Language Learning: Your Anxiety is Not Real

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  • Опубликовано: 23 авг 2024
  • When pressure prevents you from speaking in the language, remember that this anxiety is not real and not you. Reference.www.amazon.com/...
    Timelines:
    0:06 Everyone has anxiety blocks preventing from speaking.
    2:01 Your mood and relation to people matters.
    2:36 Listening and reading is the best remedy for the anxiety.
    3:29 Anxiety is in fact not real.
    4:00 «The Mind and The Brain» book by Jeffrey Schwartz.
    4:42 I did well, I will get only better.
    5:50 How do you remove the anxiety?
    Visit www.LingQ.com
    My Blog: blog.thelinguis...
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    My Twitter: / lingosteve
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Комментарии • 64

  • @danielpardo6890
    @danielpardo6890 8 лет назад +7

    This is my problem exactly. I suffer from severe Social Anxiety and Avoidance Personality Disorder, which make day-to-day social interactions near impossible. I take antidepressants for this, but their aid is minimal. I suppose it is just the cruel irony of life that I, a person with an almost obsessive interest in languages, is seemingly cursed by mental disorders that stop me from achieving my goals. My relationship with languages has been an interesting one, with my current disabilities, lack of knowledge of my native language (which I have forgotten), and being in the unusual position of only being able to speak foreign languages (English and Russian).

  • @powahranger19
    @powahranger19 9 лет назад +7

    Impresionante! Gracias! I've been studying spanish for around 10 years now AND have a degree in it. I STILL get language anxiety and it's important to understand that you can never really get over it but there's a way of almost "cheating it" via reading, vocabulary building and optimism! Gracias Steve

  • @jaimebenito620
    @jaimebenito620 9 лет назад +8

    Thanks a lot for this video! While it should be common sense, most of us are often intimidated not only when we try to speak other languages, but also when we compare ourselves with people who've managed to learn many more languages than us, so it's very reassuring to hear that even people with more experience and knowledge can also have bad moments; at least we know it's not just us being useless.

  • @nicholasgryczewski9247
    @nicholasgryczewski9247 9 лет назад +5

    This channel is my favorite, what a great teacher and an inspirational polyglot!

  • @DocDoesGamingTV
    @DocDoesGamingTV 4 года назад +2

    I'm having this problem with Mandarin a lot, my wife is actually a native speaker, but I'm so used to speaking English to her so our home is "English speaking territory" in a sense

  • @sharadpoudel6707
    @sharadpoudel6707 9 лет назад +2

    wow professor ...This is me Nepali-Portuguese,English speaking guy ... I was just clapping while seeing this video... "Anxiety blocks" These things are all about my experiences and were things that I wanted to explain clearly about for me .. really loved your this speech. feeling more confident..

  • @nataliequebec8655
    @nataliequebec8655 9 лет назад +4

    Oh, it sounds so familiar to me. I'm glad that you discussed this topic as anxiety is one of my struggles that I try to control, but it does not always help. Sometimes when I am anxious about my English pronunciation, I feel how my blood pressure goes up, and I become red , and my mind is just blocked. I will try to exercise my brain. Thank you for your advice.

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад +1

      Natalie quebec But boy you write well. I am sure you also speak well.

  • @timothydouglas9474
    @timothydouglas9474 3 года назад +1

    We all have such moments when speaking our native language, let alone several foreign languages in succession!

  • @HeyGrumpyzen
    @HeyGrumpyzen 9 лет назад +1

    That is great advice. It's exactly what I do when I get something wrong in another language. I beat myself up instead of encouraging myself to keep trying

  • @FishKungfu
    @FishKungfu 9 лет назад +3

    Very good points! One simple (but difficult) exercise I do to practice switching language gears is to count from 1-10, 20, or whatever, but you rotate through languages with each number. For example (English, Russian, Japanese)... one, dva, san, four, pyat', roku, etc.

  • @F1Renegade
    @F1Renegade 9 лет назад +1

    Dear Steve, Just to say that I have been inspired by your videos and your language learning achievements! I've been learning Finnish for several years now (as I live and work there) but I have joined LingQ to help me learn some other languages! All the best!

