The HypoPolyglot: Recent Episodes
Thad Schmenk
The HypoPolyglot is dedicated to helping its listeners to learn languages as efficiently and effective as possible while enjoying the process at the same time. These short, informative episodes are meant to give listeners insights into language learning that will allow them to improve their ability to master any language (or languages) and get them back to what is important.......mastering .their next language! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thad-schmenk/support
In today’s episode, I share an experience I had that I feel illustrates a couple of nice, and perhaps less cliché, reasons to learn another language.
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In today’s episode, I present several arguments as to why you should absolutely ignore any language tool or video that makes a claim that you can learn a language while you sleep.
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Digital tools are fantastic, but too much screen time can have diverse effects on you physically and mentally – and if you already stare at a screen as part of your job, well, then you have to be even more careful. So, today, I thought I would share a few ways to cut down on your screen time when learning a new language.
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Whether you're planning a long-term stay or a permanent relocation to a place where they speak another language, there are several reasons why you should start learning the local language prior to departing. And in today’s episode, I will be sharing those reasons with you.
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In this episode, I share a few specifics as to why language skills make you more attractive to employers.
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In today's digital age, online opportunities and resources have taken learning languages to a whole new level. However, there are a few negative aspects to these new digital tools that modern language learners should be aware of –and today, I am going to reveal some of them to you.
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Today, I give my opinion of the language resource, LanguageU
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I discuss an important language element- tone. Because, neglecting tone can potentially cause some communication issues, especially for advanced speakers
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In today’s episode, I am going to share a game that can be used both as a means of maintaining languages that you have already learned as well as a means to help you learn new languages. Plus, it will also help you improve your interpreting skills.
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In this episode, I response to Chris in Colorado who writes, “My friends tell me that when I speak Russian that I vaguely sound like the Chris they know. I don’t know if they are pulling my leg, or if this is real. I certainly cannot judge it myself. Can you shed some light on this?”
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Want to avoid committing potential some cultural faux pas? Then make sure you understand register.
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In today’s episode, I discuss how your use of a dictionary evolves as you make progress in your new language. And I share a few tips on how to use a dictionary as a beginner, intermediate, and advanced learner.
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In this episode, I respond to a listener who asked, "What should I do with my old language books that I don’t use anymore? I feel bad, just throwing them away.”
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In this episode, I discuss three pitfalls caused by "mastery," This way, you can spot them and avoid them!
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In this episode, you I will share three flawed definitions of subjects that you should avoid...because sometimes learning what a bad definition of a subject isn't is just as important as learning what a good one is.
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And I am going to kick off this series on grammatical subjects by presenting a few reasons as to why you should take the time to re-learn or re-establish your knowledge of this key language element.
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In this episode, I break down two important language elements, and discuss why it is important to keep them balanced.
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Whether you are a veteran language learner or a beginner, I share a few reasons as to why everyone should dabble in a variety of languages.
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In today's episode, I respond to listeners who asked for tips related to improving or developing their circumlocution skills.
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In today’s episode, I present some typical and not so typical reasons as to why you should consider learning American Sign Language!
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In today’s episode, I share a few tricks that you can use to buy yourself some “think time” when holding a conversation.
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In today’s episode I discuss what I feel is the greatest challenge that students face when it comes to grammatical gender. And I also share a few strategies you that you can use to overcome it.
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In today’s installment, I break down the roles that nouns play - nice and simple.
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Over the past 6 months, I conducted a survey in which 42 fellow hypopolyglots were asked to answer some basic questions about their study routines as well as offer advice they had on the topic of studying. And, today, I thought I would keep it simple, and share the results of this survey with you.
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In today’s episode, I respond to a listener who has asked me to share a few additional activities one can use to develop vocabulary.
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Onomatopoeia are perhaps most widely known as the tools we use to communicate the sounds that objects, animals, and humans make. But, they can do much more than that! So, listen in and learn why you should add a few to your vocabulary.
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When languages provide extra messages or layers of information into sentences, grammarians often refer to these extra layers as mood or grammatical mood. And today, we are going to take a look at three common moods that nearly all languages utilize.
