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Steve's Blog Posts, Introverts and Extroverts in Language Learning

Introverts and Extroverts in Language Learning

There are so many myths surrounding language learning.

You need to do this. You need to be that. You have to be musical. You have to have an ear for music. Some people have a talent. I don't have a talent. I don't believe any of that. One of these myths is that there exists a battle in language learning: introverts vs. extroverts, and that extroverts are the better language learners. I do not believe at all that you need to be an extrovert to learn a language. Language learning comes down to the three keys: number one, attitude.

You have to be interested in the language. You have to like the language. You have to believe you're going to achieve your goal. If you're looking for something around the house and you go looking in a closet or through your different pants pockets, if you're convinced that the item you're looking for is there you'll find it, in many cases. But if you're not really sure that it's there, you kind of half-heartedly look and in the end you don't find it. Your belief that you can achieve your goal is very important and I think the first-time language learner has a problem: they've never done it before. But that's one part of attitude — enthusiasm, interest, dedication and so forth. Attitude is 70% of the battle. Number two is time.

You have to spend the time. You have to spend a lot of time. Language learning takes time. It's not three months to fluency. It takes a lot of time every day for many, many months or longer. The third thing you have to do is develop this ability to notice.

So often people are stuck with the way words are written in their own language and they don't listen to how it's pronounced in the new language. They'll constantly translate expressions from their own language into the new language and don't pay attention to how things are said in the new language. Alertness and attentiveness are extremely important. Neither your attitude, willingness to spend the time and your attentiveness to the language require you to be an extrovert.

Introverts can just as easily have those qualities. If I look, for example, at some of our members in our wonderful LingQ community, many of whom speak several languages, many of whom I've spoken to in a variety of languages, some might be extroverts, but a lot are introverts. It's irrelevant. An extrovert may want to get out there and speak right away.

They're perhaps more likely to be unphased about not understanding and want to show-off the few phrases they have. That's all good. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm not really an introvert, but I don't do that. That's not a necessary condition of language learning. I derive immense enjoyment from listening and reading and building up my vocabulary, building up my familiarity with the language, activities which are so enjoyable to me. For the last two weeks I've been listening to Polish.

I've been listening to podcasts and audiobooks, reading and really getting into the language. Doing these things doesn't require me to be an extrovert. These are all introverted activities, if you want. I'm communicating with the language and through the language with the culture, but I'm not required to be an extrovert to do that. My goal, eventually, is to speak and I know that these activities improve my ability to speak.

Now, an introverted person may be more included to be afraid to expose their shortcomings in the language and make mistakes in front of others. Maybe they're more afraid that they're going to sound less educated than they are, less intelligent than they are. It's possible. The solution, nevertheless, is to engage in these input-based activities and build up their familiarity of their vocabulary and their comprehension skills. That way, when they go to speak they will feel more comfortable. I see no evidence that introverts are less capable in their own language.

I see no evidence that they have a smaller vocabulary, that they read less, that they understand less, that they're interested in fewer things. So if that's true of their own language, I think it will be equally of a foreign or second language. They may behave differently in the new language or speak less at some gathering, but introverts typically have a lot to say when they are comfortable; a lot of things of substance to say. If you're an introvert, devoting yourself to input-based activities such as we do at LingQ, lots of listening and reading and building up your vocabulary, this is going to make you more comfortable because when you go speak you will have better listening comprehension, a bigger vocabulary.

You'll be better able to defend yourself and that's going to make you more confident. I think that very often the idea is that people who are extroverts and love to talk are going to do better.

I think, initially, it's a bit of a tortoise and hare situation. I think they'd be more like the hare, off the bat they're speaking more quickly. But in the long run, in terms of all of the language skills that we normally talk about, listening, reading, speaking, writing, vocabulary, accuracy, all of these things, I don't think the extroverts have an advantage. So that's my take on introverts and extroverts in language learning.

Being an introvert is not an obstacle. I'm interested in hearing your opinion.