  • @user-zb9tt7mo3t
    @user-zb9tt7mo3t 28 дней назад

    I used to do drugs but now by learning languages i get a kick (dopamine)and my self esteem and mood have been better than ever.

  • @squaretriangle9208
    @squaretriangle9208 Месяц назад

    Happened to me just now😂, my neighbour asked me when did I come to my house I wanted to say on Wednesday but couldn't think of the right word, so I said two days ago😂😂😂
    What you described is in my eyes not so much anxiety as language overload, all the words coming back in the "wrong" language, this happens to polyglots all the more as their brains have so many options to choose from, so I take it as a positive😂🎉

  • @fosan134
    @fosan134 9 лет назад +1

    Thanks a lot for this Steve. I have trouble myself speaking and I get so nervous and scared I stop and can't think. I will keep what you say with me next opportunity.

  • @salvadorperez8020
    @salvadorperez8020 9 лет назад +1

    Thank you very much Steve. Im here in Spain listening all your videos and I feel you like a friend of mine. I admire how you describe the languages and the relationship with the anxiety. I wish you won´t never stop from doing videos like that. So simple video but so powerful. Im trying to improve my english because I am determinate to achieve the best level I can and thanks to you my motivation is amazing. Congratulations Steve!

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад

      Salvador Pérez Thank you Salvador, and I love visiting your county.

  • @bexyrose0x
    @bexyrose0x 9 лет назад +1

    Useful advice! I struggle with anxiety when trying to speak the languages I am learning, from fear of embrassment or the like. I'm trying to learn how to decrease it and to not be afraid, but like you say, easier said than done! There's definitely a strong fear towards not understanding native speakers (through vocab or their speed) if I try and communicate with them. So watching this video helped to remind me not to let the anxiety control me and just have a go!
    P.s the camera movement was kinda distracting!!

  • @Idonious
    @Idonious 9 лет назад +1

    Useful tips! I find that I feel tense even when listening to a video or something in Swedish, or Icelandic now. I feel that I have to understand what is said and therefore 'force' myself to listen more intently so that I can hear each and every word and understand it. Perhaps this is not something I should be doing, but instead just relaxing and listening like I would when I'm listening to English.

  • @jonplaud
    @jonplaud 3 года назад

    I understand. I know conversational German and was learning Mandarin and Spanish and sometimes I would use a German pronunciation to some words.

  • @issahaleem746
    @issahaleem746 9 лет назад

    Bit by bit and the anxiety will disappear but this happens by not foxing on small detail as you said Steve thank you so much

  • @jahsoka8307
    @jahsoka8307 5 лет назад

    I thought I was B1-B2 in Spanish but found out I'm just A2, since finding that out my Spanish has gone way down. 100% of a confidence obstacle.

  • @junjiang136
    @junjiang136 9 лет назад

    Great video! That is my problem, thank you

  • @djpremyt
    @djpremyt 8 лет назад

    Hey you answered to my life long question. Thank you.

  • @hapgull
    @hapgull 9 лет назад +1

    I know the feeling. This is something slightly different: I speak English and Romanian beside my native language and now I am learning Spanish. Sometimes I am afraid that the newly gathered Spanish knowledge will push some part of my English knowledge out of my brain. :-) What if the capacity of the brain is limited? :-) I guess it is not, or rather I am not close to reaching the limit, but still I have this feeling sometimes.

