It is imperative to learn any foreign language. The process deepens knowledge of linguistics, culture, and one’s native language. Such is a common task in Europe, but the Anglophone world, on average, studies fewer languages and often begins serious studies in later stages of life. This fact may be the side effect of English-speakers taking for granted that English is the most dominant language in the world, a fact that, as mentioned before, may no longer be true within the next century. In addition, one inevitably must learn how to communicate in the modern, global business domain no matter how small or slight the job.

Not all languages are created equal. It is important to know what language to study and the reason. Choose a language that has meaning and purpose to you personally and your plans. Understand that some languages are more difficult than others; you can reference the following map which compares languages in the world of their difficulty for Anglophones.

I am an advanced student of French. I chose French for its aesthetic appeal and the special relationship that it has with English. French has a vocabulary of 185,000 words, second only to English with half a million. French orthography, while quite regular, has many elements: four accent marks, silent ending letters, and archaic letters. French pronunciation is not so difficult yet different. French has six consonant and ten vowel sounds not known to the average Anglophone. The grammar is indicative of any Indo-European language; it has the usual intricacies such as grammatical gender.

The methods of learning a foreign language are numerous, but any method that promises quick retention and little work is a sham; every aspect of a language requires hard work and determination. There are those who would insist that a student must live in the midst of that language’s culture in order to retain it; this is not necessary, for the average person has the world readily available via the internet. Furthermore, immersion without scholastic due-diligence is inefficient at best and ineffective for most adults. (The brain is quite different after infancy.) The conventional classroom setting is also not the key, for studies have shown that most students of Spanish forget most of the vocabulary three years after high school. As an example of a more obvious sham, there are videos on Youtube that viewers play during their sleep. Online teachers sometimes promote them as having the effectiveness of “locking vocabulary into the unconscious” for later retention; yet while it is true that the ears continue to register sounds during sleep, there is no hope of passively storing what is heard.

Given the baseline, scientific knowledge of memory, what are generally effective methods for retention, memorization, and conceptualization of language? Here is some advice that I have learned in my journey of learning the French language. First, it is easier to pick up a new language in adolescence than in adulthood because the teenage brain is more malleable, so it is never too early to start. Second, I do not recommend trying to learn multiple languages at once; psychologists know the result of confounding similar languages as interference. Third, do not neglect any aspect of the language. Focus on the grammar, spelling, phonology, pronunciation, and vocabulary together and separately. Fourth, be familiar with the culture in order to learn idioms, sayings, and connotations.

Fifth, listen to fluent speakers of the language online or in person. Sixth, do not feel pressured or frustrated; if need be, take a break for a few days, but do not be lax. Find digestible bits of practice and new material every day. Retention is lost very quickly, so be diligent. Seventh, do not be surprised when there is a new concept in the target language. Have it explained by a native or advanced learner. Eighth, fluency requires direct association with a concept and a word or term. Indirect association links the foreign word to the native equivalent. In short, try not to translate in your head, but connect the foreign words with the concepts directly.