1
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I speak seven languages.

2
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As soon as people find out about that,

3
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what I'm most often asked --

4
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other than for my phone number --

5
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is: "How did you do it?

6
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How did you go about learning
all these different languages?"

7
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Well, today I'm going to
share with you some answers.

8
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So my phone number is 212...

9
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(Laughter)

10
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I'm just kidding.

11
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See, I was raised as a polyglot.

12
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And by the time I turned 18,

13
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I could speak already
four different languages.

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And then for the subsequent three years,

15
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I learned three additional languages.

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It's about those 3 years
that I want to talk about.

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Because my language acquisition process

18
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was very different from that of my peers,

19
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in that it was never of these stressful,

20
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strenuous, difficult,
seemingly impossible tasks,

21
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but rather something
enjoyable, fun, exciting.

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I loved it, every single moment of it.

23
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And I want to share with you

24
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why, what was it that made it so special.

25
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See, I did have a head start,

26
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in that I did have these four languages
that I spoke ahead of time.

27
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But there were also these 5 techniques,

28
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5 skills if you will, that I use

29
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that made the language
learning process so much easier.

30
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And it's about those 5 techniques

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that I want to talk about.

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So let's dig right in.

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And for the first one,

34
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the first thing that we've got to do

35
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is to take a very deep breath.

36
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And relax.

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And the reason for it
is because our entire lives,

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we're taught how to do things right.

39
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From the moment we were born we're taught

40
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what things we should do,
things we shouldn't do,

41
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and how to do things properly.

42
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Well, when it comes to language learning,

43
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the golden rule of language learning,

44
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the most important thing,

45
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is to get things wrong,

46
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to make mistakes,

47
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and that is the first rule.

48
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Let me explain to you why.

49
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See, when we've known languages,

50
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we know a whole collection of sounds

51
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and a whole collection of structures,

52
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which combined make what I like to call --

53
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and for the purpose
of this presentation --

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our "'language database."

55
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And our language database will contain

56
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all the sounds and structures
that we know.

57
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However, there is a whole family
of sounds and structures

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that are beyond our database.

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And for us to be able to embark on those
and to be able to explore those,

60
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there is nothing within our database,

61
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nothing within our knowledge

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that will tell us when
we're getting the structures right,

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nothing to tell us
when that sound is precise.

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Let's say we're going to explore
this one specific sound.

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There is nothing in our database.

66
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When we say it, we could say it perfectly,

67
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but in our minds,
it will sound like a mistake.

68
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So you know that queasy feeling,
that insecure thing,

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when we feel like we're doing
something wrong?

70
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That is the trigger
that you need to look for.

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Because that is the signal that tells you
that you're going beyond your database

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and that you're allowing yourself
to explore the realm of the new language.

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Let me show you how
this works in practice.

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Let's say, we're going to go
and learn the word "door" in Spanish.

75
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So, the word "door"
in Spanish is "Puerta."

76
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So, for "Puerta" we've got
a few sounds that exist in English.

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So, the "Pu," "e," and "ta."

78
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However, when it comes to the "r,"

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that sound is not in our database.

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The "RR."

81
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The rolled "r" does not exist
in the English sound database.

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And it's a little bit on the outside.

83
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So, if we allowed ourselves

84
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to bridge through our database,
and to really break through

85
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and to make the mistake,

86
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we could make sounds like the "RR."

87
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But instead, what sometimes happens

88
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is that we get the closest relative of it
that is within the database,

89
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and that is the "ah-er" sound.

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(Laughter)

91
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And that "ah-er" sound

92
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makes something
that sounds like "pue-er-rta,"

93
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which doesn't mean a thing in Spanish,

94
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and actually doesn't sound too charming.

95
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And it doesn't tell you too much.

96
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So, for the first technique,

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allow yourself to make that mistake,

98
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so that sounds like "Puerta" can come out.

99
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And now let's go to the second one.

