an international language so why bother learning another one (I'm not a native English speaker, so learning yet another language was not considered even a minor priority), but after living in France for two years, I felt I had been constantly missing out in majority of communications. It was painful without knowing French. EDIT: only after posting my comment I realized the date this video was published 🤣

[@mateusluanjacoby3829]

Hi Steve. I don't know if you gonna read my words but I got a doubt about learning process of learning a language. I'm learning english for a long time and last days have been strangers 'coz I really can understand without translate everything in my brain but after it I think: "What the hell is going on here? I even know all this words but I'm understanding everything". I know you're not a specialist about this subject, but, somehow, if someone know how it work I would like to know too because i'm so curious about all this process.

[@luigizantaplatamone3255]

Hey Steve, thanks for the great advice!. I put on Italian captions during video and I saw the translation of "pickup line" as "linea di ritiro", whereas the correct translation would be "frase da rimorchio", greetings from Rome!

[@Mahal2006]

i gave it a thumb's down and then gave it a thumb's up. I'm glad i watched this video all the way through.

[@felipegonzalez1934]

Learning a language is like opening a window in a dark alley to better see the world. BUT...the process of getting to B1/B2 when you start enjoying the wiew is a hard and painful one

[@Thelinguist]

Not hard, just long. Hopefully enjoyable.

[@mojamadabdula]

haha, it's definitely worth it. Not only to communicate, it's also mind expanding. And if you use Steve's method, read and listen, it's not that difficult.

[@userMB1]

İ want to learn the language but not to speak but to read and understand. İf you're not going to speak the language regularly, you'll never be fluent in it anyway. Like the person in your example, it's not worth to learn a language if you're going to use it only once a year on holiday. People nowadays want to learn a language to immerse themselves in that culture and media where that language is spoken, not so much for the language itself. The best motivation imho✌🏻

[@buck7271]

I was extremely confused by the title until i remembered what day it was. Happy April everyone!

[@sasanka207]

My heart sank, Steve! I thought to myself, what happened to you?? I was so sad and a bit concerned too... Well, you got me! I'm happy it was just April fools day.😄

[@draugami]

The last few seconds said it all. Well done. (Actually you demonstrated an important skill. Take a view that you disagree with, and argue for it.)

[@andrel8243]

I am fluent in many languages. I am looking for a method for removing all of these. I currently using flashcards with only my native language on one side. I review them until I forget 5 words per day😊.

[@QBRX]

Hey, what about learning some of the basics of a foreign language or two? That can't be too taxing or difficult. I learned quite a bit of French in school, and it makes understanding Spanish and the romance languages less daunting.

[@juancarlosguerrerobecerra4285]

Well Steve, I believe that you are what you do, what comes from the bottom of your heart without more or less. I think that learning languages may not be everything in life, but it is a very enriching activity. Thanks to you I have been able to improve personally and academically.

[@patfromamboy]

I’ve been studying Portuguese for 10 years and I’ve visited Brasil 18 times but I still can’t read or converse. I have to translate everything into English one word at a time which prevents me from understanding. I need to find a way to learn. When I ask questions most people tell me to quit, even my own brother. This is no joke and it’s August

[@georgesonm1774]

100% right. Why bother, the payoff will NEVER amount to the effort you have to put in. Plus in order to even use the language, you have to either actually travel to another country, or hang out with some foreigners who don't know English... and WHEN do I find the time for all this? Life is so incredibly busy, and so short - just a blink and we're all gone and soon forgotten... I'm with you on that one Steve!

[@elenad815]

Learning English doesn't bother me, because I've passionate about it since I was at school. My parents couldn't afford my education in this field, so I became a manager. Having said that, after giving the birth to 3 children, when I realised that I'm in urgent need for a part- time job, I continued learning English, got B2 level, confirmed by IELTS test and changed my career dramatically, which makes me blissfully happy about this desirable shift in life. However, observing a rapid advancement in technology I'm afraid I might be left without a job if people refuse to learn a language with teachers. I hope it won't happen soon.

[@said.skopal]

One thing to all your subscribers to know.If you read some "not very offten word in your language" and forget it later, how do you expect to remember foreign language? I wish i can force brain to accept and not errase what i learn for 1hour but.

[@bryanmurphy3328]

Thanks, Steve. It's always good to learn new things, especially on April Fools' Day.

[@gannon5409]

Thanks,for,helping me give up on my learning

[@barrym3651]

My daughter has a polyglot friend . She advises to only embark on language learning if you have a pressing need.just thinking it might be nice to know won't work