Language is Culture Podcast: Recent Episodes
David Mansaray
Do you want to learn a language? Maybe you want to improve a language you’ve already started learning? Or perhaps what you need is motivation to keep going?
Well if that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place.
Here we combine the success stories of everyday learners with advice from experts to equip you with the necessary tools and motivation.
It’s easy to make excuses for not learning a language, but we're here to show you that It doesn’t matter if you’re a full-time student, parent or work 9-5, with the right methods and motivation you can succeed.
If you’re ready to take your language learning to the next level, take a look at what we have to offer. Let yourself be inspired by real people who have managed to get real results. http://www.languageisculture.com
What makes a good language tutor? How do we make the most of the time spent with one? Today we’ve invited Judith Meyer, a 29-year-old German polyglot and computational linguist from Berlin to share her thoughts.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- What makes an amazing tutor
- How to spot a bad tutor
- How to organise a productive session with a tutor
- Learning vocabulary with a tutor
- Improving pronunciation with a tutor
- Studying grammar with a tutor
- The importance of having a good rapport with a tutor
- And much, much more...!
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode12/
In this episode of the podcast with Alex Rawlings, Britain’s most multilingual student, we discuss:
- Why an English speaker should learn a foreign language
- The psychological and cultural barriers English speakers face when learning language
- What the benefits come with language learning
- How to overcome the “I can’t learn another language” mentality.
- How to find motivation for learning,
- How to find a method that works for you.
- What advantages are English speaker’s have when they learn languages.
- What to expect when learning a language and how is involved.
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode1/
Chris Parker started to study Mandarin in 2006. He has worked as a translator and simultaneous interpreter between Chinese and English, and has taught interpretation in the UK and in Beijing.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- Chris' experience learning Mandarin Chinese to fluency
- How to develop a feel for a foreign language
- Translation as a tool for breaking into a new language
- Native language interference in foreign language learning
Randy Hunt is on a mission to learn a new language fluently every year. His passion for learning about other cultures and meeting new people has helped him succeed with languages. Listen to this episode where he shares how languages have helped him live a better life and what he's learned on his journey.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- Fear in language learning and how to overcome it
- Breaking through plateaus
- Language learning as a tool for personal-development
- How languages can help you discover things about your personality
- What separates unsuccessful language learners from successful learners.
- And much more...
In this episode of the podcast, Steve Kaufmann, a very popular language blogger, shares his experience learning languages for over 50 years. Steve spoke only English until the age of seventeen and now he’s able to speak 12 languages at the age of 68.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- Whether it is easier or harder to learn a language with age
- How experience shapes the learning process in language learning
- The psychological barriers people have to face when learning languages later in life
- The personality traits of successful language learners
- How to stop resisting a new language and it’s differences
- How and why language learning becomes easier with time
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode6/
In this episode of the podcast, Ellen Jovin shares her insights about the differences between self-learning and learning in an institution. Ellen Jovin studied languages at Harvard University, decided to quit graduate school, and then started a project to study 17 languages as an autodidact.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss: * What it’s like to study languages at Harvard University. * The components of a successful language class. * What all learners need to know about self-study * The common misconceptions held about classroom based learning and learning a language as an autodidact * The differences between self-study material and material designed to be used in a classroom
This episode of the podcast is about using “Mass listening” as a shortcut to developing fluency in a foreign language. Vladimir Skultety is an experienced language learning who speaks more than 10 languages. He’s used this approach to develop advance fluency in many of his language, including Mandarin. In this episode we discuss specifically: * What “mass listening” actually is and why you should use it in your approach to learning languages. * How to start learning a language with mass listening. * How to overcome the challenge of listening to difficult speech, especially with languages similar to your native tongue. * The intensity of the process and how you’ll feel as you go through it. * The speed of progress when using this method. * Why transcripts are not necessary for the method. * What you can do to make it easier in the beginning. * What the best types of audio are for this method. * How long you need to listen to a piece of audio for the method to be effective and how to stay focused. * The benefits of passive and active listening * Where mass listening fits in the process of acquiring a new language * How vocabulary goes from passive to active through listening * Whether using different forms of media to learn a language is a good idea * How to address different registers of language, from colloquial to formal * How mass listening helps you in other areas of language learning like speaking, reading and writing
