My Method for Learning Languages from Scratch

Hi, Steve Kaufmann here.

大家好，我是史蒂夫·考夫曼。

Today I'm gonna talk about...

今天我要谈谈...

I often get this question like, how do you start a language from scratch?

我经常收到这样的问题，你如何从头开始学习一门语言？

What is your process to learn a language?

你学习语言的过程是怎样的？

Uh, by the way, if you enjoy my, uh, podcast or at least uh, videos about

呃，顺便说一下，如果你喜欢我的，呃，播客或者至少呃，关于

language learning, please subscribe.

语言学习的视频，请订阅。

All right.

好的。

How do you start from scratch?

你如何从头开始？

Obviously, right now I'm focusing on four Slavic languages.

显然，现在我专注于四种斯拉夫语言。

I've studied all those four languages to varying degrees before, so

我以前不同程度地研究过所有这四种语言，所以

I'm not starting from scratch.

我不是从头开始。

In fact, the last language I started from scratch, I guess was Ukrainian,

事实上，我从头开始学习的最后一门语言，我猜是乌克兰语，

but I had had Slavic languages before.

但我以前学过斯拉夫语。

Romanian maybe.

也许是罗马尼亚语。

How do I start from scratch?

我如何从头开始？

All right.

好的。

Let's say I was gonna study Turkish, all right, or Arabic,

假设我打算学习土耳其语，好吧，或者阿拉伯语，

and I do intend to do that.

我确实打算这样做。

One day I would go out and buy a starter book.

有一天我会出去买一本入门书。

A starter book is like a teach yourself Assimil, uh, Colloquial, any of those.

入门书就像自学 Assimil、呃、Colloquial 等。

It almost doesn't matter.

这几乎无关紧要。

I just find it's comfortable to have a book, a little book that gives you

我只是觉得有一本书很舒服，一本能让你

a bit of an overview of the language.

对这门语言有一些概述的小书。

There's typicaly, you know, 20 or 12 chapters that introduce

通常有 20 或 12 章介绍

some aspects of the language.

该语言的某些方面。

In each chapter, they have a dialogue, some audio, uh, some explanations, and

在每一章中，他们都有对话，一些音频，呃，一些解释，

I kind of go through them predominantly to get a sense of the language, to

我主要通过它们来了解语言，阅读

read some, to get an overview of the grammar, not expecting to remember.

一些内容，了解语法，而不是期望记住。

It's just kind of an introduction.

这只是一种介绍。

Get my feet wet, so to speak.

可以这么说，弄湿我的脚。

Then as soon as I could, I would get into interesting content.

然后我会尽快进入有趣的内容。

How soon I can get into interesting content will depend on the language.

我能多快进入有趣的内容取决于语言。

Uh, but I would start trying, and I would do it at LingQ, obviously,

呃，但我会开始尝试，显然我会在 LingQ 做，

because there I can look up every word.

因为在那里我可以查到每个词。

I can save words.

我可以省话。

I'm used to that.

我已经习惯了。

That's my favorite sort of learning environment.

那是我最喜欢的学习环境。

But my, my sort of modus operandi is to get into a situation where I can

但是我的，我的作案手法是进入一个我可以

listen and read, because listening in combination with reading is so powerful.

听和读的环境，因为听和读结合起来非常强大。

And so for an initial six months or so, uh, I would only...

所以在最初的六个月左右，呃，我只会......

and so then people say, well, how can you listen to things you don't understand?

然后人们会说，好吧，你怎么能听你不明白的东西呢？

I get that all the time.

我一直都这样。

How can you listen if you don't know the words?

如果你不认识这些词，你怎么能听呢？

Obviously when you start out, you have to listen to short bits of

显然，当你开始时，你必须听一小段

content because you don't understand, and you have to listen to content

内容，因为你听不懂，而且你必须听

where you have the transcript.

你有抄本的内容。

And again, it should be 30 seconds long because you're gonna be looking

再一次，它应该是 30 秒长，因为你会查找

up words, you're gonna be struggling.

单词，你会很挣扎。

You don't understand.

你不明白。

You're in that early process of discovering the language.

您正处于发现该语言的早期过程中。

But to listen to something, you have to have the transcript so

但是要听一些东西，你必须有抄本，这样

that you can look up the words.

你才能查到单词。

All right?

好的？

Also listening and reading go together.

听力和阅读也一起去。

Why?

为什么？

Because we listen to something that has been recorded.

因为我们听的是已经录制好的东西。

All right.

好的。

That's a record.

那是一个记录。

It's an audio record of something that someone said.

这是某人说的话的录音。

But writing is a written record.

但写作是书面记录。

Before they had, you know, tape recorders or MP3 files, all they had was writing.

你知道，在他们拥有录音机或 MP3 文件之前，他们所拥有的只是写作。

That was the only way to record what was said.

这是记录所说内容的唯一方法。

And the writing is a visual representation of the words.

文字是文字的视觉表现。

I find that I need both.

我发现我两者都需要。

If I just hear it, I won't remember it, not a chance.

