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BRAVE Blog

English (Spanish, Chinese…) as a Magical Language

english phonetic pretty womanBilingual motivations have evolved, as foreign languages became more and more mainstream things to do and use. With some languages, though, curious side effects can be seen. This post is a curious look at the role of certain languages in cultures – and an invitation to discuss some polyglots’ more esoteric approaches. Don’t take it fully seriously – but do join in if you’ve got inspired by it!

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BRAVE Blog

How to Talk Back at Chris Lonsdale Fluently in Six Points

Human Brain Evolution Every time someone claims to have found a new method for learning a language, I pause and listen intently. It’s not unusual to discover something useful and really effective by paying attention to language learning experts. But there are also times when the expertise is not enough – especially when it’s connected to strong and bold claims. Can you really learn a new language fluently in six months?

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BRAVE Blog

3 Free Tools to Build Up Your Motivation For Language Study

 

You know how it goes. Halfway into January, and your New Year’s resolutions don’t look that flashy any more – what seemed to be a good and useful plan turns into a pile of unconnected wishes…sounds familiar? Well, fear not. Today you’re getting introduced to three fabulous instruments. Each of these will help you get your foreign language learning back on track. Best of all, none of those costs a penny.

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BRAVE Blog

How to be more Italian (about any language you learn)

italian language bloggerI went to Italy this week and had a great time. I don’t speak Italian a lot, and I don’t mean to learn yet. But there was something about being able to exchange those few basic words that made me love the way this language is spoken. This is a short guide to being Italian – even if your language of choice is completely different. I hope you find this useful.

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BRAVE Blog

Move 27 Things: Feng Shui for Stuck Language Learners

stuck language learningFollowers of feng shui use this trick with some results: move 27 things to get any room or space “unstuck.” How about getting stuck in a language learning process – would this trick help as well? Here’s a good few questions and ideas to give the polyglots a push out of the groove.

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BRAVE Blog

Good Enough Language Learning

It’s been a hard, long day for everyone around me, and in different circumstances, I would be angry at achieving less than I’d hoped. But I read a great sentence about sales and marketing today: it said that the secret of success is to “leave well enough alone.”
I have no more time for my French learning. Tomorrow will be busy, and on Friday – I’m off to Morocco. So do I feel disappointed? Not really.
My French is not perfect – but it’s good enough for me. This will help my confidence, and allow me to enjoy my Moroccan adventure. Besides – real learning begins now!
I will be back on the 16th September, ready to share all the stories and ideas. Wish me luck!