I didnt see this posted anywhere on the forums and thought it was quite fascinating. This guy takes timeboxing to the extreme.

He is not just a guy, he is THE guy.
http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/for...D=300&PN=1

But this guy was (or still is???) even better, probably:
http://www.jornaleco.net/Entrevistas/Car.../index.htm

I take exception to the video saying that's what it takes to become a polyglot. That's one method, but certainly not the only one.

The highest rated comment is very telling... It asks if he can converse in those languages and his answer is basically 'I've never tried, but I think I could... With more work.'

All it takes to be a polyglot is to be able to use 3 languages at will. It certainly doesn't require hours of study each day. And I seriously doubt that big-shot polyglots with 15 languages have a routine like his. I've heard how some of them learn languages and it's nothing like that.

And finally... Timeboxing? He gives numbers, but I don't think he was actually timing it. I think he just wings it, which isn't really timeboxing.

As for me, I'm very lazy about learning languages. I spent maybe 15-30 minutes a day for the first couple years. I only spend more now because I enjoy the language. I'm not 'studying', I'm using. If I had chosen to study multiple languages at once, I could have. (Actually, I did study Esperanto a bit, but on average I only spent about a minute a day. lol I'm still continuing, but slowly.) Eventually, when I'm happy with my Japanese speaking and reading, I'll move onto another language that has utility for me. I'll have to do some research at the time and decide what it'll be, though. I certainly don't need to have a system like he has... I think it's probably more his mental style than a good system. (TBH, it's somewhat like mine. I tend to flit around and do different things at home, rather than sit in one place for hours at a time. I don't pretend it has any structure, though.)

He has achieved a lot, but I think he over-emphasizes hard work. I "work hard" on things that interest me, but it sure doesn't feel like hard work. I'd say passion and motivation are more important than hard work. This certainly isn't the only way to go about it, but it's good that he seems to enjoy his own way of doing things.

So he sits and does homework for hours everyday? In a crappy chair too! Maybe what he does works really well, but the urge to give up would stop most people from getting anywhere like this. You can tell he sort of shuns the idea of using a computer/internet too his advantage as it sounds like he already hates using it for his job. Instead of writing in his notebook he could be emailing native speakers (lang8 anyone? seriously this would be so much more beneficial). I'm not sure he even enjoys writing in his notebook as he always stops precisely at 2 pages instead of maybe continuing his thought. I kind of feel bad for him sitting around doing these boring things, but I guess he enjoys so whatever.

I'm not impressed. Anyone insane enough to follow this routine would eventually become a polyglot or die of boredom. Either way its within everyones grasp and that makes it not that impressive. Like some people suggested, he looks like he was doing homework and not really enjoying the process.

I prefer a more enjoyable approach like presented by this guy(or here), though he slowly drifts into the whole messiah Khatzumoto territory. Learning languages to travel, make friends and have fun in them rather than just study for the sake of studying.

wccrawford Wrote:And finally... Timeboxing? He gives numbers, but I don't think he was actually timing it. I think he just wings it, which isn't really timeboxing.

I think you're being a tad too picky. So timeboxing is timeboxing when you're really strict about time? I saw it more as a general approach to doing multiple tasks per day in short bursts.

Is it just me or does Professor Argiielles seem a little off to you?


Anyway, my youtube polyglot inspiration is Steve Kaufmann.
http://www.youtube.com/user/lingosteve

His Japanese is really good. Along with a bunch of other languages.
http://www.youtube.com/user/lingosteve#p..._TtEsPoDY8

Is he a native English speaker? He certainly doesn't express himself very well.

Ryuujin27 Wrote:Is he a native English speaker? He certainly doesn't express himself very well.

He just has a really strong Canadian accent. It's gross, I know.

thurd Wrote:I'm not impressed. Anyone insane enough to follow this routine would eventually become a polyglot or die of boredom. Either way its within everyones grasp and that makes it not that impressive. Like some people suggested, he looks like he was doing homework and not really enjoying the process.

Exactly, the guy makes it seem like learning languages is a huge chore. It's almost sickening, the routine he describes. It just makes me feel like if I wanted such a boring life, I could achieve what he has. I'd be far more impressed by someone who achieved fluency in many languages whilst having a fun time and living a more normal life. OK, so he might be having his own version of fun, but he's being very discouraging by making it look so much like hard work.