如果我只是听到它，我不会记住它，没有机会。

Uh, if I'm talking to my tutor and she gives me a new word in Ukrainian, if I

呃，如果我和我的导师谈话，她给了我一个乌克兰语的新词，如果我

don't see it written down, I haven't got a chance of remembering that word, but if

没有看到它写下来，我就没有机会记住那个词，但如果

I hear it often enough and see it often enough, that's the visual representation.

我经常听到它并且经常看到它，这就是视觉表现。

If I combine the two, I have a chance of accumulating those words.

如果我将两者结合起来，我就有机会积累那些话。

So in order for that to work in the initial period, which might be 1,

因此，为了使其在初始阶段（可能是 1、2、3

2, 3 months, you've gotta listen more than once to the same content,

个月）发挥作用，您必须多次收听相同的内容，

and so that's what I would do.

这就是我要做的。

Therefore, it has to be short and you have to, even though the content is

因此，它必须简短而且你必须这样做，即使内容很

boring, it's the challenge of trying to make sense out of this new language that

无聊，但尝试理解这种新语言的挑战才是让它变得

makes it interesting enough stimulating, challenging enough that I can actually

足够有趣、足够刺激、足够具有挑战性，以至于我实际上可以

listen over and over because I'm still not getting certain parts of it, even though

一遍又一遍地听，因为我仍然不明白它的某些部分，即使

I read it and I've looked up the words and I've kind of pieced together what it means

我读了它并且查了单词并且我已经拼凑出了它的意思

when I listen to it, it's still a blur.

当我听它的时候，它仍然是一片模糊。

So therefore there's that challenge that keeps you focused.

因此，存在让您保持专注的挑战。

You're gonna listen to it again, read it again.

你会再听一遍，再读一遍。

And also in the beginning, I'm more likely to review words and phrases,

而且在一开始，我更有可能复习单词和短语，

uh, using my flashcards or other of the activities that we have at LingQ ,closed

呃，使用我的抽认卡或我们在 LingQ 进行的其他活动，封闭式

tests or multiple choice or whatever, to try to somehow, because I have to

测试或多项选择或其他任何方式，以某种方式尝试，因为我必须

very sort of intensively work this stuff because it's so new to me now.

非常集中地工作这些东西，因为它现在对我来说太新了。

Gradually as I progress and, and remember again, I'm listening to content that's

随着我的进步，我会逐渐记住，我正在听很

short, for which I have the transcript, and hopefully it's relatively easy

短的内容，我有它的文字记录，希望它相对容易，

because it's designed for the begin.

因为它是为开始而设计的。

And we ha uh, you can get that out of your, uh, beginner book.

我们哈，呃，你可以从你的，呃，初学者书中得到它。

You can find lots of such content at LingQ for different languages.

您可以在 LingQ 上找到很多不同语言的此类内容。

Some languages have more than others.

有些语言比其他语言更多。

And then, but as early as possible, I wanna get to interesting content because

然后，但尽可能早地，我想了解有趣的内容，因为

after a while it becomes boring to listen to stuff that's essentially boring.

过了一段时间，听一些本质上无聊的东西会变得无聊。

So I have to move to a stage where I'm now motivated by my interest in the content.

所以我必须进入一个阶段，我现在对内容的兴趣会激发我的动力。

And for me, very often that means books related to the history, uh,

对我来说，这通常意味着与历史相关的书籍，呃，使用

of the country where the language is spoken, and then it continues.

该语言的国家的历史，然后它会继续下去。

It's that combination of the, the sound and the visual representation of the

它是单词重复、重复、重复的声音和视觉表现的组合

words repeated, repeated, repeated.

。

Now, some people say, well, you should, uh, you know, try and first learn the

现在，有些人说，嗯，你应该，呃，你知道，首先尝试学习

most important 1000 words of the language.

这门语言中最重要的 1000 个单词。

They will show up.

他们会出现。

That you need to worry about.

你需要担心的。

Um, the main thing is, is to get hooked, hooked on the language, get enough

嗯，最主要的是，要着迷，着迷于语言，

of a start with the beginner material that, that you've got a bit of a toe

从初学者材料中获得足够的开始，你已经掌握了一点脚趾

hold on, more interesting material.

，更有趣的材料。

And initially it's a tough grind, but I find that in that early period where

最初这是一个艰难的磨练，但我发现在那个

it's very difficult and I'm looking up a lot of words, I'm excited by

非常困难的早期阶段，我正在查找很多单词，我很兴奋，因为

the fact that I'm actually reading and listening to authentic material.

我实际上正在阅读和聆听真实的材料。

Turns me on.

让我兴奋。

Wow.

哇。

Look at me now.

现在看着我。

I've got say, a Turkish, uh, newscast with transcript, and I'm listening to

我听说过，一个土耳其语，呃，带文字记录的新闻广播，我正在听

it, not really understanding it, reading it, listening again, but it's real stuff.

，但不是很理解，读了一遍，又听了一遍，但它是真实的东西。

And then sort of, without even realizing it, all of a sudden, three months later,

然后，在不知不觉中，三个月后，

I'm able to understand more and more of these podcasts or whatever they might be.