  • @user-zb9tt7mo3t
    @user-zb9tt7mo3t 28 дней назад

    Very true

  • @MrMsMisterT
    @MrMsMisterT 9 лет назад +3

    Thanks, that was some useful advice! I have an addition, though. A tip that may be obvious to some people but - I'm sure of that - not to everyone: if you have a blockade during a conversation you should simply tell your interlocutor and he/she will let you get away with it. Like when you forgot someone's name and just tell the person. I had trouble doing this, too, but it really works out and can solve an embarrassing situation.
    Merci, tu as donné du conseil utile! Quand même, je voudrais ajouter quelque chose. C'est un tuyau qui est peut-être plutôt évident, mais qui pourrait aider beaucoup de monde, je suis sûr: si vous avez un blocage pendant une discussion il ne faut que le dire à votre interlocuteur et il/elle va vous pardonner. C'est comme quand on a oublié le nom de quelqu'un et on le lui dit, simplement. J'avais des problèmes à agir comme cela aussi, mais cela marche et peut vraiment résoudre une conversation gênante.
    Danke, das waren nützliche Ratschläge! Ich würde trotzdem gern eine Ergänzung anbringen. Einen Hinweis, der manchen offensichtlich erscheinen mag, aber sicherlich nicht jedem - da bin ich mir sicher: Wenn man während eines Gesprächs eine Sprechblockade hat, sollte man es seinem Gesprächspartner ganz einfach sagen und er/sie wird es einem schon durchgehen lassen. Wie, wenn man jemandes Namen vergessen hat und dies einfach ausspricht. Ich hatte auch Schwierigkeiten, so zu handeln, aber es klappt wirklich und kann so manche peinliche Lage wieder auflockern.

    • @svetlana3820
      @svetlana3820 9 лет назад +2

      Your french is very very good !! I would say "tu as donné un conseil utile" instead of "du conseil utile" :) but it's a tiny mistake, your spelling is incredible !

    • @MrMsMisterT
      @MrMsMisterT 9 лет назад +1

      svet lana
      Thank you very much, especially for the correction! I fell in love with that language at first sight and I really like how one can still read and understand French literature from centuries ago which doesn't differ so much from today's written language. In school, I've always been a diligent student in French class; comments like yours really keep me motivated to further improve myself and to work on that incredibly tongue-twisting fast spoken language. :D
      Merci beaucoup, surtout pour la correction! J'ai eu le coup de foudre pour cette langue et j'aime vraiment le fait que, encore au présent, on puisse lire et comprendre de la littérature francaise qui a été publiée il y a des siècles et qui n'est pas trop différente de la langue écrite d'aujourd'hui. À l'école, j'étais toujours ambitieux dans mes cours de francais; des commentaires comme le tien m'aide beaucoup me motiver à m'améliorer plus et à me débrouiller dans cette vite langue parlée, pleine de virelangues. :D
      Vielen Dank, vor allem für die Berichtigung! Ich habe mich auf den ersten Blick in diese Sprache verliebt und ich mag es sehr, dass man französische Literatur von vor Jahrhunderten immernoch lesen und verstehen kann, welche sich kaum von der heutigen Schriftsprache unterscheidet. In der Schule war ich ehrgeiziger Französisch-Schüler; Kommentare wie deiner helfen mir echt, mich zu ermutigen, mich weiter zu verbessern und an der der unglaublich zungen-brechenden, schnellen gesprochenen Sprache zu arbeiten. :D

    • @svetlana3820
      @svetlana3820 9 лет назад +2

      MrMsMisterT Ohh de rien ! :D
      J'ai rarement vu des gens dont le français n'est pas leur langue maternelle, parler aussi bien que toi (surtout l'orthographe, le tien est très certainement supérieur à l'orthographe de beaucoup de français haha!)
      Je suis contente que cela puisse te motiver, en tout cas ton niveau est déjà excellent :)

    • @lunatynx78
      @lunatynx78 9 лет назад +2

      Your german is absolutely stunning.
      Are you a native speaker? There's not a single mistake in your text, so it could be. However, you're german doesn't completely sound like, what a native speaker would actually talk like. Don't get me wrong, for the most part, it sounds even better. :)
      For example: When you talk to a native speaker, they would normally say "Wenn man in einem Gespräch..." or "Wenn man den Namen von jemandem vergessen hat...", which is some kind of dative workaround, because people aren't really using the genitive case anymore, while speaking. But you said "während eines Gesprächs" and "jemandes Namen", which is totally amazing, because it's not only absolutely right, it shows that you understood how the language works; you understood it even better than most native speakers (if you aren't a native speaker :D)
      It really sounds like you are a native speaker, though. There's only one part that sounds a tiny bit unnatural: "Wie, wenn man jemandes Namen vergessen hat und dies einfach ausspricht. Ich hatte auch Schwierigkeiten, so zu handeln..." It's right, but I wouldn't say it like that. I would rather say "Wie, wenn man jemandes Namen vergessen hat und ihn/sie einfach darauf hinweist. Am Anfang fiel mir das auch nicht leicht..." (I don't really know, why "nicht leicht" instead of "schwer" sounds a bit better, but it does. xD)
      Please note: I'm a german native speaker, so I can't really tell, why some things work, how they work, because I never learned german that way. So I could be wrong with some things. All I can tell for sure is: Your german is incredible. Some parts even sound like literature, because of your use of the genitive case, which is something, you can be really proud of, if german isn't your native language.:)