Introverts and Extroverts in Language Learning

There are so many myths surrounding language learning. 言語学習を取り巻く神話はたくさんあります。

You need to do this. You need to be that. You have to be musical. あなたは音楽的でなければなりません。 You have to have an ear for music. あなたは音楽に耳を傾ける必要があります。 Some people have a talent. I don’t have a talent. I don’t believe any of that. 私はそのどれも信じていません。 One of these myths is that there exists a battle in language learning: introverts vs. extroverts, and that extroverts are the better language learners. I do not believe at all that you need to be an extrovert to learn a language. 私はあなたが言語を学ぶために外向的である必要があるとは全く信じていません。 Language learning comes down to the three keys: number one, attitude.

You have to be interested in the language. あなたはその言語に興味を持っている必要があります。 You have to like the language. You have to believe you’re going to achieve your goal. あなたはあなたがあなたの目標を達成しようとしていると信じなければなりません。 If you’re looking for something around the house and you go looking in a closet or through your different pants pockets, if you’re convinced that the item you’re looking for is there you’ll find it, in many cases. 家の周りで何かを探していて、クローゼットの中や別のズボンのポケットを探しに行く場合、探しているアイテムがそこにあると確信している場合は、多くの場合、それを見つけることができます。 But if you’re not really sure that it’s there, you kind of half-heartedly look and in the end you don’t find it. しかし、それがそこにあるかどうか本当に確信が持てない場合は、中途半端に見て、最終的には見つかりません。 Your belief that you can achieve your goal is very important and I think the first-time language learner has a problem: they’ve never done it before. 目標を達成できるというあなたの信念は非常に重要であり、初めての語学学習者には問題があると思います。彼らはこれまでにそれをやったことがないのです。 But that’s one part of attitude — enthusiasm, interest, dedication and so forth. しかし、それは態度の一部です—熱意、興味、献身など。 Attitude is 70% of the battle. Number two is time.

You have to spend the time. You have to spend a lot of time. Language learning takes time. 言語学習には時間がかかります。 It’s not three months to fluency. 流暢になるまで3か月ではありません。 It takes a lot of time every day for many, many months or longer. 何ヶ月、何ヶ月、あるいはそれ以上、毎日多くの時間がかかります。 The third thing you have to do is develop this ability to notice. La troisième chose que vous devez faire est de développer cette capacité à remarquer. あなたがしなければならない第三のことは、気づくこの能力を開発することです。

So often people are stuck with the way words are written in their own language and they don’t listen to how it’s pronounced in the new language. そのため、多くの場合、人々は自分の言語で単語が書かれる方法に固執し、新しい言語での単語の発音に耳を傾けません。 They’ll constantly translate expressions from their own language into the new language and don’t pay attention to how things are said in the new language. 彼らは常に自分の言語から新しい言語に表現を翻訳し、新しい言語で物事がどのように言われるかに注意を払いません。 Alertness and attentiveness are extremely important. 覚醒と注意力は非常に重要です。 Neither your attitude, willingness to spend the time and your attentiveness to the language require you to be an extrovert. あなたの態度、時間を費やす意欲、そして言語に対するあなたの注意力のどちらも、あなたが外向的である必要はありません。

Introverts can just as easily have those qualities. 内向性の人も同じように簡単にそれらの資質を持つことができます。 If I look, for example, at some of our members in our wonderful LingQ community, many of whom speak several languages, many of whom I’ve spoken to in a variety of languages, some might be extroverts, but a lot are introverts. たとえば、私たちの素晴らしいLingQコミュニティのメンバーの何人かを見ると、その多くは複数の言語を話し、その多くは私がさまざまな言語で話したことがありますが、外向的かもしれませんが、多くは内向的です。 It’s irrelevant. それは無関係です。 An extrovert may want to get out there and speak right away. 外向性の人はそこに出てすぐに話したいと思うかもしれません。

They’re perhaps more likely to be unphased about not understanding and want to show-off the few phrases they have. 彼らはおそらく理解していないことについて段階的ではなく、彼らが持っているいくつかのフレーズを誇示したいと思うでしょう。 That’s all good. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not really an introvert, but I don’t do that. 私は本当に内向的ではありませんが、そうはしません。 That’s not a necessary condition of language learning. I derive immense enjoyment from listening and reading and building up my vocabulary, building up my familiarity with the language, activities which are so enjoyable to me. 私は、聞くこと、読むこと、語彙を増やすこと、言語に精通すること、私にとってとても楽しい活動から、計り知れない楽しみを引き出します。 For the last two weeks I’ve been listening to Polish.

