How Long Does It Take To Learn A Language?...

This is the question I’m asked most often as a language teacher. Inevitably, it leaves me dumbfounded, yet my answer might determine whether someone will or won’t embark on a language learning adventure.
“How long will it take me to learn Spanish?” (You may substitute the language of your choice for Spanish)
I wish there was a formula that I could use to give you a meaningful answer. Since there is no such formula, I can at least give you a list of the variables that would make it up.
1. What’s your native language and which language do you want to learn?
If your native language is English and you want to learn Spanish, you will have an easier time than if you were learning Chinese. Spanish is relatively close to English, so you don’t need to learn a new script, nor do you need to learn a whole new way of looking at the world. For a native Japanese speaker, on the other hand, it will be easier to learn Chinese than to learn Spanish, as he already knows some of the characters and is somewhat familiar with the culture.
2. How many languages have you learned, and which ones?
If you have been monolingual until now, learning a new language will require more of you than of someone who already knows one or two other languages. Multilinguals have already compartmentalized their brain to create a dedicated space for each language. Plus, they acquired the ability to think in different languages, which is essential for them to be operational in each language.
It’s an ability that has little to do with how many grammar rules you know and how many words you have learned – it’s almost like a personality shift. There are techniques that will accelerate this process, but unfortunately, far too little time is spent on this in the traditional language classroom.
Now, if you are learning Spanish and already know French or Italian, you have a better idea of how the language works than if you had previously learned Russian. You’ll recognize some vocabulary, a few sentence structures and be familiar with some idioms, as Spanish, French and Italian are all romance languages.
3. How much time will you spend on your learning?
You realize that learning is ultimately your responsibility. There will obviously be a positive correlation between the time you invest in your learning and your progress. Just showing up for class, regardless of whether it’s a group class or individual coaching, will not do the job. In my opinion, the teacher’s function is to give you outstanding materials to work with, show you how the language works and give you opportunities to practice conversations with a native speaker. Apart from that, you’re on your own!
4. Which learning strategies are you using?
This is a variable that does depend on your teacher. If you are learning with someone who only teaches you grammar rules and asks you to memorize pages of vocabulary, chances are it will take you FOREVER (if not longer!) to master the language. If your teacher knows smart and efficient learning strategies, you may be able to hold conversations in your new language within a few weeks.
If you have a choice, find teachers who are learning a language themselves. They understand what it takes to reorganize a brain to be able to converse in a new language and they’ll relate to your challenges as a student!
5. What level of proficiency are we talking about?
Do you want to travel to the country and be able to buy potatoes at the local market and ask where the bathroom is? Do you need to negotiate a business deal? Do you need to write a dissertation in your new language? These are widely differing skill levels, and reaching them will take more or less time.
In short, there is no straightforward answer to how long it will take you to learn a language.
A guideline that might be helpful comes from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, VA. This is the institution that trains American diplomats to learn languages for their foreign assignments. The FSI organizes languages into three categories, according to how difficult it is for a native English speaker to learn them.
You need to know that most students at the FSI know one or more other languages, study in classes of six, have 25 hours of class a week and about three to four hours to study on their own every day.
Here are the categories. (The timeframe listed is required to reach a Level 3, or General Professional Proficiency, in Speaking and Reading.)
I. Languages closely related to English (Dutch, French, Spanish, etc.): 23-24 weeks (575-600 class hours)
II. Languages with significant linguistic and/or cultural differences from English (Russian, Persian, Thai, etc.): 44 weeks (1100 class hours)
III. Languages which are exceptionally difficult for native English speakers (Mandarin, Arabic, Japanese, etc.): 88 weeks (about half that time preferably spent studying in-country)
German is listed under “Other Languages” and would take about 30 weeks.
If you’d like to see how the language you’re learning is categorized, click here .
Is the FSI methodology the most efficient around? After looking at one of their courses, I am not entirely convinced, but it is certainly one of the best and most comprehensive approaches–and it seems to work for the diplomats!

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Learn Spanish, The Use of Spanish Is Increasing In...

The number of homes that speak a foreign language in the United States, and in particular Spanish, has risen by 8 million since the year 2000, according to the United States Census Office.