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Today, I respond to an email from Cierra, who writes, “I have been using a variety of resources as you suggested. And I enjoy each of them – However, I am struggling to keep what I am learning from all the different resources organized. Any suggestions?” - yes I do! and it is quite simple.
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This episode explains how grammatical gender adds a whole other layer of information that needs to be both memorized and correctly applied in order to be able to communicate clearly and accurately in a language that uses grammatical gender.
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Resources are key to the learning process, so today, I thought I would share my review of a very popular resource on the market – Pimsleur language courses.
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In today’s installment, I am going to drill down on the topic of gender....what it is and how it often causes confusion.
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In this episode, I present a comprehensive checklist of 8 key elements that I feel every language learner should consider when it comes to gathering resources.
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In today’s installment, we are going to look beyond the basic definition of a noun, and we are going to take a closer look at three additional, important concepts surrounding nouns – namely gender, number, and case! So, stick around.
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Over the years, I have collected several key tips and tricks from teachers and students alike that have made the use of flashcards even more effective for me. So today, I thought I would pass along these helpful suggestions to you!
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In an earlier episode titled Songs – Side B – I introduced you to several activities that help you incorporate music into your studies. Today, I would like to show you a few additional ways music can be beneficial to your language learning experience as well.
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When it comes to learning a language, you may find that time, redundancy, and inconvenience are three major obstacles you are going face. So, today, I thought I would share some tips on how to deal with them - in order to make it easier to sit down and study.
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Today's episode discusses a phenomena that many language learners experience "mental hiccups" - what they are and how to deal with them!
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Today’s episode is part of a Language Fundamentals series which aims to help listeners re-think many of the fundamental building blocks of language in a way that is more conducive to learning new languages! In this installment, I am going to be discussing verbs! More specifically, I am going to be talking about the wide variety of information verbs have to convey.
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The 50 question challenge is a great learning tool that helps you track your progress.
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In this episode, I walk you through a step by step process you can use to incorporate music into your study routine.
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In this episode, I reply to John, who is currently studying German and Turkish, who asked , “Even though I am learning different languages, can you share the resources you are using to learn Spanish – and maybe include a brief explanation as to why you use that resource? I think this will really help me better gauge whether or not I am using the right stuff.” (And yes.....I gave the Sound of Music a little nod in the title of this episode)
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In this Reply All Episode, I respond to a listener who asks a simple, yet important question, "What vocabulary should I focus on as a total beginner?"
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Today, using a trivia format, I share some data about world languages that you might find useful when selecting your next language.
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In today’s episode, I take a quick moment to recap Season 1 as well as share with you the direction and goals for season 2!
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In todays episode, I to respond to an email in which a listener asks, “How does learning another language make it easier to learn additional languages? I often hear people say this, but I have never really heard an explanation as to how or why this is true.” Listen in for the answer!
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In this installment, I walk you through some steps that will help you estimate how many words you will need to learn.
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In this installment I am going to show you a structure way to go about learning words in context. This way, you can start reaping the benefits of this beneficial approach to learning new words right away.
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In this episode, I discuss two important approaches to reading. – intensive reading and extensive reading - as having a basic understanding of both of these approaches can help you make the most of your studies and help you improve your overall language skills
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I would like to share a few behaviors with you that are highly linked to success in the classroom. I think you will find that incorporating these behaviors may help you to significantly improve your language skills as well as potentially help you increase your academic performance. So, listen in....
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In today’s reply all episode, I respond to an email I received from a listener who wrote “I am planning a trip to Costa Rica and Panama, for both business and pleasure, and I would like to use this opportunity to improve my Spanish if possible. Do you have any suggestions on how I can make the best use of my trip to improve my Spanish?”
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Today, I wanted to talk to you about circumlocution- a helpful tool that many languages learners employ when they find themselves in a tough spot. I thought I would share a few tips on how to put this tool to good use as well as how to avoid one particular pitfall associated with it…… So, stick around
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In today’s episode, I take a look at the roles that verbs play, just in a unique way. So, if you want to see verbs in a new light…..listen in!
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In today episode, I want to share why it can be very beneficial to turn off your native language’s auto-pilot from time to time. Listen in to hear more about the benefits!