    • @MrMsMisterT
      @MrMsMisterT 9 лет назад +1

      lunatynx
      In fact, I'm a native German speaker. I'm very keen on writing solely grammatical sentences and sometimes it sure does sound kind of fancy, I am aware of that. However, maybe I'm just an officious "elaborate literature" lover and admittedly a "grammar nazi". When I'm in the right mood, I like to get some practice in different languages by writing short texts in different languages on the internet, for example in forums - a foreign German learner might pass by and rejoice over the opportunity to read a thought-out comment with its translation attached to it.
      Your criticism and small corrections are absolutely valid, it is good to inform people that my text, actually, doesn't represent the German language like it's spoken (,as written language never does,) or like most people would phrase it. I might consider that, too, and sometimes note that I'm overdoing it a bit, my enunciation - it's fun, though ;D. Thanks for your thoughts!
      Tatsächlich bin ich deutscher Muttersprachler. Ich bin sehr darauf erpicht, bloß grammatische Sätze zu schreiben und manchmal klingt das durchaus irgendwie zu edel, das weiß ich wohl. Vielleicht bin ich auch nur ein übereifriger Liebhaber "hoher Literatur" und, zugegeben, ein "grammar nazi". Wenn ich in der Laune dazu bin, übe ich verschiedene Sprachen gern, indem ich kurze Texte im Internet, beispielsweise in Foren, schreibe - es könnte ja ein fremdsprachiger Deutschlerner darauf stoßen und sich über die Gelegenheit freuen, einen durchdachten Kommentar mit Übersetzung anbei zu lesen.
      Deine Kritik und kleinen Verbesserungen sind absolut berechtigt; es ist gut, die Leute darüber aufzuklären, dass mein Text eigentlich nicht die gesprochene deutsche Sprache repräsentiert (,was geschriebene Sprache niemals tut,) oder die Ausdrucksweise, welche die meisten wählen würden. Das sollte auch ich bedenken und ab und an anmerken, dass ich es mit meiner Ausdrucksart etwas übertreibe - dennoch macht es Spaß ;D. Danke für deine Meinung hierzu!
      En fait, l'allemand est ma langue maternelle. Il est très important pour moi de n'écrire que des phrases qui sont complètement correctes et de temps en temps cela sonne vraiment un peu trop chic, je le sais moi-même. Peut-être que je ne suis qu'un amateur de littérature "cultivée" et, admettons-cela, un "grammar nazi". Quand j'ai le moral, j'aime m'exercer par écrivant des brefs textes en différantes langues sur Internet, par example dans des forums - il se peut qu'un apprenant d'allemand trouve un de ces textes et se réjouit de la possibilité de lire un commentaire réfléchi avec une traduction ci-jointe.
      Ta critique et tes petites corrections sont absolument légitimes car il est bon d'informer les gens que mon texte ne représente pas la langue allemande orale parfaitement (, ce que la langue écrite ne fait jamais,) ou le style que la plupart des allemands auront choisi. Il me faut penser à cela, aussi et noter que mon langage est un peu exagéré - pourtant, cela me plaît beaucoup ;D. Merci pour ton avis!

  • @jackvieiraoficial
    @jackvieiraoficial 9 лет назад

    Really good advice, thanks!

  • @michaelvankley862
    @michaelvankley862 9 лет назад +2

    The part of The Mind and the Brain you referenced is wonderful, and most of the book was pretty great actually. I absolutely couldn't put it down throughout the portions about learned disuse, focal dystonia (a topic one of my favorite authors, Oliver Sacks has gotten me really fascinated in, and something I kind of wonder about having a linguistic corollary) and the Silver Springs monkeys! But it seemed to me that the author, a seemingly highly successful neuroscience researcher, went completely off the deep end when it came to the mind/brain dichotomy. Considering quantum physics while thinking about neurology certainly leads the author down some interesting paths, but toward the end it felt more like a cult indoctrination than a serious attempt to bring scientific curiosity to the casual reader. What did you think, Mr. Steve?