In this episode of the podcast, Ellen Jovin shares her insights about the differences between self-learning and learning in an institution. Ellen Jovin studied languages at Harvard University, decided to quit graduate school, and then started a project to study 17 languages as an autodidact.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss: * What it’s like to study languages at Harvard University. * The components of a successful language class. * What all learners need to know about self-study * The common misconceptions held about classroom based learning and learning a language as an autodidact * The differences between self-study material and material designed to be used in a classroom
In this episode of the podcast, hyper-polyglot Richard Simcott shares his insights on becoming integrated into a new culture and its implications on language learning. Richard Simcott has studied more than 30 different languages and traveling to countries where the language is spoken has been a big part of his journey as a language learner.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- How one becomes integrated into a new society when learning a new language in a place where its spoken as a native language
- How important it is to become integrated and understand a languages’s culture for language learners
- What the challenges are when trying become more integrated into a culture and how to overcome them
- How to detach yourself from the way you speak your native language in order to learn speak a language more like a native speaker
- How to pick up on subtle differences in the way native speakers of other languages communicate
- How to study cultural differences without being in your target language’s country
- How misunderstandings are caused because of cultural differences and what can you do to prevent them
- How difficult it is to let go of the way you communicate in your native language in order to learn a foreign language more effectively
- Why we assimilate culture and language together and in a similar way
A recording of a talk I gave (David Mansaray) at the Polyglot Gathering, 2014 about the personal transformation I've gone through because of language learning.
Dr. Stephen Krashen talks about the input hypothesis. He speaks about what it is, how it was discovered and what langauge learners can do to embrace it to improve their langauge learning.
Mike Cambell is a polyglot and linguist with over 20 years of expereince learning languages. In this episode of the podcast we disccus:
- How to translate ideas
- Why it’s important to translate ideas instead grammatically correct sentences
- The importance of awareness in language learning
- Why you should concentrate on achieving fluency at level B1 and B2 instead of C1 and C2
- How emotions are expressed differently in different languages
- The relationship between muscle memory and fluency
- The relationship between language and music
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode18
Michał Grześkowiak is passionate coach for life and language, musician, polyglot, marathon runner and speaker who inspires people to reach their full potential.
His language learning journey didn't start too long ago but he already has half a dozen languages under his belt.
His secret: language learning must be fun.
Listen to this episode where we share tips and strategies for injecting fun into your learning and overcoming your biggest fears.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- The constructive mindset for effective learning
- Actionable steps for injecting fun into your learning
- The identity paradox: how self-identity can open or close doors in your life
- The different components of mindset
- The value in lowering your standards
- And much more...
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode15/
Luca is an Italian polyglot and a prolific YouTuber who after many years struggling to make progress with languages found a way to learn in his home country, without taking classes and is now able to speak 12 fluently.
He’s often mistaken for a native speaker in the languages he speaks and he owes this all to the lifestyle he has developed with languages over the years, and the method he's developed for language learning.
Luca is one of today’s most influential and successful polyglots and in this episode of the podcast he describes how he lives his life through languages and why it's key to his success as a language learner.
We’ll be giving 100 listeners access to 1 hour of the 8-hour exclusive masterclass held by Luca in Vienna “How To MASTER Any Language (On Your Own)”. Listen to this episode to know how to enter the giveaway!
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
The meaning behind Language being Culture
How different mediums (books, articles, films, documentaries, music) play a different part in the language learning process
How to use these different mediums, what to look for and
The difference between passive and active learning and how they play a role in the language learning process.
Different mental processes you can use to enhance the way you process language
The importance of being open and allowing people into your life for language learning
The importance of being communicative in language learning
How to improve your social skills and why this is important for language learning
How to make the most of people for language learning
Mental time with the language - what this means, why it's important and how to do it.
What different each of the 12 languages Luca speaks has taught him about the language learning process
And much, much more...
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode14
Do you have a bad memory?
Are there words that don't stick, no matter what you do?
Wouldn't it be nice to memorise vocabulary, grammar rules, pronunciation and anything you can think of painlessly?
