When people learn foreign languages, they tend to reach a certain level and then plateau, i.e. stop learning and developing.
I am sure you are familiar with speakers of English (or of your native language) who can't pronounce particular words or sounds, who use the same wrong word every time or who say things the way they would sound in their own native language. A dear Belgian gentleman and friend of our family once said, "I am not visible," to mean, "I am not presentable." Russian teachers of English stubbornly insist on calling school homework 'home tasks' (домашние задания). My Italian aunt, when travelling as a passenger in the car, used to urge the driver to "take over" the vehicle in front. When I moved to Russia I referred to a planning meeting ('planiorka') as a floorplan ('planirovka'). Native speakers of German will say things like, "Are you coming with?" (Kommst du mit?) When castigating bad behaviour, a Scandinavian au pair girl reputedly said, "What are you doing on earth?"
The above examples are mainly along the lines of "native tongue interference", but my point is that foreign language learners get stuck in a rut and find it very difficult to address chronic mistakes or shortcomings.
Another metaphor for this is 'language fossilisation'. Selinker, who first popularised this term in 1972, reckoned that only 5% of foreign language learners attain near-native competence; the remaining 95% all plateau.
One reason for this phenomenon is that the language learner has good enough language to 'get by', not experiencing major enough disadvantages to motivate them to keep learning, and doesn't feel the need to make the additional effort required to move towards near-native competence.
There are, however, at least two strategies which, there is some evidence, may help to unflatten the curve and move upwards from the plateau (apologies for the Covid-19 reference).
The first thing that can help break out of the 'plateau' is to listen to yourself. With smartphones and WhatsApp, this is accessible to everyone. Obviously, forcing youself to say something in an artificial setting may not be that productive. If, however, you can find a recording of a talk you gave or relisten to a voice message you have sent via WhatsApp to an actual person about an actual subject (one of favourite pastimes of late), this will give you access to how you actually use speech in your foreign language and what it sounds like to your listener. You can identify what you need to work on and correct whatever mistakes, as relevant. The same applies to a lesser extent to analysis of written utterances, e.g. email messages you have written.
The second thing that can help overcome 'language plateauing' is composing your own spoken or written texts. This is slightly different from the old approach of translating a native language text into a foreign language ('prose'), although, as I have already said, genuine bilingualism/multilingualism may be biologically impossible after the age of seven, so we are all translating in one way or another. What I am talking about is writing texts or giving talks in your foreign language, learning to express your thoughts directly in French/German etc. You could write a blog in your foreign language of choice. Or you could record a brief talk on a topic that interests you. This can be hard going. I have a picture of negotiating a field of knee-deep snow with no existing path to follow; using a foreign language can feel like that. But, as you do so for the second, third, fourth time etc., it becomes easier. There is already a beaten track to follow.
If you feel you have plateaued in your foreign language learning, why don't you try one of these two simple techniques? Let me know how you get on.
If you are interested in language learning, follow this blog.
My name is Russell Phillips and I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. I offer online video language tuition for English and Russian - and also German, Italian and French.
My rate is GBP 9 (nine pounds sterling) per block of 15 minutes (a typical lesson might be 45 minutes), payable in advance. Group lessons can also be arranged.
Contact me via www.facebook.com/russelljamesphillips or on email at regnavit[at]gmail.com
I am sure you are familiar with speakers of English (or of your native language) who can't pronounce particular words or sounds, who use the same wrong word every time or who say things the way they would sound in their own native language. A dear Belgian gentleman and friend of our family once said, "I am not visible," to mean, "I am not presentable." Russian teachers of English stubbornly insist on calling school homework 'home tasks' (домашние задания). My Italian aunt, when travelling as a passenger in the car, used to urge the driver to "take over" the vehicle in front. When I moved to Russia I referred to a planning meeting ('planiorka') as a floorplan ('planirovka'). Native speakers of German will say things like, "Are you coming with?" (Kommst du mit?) When castigating bad behaviour, a Scandinavian au pair girl reputedly said, "What are you doing on earth?"
The above examples are mainly along the lines of "native tongue interference", but my point is that foreign language learners get stuck in a rut and find it very difficult to address chronic mistakes or shortcomings.
Another metaphor for this is 'language fossilisation'. Selinker, who first popularised this term in 1972, reckoned that only 5% of foreign language learners attain near-native competence; the remaining 95% all plateau.
One reason for this phenomenon is that the language learner has good enough language to 'get by', not experiencing major enough disadvantages to motivate them to keep learning, and doesn't feel the need to make the additional effort required to move towards near-native competence.
There are, however, at least two strategies which, there is some evidence, may help to unflatten the curve and move upwards from the plateau (apologies for the Covid-19 reference).
The first thing that can help break out of the 'plateau' is to listen to yourself. With smartphones and WhatsApp, this is accessible to everyone. Obviously, forcing youself to say something in an artificial setting may not be that productive. If, however, you can find a recording of a talk you gave or relisten to a voice message you have sent via WhatsApp to an actual person about an actual subject (one of favourite pastimes of late), this will give you access to how you actually use speech in your foreign language and what it sounds like to your listener. You can identify what you need to work on and correct whatever mistakes, as relevant. The same applies to a lesser extent to analysis of written utterances, e.g. email messages you have written.
The second thing that can help overcome 'language plateauing' is composing your own spoken or written texts. This is slightly different from the old approach of translating a native language text into a foreign language ('prose'), although, as I have already said, genuine bilingualism/multilingualism may be biologically impossible after the age of seven, so we are all translating in one way or another. What I am talking about is writing texts or giving talks in your foreign language, learning to express your thoughts directly in French/German etc. You could write a blog in your foreign language of choice. Or you could record a brief talk on a topic that interests you. This can be hard going. I have a picture of negotiating a field of knee-deep snow with no existing path to follow; using a foreign language can feel like that. But, as you do so for the second, third, fourth time etc., it becomes easier. There is already a beaten track to follow. If you feel you have plateaued in your foreign language learning, why don't you try one of these two simple techniques? Let me know how you get on.
If you are interested in language learning, follow this blog.
My name is Russell Phillips and I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. I offer online video language tuition for English and Russian - and also German, Italian and French.
My rate is GBP 9 (nine pounds sterling) per block of 15 minutes (a typical lesson might be 45 minutes), payable in advance. Group lessons can also be arranged.
Contact me via www.facebook.com/russelljamesphillips or on email at regnavit[at]gmail.com
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