Archive for 'Archived Posts'
When Learning a Language, Don’t Take the Path of Least Resistance Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 9, 2017 in Archived Posts
“Welcome to the human condition. We tend to do that which is easiest, often to the neglect of that which is best.” –Thomas Oppong The path of least resistance may be shorter, or simpler, or more fun. For the casual learning picking up a few phrases for a vacation, that’s probably good enough. But when…
Language Learning Culture Shock Posted by Malachi Rempen on Aug 7, 2017 in Archived Posts
Can you get culture shock when learning new languages? Since moving to Germany six years ago, I’ve been back to the USA a number of times. Sometimes I’m visiting family, sometimes I’m going to a friend’s wedding, sometimes I just want to return to my home town and eat at my favorite local restaurant, the…
The Secret to Learning Languages: Consistency is King Posted by Transparent Language on Aug 2, 2017 in Archived Posts
An object in motion stays in motion. That’s no secret, it’s called momentum. But have you tried to apply the same concept to your language studies? Consistency keeps you moving forward. Learning in short bursts every day does two things. It creates the habit—which beats motivation (the lack thereof, really)—and keeps the language fresh in…
Do online language courses really prepare you to speak the language? Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 26, 2017 in Archived Posts
There’s a fine line between teaching cookie cutter language content and whimsical phrases that are memorable but impractical. Our content team works hard to find the middle ground. We offer more than 100 languages at Transparent Language, many of them roughly following a similar template of content. But the first step of any new language…
What Type of Learner Are You? Posted by Malachi Rempen on Jul 24, 2017 in Archived Posts
There’s learning the language, and then there’s learning the learning of the language. Everyone learns differently. Some people are textual learners, others are contextual; some people process numbers easily, others images and spaces. To best succeed at learning your language, you need to know the type you are and be able and willing to…
5 Unusual Tips to Learn a Language Faster Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 19, 2017 in Archived Posts
How can I learn a language fast? It’s the one question I can’t get away from. I see it asked on Quora, in tweets, Google suggested searches, blog comments, and beyond. Short answer: you can’t. Learning a language takes time. But you can learn a language faster with the right approach. Many sources will cite…
Why Umlauts Are the Best Posted by Malachi Rempen on Jul 17, 2017 in Archived Posts
Umlauts make German fun! What other languages get their spark from diacritics? I mean really, who doesn’t like umlauts? They’re the best thing about German, and probably the best thing about other languages that use them. They’re like two friendly reminders that this language is different and fun to learn. I love that about all…