“Will learning a language abroad for a year make you
fluent?
“到底出國會不會讓英文能力提升?”
這是許多同學的疑問
英文好的同學可以在以下文章找到解答
記得特別查老師有畫底線的單字片語哦!
You’ll need to immerse yourself in
the culture to learn a new language quickly. Here’s how
There’s no right way to
learn a new language; some people prefer poring over books, while others go for
apps or traditional lessons with a tutor. Immersing yourself is a surefire way
to accelerate the process, though, and a year abroad is an opportunity
to do just that. Which is not to say that it’ll be easy. The road to fluency is
long and likely to be littered with confusing – and often embarrassing –
moments. Here’s a quick guide to help you get there.
Avoid the
English trap
When Sarah Doerkson went to study at the University of Ghana in
Accra, she didn’t speak any of the 70 languages used in the country besides English.
But she wanted to pick up Twi from scratch. “I went to the market and
found that the word ‘papa’ can mean something good, father, or fan, depending
on how you pronounce it,” she says. “Luckily, ‘Help, I need something to stop
this constant sweat’ is quite easy to get across with body language.”
Doerkson was placed in
accommodation with Ghanian students who let her practice, and she advises
anyone studying abroad try to avoid sticking to their first language,
even if it’s spoken there. “The official language in Ghana is English and in
the capital you can easily get around with it, but it can really endear you to
people if you at least try to use it,” she says. “Messing words up is often a
nice conversation starter.”
It’s always tempting to spend a
lot of time with people from back home; they get your language and your
cultural references. But you might miss out on the very thing you came
for, leaving with a British expat’s experience and a small vocabulary.
Staying outside of big cities can be a
big help when practicing a language. English is often less likely to be spoken
in smaller towns – bear this in mind when looking at your university
options.
Don’t worry
about being slow
Even if you’ve been studying the language in advance, the
transition can be tricky. Marcela Leone moved to Paris from her home
country of Brazil six weeks ago to begin her master’s degree; she speaks five
languages, including French at B2 level, but still finds it tough to get her
message across. “It’s not like a language course. People speak so much faster.
I often talk on the phone with my eyes closed to focus. I thought writing in
French wouldn’t be hard for me but last week it took me two and a half hours to
write an email.”
If you’re spending your year abroad on a work placement,
make sure your employers and colleagues understand the level that you’re at
with the language – and that tasks may take more time than usual while you’re
picking it up.
Make the most
of media
Audiobooks, language learning apps
like Duolingo and podcasts can come
in handy, advises Tom Bourlet, who learned Spanish in Bolivia. And so can
lo-fi techniques. “One tip someone gave me was to stick Post-It notes to
everything with the Spanish term on them. For example, kettle is tetera. You’ll
start using the Spanish term for everything around the house.”
When you’re out, a good translation app will be your lifeline
– Google Translate is usually reliable, but it’s also worth checking out WordReferenceand SpanishDict,
for instance.
And explore the local media as much as possible; watch TV shows
with English subtitles, read trashy magazines that will help with colloquial
phrases and pick up the newspapers whenever you can – a knowledge of current
affairs in the area might give you something to talk about.
Don’t fear
awkwardness
Be prepared for mistakes and confusion. You could be asking for
directions to an exhibition (“mostra”) in Italy – and might well realise you’ve
asked how to get to the monster (“mostro”). But the way to master those
misunderstandings is to throw yourself into challenging situations. Look for
events aimed at local people (not just international students). Facebook
and MeetUp are
likely to have lots of options, and keep an eye out for posters around your
university and in cafes and bars. Maybe find or set up a conversation exchange
with people who want to practice the language – but beware of picking up
second-hand mistakes if you’re learning from a non-native speaker.