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад

      Michael Van Kley I would have to read the book again and don't have it with me now. I usually find that in any book there are parts that resonate stronger than others. But when I return to Vancouver I will have a look. I really don't remember that well.

  • @Vondur
    @Vondur 9 лет назад +1

    I'm currently learning Russian. I've started noticing Russian speakers everywhere in my city, but I'm still too apprehensive to try speaking with them.

  • @timothydouglas9474
    @timothydouglas9474 3 года назад +1

    Dear Steve, out of interest, have you become better switching from one language to another while you have been increasing the number of languages you speak?

  • @DavidsonLoops
    @DavidsonLoops 9 лет назад

    My idol.

  • @Alexkiplivelight
    @Alexkiplivelight 9 лет назад

    Amazing vids! Thanks!

  • @kimaegaii
    @kimaegaii 9 лет назад

    This is just good life advice.

  • @cabreram.4734
    @cabreram.4734 6 лет назад +1

    I suffer from an anxiety disorder. I've been intensively learning for 6 years and I haven't been able to learn the fucking language. Yeah. "Anxiety is not real".. quite stupid.

  • @babak159159
    @babak159159 9 лет назад +1

    Can you make video about how can age affect on language learning.

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад +4

      Babak Karbasi I am 69. It has no effect. I learn better now than when I was young.

  • @IrinaBoix
    @IrinaBoix 9 лет назад

    Great video Steve! I was impressed you speak Russian!!! Love the view on the property. Envy you, as it's raining in Vancouver non-stop...

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад +1

      Irina Boix You live in Vancouver? Yes we always come down here in November to see the sun.

    • @IrinaBoix
      @IrinaBoix 9 лет назад

      Steve Kaufmann - lingosteve Yes, we live in Vancouver. And in the fall-winter dreaming about California, Florida, sun and warm weather. I like your videos. One day will learn Spanish. ))

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад

      I suggest you get on LingQ to learn Spanish. I learned Russian, Ukrainian and a few other languages there.

  • @jopeteus
    @jopeteus 9 лет назад

    How many words does one need to have meaningful conversations? How long does it take for you to do?

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад +9

      That will be my next video.

    • @zane98zane
      @zane98zane 9 лет назад +2

      Everyday conversation is somewhere in the vicinity of 3,000 and a meaningful conversation is somewhere around 5,000. Professor Arguelles covered this topic at the polyglot conference, look up the video.

    • @JariSatta
      @JariSatta 9 лет назад

      Etsi tietoa A1, A2 B1, B2, C1 ja C2 tasoista, esimerkiksi japanin kielen C1 vastaa noin 10,000 sanaa, vähän alle.

    • @jopeteus
      @jopeteus 9 лет назад

      *****
      Kiitos suuresti!

  • @Valentina12121973
    @Valentina12121973 9 лет назад

    Hallo!Can you answer on my question? I do not know decent such question. Wich language is your native, mister Kaufman? And what language do you like best.

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад

      Valentina Simakova English is my native language, and I like all languages that I speak.

  • @Sean9086
    @Sean9086 9 лет назад

    How do you think about Mark Zuckerberg's mandarin
    Honestly,I feel a bit suprised
    Better than I expected

  • @adilah267
    @adilah267 9 лет назад

    Are you going to make a video about polish?

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад +2

      jezyki moje When I eventually learn it. For now I have been sidetracked by Korean, alas.

  • @zane98zane
    @zane98zane 9 лет назад

    Are you back in Palm Springs?

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад

      Yes

    • @zane98zane
      @zane98zane 9 лет назад

      Steve Kaufmann - lingosteve It appears to be the same home that you were in in the last video here. Do you have a friend there?

    • @Thelinguist
      @Thelinguist  9 лет назад

      We rent the same home form a friend.

  • @Blondesax
    @Blondesax 5 лет назад

    Russian discussion.