Linguistics Meets Language Learning: Explore and Empower
Language through science. Here are sources about languages and language learning.
This page is under construction. Please excuse my mess.
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THE REALITY
How long does it take to learn language?
Can you really learn a language on an automated web site?
These are complicated questions.
It depends on how much of the language you want to learn – just a few words to greet and say good bye? Language for tourists?
Remember speaking and reading/writing are totally different skills.
It depends on your goals. Do you want to be conversational? Are you going to a country for vacation? Are you going for business? Do you want to study in the country? Do you want to live there? Do you want survival skills? Do you want to become native-like fluent?
If you want to achieve native-like proficiency, it takes many hours of intense or prolonged study and oftentimes spending time in a country where the language is spoken natively. It requires spontaneous interaction with native speakers.
It depends on the age at which you start learning your target language. The younger the better. That doesn’t mean adults can’t learn a new language with concentrated, long term study and effort.
Motivation. How motivated are you? How much time will you spend on lessons? What methods will you use to study and learn?
What’s your native language and what is your target language? Languages that are similar to your native language are easier.
Reading/writing: If you’re reading this, you must already have reading ability. It’s much more difficult to learn English spelling, reading, and writing if you do not know how to read your native language. Does the writing system of your target language have anything in common with your native language writing system?
Language learning requires repetition and interaction – these can be done without boredom if done the right way.
You can learn any language no matter how difficult it might be – IF you have the right teaching method to impart the knowledge and the right conditions for learning.
Everyone in language teaching and learning needs to understand the differences between language competence and language performance. Competence involves the receptive skills of listening and reading. Performance involves the productive skills of speaking and writing. It is usually the case in language learning that receptive skills precede and exceed the productive skills.
Even if you study a language as an adult and become fluent in a second language, you’re going to have limited native speaker intuition (competence) about the language – and you might have difficulty understanding dialects other than the one you learned.
Language Learning
Of course there are scores of internet-based language-learning opportunities, software-driven lessons or lessons with live tutors. I cannot fathom listing them all. I share a few that I have investigated.
ELinguist does not endorse or recommend any certain service. I am not paid for any reviews or services or experiences.
Before paying for anything, check with your local public library - many libraries offer free online learning services (and for more than just languages! which you would otherwise have to pay for) included with your valid library card.
preply.com
Lots of languages available, and lots of tutors available at various price rates. You can find what you want. But clarify the terms with the tutor at your initial meeting. You get locked into paying BEFORE you find out the availability of the tutor and can schedule.
If you ever want to cancel, you have to jump through numerous hurdles on the chat-only support who will use every excuse and delay possible, only to be told, "Your request will be processed in 2 hours. Check back later."
The Linguist – The Linguist Institute - LingQ
About learning languages, secrets to learning languages
LingQ - sign up for free for self paced learning of any of 50 languages
Enter language (I chose Japanese. I took 2 years of Japanese, so I have some idea of the language), name, email, user name, pw, coupon code, how many minutes per day you want to spend (10 to 60: 10 minutes per day, learn 1500 words in one year), what topics do you love to customize your library, install browser extension for youtube or netflix, upgrade to Premium or Premium Plus (cost??)
Can find a tutor, get a brief bio, their hourly rates are posted
There is doomscrolling, a counter counting down from 13 days. What happens when I get to 0?
I got Lesson 1a
I get written Japanese with kana and kanji
I click on each word separately to see what it means, I get the pronunciation and a gloss on the side. I ask for translation of the sentence since I get such a fragmented approach, and it says this is a Premium feature you have to pay for – so you don’t really know what it’s saying.
Are there lessons on the writing system?
The grammar guide is extensive but the vocabulary are written in kana and kanji, so if you don’t already know these, you’re out of luck.
MangoLanguages
My public library provides a portal to MangoLanguages to learn for free with a valid library card.
I tested it with Levantine Arabic.
It’s a comprehensive step by step program that shows the LONG learning plan divided into units, chapters, lessons and their topics (there could be over 100 lessons in one chapter) with goals, listening, speaking practice that you can repeat, little quizzes, and reading, as well as grammar and culture notes for explanations.
But if you want to review lessons offline or keep a record of what you are learning, you have to write your own notes – there is no downloadable info or PDF or somesuch.
The other problem is the Arabic script. I just happen to know it’s an alphabet and it's written right to left – approximately one sound per letter. But there are no lessons showing each of the Arabic script letters and their sound values. The lessons, from the very first, throw written words at you with the pronunciation of the whole word without transliteration of Arabic script. Are we supposed to figure out with the first words what each letter’s sound is? Can we assume that there is a perfect 1-1 correspondence between the alphabet and sounds? There are a few grammar notes telling about a few letters and the sounds, but no comprehensive accounting for the entire alphabet or learning how to write. So I don’t get to learn which symbol represents which sound. Am I supposed to learn sightreading? That doesn’t work for me. It becomes difficult when a lesson gives me a paragraph to read and answer questions – I have no reading ability.