I’ve been listening to podcasts and audiobooks, reading and really getting into the language. 私はポッドキャストやオーディオブックを聴き、読んで、実際にその言語に慣れてきました。 Doing these things doesn’t require me to be an extrovert. These are all introverted activities, if you want. 必要に応じて、これらはすべて内向的な活動です。 I’m communicating with the language and through the language with the culture, but I’m not required to be an extrovert to do that. 私は言語と、そして言語と文化を通してコミュニケーションを取っていますが、それを行うために外向的である必要はありません。 My goal, eventually, is to speak and I know that these activities improve my ability to speak. 私の目標は、最終的には話すことであり、これらの活動が私の話す能力を向上させることを私は知っています。

Now, an introverted person may be more included to be afraid to expose their shortcomings in the language and make mistakes in front of others. 今、内向的な人は、言語で自分の欠点を明らかにし、他の人の前で間違いを犯すことを恐れるために、より多く含まれる可能性があります。 Maybe they’re more afraid that they’re going to sound less educated than they are, less intelligent than they are. たぶん、彼らは彼らが彼らよりも教育を受けておらず、彼らよりも知性が低いように聞こえるのではないかと恐れています。 It’s possible. それが可能だ。 The solution, nevertheless, is to engage in these input-based activities and build up their familiarity of their vocabulary and their comprehension skills. それにもかかわらず、解決策は、これらの入力ベースの活動に従事し、彼らの語彙と理解力に精通していることを構築することです。 That way, when they go to speak they will feel more comfortable. I see no evidence that introverts are less capable in their own language. 内向性が自国語で能力が低いという証拠は見当たりません。

I see no evidence that they have a smaller vocabulary, that they read less, that they understand less, that they’re interested in fewer things. 語彙が少ない、読むことが少ない、理解が少ない、興味が少ないという証拠は見当たりません。 So if that’s true of their own language, I think it will be equally of a foreign or second language. ですから、もしそれが彼ら自身の言語に当てはまるなら、それは外国語でも第二言語でも同じだと思います。 They may behave differently in the new language or speak less at some gathering, but introverts typically have a lot to say when they are comfortable; a lot of things of substance to say. 彼らは新しい言語では異なった振る舞いをするかもしれませんし、ある集会ではあまり話さないかもしれませんが、内向性の人は通常、彼らが快適であるときに多くのことを言う必要があります。言うべき実質の多くの事柄。 If you’re an introvert, devoting yourself to input-based activities such as we do at LingQ, lots of listening and reading and building up your vocabulary, this is going to make you more comfortable because when you go speak you will have better listening comprehension, a bigger vocabulary. あなたが内向的で、LingQで行っているような入力ベースの活動、たくさんのリスニングとリーディング、そして語彙の構築に専念しているなら、これはあなたが話すときにあなたがよりよく聞くことができるのであなたをより快適にするでしょう理解力、より大きな語彙。

You’ll be better able to defend yourself and that’s going to make you more confident. あなたは自分自身をよりよく守ることができるでしょう、そしてそれはあなたをより自信を持ってさせるでしょう。 I think that very often the idea is that people who are extroverts and love to talk are going to do better. 外向的で話すのが好きな人はもっとうまくいくだろうという考えがよくあると思います。

I think, initially, it’s a bit of a tortoise and hare situation. 最初は、少しカメとうさぎの状況だと思います。 I think they’d be more like the hare, off the bat they’re speaking more quickly. But in the long run, in terms of all of the language skills that we normally talk about, listening, reading, speaking, writing, vocabulary, accuracy, all of these things, I don’t think the extroverts have an advantage. しかし、長期的には、私たちが通常話すすべての言語スキル、リスニング、リーディング、スピーキング、ライティング、語彙、正確さ、これらすべての点で、外交官には利点があるとは思いません。 So that’s my take on introverts and extroverts in language learning.

Being an introvert is not an obstacle. I’m interested in hearing your opinion.