You’ve most likely heard a myth or two in your lifetime, and either rushed back home to google the accuracy or lived believing a lie until someone brought you to the light of truth. Well, the language world has its own fair share of myths as well.
Most people understand that knowing a foreign language increases the amount of connections you can make. Unfortunately, a lot of people also believe a lot of things about language that may not be entirely true. It’s time to bust some oft-repeated language myths once and for all.
MYTH #1: You need a language-learning gene to be successful at acquiring a new language
The Truth: It’s easy to assume that polyglots possess some sort of supernatural genetic makeup. But, the truth is a lot more simple than that. Those who know and speak lots of languages simply put in time and effort — something we’re all capable of.
MYTH #2: There’s no use in learning a language after my Sweet Sixteen
The Truth: Besides the extremely subjective notion of fluency, most claims that adults have little to no chance of learning a new language are made on pretty weak claims. Taking the time to make goals and practicing are what help the most with actually learning a language.
MYTH #3: English is the only worthwhile language to know
The Truth: English is largely considered the world’s lingua franca, with 1.5 billion speakers. But even with a quarter of the world understanding English to some degree, that still leaves quite a lot of others who do not. Not to mention, languages don’t exist in a vacuum — learning a different one can unlock contextual knowledge and broaden your understanding of the world around you.
MYTH #4: Learning foreign languages is for extroverted, confident types
The Truth: I’m sure many language lovers wished this were true, but in actuality, even the most seasoned polyglots will experience nervousness (and even anxiety) at times when practicing a foreign language. It just so happens that for many language nerds, the benefits of learning a new language outweigh those jitters.
MYTH #5: Your learning style should dictate how you go about learning a language
The Truth: So, here’s the thing: learning styles don’t exist. You can (and should!) tailor your learning journey to fit the material and your unique interests, but don’t pigeon-hole yourself. The truth is, you’re going to make mistakes when learning a new language, but that’s actually one of the best things that could happen.