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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
I liked this book enough, though I didn't think it was the best I've read on the subject. This was truly an ode to flashcards. This guy loooooves flashcards. And I respect it, but it didn't give me a whole lot of new information.
The two interesting points that I have held onto are these:
1. The Leitner Box schedule
2. The fact that child language learners acquire verb conjugations in a specific order. I don't remember exactly what the order was, but I found that point fascinating. It's definitely worth looking into, because if his claim is correct, then it's worthless to expand to new conjugations if you haven't mastered the (apparent) prerequisite conjugation.
The two interesting points that I have held onto are these:
1. The Leitner Box schedule
2. The fact that child language learners acquire verb conjugations in a specific order. I don't remember exactly what the order was, but I found that point fascinating. It's definitely worth looking into, because if his claim is correct, then it's worthless to expand to new conjugations if you haven't mastered the (apparent) prerequisite conjugation.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I do want to say that I learned a lot from this book, and I think anyone wanting to actually authentically learn a language should read this. It is evident that the author knows what he’s doing, however he isn’t a writer as there was a ton of information that was repetitive. There was over 100 pages that easily could’ve been left out but otherwise I highly recommend it!
Got what I wanted from it; didn’t require reading the entire book
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Wyner's method happens to be quite a synthesis of various self-teaching methods out there:
First of all, to think of it, it's a small wonder to me no one had before formally put Anki or frequency lists into a sort of method/programme, since they are so prevalent amongst language learning communities I have no idea where I first picked them up.
Then, the emphasis on training one's ear—one having to be able to discern different sounds of a foreign language before being possibly able to pronounce them correctly—reminds of the Shichida method, which I haven't seen brought up anywhere for a decade now.
Shichida's method was to listen, without understanding, to a foreign language for several hours a day for three months to attune one's ear to the new language, citing the reason as different languages having different frequencies which one's ears simply grow unreceptive of in adulthood, when the frequency ranges overlap little with that of one's native language. I do find it useful after having tested it out myself; one becomes able to pick out words and such from what was formerly simply a jumble of sounds. But at this point one reaches diminishing returns: picking out words, here, by no means indicates one would comprehend the words. Still, not a terrible idea for getting acquainted to a new language when not time-pressed. Otherwise, I find about two levels of Pimsleur would do the job admirably.
Wyner's method of learning pronunciation appears frustrating and complicated to me, and I would not endeavour to attempt such.
Finally, the emphasis on massive input of natural, native material rather than textbooks, and rather early on compared to academic standards where students don't venture out of textbooks and otherwise "generated", "non-natural" material in a foreign language for semesters if not years, reminds rather of the Barry Farber/François Micheloud method. The part about reading books whilst listening to audiobooks? The famous Listening-Reading method shared by a Polish polyglot only known of his/her online moniker.
All in all I find Wyner's method a combination of a number of known and effective means of self-directed language acquisition, being at the same time exceedingly sensible as compared to various popular language learning gurus whose advises really can be condensed down to "just talk a lot in a foreign language immediately and wing it from there", and seen from my personal perspective, all with their most productive elements and without the oddity and frustration.
On a side note, whilst Wyner claims many of his techniques are commonplace amongst singer-actors or at least inspired by what they use, I find it odd, so very odd. There are big screen actors who do extremely convincing accents and there are those, both film actors and stage actors, as well as opera singers, whose English accents in performances are simply atrocious and never seem to improve over the years. I've certainly seen a good number of them. Perhaps the stakes are just not so high when they perform in English for their native German-speaking audiences?
Once more with regards to the format of the book: Literally too much information. It's rather easy to forget about contents of earlier chapters when one reaches the end of the book so I recommend making sure to highlight/take notes for reviewing after finishing the book, also using Wyner's website for the more "quick-start guide" kind of articles. Really most of the actionable advise is available on his language blog but the information from the book is definitely worth the time also.
Another wonderful surprise is seeing Wyner quote Dr. Alexander Arguelles.
Dr. Arguelles is certainly amongst the few known polyglots whom I deeply admire for both their accomplishments in mastering various languages and their contributions to the polyglot circle of their unique study methods. (I also rather admire Dr. Arguelles' Greak Books proposal for higher education and research contribution to the studies of Norse mythology/religion.)