100
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For the second one,

101
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I'm going to need
some of your collaboration.

102
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We're going to read
these four beautiful words.

103
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And on the count of three.

104
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So let's start with the first one,
on the count of three: one, two, three.

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(Audience) Mao.
SE: "Mao," perfect.

106
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The second one: one, two, three.
(Audience:) Coco.

107
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SE: Perfect. Third one.
One, two, three.

108
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(Audience) Cocao.
SE: Perfect.

109
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And the fourth one. One, two, three.

110
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(Silence)

111
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Oh.

112
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Let me show you what happened
when we did this.

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We get theses four words

114
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and we put them through
a sort of American English filter.

115
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And we get something
looks kind of like this.

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And I'll tell you the results of that.

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So for the first one "Mão,"

118
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which means "hand" in Portuguese,

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we put it through the filter,
we get "Mao."

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(Laughter)

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For the second one we get "coco,"

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which is "coconut" in Portuguese,

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or "cocô," which means "poop."

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We put through the filter,
we get a warm cup of cocoa.

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(Laughter)

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And for the fourth one,

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we have "huo,"

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which means "fire" in Chinese.

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And we get --

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if you're feeling really creative,
maybe a dude doing karate...

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(Laughter)

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But anyway,

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these don't tell you much
about how these things are pronounced.

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And if you think it's only one way,

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only if you're going from English
to a different language,

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think about non-native speakers.

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And try to explain to someone

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that this [though] is pronounced "though,"

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and that this [thought]
is pronounced "thought."

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And even though
they look almost identical,

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they have nothing to do with one another.

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Or try to explain to them that

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this [enough] is "enough"

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and this [enuf] is just simply wrong.

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See, there is nothing useful
about using that foreign alphabet,

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when you're trying to learn a language.

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Why? Because it will
give you wrong signals.

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So what is the second technique?

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Scrap it.

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Scrap the foreign alphabet.

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Let me give you an alternative
of how you can go about this.

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This is a Brazilian currency,

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and it spelled like this.

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On the count of three, can we all say
the name of the currency. 1, 2, 3.

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(Audience) Real.

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SE: We have some people
who know the spelling.

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Yeah, "re-al," for the most part.

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And as useful as this might seem,
it doesn't tell you a single thing.

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And when you're speaking Portuguese,
"re-al" means nothing.

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Let me give you an alternative.

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See, in Portuguese,
the way that you say "real" is "heou."

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So let me teach you how to say it.

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So on the count of three, let's say "he."

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So it's "hey" without the "y" sound.

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So, one, two, three -- "he."

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(Audience) HE.
SE: Perfect.

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And now let's say "ou."

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It's like "ouch",
but without the "ch" sound,

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so it's "ou." One, two, three,

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(Audience) OU.
SE: Perfect.

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So, "HE."

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(Audience) HE.

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SE: "OU."

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(Audience:) OU.

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SE: "HE."
(Audience:) HE.

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SE: "OU."
(Audience:) OU.

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SE: "HE-OU," HEOU.

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(Audience) HE-OU.
SE: Perfect.

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Now you all sound like
passionate Brazilian capitalists.

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(Laughter)

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So why would we go and use
something that looks like this,

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that looks like "real,"

183
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when instead you can use something

184
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that looks like this and gives you
so much more information

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about how to say something
in a foreign language.

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And that puts us in a really good spot

187
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because at this point we allowed ourselves

188
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to break through our database
and to make mistakes,

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to go into that uncharted territory
of a new language.

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And then, we figured out
how to take notations

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in a way that the information
is actually meaningful.

192
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But then how can we test it?

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And that's where
technique number 3 comes in.

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Technique number 3
is about finding a stickler.

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So finding someone who's detail-oriented

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and won't let you to get away
with the mistakes.

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And more than finding someone
who is really that person,

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the guru for the language,

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it's more about establishing
the right sort of relationship.

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Relationship with someone,

201
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where they'll correct you,
and feel comfortable correcting you

202
00:08:54,016 --> 00:08:57,869
and making sure that you're getting
to that spot you wanted in a language.

203
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But at the same time,

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someone who will encourage you

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to get things wrong and to make
those mistakes in the first place.

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And sticklers could be your teacher,

207
00:09:06,739 --> 00:09:08,482
it could be your tutor, friend,

208
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it could be someone on Skype
or on Craigslist; it doesn't matter.

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00:09:12,586 --> 00:09:14,595
You can find sticklers all over the place,

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and with technology,
it becomes a lot easier find them.

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And then it's time to practice.

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And for practicing,
we've got the fourth technique.

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See, I always thought I had this thing

214
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that was a little bit
of "Sid craziness" that I did,

215
00:09:30,412 --> 00:09:32,671
and then I realized how useful it was.

216
00:09:32,671 --> 00:09:38,735
I always did what I like to call
"Shower Conversations."

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And shower conversations are
exactly what they sound like.

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When I was learning a new language,

219
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I would stay in the shower
for a few minutes.

220
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I would remember
having all these discussions;

221
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I remember when I was learning Chinese,

222
00:09:50,889 --> 00:09:53,949
and I would haggle
and try to get two yen more,

223
00:09:53,949 --> 00:09:57,479
to get that wonderful dumpling,
and getting the discount;

224
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or I would go to Roma

225
00:09:59,418 --> 00:10:02,887
and I'd ask for directions
to the best "piazza."

226
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It was amazing.

227
00:10:04,187 --> 00:10:06,473
The beautiful thing
about the shower conversation

228
00:10:06,473 --> 00:10:10,879
is that it allows you to find wherever
you have a gap in your knowledge,

229
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because you're having
a conversation on both ends.

230
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For example, it's easy to ask
for directions, how about receiving them?

231
00:10:18,242 --> 00:10:20,415
Or even better, giving directions.

232
00:10:20,415 --> 00:10:24,510
Well, the shower conversation forces you
to have both side of the conversation.

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And you don't need
to have them in the shower.

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Another wonderful thing
is that you can have them anywhere.

235
00:10:30,105 --> 00:10:32,501
You can have them in the shower,
in your apartment,

236
00:10:32,501 --> 00:10:35,457
walking down in the streets,
in the subway,

237
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and seriously, if you're in the subway,

238
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speaking to yourself in a foreign
language in New York,

239
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you'll fit right in.

240
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You're fine.

241
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It's great,

242
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because you don't depend on anything
or anyone to get your practice,

243
00:10:49,230 --> 00:10:51,084
and I did this for years.

244
00:10:51,084 --> 00:10:54,009
And later on I found
that professional athletes do, too.

245
00:10:54,009 --> 00:10:58,293
Michael Phelps is known to visualize
every single one of his races,

246
00:10:58,293 --> 00:11:01,487
several times over,
before jumping in water.

247
00:11:01,487 --> 00:11:02,932
Worked great for him,

248
00:11:02,932 --> 00:11:04,936
and it works great for me, too,

249
00:11:04,936 --> 00:11:07,648
so it would work for you as well.

250
00:11:07,648 --> 00:11:10,961
And now let's go to using the language.

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Because up to now, it's great,

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we've figured out
how to do all these things,

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and that puts us in a really good position
to use the language,

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and for that I recommend
you find a conversation buddy.

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To find a conversation buddy,

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I recommend you follow what I call
"The Buddy Formula."

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And that is a way that you can make sure

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that your incentives are always aligned
to use the new language.

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So for that is,

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the target language should be
your best language in common.

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Why?

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00:11:44,074 --> 00:11:45,921
If you're anything like me,

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you like to learn languages,

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so that you can communicate
with more people,

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00:11:50,721 --> 00:11:52,183
so that you can reach out

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and understand a little bit more
about their brains and hearts.

