Think of words ending in "-gry". "Angry" and "hungry" are two of them. There are only three words in "the English language." What is the third word? The word is something that everyone uses every day. If you have listened carefully, I have already told you what it is.
The Answer is .... who knows
Spoken English is so different from the English people learn in schools and textbooks. Students around the world spend billions of dollars and countless hours studying English yet very few can speak well. They wrongly focus on increasing their vocabulary size instead of learning phrasal verbs and slang.
An example of this type of sentence is, "I think he made up that story". "Made up" is the phrasal verb here. Made up means something like, "tell a lie".
Another example is, "I ran into my friend yesterday at the mall". "Ran into" is what we are talking about here.
Ran into means something like, "meet unexpectedly".
These sentences are so common in spoken English yet few non native speakers are able to master them.
They probably understand the words on their own but do not understand the slang usage when the words are used together.
It does not matter how big someone's vocabulary is. If they do not use and understand this stuff well, they will never sound anything like a native speaker.
Some people know this but they use the wrong methods like looking for a phrasal verb dictionary or a list. These are terribly ineffective learning methods.
The best way to learn is to study modern native English speech. I have been teaching exactly how to do this and helping students around the world for years. It does n matter what country you are from or what your English level currently is. Learning this material is critical.
Learning American Slang from American TV and movies are also a huge help to get the most relevant material.
In every culture, "small talk" is used as a way of getting to know someone gradually. However, to non-native residents of Japan, it may seem that the period over which small talk is used continues longer, and that it is less often dropped in favor of more direct personal conversations, than is true in other countries.
This takes a long time to getting used to in Japan. And sometimes there is none at all. In Western countries a lot of small talk is done in the office or at the workplace. In Japan, small talk is replaced by set expressions at the work place. Every day millions of Japanese in their workplace say exactly the same thing to their co-workers everyday all day. What they say is "otsukaresama desu". This is very hard to translate, but means something like "thanks for your co-operation". Imagine saying "Thanks for your co-operation today" ten to twenty times a day every work day of your life. Mind numbing stuff.
In Japan, a good conversationalist is one who takes an active role in small talk, introducing new topics and keeping things lively. As anywhere, small talk can easily be made more personal by directing it toward topics in which you are truly interested.
Often, as a foreigner you will be the topic of conversation. Your opinion will often be asked about Japan. You will be asked the same questions and complimented on your Japanese speaking ability. You will have the same conversation about where you are from, what you do and what you think of Japan. It will drive you nuts if you live in Japan for a long time.
However, you can use the opportunity of small talk to offer interesting and honest opinions of what you think about Japan. Japanese will greatly appreciate this and think highly of you.
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the language of written discourse, university courses, academic and scientific texts and conferences, TV and radio news...but it is not how people speak to each other. The language of daily life is conducted in one of many colloquial Arabic dialects, often quite different from MSA, which is adapted from the language of the Koran and written in the dialect of Mecca.
So MSA is the big tent, with all these dialect campfires burning brightly under its big top - all the same, but very different too. This diglossia, the co-existence of two separate versions of a language, represents two different levels of education.
An Arabic-speaker who does not have a formal education has difficulty understanding the TV news or reading a newspaper. Some villages may only have a handful of people with enough knowledge of MSA to impart the news of the world to their neighbors.
I wonder how this split between book learning and the spoken Arabic word impacts a set of depressing figures from the UN: 65 million illiterates - a fifth of the Arabic population.
The total number of books translated into Arabic during the 1,000 years since the age of Caliph Al-Ma'moun (a ninth-century Arab ruler and scholar) is less than the number of books translated in Spain in one year. That's right - one year. Overall, Greece publishes five times more books translated from English than does the Arab region.
The number of books written originally in Arabic, as opposed to translated, is modest for such a large population. The UN reports that 7,230, 7,080, and 5,910 books were written originally in Arabic and published across the Arab world in 2006, 2007, and 2008 respectively. In comparison, 1,480, 1,880, and 1,650 works were translated into Arabic over that same time period. This means that in 2008, 72% of books published in the Arab world were written originally in Arabic. The other 28%, of course, were translated into Arabic from another language. When compared to the 172,000 books published in the United States in 2005, however, 8,710 books published in the Arab world in 2006 is really just a drop in the bucket.
I personally don't know much about the language, just what I read in the papers. I wonder what it's like to learn MSA in school when you speak a different dialect at home. What kind of accent do you go for professionally vs. with your family?
Our world is getting ever more connected and the citizens of the world are rapidly bridging national, social, and linguistic differences. When crossing cultural boundaries, language is the single most important tool. Language provides the key to broadening career and educational opportunities, enhancing the exchange of ideas and information, and of course enjoying the beauty of other cultures.
For many people who stopped learning languages at school and have not been involved since then, the prospect of learning new languages can be rather daunting. It can take hard work to reach a good standard and then there is the challenge of maintaining that level of proficiency. But there is no reason why you should not enjoy and succeed in learning languages like Hindustani or Chinese. Even though people are all different - they learn at different speed levels and have different pronunciation - they tend to be best when it comes to learning and to communicating. With the right attitude, learning techniques, and guidance, you can master any language. The many benefits are obvious.
Understand the World
"Language is the means of getting an idea from my brain into yours without surgery" - Mark Amidon
Language is the source of many misunderstandings, especially so when communicating across cultural boundaries. Although English is popularly known as a widely spoken and understood language in the world, it is still far from sufficient for understanding cultures of other linguistic backgrounds. It goes without saying that you gain more from a visit to a country if you can converse in the local language and actually get to know the people rather than just communicating in English with people in the tourism industry or academic elites. Use of even the most basic vocabulary helps to break down barriers and establish good relationships. It shows your respect towards the people of the country and that you take a genuine interest in them.
A basic knowledge of the destination language is a reasonably small task to achieve and should be included in anybody's preparations. Learning a selection of key words or expressions specific to your sector or profession enables you to reach out and find or provide meaning in conversations. Being able to get your message across in the language of your destination culture allows you to transition more comfortably and increasingly immerse yourself. You will be able to express your thoughts and speak for yourself, thus inviting opportunities for new friendships and gaining the trust and respect of your hosts.
Reveal the Heart of Culture
"To have another language is to possess a second soul" - Charlemagne
Words shape the way we think. We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language. Language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it. Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going. It introduces you to a different way of thinking and looking at the world. Any language has its own rich knowledge base. The means to access this knowledge is the language itself.
Learning a language is like getting to know an entire cultural or social system, with references to the lifestyle, geography, history, arts, economy as well contemporary socio-cultural practices including regional dialects and diversities, clothing styles, as well as the culinary practices in the area where the language is spoken. In addition to this, while you are learning about the culture and the language of a particular region you tend to compare it with your own language and culture. While doing this you think of the similarities and differences between your language and the foreign language which leads to a far more deeper study of your own language and culture as well.
Improve Your Cognitive Abilities
"Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Learning a new language will also help to sharpen your cognitive skills, enhance your overall learning abilities, and improve your capacity for learning and functioning in several other areas. Mental flexibility, creativity, problem-solving and reasoning skills are among the many beneficiaries of language study.
Learning a language up to any level is a valuable achievement in itself. Studying languages is a multi-faceted learning experience, which enriches you in many ways. Even if you only take one introductory course, you will learn a great deal about the way the new language works, you will have a feel for its rhythms and sounds, and you will have an insight into the cultural background of its speakers. Of course, the further you progress, the more valuable your knowledge will become.
Widen Your Career Choices
"A different language is a different vision of life" - Federico Fellini
In an age where more and more organisations are crossing cultural boundaries, a command of foreign languages helps to break the linguistic barriers and facilitates the exchange of information. When we learn a foreign language, we gradually expand the range of language at our disposal and the range of situations we can handle in that language. Learning a foreign language gives you an edge over the others since you become more equipped to face the global scenario than the people who have a limited set of linguistic skills.
If you travel infrequently or to various different countries it is difficult to decide which language to learn and what level is appropriate. Even if you only achieve a basic level, studying a foreign language shows that you are prepared to make an effort, often helps you to help the organisation you are working for, enhances your personal career prospects, and boosts the satisfaction you can derive from working with people of other cultural backgrounds.
Daniel Ratheiser, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Knowledge Must
Founding Knowledge Must, Daniel has helped individuals and organisations to cross cultural boundaries and to grow their global competence. He also conducted numerous research studies in the intercultural field, from historical cultural exchange to contemporary interfaith relations. His real passion, however, has always been researching and writing about the cultural relations between South Asia / India and East Asia / China, the two regions of the world he feels most indebted to. Pursuing this research for 15 years, Daniel has become a leading expert on India-China relations.
