Archive for March, 2018
When should language learners focus on the depth of their vocabulary? Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 19, 2018 in For Learners, Learning + Usage Tips
Last week, we discussed the importance of building vocabulary breadth—or the number of words you know—when trying to improve proficiency. To very briefly recap, we cited studies that demonstrate that of all the factors contributing to language proficiency, vocabulary size is by far the single most significant factor, accounting for anywhere from 50% to 70%…
How much vocabulary is enough when learning a foreign language? Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 12, 2018 in For Learners, Learning + Usage Tips
I came across an interesting question on Quora recently. The asker wondered which was more important: speaking a language correctly and properly or successfully communicating an idea at the expense of eloquence. The consensus was in favor of communicating successfully, particularly in the beginning stages of learning a language. So, where should learners begin to…