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And so, if we try to talk to
someone in a foreign language

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that both of us don't do really well,
when we could be speaking English,

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or whatever language you're
more comfortable with as a pair,

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odds are that you're going to revert
to that language that is easier.

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So I recommend you to find someone
where your best language in common

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is your target language.

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And if you can't find one locally,
try technology.

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Or if you can travel,
that would be perfect.

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There's a problem with that,
and I realize it,

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because it's difficult to find someone
who fits that profile exactly.

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But I've got good news.

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And I've found that out when I was work,

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and one of my colleagues,
he's a linguist, too,

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00:12:34,697 --> 00:12:37,217
he speaks a ton of languages,

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and our best language in common
was definitely English.

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Our second best language in common:
definitely French.

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00:12:44,928 --> 00:12:49,947
But we always spoke in German
to each other in the office.

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Why was that?

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It was because there were people
in the office who spoke English;

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00:12:54,930 --> 00:12:57,454
there were people in the office
who spoke French.

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00:12:57,454 --> 00:13:00,879
But we could talk about Friday
and Saturday night in German,

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00:13:00,879 --> 00:13:03,951
and nobody had any idea
what we were talking about.

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00:13:03,957 --> 00:13:07,651
So it can also be your best
secret language in common.

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00:13:07,651 --> 00:13:09,318
(Laughter)

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And it becomes such a convenient tool.

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00:13:11,501 --> 00:13:13,457
You can have it with your friends

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00:13:13,457 --> 00:13:16,393
and you get the sense of privacy
in public.

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00:13:16,393 --> 00:13:19,459
No matter where you are,
you can have a private conversation.

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00:13:19,459 --> 00:13:21,144
So, let's recap.

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With the first technique

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00:13:22,651 --> 00:13:26,288
we allow ourselves to break
through the barrier of language

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00:13:26,288 --> 00:13:29,216
and to explore the uncharted territory

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of sounds and structures
outside our database.

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Then with the second one,

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00:13:33,795 --> 00:13:35,621
we learn how to take notes

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00:13:35,621 --> 00:13:37,727
and how to make sure
that we can take notes

303
00:13:37,727 --> 00:13:41,015
in a way that we can replicate
those sounds and structures later.

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00:13:41,015 --> 00:13:44,905
Then we can check the mistakes
by finding a stickler.

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00:13:44,905 --> 00:13:46,334
Fourth: Practice.

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00:13:46,334 --> 00:13:49,263
Have shower conversations,
wherever you want to be.

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00:13:49,263 --> 00:13:51,504
And then, follow the Buddy Formula,

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and you can find somebody
to practice your language with.

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00:13:54,684 --> 00:13:56,766
And after that,

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(Italian) we get to
a truly beautiful place,

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00:14:00,532 --> 00:14:02,562
(German) where learning languages

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00:14:02,562 --> 00:14:06,642
is no longer something stressful,
difficult and boring,

313
00:14:06,642 --> 00:14:09,800
(Spanish) but rather
a world of possibilities.

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00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,508
A world, where each of us
has the opportunity to explore

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00:14:12,508 --> 00:14:17,326
(French) new cultures and
all the different ways of living.

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00:14:17,326 --> 00:14:19,805
(Br. Portuguese)
The greatest reward from this,

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00:14:19,805 --> 00:14:23,054
is that we end up learning
more about ourselves.

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00:14:23,054 --> 00:14:27,010
(Greek) As of now,
it may all sound Greek for you.

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00:14:27,010 --> 00:14:31,676
But that doesn't mean
that you can't learn it.

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00:14:32,185 --> 00:14:34,514
(Mandarin Chinese)
"A journey of a thousand miles

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00:14:34,514 --> 00:14:35,932
begins with the first step."

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00:14:35,932 --> 00:14:40,926
(English) And this is not a problem,
because now you know how to walk.

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00:14:40,926 --> 00:14:42,270
Thank you.

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00:14:42,270 --> 00:14:45,059
(Applause)