Additionally, does Wyner still perform? The most recent video I can find of him on stage is in '08; surprisingly he's a bass-baritone. Honestly he gives off more of a tenor vibe to me. (Pure prejudice.) It would have been charming to be able to see him at a Viennese opera production indeed.
First of all, to think of it, it's a small wonder to me no one had before formally put Anki or frequency lists into a sort of method/programme, since they are so prevalent amongst language learning communities I have no idea where I first picked them up.
Then, the emphasis on training one's ear—one having to be able to discern different sounds of a foreign language before being possibly able to pronounce them correctly—reminds of the Shichida method, which I haven't seen brought up anywhere for a decade now.
Shichida's method was to listen, without understanding, to a foreign language for several hours a day for three months to attune one's ear to the new language, citing the reason as different languages having different frequencies which one's ears simply grow unreceptive of in adulthood, when the frequency ranges overlap little with that of one's native language. I do find it useful after having tested it out myself; one becomes able to pick out words and such from what was formerly simply a jumble of sounds. But at this point one reaches diminishing returns: picking out words, here, by no means indicates one would comprehend the words. Still, not a terrible idea for getting acquainted to a new language when not time-pressed. Otherwise, I find about two levels of Pimsleur would do the job admirably.
Wyner's method of learning pronunciation appears frustrating and complicated to me, and I would not endeavour to attempt such.
Finally, the emphasis on massive input of natural, native material rather than textbooks, and rather early on compared to academic standards where students don't venture out of textbooks and otherwise "generated", "non-natural" material in a foreign language for semesters if not years, reminds rather of the Barry Farber/François Micheloud method. The part about reading books whilst listening to audiobooks? The famous Listening-Reading method shared by a Polish polyglot only known of his/her online moniker.
All in all I find Wyner's method a combination of a number of known and effective means of self-directed language acquisition, being at the same time exceedingly sensible as compared to various popular language learning gurus whose advises really can be condensed down to "just talk a lot in a foreign language immediately and wing it from there", and seen from my personal perspective, all with their most productive elements and without the oddity and frustration.
On a side note, whilst Wyner claims many of his techniques are commonplace amongst singer-actors or at least inspired by what they use, I find it odd, so very odd. There are big screen actors who do extremely convincing accents and there are those, both film actors and stage actors, as well as opera singers, whose English accents in performances are simply atrocious and never seem to improve over the years. I've certainly seen a good number of them. Perhaps the stakes are just not so high when they perform in English for their native German-speaking audiences?
Once more with regards to the format of the book: Literally too much information. It's rather easy to forget about contents of earlier chapters when one reaches the end of the book so I recommend making sure to highlight/take notes for reviewing after finishing the book, also using Wyner's website for the more "quick-start guide" kind of articles. Really most of the actionable advise is available on his language blog but the information from the book is definitely worth the time also.
Another wonderful surprise is seeing Wyner quote Dr. Alexander Arguelles.
Dr. Arguelles is certainly amongst the few known polyglots whom I deeply admire for both their accomplishments in mastering various languages and their contributions to the polyglot circle of their unique study methods. (I also rather admire Dr. Arguelles' Greak Books proposal for higher education and research contribution to the studies of Norse mythology/religion.)
Additionally, does Wyner still perform? The most recent video I can find of him on stage is in '08; surprisingly he's a bass-baritone. Honestly he gives off more of a tenor vibe to me. (Pure prejudice.) It would have been charming to be able to see him at a Viennese opera production indeed.
This book delivers on everything that it promises and achieves everything that it sets out to achieve.
Some of the tips here may not be as applicable or necessarily helpful for learning Native Indigenous languages, but the step-by-step approach offers concrete efforts you can take that will definitely be effective. Wyner has earned his expertise and has the results from his own learning to prove that what's in here is really effective.
Some of the tips here may not be as applicable or necessarily helpful for learning Native Indigenous languages, but the step-by-step approach offers concrete efforts you can take that will definitely be effective. Wyner has earned his expertise and has the results from his own learning to prove that what's in here is really effective.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced