Five myths about learning a new language – busted

Language learning is often a daunting prospect. Many of us wish we had learned a language to a higher level at school. But even though adults of all ages can do well in acquiring a new language, fear – or the memory of struggling to memorise grammar at school – can hold us back.

We both work in languages education and recognise the real benefits that learning another language can bring. As well as myriad cognitive benefits, it brings with it cultural insights and empathetic awareness.

With that in mind, we’re here to dispel five myths about language learning that might be putting you off.

Myth one: it’s all about grammar and vocabulary

In fact, learning about people, history and culture is arguably the best part of learning a language. While grammar and vocabulary are undeniably important aspects of language learning, they don’t exist in isolation from how people communicate in everyday life.

Language learning can help us to have “intercultural agility”: the ability to engage empathically with people who have very different experiences from our own. To be able to do this means learning about people, history and culture.

Immersing yourself in a particular country or location, for example through studying or working, is a fantastic way to do this. But when this isn’t feasible, there are so many other options available. We can learn so much through music, books, films, musical theatre and gaming.

Myth two: we should focus on avoiding mistakes – they’re embarrassing

One problem with formal language learning is that it encourages us to focus on accuracy at all costs. To pass exams, you need to get things “right”. And many of us feel nervous about getting things wrong.

But in real-life communication, even in our expert languages, we often make mistakes and get away with it. Think of the number of times you have misspelled something, or said the wrong word, and still been understood.

Less formal language learning can encourage us to think more about communication than accuracy.

One advocate of this approach is author Benny Lewis, who popularised a communicative learning approach he calls “language hacking” which focuses on the language skills needed for conversation. Language apps also encourage this, as does real-life travel and communication.

Myth three: it’s too much effort to start over with a new language

You can use languages in lots of ways, and the language you learn at school doesn’t have to be the only one you learn.

In England, most people learn one or more of French, Spanish or German at school. These languages can often serve as great apprenticeship languages, teaching us how to learn a language and about grammatical structures.

But they are not always the languages that we are most likely to use as adults, when family and work could take us anywhere. Our cultural interests might also lead us to want to know more about a new language.

Learning a language that you have a personal interest in can be very motivating and help you to keep going when things get a bit rocky.

Myth four: learning a language is an individual endeavour

You don’t have to learn alone. Learning with others, or having the support of others, can help motivate us to learn.

This might be through a multilingual marriage, joining a conversation group or chatting in a language learning forum online. Don’t feel that you have to have reached a certain proficiency before you start reaching out to others.

Language apps can also make language learning a collective endeavour. You can learn along with friends and family, and congratulate them on their language learning streaks.

This is something both of us do with multiple generations of our families, helping us engage with language learning in a lighthearted way.

Myth five: it’s a lot of hard graft

Learning a language in a systematic way can be challenging, whether in a classroom or from a self-study course. But some things make this easier. We have found that people are more motivated to engage when they have a personal reason to learn. This could be, for example, wanting to communicate with family or to travel to a particular country or region.

The growth in popularity and accessibility of language learning apps has made language learning possible from any location and at any time, often for free.

You can easily catch up on your Chinese from the comfort of your own armchair, at whatever time is most convenient for you. Apps can be fun and playful, and can help us maintain motivation, develop vocabulary and embed grammatical structures.

There are lots of reasons for learning a language, and lots of benefits. We encourage everyone to focus on these benefits, and give it a go.

Jessica Mary Bradley currently receives funding from the British Academy / Leverhulme Trust in collaboration with Wellcome.

Abigail Parrish does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.