Today, 19.7% of the US population above 5 years old speaks a foreign language, compared with 17.9% in the year 2000.

According to demographic experts, this rise is mainly due to the growth in Latin American immigration in the last few years.

Demographic expert, William Frey, from the Brookings Institution, explained that, “the population has increased in non-traditional areas, such as Delaware, Nevada, Utah and even in Southern Dakota…and this is a tendency that will continue”.

Hispanic people form the largest minority group in the US – 43 million out of a total population of 300 million. An estimated 12 million are illegal immigrants, mostly from Mexico.

Many don’t speak English and have more than one job, working long hours in order to stay in the country and to send money to their families. This makes it difficult for them to learn English.

Conservative groups see the growing popularity of the Spanish language as a threat to the United States’ traditional values and culture.

Yet the number of books, CD’s and all types of products aimed at the Hispanic market is on the rise in the US.

Spanish translations are also a common sight on signposts at airports, government offices and all kinds of shops.

“Being able to speak another language isn’t necessarily a step backwards; becoming bilingual is widely seen as advantageous for a person or country”, said Jeanne Batalova, immigration expert at the Migration Policy Institute (MPI).

The MPI claims that if the US Government were to spend 200 million dollars per year on classes for the next 6 years, it would be able to teach English to all legal immigrants.

“And if it were to spend another 2900 million on teaching illegal immigrants, it would secure the integration of all immigrants into the American way of life”, said Batalova.

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Spain’s Dialects and Languages...

There are a variety of languages used in Spain and also a number of dialects of language. Everyone in Spain can speak Castilian Spanish; Castilian is the official language of Spain and so is used universally throughout Spain. But, although the official language, Castilian is not the only language that has “official” status. These other “co-official” languages are Catalan, Euskara and Galician. The co-official languages are spoken in different regions (Autonomous Communities) of Spain.

On top of this, many of Spain’s official languages themselves have their own derived dialects.

Catalan is categorized as a romantic language as it has been profoundly influenced by Latin. In Spain, Catalan and its dialects are principally spoken in the regions of the Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia however Catalan is also used in some parts of Murcia and Aragon.

Catalan came to be recognised in early Spain when it began to blossom. It soon became considered as a primary language. It has passed in and out of favor in the Spanish court through a variety, most notably the dictator Francisco Franco. Since Franco’s death in 1975 Catalan has been reinstated as one of Spain’s official languages. It should be remembered also that this language is not exclusively “Spanish” as it is also used in Italy and France.

Euskara is widely used in the Spanish Basque region. Having said this, it is being used in other parts of Spain due to its co-official status. The Basque language is a very unusual language in that nobody is entirely sure where it has come from as it is so different from any other language in the Iberian region, and indeed the world. There have been several theories on the history of this language, but the origin is still unknown today. Euskara is a very distinctive language as it is one of a kind; historians really do not have any ideas as to how it became. The Basque language is spoken by approximately 0.5 million basque natives and is is the most unique language in Spain.

The third co-official language is Gallego (Galician) spoken in the region of Galicia situated in northern Spain. Like Catalan, Gallego is a romantic language, however it has a very different sound to the Catalan language. At one time Gallego and Portuguese were the same language (the historic Kingdom of Galicia once extended into the territory of Portugal). Although different languages today, Portuguese and Gallego are related by what is called a dialect continuum (i.e. they are very similar having come from the same root language).

There are several areas in Spain where dialects are used by relatively few people; these “languages” are fighting to survive and are gradually disappearing. Most regions have dialect variances, and although the overwhelming majority of people can speak Spanish, many choose to use their own dialect. Consequently a visitor to Spain may speak to several different people and hear several completely different languages, no matter where they are in Spain! This linguistic diversity has been the subject of much discussion throughout the years as the people of each region wear their language like a cultural badge.

As previously mentioned, the official language in Spain is Castilian Spanish. Of course many other European languages are now used in certain areas of Spain as various peoples have migrated to the south of Spain. And so it is likely that you will not only hear Castilian, Catalan, Gallego and Euskara (depending of course on where you are) but you may also hear English, German, Italian and French.