The

TAOof language learning

.com

I f youare

AL E A R N I N G

L A N G U A G E

22

listen to it, observe it, quietly, until you notice thepatterns, phrases and words.

Language is like a forest,with trees, branches andleaves. These are thepatterns, phrases andwords of the language.

If you are in a forest, stop to

hear the branches move,

listen to the rustling of the

leaves, and observe them,

quietly.

ABSORBT H E L A N G U A G E

E S S E N C E

S T R E E T W E A R

R H Y T H M F L O W

F E E L I T S

TEACHERSY O U D O N O T N E E D T O

R E L Y O N

Y O U R E X P E R I E N C E S A S AL E A R N E R W I L L T E A C H Y O U A L L

Y O U N E E D T O K N O W .

SPEAKB E F O R E Y O U C A N

Y O U M U S T L I S T E N , A N D Y O UM U S T L I S T E N A L O T , W I T H O U T

R E S I S T I N G .

LanguageWE ARE JUST VISITORS.

WE SHOULD BE HUMBLE.

WE ARE

SMALL COMPARED TO

THE FOREST, AND SMALL

COMPARED TO THE

Do not seek to master thelanguage. Do not fight the

language or it will defeat you. Ifyou devote yourself to the

language, you will be rewarded.

Goal

IF YOU HURRY, YOU WILL BE

DELAYED. IF YOU TARRY

YOU WILL REACH YOUR

YOU WILL KNOW WHEN

YOU ARE READY TO SPEAK.

THERE IS NO NEED TO RUSH.

IF YOU ARE IN A

HURRY TOSPEAK

A FEW DAYS WILL SEEM TOO LONG.

IF YOU RESPECT THE LANGUAGE,

TOO SHORT.THREE YEARS CAN BE

are ready.YOU WILL KNOW WHEN YOU ARE

READY. THE LANGUAGE WILL

D O N O T T R Y T O S P E A K U N T I L Y O U

tell you.

W H E N Y O U S P E A K , T A K E P R I D E I N T H E

L A N G U A G E A N D J U S T L E T I T C O M E

O U T . T H E F E W E R A M B I T I O N S A N D

F E A R S Y O U H A V E , T H E S O O N E R

YOU WILLLEARN.

everywhere.

Whatever language

you are learning, it is

You can find it withoutgoing outside your

door.

wherever

You can bring yourlanguage with you

you are.

FORGET

WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOUCAME FROM,

THE LANGUAGE DOES NOT CARE.LET THE LANGUAGE SINK INTO

YOUR MIND, IN ALL OF ITSVARIETY AND RICHNESS.

@lingosteve

www.lingq.com