Официально считается, что полиглот – человек, который овладел 7 языками. Luca Lampariello свободно говорит в 12 иностранных языках, в том числе и русский. Luca, 32 – летний итальянец, в настоящее время живет в Париже, постоянно путешествует в поисках новых языковых путешествий. Представляет свою методику изучения иностранных языков, ведет блог в нескольких иностранных языках. Работает как e-learning consultant, преподает посредством скайп, выступает на разных международных конференциях.
Luca любезно посвятил мне свое время для короткого интервью. Надеюсь, всем вам понравится и данное интервью сможет вас вдохновить 🙂
Интервью с Luca Lampariello
Сегодня, Вы предоставляете советы по успешному изучению иностранных языков, много путешествуете, обладаете обширным кругом знакомых по всему миру. / Today, you have provide tips for learning successful foreign languages, travel a lot, have a wide circle of friends around the world.
1. С чего все начиналось? Почему именно изучение языков, а не экономия, например, или дипломатия? / How it all began? Why learning languages, and not economy, for example, or diplomacy?
To tell you the truth, I have never studied languages at university. I hold a degree an electronic Engineering. Language learning was for many years just a mere hobby that I was nurturing aside. My first love was for mathematics and especially physics. Physics as a way to understand the world and the universe we live in, and mathematics as a way to describe it and interpret it. So I was quite happy to do scientific studies. In the course of time though, I figured out that I had a burning desire to understand humanity, how different people live and think in different places of the world. I thought the best way to do this was to start learning foreign languages. So at school and at university I started learning languages by myself as a hobby And when I made my first video on YouTube, I fully realized that what I wanted to do is learn languages, travel, get to know new people, travel, and discover new worlds. I left the Engineering career and fully embraced a new lifestyle. I became a language coach on-line, started creating interesting and original content for people on the internet (such as: http://master-any-language.com), and language learning has become a real profession.
2. Вы используете специальную технику для изучения иностранных языков, о которой можно узнать на Вашем блоге http://www.thepolyglotdream.com/. Могли бы ли Вы рассказать подробнее в чем заключается техника? / You use some specific techniques to learn 12 languages (info on blog http://www.thepolyglotdream.com/). Could you please share with us your special secret?
I think that a good method is very important to START learning a language because it gives you a direction to follow, but reaching fluency is the result of a lifestyle. I literally live through and breathe languages all day long because I created a job where I get to use a numer of them everyday, I live and go out with foreigners all the time. THAT’s the real secret. In order to improve and solidify your skills, you need a driving force, and that driving force is people for me. I like saying that everybody can be a teacher, and that everybody has something valuable to give. Surround yourself with people you can learn from and who stimulate you to learn, and the rest will follow.
3. В большей мере это талант или труд – умение говорить на 12-ти языках? / To which extent this is talent or work – the ability to speak in 12 languages?
I think that while talent can foster and propel your drive for learning, it plays a minor role in language learning. Everyone – and I repeat anyone – can learn a number of languages. Our brain is literally wired to learn, we only have to feed it and put it in the right conditions for it to thrive. I like talking about smart work instead of hard work. If you you know how to tackle a language, you are motivated and you learn regulary, you can learn an amount of languages that seems incredible to most people, but it is just the natural result of our incredible capacity of acquiring information and developing skills (languages included) when the conditions are right.
4. Мечтали ли Вы об этом в детстве? Если нет, то что было голубой мечтой? / Was it your dream as a child?
My dream as a child was actually to become a famous physicist. I don’t think I ever thought about becoming a polyglot, it happened over the years. I was not the one who picked languages, languages picked me.
5. Сколько времени Вам занимает изучение одного языка от нуля к коммуникативному владению? / How long will it take to learn a language from zero to the communicative proficiency?
That’s a difficult question to adress because it depends on the definition of, communicative proficiency, our native tongue, the target language, our language learning experience, the environment we find ourselves in and the people we hang out and live with. If by ”communicative proficiency” you mean that I can live in a given country and do what a native speaker can do, that is, chit-chat in a bar, going to university, watch the TV and listen to the radio, deal with bureacratic stuff etc, it can range from 6 months to 3 years. To give you 2 concrete examples: it took me 6 months to speak fluent Portuguese because I had Italian (mother tongue) Spanish and French under my belt, while it took more than 3 years to start speaking good Mandarin Chinese because I had never dealt with an Asian language before and the whole system (writing, mentality, etc) is completely different.
6. Что Вас мотивирует изучать языки, один за одним? / What motivates you to learn languages?