我突然间能够理解越来越多的播客或其他任何内容。

And, and then as I'm getting more and more of the meaning, then I try to

然后，当我获得越来越多的含义时，我会尝试

notice expressions or words that are kind of key words for the meaning or

注意表达或单词， 它们是我想使用的

key words that I would like to use.

含义或

And so I think it's useful once you are comfortable, uh, with a meaning that

关键词的关键词。所以我认为一旦你感到舒服，呃，

you try to focus on certain expressions when you notice them certain phrase.

当你注意到某些短语时，你会尝试专注于某些表达 方式，这意味着它很有用 。

All right.

好的。

Uh, the great thing about listening is you can do it wherever you are.

嗯，聆听的好处在于无论身在何处都可以聆听。

I find that, and I've said this before, if I just sit down and listen, I lose focus.

我发现，我以前也说过，如果我只是坐下来听，我就会失去注意力。

However, if I'm listening while driving, if I'm listening while

但是，如果我边开车边听，或者边

doing the dishes, then I seen people focus in better on the meaning.

洗碗 边听 ，那么我发现人们会更好地关注其含义。

And, uh, once you are able to kind of get the meaning fairly well, that's

而且，呃，一旦你能够相当好地理解它的意思，那就是

the time where you start focusing.

你开始集中注意力的时候了。

Expressions and phrases so that you notice it here, you notice it there,

表达和短语让你在这里注意到它，你在那里注意到它，

and pretty soon it starts to become part of your, uh, uh, of your vocabulary.

很快它就开始成为你的，呃，呃，你词汇表的一部分。

Now in my different people start speaking at different times.

现在在我的不同的人在不同的时间开始说话。

I, if I were doing Turkish, I would imagine that my initial period with the

我，如果我在学习土耳其语，我会想象我最初使用

beginner material might be three months because it's a totally different language.

初学者材料的时间可能是三个月，因为它是一种完全不同的语言。

Then I might go another 3, 4, 5 months with a lot of listening and reading,

然后我可能会再花 3、4、5 个月的时间进行大量的听力和阅读，

getting into more and more interesting content, and then I would need to

接触越来越多有趣的内容，然后我需要

start speaking because when you start speaking, you see things that are missing.

开始演讲，因为当你开始演讲时，你会发现缺少的东西。

You get a report back, hopefully from your tutor, which I can import.

你会收到一份报告，希望来自你的导师，我可以导入。

And this increases your attentiveness so that when you're listening, you're

这会增加你的注意力，所以当你在倾听时，你会

listening for some of the things that you have had difficulty with and, and as

听到一些你有困难的事情，并且随着

you progress, you're able to speak more.

你的进步，你能够说得更多。

But even when I'm speaking a lot, like right now with my Ukrainian, because

但即使我说了很多，就像现在和我的乌克兰语一样，因为

I'm doing four languages, I'm doing Ukrainian for six weeks, then I'm

我会讲四种语言，我会讲乌克兰语六个星期，然后我

gonna do maybe polish and maybe Czeck.

可能会做抛光，也许会做 Czeck。

So I'm speaking once a day, an hour a day.

所以我每天讲一次，每天一个小时。

That's a lot.

好多啊。

I think it's sufficient to do it once or twice a week.

我认为每周做一到两次就足够了。

That's all the speaking you need in order to, um, kind of maintain that level of

这就是您需要的所有口语，以便，嗯，

focus when you're listening and reading.

在您听和读时保持那种专注水平。

And basically that's what I do if I have dedicated learning time.

如果我有专门的学习时间，基本上这就是我所做的。

I sit down with my iPad and I read and I create LingQs.

我拿着我的 iPad 坐下来阅读并创建 LingQ。

Uh, the listening ends up being the biggest part of my learning

嗯，听力最终成为我学习

activity because I can, I can do it whenever I want, but that

活动中最重要的部分，因为我可以，我可以随时做，但这

basically is what I would do.

基本上就是我会做的。

So when I undertake Turkish or Arabic, when I get around doing that, I would

因此，当我学习土耳其语或阿拉伯语时，当我四处走动时，我预计

expect that it would take me a year.

这将花费我一年的时间。

On, you know, using mostly listening time, maybe 45 minutes a day, an hour, another

在，你知道，大部分时间都在听，也许每天 45 分钟，一个小时，另一个

half hour, uh, with my iPad, uh, on LingQ.

半小时，呃，用我的 iPad，呃，在 LingQ 上。

On that basis, I would think within a year I would be able to, uh, present

在此基础上，我想在一年内我可以，呃，向

to you some videos of me, uh, speaking, uh, Turkish, uh, that's for the future.

你们展示我的一些视频，呃，说，呃，土耳其语，呃，那是为了未来。

Anyway, that's, uh, a brief description of how I go about learning languages.

无论如何，这是，呃，对我如何学习语言的简要描述。

I hope this was of interest and I'd be interested in answering any questions.

我希望这是有趣的，我有兴趣回答任何问题。

Bye for now.

暂时再见。