A positive is that customer service is quick to respond by email. But they have no good source for me to learn the Arabic alphabet – the written letter-to-sound values.
W
Jakub Marian’s Language Learning, Science and Art
English, German, Romance Languages, Math, Physics, Maps, Music
Some linguistics articles as well. Books for learning ESL. A web app.
Wisconsin dialect (Do I speak a dialect? I never thought so! The announcers on TV and radio sound like us.)
Check out the Instagram video Midwest Voice Translator about Wisconsinese, Yooperese, and Minnesotan by comedian Charlie Berens.
Let’s see Silent Letter Day by comedian Michael McIntyre on Instagram
Omniglot – The Online Encyclopedia of Writing Systems and Languages
1000s of pages (and growing) on writing systems and languages and fun to browse. Heavy on the advertising which is distracting.
It’s not always easy to find something specific you want.
What is Omniglot?
Omniglot is an encyclopedia of writing systems and languages. You can use it to learn about languages, to learn alphabets and other writing systems, and to learn phrases, numbers and other things in many languages. There is also advice on how to learn languages. And much more.
Fluency Fast
Online recorded classes, resources for teachers
Total Physical Response method
Duolingo
Free, AI powered, 5 minute lessons, game oriented, with a login and password, better suits for kids.
Super Duolingo – paid subscription plan with added features, first two weeks are free, I didn’t want to get locked in or have a hassle to cancel, so I couldn’t even find out how much it is.
Max Duolinguo – paid subscription plan with even more features for English speakers wanting to learn French or Spanish.
Send a subscription to someone as a gift for $80 plus tax
ABC reading lessons for children
When you sign up for a login, it asks what language you want to study, how did you hear about Duolingo, what is your purpose for learning, do you want to spend 5 or 10 or 15 minutes per day
I tried Navajo. I picked 5 minutes a day, which is 25 words per week
There is no cultural information or pre-language information to give you an idea what to expect, no info about the plan of study, how many lessons or quizzes, etc.
I was greeted with a word and its pronunciation. I’m supposed to choose the meaning in English which is a guessing game – I have no clue what the word means. Oh I learn later that if i hover over the word, it tells me the meaning.
I hit “check” and it tells me that the word means “thank you.” (starting learning a language with thank you? Without having a reason to thank someone? Is this a cultural feature?)
Next: the word is pronounced, and I have to choose how it’s written in Navajo.
Next: same as first time, only the word is “see you later.” Do I have someone to say this to or a reason to say this?
Next: it reviews the words you made a mistake
It doesn’t explain the meanings of the diacritical marks on the words
At the end of my first lesson, it asks my level of commitment – 3 days, 7, 14 or 30 days. (per what? per week? days in a row?). I choose 3 days.
Next: create a profile – this is create your account with age, email and password
What is an XP?
Maybe kids like this. Maybe it’s better for kids who like the graphics and sounds and don’t need much repetition and like to play around, compete against other learners.
On my profile page, there’s a countdown clock from 72 hours. That must be the 3 days. What happens when it reaches 0?
Section 1, Units 1-11, each with a “Guidebook” for each unit, lists in one place the words I learn (a “unit” is really a lesson of 5 words, and each presentation of a word to say it and translate is an “exercise”).
There are courses about various language for speakers of languages other than English.
English proficiency test:
sign up for an account, purchase the test, download and install the desktop app, proctored by recording your keyboard and screen with your own smartphone camera, and AI scored; takes 1 hour with interview and writing, scored within 24 hours or 12 hours with extra fee, results are valid for 2 years.
free unlimited practice tests with estimated score, sign up here
https://englishtest.duolingo.com/register
It asks: why do you want the test? where do you intend to study? when do you plan to take the test? how did you hear about us? 1 official test is $65, 2 are $55 each
Math and music on iOS and Android
Bulk plans for businesses
Bulk plans for schools
Family plans
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Universities enrolling foreign students with poor English, BBC finds, 3 December 2024
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OTHER MEDIA
Saturday Night Live often has sketches with creative uses of language.
See Kevin Nealon's Mr. Subliminal talking about Donald Trump's divorce from Ivana in the 1990s.
George Carlin performances on
soft language euphemisms and PC language,
on English language idioms,
and the seven offensive words you can't say on TV in his day (be warned)
Minami sensei's Japanese language class with her phenomenal teaching method - no student could escape learning! Every language teacher should use her approach.
Class 1993-10-29
More Sites and Media
BBC Articles
Reserved section
Reach out for inquiries about English writing and proofreading, learning ESL/EFL, and language learning services.