My main driving force as I said is people, but I am also interested in a ton of things: cinema, literature, history, philosophy, art. What really motivates me is the idea of being able to enjoy and understand more deeply the different facets of the human mind and what it has been able to achieve.
7. Насколько сложно было для итальянца изучать славянские языки? / How difficult (or not?) was it for the Italian to learn Slavic languages?
I like thinking of languages as systems with specific parts: syntax (the way we form sentences), morphology (the form of words) and phonetics (pronunciation and intonation). In the case of Italian and slavic languages, I believe that the most difficult part is morphology: in many cases words are completely different, long, and difficult to memories. Let’s take the word «common». In Italian it means «comune», so the similarity and length (6 letters each) of the 2 words makes it relatively easy to remember. In Russian though we have «распространенный». 15 letters instead of 6, and a completely different form. Other than that, the case system can be quite challenging, especially if people try to nail it from the very beginning. Russians learn it by USING it, while most foreign learners try to STUDY it through ANALYSING. That’s a disastrous approach that causes many people to give up after a few weeks of study.
8. Какой из языков был первый? / What was your first foreign language?
The first language I learned is Italian. My first 2 foreign languages are English and French, which I started learning in middle school at the age of 10.
9. Что способствовало изучению польского и русского языков? / What contributed you to study Russian language?
My ex Italian girlfriend knew that I loved languages so she gave me a manual for learning languages. I hadn’t given it a thought until then but I that the language looked exotic, I liked it, and I gave it a try. So in that case, Russian chose me thanks to my ex girlfriend.
There’s an enormous difference in the experience between going to a country whose language you don’t speak, and going back when you speak the language. People warm up to you and you discover the pulsing heart of the country and its people. I had fantastic conversations on trains, in taxis, bars, and even at the supermarket. It was and still is a very rewarding experience.
10. Сегодня, свободно ли вы читаете литературу, прессу, на этих языках? / Today, are you able to read fluently literature, press, in these languages?
In most languages, yes. I love watching the news and reading newspapers. I tried to watch the news and read on-line newspapers every day in at least 6-8 languages, a little bit every day, although it is not always easy because life inevitably gets in the way.
11. Что Вы делаете для того, чтобы не забывать ни один из языков? / What do you do in order not to forget any of the languages?
It’s simple: I use most of them. While working as a language coach I give lessons mostly in 2 foreign languages: from English into Russian, from Russian into English, English into French, French into English, Spanish into English, English into Spanish, Italian into English etc. Then, I live with 2 foreigners in my place, and I also go out a lot with foreigners. So, I get to practice at least 8 languages on a daily basis, and I also read and listen to these languages regurarly. Inevitably though, it is not possible to keep all languages at the same level. The more languages you learn, the easier it gets to aquire them, but the more difficult it becomes to maintain them at the same level, no matter how much effort you make.
12. Изучение языков открыло ли в Вас еще какие-то таланты? / Learning languages – does it open some other of your talents?
I think learning multiple languages involves all areas of the brain. I am under the impression that my brain works faster, that it processes all kinds of information in a different way. I am not sure that language learning would help me draw or swim better, for that matter, but it does improve one’s overal cognitive abilities and it is an amazing feeling.
Является ли это вашей профессией или больше хобби? / Is this more of your profession or hobby more?
As I said before, it used to be a hobby but in the last 5 years it has become a profession.
Закончите фразу / Please finish the sentence
Моя самая лучшая привычка…/ My best habit is…to wake up in the morning, smile and start learning languages.
Я ценю в людях…/ I appreciate HONESTY in people
Мой способ на скуку… / My way of not being bored is to constantly learning something new every day.
Я верю, что / I believe that the world is a fantastic place
Самое лучшее в людях…/ The best in people is their humanity
Есть ли для Вас разница между мечтой и целью? / Is there a difference for you between a dream and a goal?
– To me they are synonyms: a dream is simply a goal which we want to fulfill.
Когда Вы в окружении большой группе людей, например на встрече полиглотов, зависает в воздухе минуту тиши, тогда Вы можете поделиться со всеми шуткой или историей (какой именно?) / When you are surrounded by a large group of people, for example at the polyglot meetings, a moment of silence hangs in the air, then you can share a joke or story with everyone. (which exactly?)
Jokes are not my cup of tea, especially in front of people, but I do like joking, laughing, talking about a ton of things when I find myself surrounded by people.
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Блог Luca Lampariello http://www.thepolyglotdream.com/