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Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

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Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#91

Post by Coincoin »

WheelsAtLarge wrote: post #90

I became fluent by practicing the language. Reading is not enough. Writing is not enough. Memorizing is not enough. I struggled to learn English until the day I started speaking it to get my thoughts across. I had gotten to the point of understanding most of the everyday conversations but it wasn't until I started speaking it that my fluency skyrocketed. I was easily speaking it within 6 months and was fluent within…

I can attest to that. I'm perfectly fluent reading English, yet my spoken English is so bad I just can't finish a sentence without fumbling and taking detours.

Like any language, you need to immerse yourself in it.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#92

Post by nashashmi »

bayindirh wrote: post #18

First of all read a lot. Read local communities like Reddit, HN (here), slashdot, etc. This will make you familiar with the daily language. Second, listen a lot. Watch movies with original sound and English subtitles. Try to understand, try to make sense of it. If you listen English songs, try to listen a little more attentive. Then write a lot. Try to take your notes in English. Comment your code in English. Try to…

In addition to all those points you nailed, I want to add watch pygmalion, the British black and white movie, or my Fair Lady, the American version.

I told that to two people. Both of them had very thick accents. 6 months after watching, they lost their accents.

The movies are inspirational and full of guidance. And they are funny.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#93

Post by [deleted] »

bayindirh wrote: post #73
robocat wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mimicking is the critical skill for spoken English. I bet you have ugly flaws in your spoken English, although I also bet that your written English is better than many brought up speaking English. I often deal with tourists, and I detect serious flaws in their speaking as a result of their learning to read and write first (transliteration is a problem too). Common ways of teaching English in schools are deeply flawed…

Actually, you're assuming that I'm doing all these to mimic other English speakers, and you're wrong. I'm not a late learner. I'm exposed to English when I'm ~4 yo, and started to learn it at 7. Also, I cannot learn by mimicking. I listen and read to learn, to understand how the culture is choosing words, how it works in real world. It's a kind of practice. Because of my Job, I'm talking with Europeans a lot, and I'm…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#94

Post by tphan »

lucb1e wrote: post #74

By doing. Try to write, read, speak and listen to large volumes of English. I've written blog posts, chatted a lot with people in games (mainly text, sometimes voice), talked English at every opportunity (e.g. I'd seek out non-Dutch people in class and do projects with them), wrote elaborate answers on the security stackexchange website, listened to audio books, etc. I didn't have good experiences with apps that try…

As a native English speaker, sometimes I'll read a word but since I've never heard that word read out loud, when somebody finally says it, my mind explodes because it sounds different to how I pronounced it in my mind.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#95

Post by WheelsAtLarge »

el_cid wrote: post #68
robocat wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mimicking is the critical skill for spoken English. I bet you have ugly flaws in your spoken English, although I also bet that your written English is better than many brought up speaking English. I often deal with tourists, and I detect serious flaws in their speaking as a result of their learning to read and write first (transliteration is a problem too). Common ways of teaching English in schools are deeply flawed…

Sorry but I disagree. Limit reading and limit learning grammar/spelling?

This is absolutely right. One of the biggest drawbacks of reading to learn a language is that it increases your accent simply because you will start to pronounce the words the way you learned to read in your native language.

Also, it's harder to memorize information when you read it. Mimicking and speaking is the fastest way to fluency. It turns out that embarrassment or the feeling that you need to improve will help you learn.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#96

Post by 18pfsmt »

bayindirh wrote: post #77
FearNotDaniel wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry to say it, but your written English reads very stilted to me, a native (British) English speaker. Assuming your spoken English is a similar level, your European colleagues are right - it is clear in the sense that it is easy to understand what you are trying to say. But your word choice and grammar are a very long way away from a native speaker. If you do have a desire to sound more natural in the way you use E…

Actually my language skills, regardless of language, varies according to my mood and energy, and it's late here. However, this is not to dismiss your comment as moot or anything, I'll keep this in mind. Thanks for the heads up.

Your English is fine and way better than my 2nd language skills. Unless you are going to become a con man or a spy, I wouldn't give it another thought.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#97

Post by tphan »

chrstphrknwtn wrote: post #3
jjude wrote: post #2

I studied in Tamil medium. When I entered college, I could not speak a sentence in English. Here are the things that helped me. 1. Read Bible cover to cover many time with a Tamil Bible side-by-side. I didn't understand many of the words / phrases. Still I kept reading as long as I understood the meaning. 2. In college we met every evening for prayer. I started sharing messages for few minutes. I made lot (a lot) of…

Reading the bible to learn English does not seem like a good idea. The English of the bible is not common everyday English that will be most useful for communicating with others today. Watching films or television in English, with subtitles in your native language is good advice.

Most people use modern English translations of the Bible.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#98

Post by soneca »

I improved my Listening watching American movies and tv shows with English subtitles first, then no subtitles later (subtitles in your native language will do more harm than good).

My communication skills in English improved A LOT by being very active at Hacker News. It is written communication skills specifically, but they translate well to oral communication I think.

Re: Ask HN: How did you become fluent in English?

#99

Post by CydeWeys »

simonebrunozzi wrote: post #45

I grew up in Italy. Among EU countries, Italians have one of the worst English accent and vocabulary, because Italian TV "dubs" every single movie and TV show ever invented. In fact, you often hear that "Italian dubbers (e.g. voice over actors) are the best in the world". In my teenage years, my father gave me an amazing present: for two summers, he paid to send me to study English in Scotland once, and in Sussex onc…

> In fact, you often hear that "Italian dubbers (e.g. voice over actors) are the best in the world".

Hah, I've heard that from my Italian relatives, but didn't know that it was a widespread thing to say. When I heard it, I couldn't help but think "What a weird thing to brag about." It'd be like bragging that you're really good at tracing over art. It's a sad brag, because it's conceding entirely the ability to become good at making original things.

Another weird thing I've heard from my Italian relatives is that all the Asian corner/grocery stores in Italy are run by the Chinese mafia. When asked why they thought that, their answer is usually a variation on "There's no other way they'd be able to put together the money to own a store." So, in other words, simple racism. You ever heard this claim?

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