Actually he's American.

I think if anything he just has a really neutral accent, probably from spending so much time in other languages.

What I find interesting is that none of the numerous polyglots on youtube seem to mention using SRS in in their studies.

while we're on the topic of favourites here's one of mine.

Introducing The Lingo Kid

The teenage years:

Steve Kaufmann has a really awesome attitude toward learning languages. I just watched his video on "why we learn languages" and I couldn't agree more.

About the first video: He uses simplified materials, primers and concentrates on "language learning". Maybe he likes learning! I hate "language learning" - it's the one sign that I'm not fluent. Don't you think?

I do use language courses a little bit, but I think there's no substitute for setting your sights on difficult natural native materials. Aim for the stars, hit the mountains you need to get to. Or if you want to reach the stars...?

I'd like to know what he's going to say with all these languages. Isn't that the point of it, communication?

I couldn't do a full routine like his every day. I think the more you know of each language you use or want to use, the more it can rest while you work on the newer ones, and the more it is reinforced when you come back to it - that's spaced repetition isn't it?

Study is good, developing skills is great, but where is the fun?

Anyway, time to practise English now. We no talk good.

mizunooto Wrote:I'd like to know what he's going to say with all these languages. Isn't that the point of it, communication?

He says in another video that he studies the languages to read and enjoy the 'great books' in their original language.

Well that's not a bad reason.

I don't really understand all the hating. He's clearly totally elite. If you read what he wrote on the thread buonaparte posted, you can see he's also very humble. Nonetheless he describes a high level of fluency in his better languages (mostly romance and Germanic).

水の音 Wrote:About the first video: He uses simplified materials, primers and concentrates on "language learning". Maybe he likes learning! I hate "language learning" - it's the one sign that I'm not fluent. Don't you think?

He only uses those at the start because obviously he finds he advances faster at the start by focusing on learner materials. He has frequently stated his interest is in history/literature etc. Anyway there are certain courses like assimil, teach yourself, pimsleur etc that I constantly see recommended by various proven polyglots on youtube and elsewhere, so clearly they're a good place to start.

nadiatims Wrote:I don't really understand all the hating.

Neither do I.

Here's his site
http://www.foreignlanguageexpertise.com/

Steve Kaufman mentioned above regards Mr Arguelles very highly.

By the way, both Mr Arguelles and Mr Kaufman's Russian are not very good, to put it mildly.

Arguelles's German and Spanish are excellent. Mr Kaufman's Mandarin and Japanese are very good.

I understand Arguelles in a sense, I learn languages to be able to read and LISTEN to good literature (and watch good movies) too. I am not a learned moron, though.


There are plenty of good language learners out there.
Julien Gaudfroy's Mandarin is amazing.
http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/for...N=11&TPN=1

For me it's incredible seeing such videos and i'm just asking myself what kind of work those people have, as it seems working for every language a day would take a hellish amount of time (for immersion f.e.). Or they are just "genuine", wheres the dear AJATT writer states himself he is certainly not smarter than anybody else. It's discipline i think, but.. in order to be disciplinated one needs -- talking about Arabic, Russian etc. at ONCE -- time. I wish one could become actually a Polyglot as a job.. I wonder maybe are some of you?

Mr Arguelles taught languages and literature at a university in Korea and then in Lebanon. He now works in Singapore.
Mr Kaufman used to be a diplomat and now is a businessman.
Julien Gaudfroy is an actor in China.

This guy is quite good, too:
http://mrvladimir.blogspot.com/p/my-mult...in-11.html

buonaparte Wrote:This guy is quite good, too:
http://mrvladimir.blogspot.com/p/my-mul … in-11.html

Excellent!

nadiatims Wrote:Actually he's American.

I think if anything he just has a really neutral accent, probably from spending so much time in other languages.

I was referring to Kaufmann, who is very Canadian. I'm not sure who Ryuujin was originally referring to though.

Here's Mr Kaufman's blog http://www.thelinguist.blogs.com/ and here's his multilingual site: http://www.lingq.com/.

Quincy Wrote:He just has a really strong Canadian accent. It's gross, I know.

Quote:I was referring to Kaufmann, who is very Canadian.

Ah... that ol' Pacific Northwestern drawl.....very Oregonian, Montanan or Idahoan... Gross, eh? ;-)