The Dalai Lama's English may be 'broken' and simplistic in the traditional sense of the word, yet he is able to talk about things like neuroscience, quantum physics and psychology, and capture the attention of his audience. Is he fluent in English?
Category: Language Studies
Practical insights into studying a foreign language – from useful tools to behind the scene tips.
Ear for language – my thoughts on an exciting survey
A few weeks ago, I was asked to comment on the results of an interesting research that was conducted by Vervesearch, an international marketing agency in collaboration with GoCompare. They took 10 of the world's languages that you can regularly hear spoken in the UK and tasked 1000 Britons with recognising them. The objective was to … Continue reading Ear for language – my thoughts on an exciting survey
Learning and the road to knowledge …
"You're always learning. The problem is, sometimes you stop and think you understand the world. This is not correct; the world is always changing. You never reach the point you can stop making an effort - but the road to knowledge is full of joy.” Words of wisdom, by the brilliant Paulo Coelho. It caught my attention … Continue reading Learning and the road to knowledge …
Cultures, languages and why ancient wisdom matters in the modern world
"A language [...] is not merely a set of grammatical rules or a vocabulary. It is a flash of the human spirit, the vehicle by which the soul of each particular culture comes into the material world. Every language is an old-growth forest of the mind, a watershed of thought, an ecosystem of spiritual possibilities.” … Continue reading Cultures, languages and why ancient wisdom matters in the modern world
How much should I pay for language lessons?
How much is it per hour? One of the first questions client ask when considering signing up for a language training programme. While price is indeed an important factor, here are a few key points I think should be considered when it comes to evaluating different offers from different teachers. 1. Learning a language is … Continue reading How much should I pay for language lessons?
The 3 key ingredients you need to make your language learning journey a success
Are you wasting time learning words that you're likely never use? Learning animal names can be fun but let's be honest, unless you are a zoologist, it's highly unlikely that you'll ever use those words, so why would you bother learning them in the first place? Makes sense, right? Yet, so many times, we spend … Continue reading The 3 key ingredients you need to make your language learning journey a success
Why traditional language courses organised for busy corporates need a fresh approach
What can we do to make the language training process more effective in international companies and organisations? Here's what I've seen over the past 10 years of working with corporate clients in the finance industry. Big international corporations who recognise the importance of providing foreign language training for their employees, usually engage independent training companies to … Continue reading Why traditional language courses organised for busy corporates need a fresh approach
Don’t kill yourself trying to find the difference between der, die, das because it will simply NEVER HAPPEN … – An interview
In a new series, I'm interviewing clients and friends who moved to either Germany or Hungary and had to immerse themselves into language and culture all of a sudden. I ask them about their experiences, how long it took them to feel at home and learn the language, what challenges they faced and how they … Continue reading Don’t kill yourself trying to find the difference between der, die, das because it will simply NEVER HAPPEN … – An interview
Meet Iain Lindsay, the British Ambassador adored by everyone in Hungary
His Hungarian is impressive to say the least, his accent and humour is admirable. He is relatable, funny and intelligent, and very active on social media. Iain Lindsay, the British Ambassador in Hungary, has won over people's hearts and become a bit like a celebrity in Hungary. Why? Nelson Mandela once said: "If you talk … Continue reading Meet Iain Lindsay, the British Ambassador adored by everyone in Hungary
The language learning journey
The language learning journey is far more predictable than we might think. No matter for what reason you want to speak a language, there are 4 individual stages you need to get through in order to become a 'comfortable language user'. Each of these phases come with their own set of challenges and struggles. If you … Continue reading The language learning journey
