Why I Started Learning Languages, My Job, and Dropping Languages Due to Politics | Q&A

Polyglot Progress is 6 years old today! What better way to celebrate than answering some questions you all had for me? :D
Thank you to my current patrons Francis, Rebecca B, and Andy R for supporting my content! I appreciate you so much :)
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Chapters:
0:00-0:20 Intro
0:20-3:50 When I became interested in language learning
3:50-7:08 What means success in 20 years
7:08-11:04 Language learning alongside long shifts
11:04-18:27 What drew me in about each of my target languages
18:27-20:22 My job, dream job, and languages
20:22-26:04 Popular languages I won't learn and politics affecting my desire to learn languages
26:04-28:40 My favourite videos to make
28:40-29:57 Advice for first time language learners
29:57-30:27 Outro

[@thelanguagecaviller3657]

Glad to hear you liked my question haha and thanks for the thoughtful answer!

[@paulopbf7127]

Hi, Abigail! I am 46 years old and love to learn new languages. I am from Brazil and just speak Portuguese (my native language), English and Spanish. Even though you are so young, I am pretty sure you are a great inspiration for many people! Congratulations!

[@PolyglotProgress]

Thank you so much!

[@bunnyteeth365]

I once tried to study Icelandic at the same time as another language. I decided to drop it because it was taking up too much time from my target language. I was a bit too much into it. If I decide later on I want it to be a main language I'll dedicate myself to it. It used to be my main target language, but I couldn't stick to it. That sort of felt like failure. Since I consciously quit this time, I don't consider it failure.

[@AmbassadorSoriano]

Congrats on your channel. My definition of success is to be able to join a conversation at a meetup knowing that I can participate. I have that with French and Spanish, but I studied those in school, plus I've had a lot more exposure than my other languages. I freely admit I don't have a huge vocabulary, but I use what I know to be able to converse casually. However, I still have a long way to go with Italian, Russian and German, which are at best B1.

[@DespicableGru]

Happy 6 years old! Your channel inspires me to keep learning languages. More power!😊 I'm really waiting for this Q & A. I've submitted a few questions.😀

[@melaniegrace7707]

I completely agree with German not sounding harsh. I personally think German and German culture in many ways is adorable. I get frustrated when I see it so misrepresented in media, I think while there are harsher dialects of German, many people have a false/ exaggerated impression of it. But the sounds were what initially drew me to the language, that and having an awesome time in Germany. But now years later I love it more and more because it constantly challenges how I interpret communication and think about what I'm saying. Also, I'm in the same boat with Spanish. I currently live near Miami which is 66% Spanish speaking, so though I've had Spanish be present on and off throughout my life and learned a little here or there, I finally am committing to it and learning it to a conversational level and am motivated by getting to use it on a daily basis! Great video as always :)

[@harrymandel]

Have you ever heard a German shouting? You would change your mind and you would experience that if you were in Germany because a lot of germans have bad temper and shout for no reason.

[@melaniegrace7707]

@@harrymandel to be fair nobody really sounds nice when they’re shouting but yes I agree with you German sounds very harsh when shouted I’ve spent time in Germany I’m aware lol

[@liscatcat8756]

Thank you for answering my question. Yes I have started to get up an hour or so early to study . I do duolingo in my lunch break . One of my lazy way to learn and read new vocabulary when I'm tired is to watch Japanese anime with polish subtitles rather than english . I feel like I'm actually studying while relaxing. It's amazing how much new vocabulary you learn . I'm so proud you are learning Bulgarian, like polish it's not a popular choice 😂😍

[@melaniegrace7707]

Also I never watched the vampire diaries but Nina Dobrev was on Degrassi which was everything to my teenage self. So cool to know she speaks Bulgarian!

[@languagetraveladoptee]

I love hearing your take on how you integrate languages during such a busy schedule! I actually focus most of my language learning in the morning too, my productivity definitely goes down after 1pm lol. Reading is also super enjoyable that I am integrating more into my studies, I feel like I am almost not studying at all. I also speak to myself for 10 minutes during a commute. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@RebeccaChinn]

Abigail this is so wonderful! I really like the relaxed style of this video and just had it playing as I went through my day today. I recently started studying farsi (and vlogging, but not about that hahaha) and could really relate to your story about hearing Bulgarian for the first time and being so drawn to it. I absolutely love the way farsi sounds, and the music, and culture, and ugh I wish the political situation between Iran and the US would let me travel there some day 😭 what you were saying about politics and language was really well put as well - there's no escaping the relationship between the two, and it is indeed a complex relationship... It's also really inspiring to see how well you've put together your vlogs to showcase your language learning in a way that's so authentic and entertaining! Please keep up the amazing content, and best of luck with your studies!

[@annap1871]

We started our first language in the 5th class (11years old), and second in high school (10th class, 16years old). However, the majority of the children from my class was staying after classes for additional, private classes from 0 class (6 years old). Honestly, my first memory is my mom trying to teach me English during the bath (2 years old). I had a huge break in learning languages, but I'm happy to say that since 2020 I make up for the lost time.

[@erickstime8696]

I loved the video!!! Happy to know a little bit about you!!

[@PolyglotProgress]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@claire_450]

Happy 6 year polyglot progress anniversary! 😃

[@PolyglotProgress]

Thank you!!

[@robcostigan8757]

Love the hat, Queen

[@PolyglotProgress]

Thank you 😌

[@RebeccaChinn]

Hi Abigail! I really love this vlog and am wondering if it's okay with you if I quote from it in a vlog I'm making about studying farsi. Two points really resonated - the first about you hearing Bulgarian and just really being drawn to it, and the second about your take on politics influencing your language studies. I really appreciate your perspective and would love to quote you/pull a clip from the video if it's alright. Let me know, thank you!

[@PolyglotProgress]

Yeah go ahead! I'd love to see the video when it's done too :)

[@annikam8147]

For me german hast the same sound as american english

[@skorpi09irl]

Wait, are you still in CT? I’m in western MA…if you’re in the area, we should definitely meet up sometime!

[@PolyglotProgress]

Aw no! I'm down in Texas now. We definitely are language twins then though... I lived right by the CT/MA border!

[@skorpi09irl]

@@PolyglotProgress oh damn :( yeah I’m from Holyoke which is next to Springfield 😃

[@PolyglotProgress]

Oh yeah I was less than an hour from the Holyoke area!

[@matthiasgrun9634]

You have beautiful eyes:)