Ladies and Gents, this is a very special episode. We've invited the memory expert Anthony Metivier onto the show. After 14 years of research, practice and experimentation, Anthony created the Magnetic Memory Method, to teach you how to memorise foreign language vocabulary. What's interesting about this method is that it can be used to memorise and effectively recall anything you might think of.
We also want to give a huge thank-you gift to our listeners, the Lovers of Language and Culture, for being so passionate about what we do. You guys are great! To find out about the gift, and how you can claim it, listen to today’s episode for instructions.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
• How improving your memory can change your life
• How this memory techniques was created and its application
• How to memorise any word in less than 60 seconds
• How to use Memory Palaces to make connections between what you know and what you want to learn
• How to test this technique
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode13/
Anthony Lauder's big question for the past five years has been: "can a language dunce ever become good at languages”?
He's experimented with lots of different techniques, lived in a number of different countries, and succeeded in his attempt to learn a language despite the many ups and downs on the journey.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- What separates the best language learners from the rest
- How to deepen your foundations in any language and why it's important
- How connectors and synonyms can transform your ability to communicate
- How to stick to the language learning journey despite the difficulties
- How to fall in love with a language
- And so much more...
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode11/
One of the most popular questions we are asked is: “How can I improve my pronunciation?”. Pronunciation is an integral part of language, it plays a big role in communication, building empathy with your interlocutor, as well as creating a virtuous, motivational circle: native speakers’ being surprised at the way you pronounce their language can be an enormous boost of motivation and confidence, which will help you to keep improving your language skills.
That’s why today we’ve invited Olle Linge, the author of Hacking Chinese, onto the show, he's currently enrolled on a master’s program for teaching Chinese as a second language, in Taipei.
Olle’s obsession with mastering foreign language pronunciation has led him on his journey to find the best methods for improving the way we pronounce foreign languages.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- How to train your ears to distinguish similar sounds in a foreign language
- How to learn the pronunciation of words at the start of your language learning journey
- The path to sounding like a native
- The best ways to get honest feedback on your pronunciation
- How to manipulate the production of sound coming out of your mouth
- How to constantly improve your pronunciation.
- And much more...
www.languageisculture.com/episode10
“You need to live in a foreign country to learn the language.”
“ Immersion is the only way to learn.”
Do these phrases sound familiar ? Having to live in a country to learn its local language is, hands down, the biggest myth in language learning.
That’s why today we’ve invited Keith Brooks, the author of "Pardon My Norwegian", to share his story learning Norwegian and immersing himself in the language while living in Kentucky.
How do you learn a language in your home country? What does immersion really mean? What mindset is needed to succeed? Listen to keith's story and you'll learn how to succeed while making the process enjoyable.
In this episode of the podcast we discuss:
- The beginner phase of the learning process and how to make the best of it
- What immersion really means
- The successful language learner mindset
- How to stop using English as a crutch
- How to start immersing yourself in a language
- What you need to to guarantee success.
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode9/
In this episode of the podcast, our guest is Olly Richards, the polyglot behind "I Will Teach You A Language". Olly has learned 7 languages while living in different countries around the world and he's passionate about fast and efficient learning strategies. In this episode of the podcast we discuss: * How living in a different country and speaking another language can change your personality * Experiences which are only accessible to those who speak different languages * How to be a great communicator even without knowing a language well * What sets unsuccessful and successful language learners apart
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode8/
In this episode of the podcast, Luca Toma shares his experience living in Tokyo, Japan for 10 years and teaching Japanese and Italian. Luca graduated in Japanese Language and Literature and works as a translator from Japanese to Italian and also teaches Japanese (from Italian or English) and Italian (from Japanese or English).
In this episode of the podcast we discuss: * His experience learning Japanese in Japan * What it takes to master Japanese * How different registers work in Japanese * How to learn the Japanese registers without being in the country * How to consciously improve your fluency in any language * The frustrating aspects of Japanese and how to overcome them * The connection with Japanese language and culture * What it’s like living in Japan as a foreigner * How the Japanese culture can impact foreigners living in Japan
http://www.languageisculture.com/episode7/