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Today’s episode is part 4 of series dedicated to helping you master vocabulary. And in this installment, I thought would explain what learning vocabulary in context means and why it is beneficial. So, stick around….
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In today’s reply all episode, I respond to a recent email I received from a listener in Bahrain, who had a follow-up question related to an earlier episode titled Exhausted. He asks, “Are there other possible factors that I need to be aware of that might be contributing to the exhaustion that I often feel?" In my reply, I discuss factors such as physical stressors and cultural fatigue.
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As a beginner, it is common to feel overwhelmed by the apparent speed of a new language when listening to videos, songs, or native speakers. So, today, I thought I would share some tips that will help you slow things down a bit.
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Today’s episode is part 3 of series dedicated to helping you master vocabulary. In this installment, I point out 4 common pitfalls that many people tend to fall into when learning vocabulary. This way, you will know where they and how to avoid them!
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Today I thought I would present a few popular reasons for learning languages that may help you clarify your purpose for wanting to acquire a new language. In addition, I thought I would suggest a few languages that may complement each reason or purpose.
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At any level, studying and practicing your new language can cause you to feel both mentally and physically exhausted. So, I thought I would share some tips on how to avoid feeling worn out and drained while learning your new language.
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Today’s episode is part 2 of series dedicated to helping you master vocabulary. And in this installment, I will be discussing passive and active vocabulary and sharing how your knowledge of passive and active vocabulary can help you help your brain to learn new words more efficiently and effectively.
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Today, I would like to present a checklist of key questions that I feel any language learner should answer before starting to learn a new language. Whether you are a novice or a veteran, taking the time to answer these six questions will help to ensure success from the start.
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In today’s episode, I would like to introduce a resource that is great for anyone interested in learning more about linguistics. It is a podcast called “the 5 minute linguist,” and it was produced by the College of Charleston and the National Museum of Languages in celebration of the US Senate naming 2005 to be the year of languages.
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When it comes to learning another language, there is no way to avoid learning vocabulary. So, I have created a series of episodes dedicated solely to the topic of mastering vocabulary. For part 1 of this series, I thought I would share some general tips that will help you learn vocabulary quickly and effectively.
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In English, we utilize what I would describe as an all-encompassing “you -pronoun” - as a result, the pronoun “you” can present a few challenges for us as English speakers when learning other languages . This episode will take a closer look at some of the issues with “you”
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Today, I am going to take a look at an APP for your phone called Drops. This APP is designed to help you learn vocabulary quickly and easily. So stay tuned in to learn more about Drops, and the benefits it has to offer.
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Over the past 20 to 30 years, resources, access to languages, and language classrooms have all experienced major developments and improvements, making present day a great time to be a language learner! In this episode, I am going to discuss these advancements , as they are both noteworthy and motivating. So, stick around….
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In today’s episode, I thought we would talk about cognates. I will share what they are, how they can be helpful to you, as well as how to avoid one particular pitfall associated with them. So, stay tuned in to find out more about these little language helpers!
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Today, I thought that I would present some of the most commonly agreed upon benefits of learning another language. So, keep listening in…..as reminding ourselves of these benefits can help us stay both motivated and focused.
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Today’s episode is part 2 of a two part series dedicated to the topic of online language tutors. In the first installment, I shared some reasons as to why you should consider hiring an online tutor. In today’s episode, I am going to walk you through how I use online tutors as a means of providing you some insight and tips on how to make the most out of your online tutoring experience.
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Today’s episode is part 1 of a two part series dedicated to the topic of online language tutors. In this first installment, I am going to share some reasons as to why you should consider hiring an online tutor. In part 2 of this series, I am going to walk you through how I use online tutors as a means of providing you some insight and tips on how to make the most out of your online tutoring experience. So stick around!
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In this episode, I clarify the meaning of the term and name of this podcast - hypopolyglot; as well as explain how it came to be the name of this podcast.
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This inaugural episode will discuss how our uniqueness as language learners often create some interesting challenges for us and how the collective knowledge of the language learning community can be used to overcome these challenges. Additionally, the purpose and the goal of this podcast will be revealed.
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