11國語言達人：如何學好英德日法西
"I agree that language learning is cool, but I challenge the assumption that it’s difficult."
“我認同語言學習很酷，但我不認同語言學習不容易這一說法。”
Languages cannot be taught, they can only be learned. Having someone or something to aid with the process is of great benefit. Find a guide, not an instructor.
語言是教不會的，它們只能被學會。有人或物從旁相助，你會大受裨益。去找引路人，而不是指揮者。
English was already a world language by the time I turned 10 in 1991. Its study was mandatory. Istruggled at first. I didn’t like the teacher, grammar explanations confused me, and the material wasmonotone. I thought I’d never learn it. Then my parents decided to hire a private Englishtutor. I was 13 and she was wonderful. She set me on the right path to learning and, most importantly, learning to love language. The combination of reading books, watching movies every day and talking to my tutor once a week for two years worked wonders.
1991年那會，我才十歲，而英語已經成爲世界通用的語言了。英語學習成爲必須。起初我學得很困難 。我不喜歡給我上課的英語老師，語法解釋讓我滿頭霧水，學習材料還很乏味。我想我不可能學會這種語言了。後來在13歲那年，我的父母決定給我聘請一位私人英語輔導老師。她人很好。她把我領上了學習的正確道路。最重要的是，她讓我愛上了這門語言。隨後的兩年我廣泛閱讀，每天會看電影，每週和她對話，這些努力讓我的英語水平突飛猛進。
德語
"Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you.where its people come from and where they are going" –Rita Mae Brown
“語言即有關文化的一份路線圖，告訴你人們從哪裏來，將要去何方。”——麗塔·麥·布朗
If you find a method you like and which works for you, you can start learning any language by yourself. There is no one best method to learn a language. Find something that is effective for you. And above all, experiment!
如果你找到一種你喜歡並對你行之有效的學習方法，你能開始自學任何一種語言。學習語言不存在最好的法門。要找到那個對你有效的方法，最重要的是，去實驗嘗試！
German was the first language I started learning completely on my own. I don’t remember exactly why I embarked on this journey, but I remember I had no idea how to learn German. Later I came up with my method, and quickly realised that it was effective for me. I always remember people repeatedly asked in bewilderment, “Wie kannst du so gut Deutsch?!” (how can you speak German so well?). From that moment on I started reading insatiably. The language had become an integral part of my life.
德語是第一門我完全靠自學而成語言。我記不清楚自己爲什麼要開始這趟語言學習之旅，但我有印象，當時自己不曉得如何入手德語。後來我找到了適合自己的學習方法，很快地瞭解到它對我來說很有效。我總是會想起人們不斷詢問我的疑惑語氣：“你是怎麼把德語說得如此好的？”從那刻起，我開始如飢似渴地閱讀。這門語言至此成爲我生命中一個不可或缺的部分。
日語
"The limits of my language are the limits of my world." ‒ Ludwig Wittgenstein
路德維希·維特根斯坦說過：“我語言的侷限便是我看世界的盲點。
Some languages have completely new features, so be flexible and adapt your learning method to the language. If your approach is not working, change it! Don’t give up. Don’t give in.
有些語言與母語相比，具有完全不同的特徵。因而要靈活處理，用合適的學習方法學這門語言。如果你的方法沒什麼作用，換一種！不要放棄。不要氣餒。
When I started learning Japanese, I wanted a new challenge, but I didn’t imagine it would be so hard. I couldn’t even build simple sentences because the structure in Japanese was so completely different from any language I had ever learned. I initially thought that this problem was just temporary and could be solved by speaking more regularly, but this simply wasn’t the case. Japanese feels like my biggest challenge yet, but I’m confident that I will get there. I just need to recalibrate my approach and live the language.
初學日語時，我想給自己一個新挑戰，但我決沒想到它這麼難。由於日語的句式結構和我之前學過的任何一門語言相比大相徑庭，我甚至都造不出簡單的句子。我一開始覺得這個問題只是暫時的，通過經常說日語便能解決，但顯然我把問題想得太簡單了。儘管日語好似成爲我語言學習最大的挑戰，我有信心有一天我能將其掌握。我只需要重新調整我的學習方法，把這門語言學活。
法語
"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere." ‒ Chinese Proverb
中國有句諺語：“一招鮮，吃遍天。”
I started learning French around the same time as I started learning English. At the age of fourteen, I discovered that I could watch French TV. I started watching two hours every day after dinner. By the age of 15 I was fluent in French. In 2010 I moved to Paris. Living there for three years enabled me to gain invaluable insights into French culture: history, traditions, jokes, cultural references, and a respect for French pride in their cuisine and language.
我法語的學習差不多和英語學習同時起步。十四歲那年我發現自己竟然能夠看懂法語的電視。於是每天晚飯後，我都會看上2小時法語電視。十五歲時，我能講一口流利的法語。2010年，我搬到巴黎。在那裏3年的居住時光使我更爲深入地瞭解法國文化，如其歷史、傳統、玩笑和文化參照。這無比珍貴。我還敬仰法國對其菜餚和語言所擁有的驕傲。
西班牙語
"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart." ‒ Nelson Mandela
納爾遜·曼德拉曾說：“當和人交談時，用一種他能聽懂的語言與之交流，話語會進入他的大腦；而若用他自己的語言與之交流，話語能直擊他內心。”
Spanish and Italian are like two sisters; different and yet similar at the same time. One common myth in Italy is that Spanish is easy: that you just have to speak Italian and add an “s” to every single word. The overall structure of the two languages is similar, but there are a fair few disparities in terms of pronunciation, intonation and idiomatic usage.
西班牙語與意大利語就如同兩姐妹，不同又相似。在意大利有個尋常的謎團，那便是西班牙語不難。只要你在說意大利語的時候，於每個詞的詞尾添上“s”就好了。兩種語言的總體結構相似，卻在發音、語調和俗語使用上有着些許差別。
Speaking multiple languages is not and shouldn’t be an intellectual performance. It is an act of love towards yourself and others which helps you discover the amazing diversity of human nature as well as discovering the multiple facets of your personality. To those who ask me why I like learning so many languages I always reply: “I don’t live to learn languages, I learn languages to live a better life”.
說多國語言不是，也不應是，聰明的表現。而它是向你自己與他人表達愛的舉動。它使你發掘人類天性中驚人的多樣性，也讓你探尋到自己那多面化的人格。對於那些問我爲何喜歡學習如此多語言的人，我總是回答：“學習這麼多語言不是我活着的意義，而是爲了有更好的明天。”
