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The right way to improve English is to use it, not to "learn" it.

本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛It's wrong to "learn" a language. By "learning", we can easily focus on grammar, vocabulary, or phrases. The right way is actually to forget these things and to just use the language. Watch TV, read newspapers, talk to people. Try to understand and to make yourself understood. Don't be afraid of making mistakes in grammar or vocabulary or pronunciation. Chinese English like "long time no see", or "you ask me - me ask who", are wrong but very effective. My mother-in-law has been "learning" English for years yet she can hardly speak or understand anything. On the other hand, a woman I know never attended a class but she works as a nanny for an English speaking family. She often talks English speaking drivers into giving her rides home.

Years ago, I had my first break-through in English after a trip down the Changjiang River. I was going home for the holiday from Wuhan University. To relieve boredom during the long hours on the ship, I brought a book called "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes". Even though I didn't know a lot of words in the book, I was able to finish it in one go and I more or less understood the plot lines. My strong interest in detective stories probably helped me in overcoming any barriers. Afterwards, I felt much more confident about English and my "sense" of the language was greatly improved.

This is a good example of "using" a language, instead of "learning" it. I didn't care about grammar; I didn't bother to look up unknown words. My only goal was to enjoy the detective stories. In the end, however, the many hours of submerging in a language probably sank its grammar in my head better than days or weeks of studying grammar rules. And I probably guessed correctly lots of the new words in the book and "learned" the most frequently used ones.

In short, don't "learn" a language. Stop any activity that's "learning", like studying the rules, memorizing words. Start using English, read stuff, listen to radio or TV or audio story books, write stuff, find opportunities to speak English like volunteering in a senior's place. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Don't be shy.更多精彩文章及讨论,请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
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  • 工作学习 / 外语学习 / The right way to improve English is to use it, not to "learn" it.
    • "long time no see" 不是说本来就是英文么
    • if you know nothing with grammar , vocabulary and pronunciation,how do you use it?
      • 这里的小屁孩五岁以前怎么学英语的?不就是跟着家里的人晃来晃去的?
        • 来这里讨教的,是5,6岁的请举手。
        • if you were in Montreal, would you learn French or use it?
      • Good point. But you missed my point.
      • You argue an extreme point!
        • 李阳说他大二以前学的英语,他自己说是“失败”教育。Jerry2000年以前在国内学了12年,他也说“没用”的教育,恰恰是这“失败”“没用”的教育造就了他们日后的成功。
          • 所谓失败,应该是指不实用,且没有效率.按照他们的理解,如果方法正确就不需要12年,而且确实我的一些西人朋友学习一种语言就用了2年.不是精通,但是可以用了
            • 其实没有什么实用不使用的,都一样,看你功夫下到了没有,这里有多少李阳英语和JERRY英语成材的?那些只是一些巧门而已。
              • 功夫都得下的.窍门也是要的.他们两个的共同点是开口英语.有多少人因而成就,不得而知.但是不说,不练肯定是不行的.
                • 说的好,很多人光敢开口,不下工夫,就会产生Chinglish了。
    • Good point!