Learning a second language: What language should we learn?

The language we want Vs. The language we need.

Should we prioritize a particular language when learning a second language?

Should we focus on business language, industry-specific language, or informal language?

People learning a second language often focus on the wrong things.

Students studying a second language or companies commissioning courses for their employees sometimes confuse the language we’d like to learn and the one we actually acquire.

Being unable to describe recent events in detail is understandably frustrating. But as much as we want to discuss complex subjects in a new language, cutting corners and starting at the pool’s deep end is almost guaranteed to lead to poor results and frustrations.

The purpose of a language, first or second, is to communicate. So, the focus of language learning should be on just this.

The language of business

A couple of years back, a friend told me about their French language training experience. I found his experience quite amusing, but by no means unique.

After university, he joined his country’s Department of Foreign Affairs.

Part of the training program included an intensive French course.

The ministry organized French classes for him and his colleagues in the south of France. Over two weeks, the group studied French for five to eight hours a day.

After two weeks of intense classes, students could address an ambassador correctly, following the rules of diplomatic politesses. They also learned the “proper” wordings to address people in written form, such as “Je vous prie d’agréer, Monsieur / Madame, l’expression de mon profond respect.” (Please accept, Sir/Madam, the expression of my most profound respect.)

However, after two weeks, the students couldn’t read the menu or order a coffee when going to the local café.

When I heard the story, my friend had forgotten most of the French he’d learned and still couldn’t order a coffee in French.

Realistic expectations and objectives

When learning a language in class or on our own, it’s important to consider the long-term objectives and keep sight of the fundamental aim: to learn to communicate in a second language.

“But… my objective is to learn an industry-specific business language!”

And this is fine.

However, complicated business terminology or phrasing is of little use if you can’t greet a potential client.

Students need to learn materials that are relevant to them and that they’re likely to use. Otherwise, they won’t integrate what they’re learning on a long-term basis.

A language training program can include sector-specific vocabulary and terms. However, this should be secondary to a program that helps students build the fundamental language needed to communicate comfortably.

What should we learn, then?

Whether we learn in a class or on our own, there’s a particular order to how we learn languages.

Example:

We need a certain language to get by when we arrive in a place where we don’t speak the language.

We need to order a meal in a restaurant, ask for directions, introduce ourselves, schedule an appointment, call the doctor, etc. While we may want to discuss the latest discoveries in nuclear physics, this will take time.

Our daily interactions become our priority.

When learning a language, we usually begin by understanding more than we can reproduce in speech. Even though we may be able to understand more complex grammar, we’ll typically start by producing simple phrases necessary to make ourselves understood.

For example, we may be more comfortable answering “yes/no” questions than formulating them.

As we acquire more of the language, this develops further.

The vocabulary and sentence structures needed to express ourselves aren’t random but interrelated to the language required to communicate.

This means that we can predict, with a relative degree of accuracy, what language students will learn. By anticipating this, we can infer the order of grammatical acquisition with precision.

Students need to make space in their lives for a new language.

Making space is complicated if the language we learn doesn’t benefit us daily.

Students must be exposed to relevant materials when learning a second language. What they learn must allow them to integrate the language into their daily life.

A two-week intense class may give good short-term results in memorization, but will give poor long-term results if the student hasn’t acquired the base of the language necessary to converse.

As students, we should set realistic goals and objectives to make space for sustainable long-term second language acquisition. As language trainers, we must adapt the content to the student’s realities and level.

Areas a student can focus on:

Prioritize the language that you will need daily.
Prioritize exercises that immerse you into “real” spoken language.
Remember your objective – To communicate in the language.
Make space in your life for the new language.
Make this a long-term objective – Consistency is key.
As you acquire general language, integrate the language pertinent to your unique background.

The author:

My Linguistics specializes in creating language acquisition methods for teachers and students. Our Swiss-based language training center serves as a testing ground for our method.

We’re passionate about helping people unlock the power of language and communication, and we’re committed to providing the resources and support needed to achieve fluency.

My Linguistics method: https://mylinguistics.com/

My Linguistics school: https://mylinguistics.school/

The article

Language learning is surrounded by a sea of myths or “universal truths”. Often originating from misinterpreted facts, these myths become well-established popular facts.

Setting realistic expectations and navigating popular misconceptions is central to establishing firm foundations for learning new languages.

This series addresses these myths, their origins, and whether there is any truth to them, in the hopes of encouraging people to learn a second or third language.