How U.S. diplomats learn languages | FSI language courses review

Comments · 607

• TH

  @Thelinguist · 2 years ago (edited) · pinned

  📲 The app I use to learn languages: <a href="https://www.lingq.com/learn-languages-like-steve-kaufmann/?utm_medium=yt&amp;utm_campaign=syt&amp;utm_content=LBiF4-GoMLE">https://www.lingq.com/learn-languages-like-steve-kaufmann/?utm_medium=yt&amp;utm_campaign=syt&amp;utm_content=LBiF4-GoMLE</a><br>🆓 My 10 FREE secrets to language learning: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/2fhxsjux">https://tinyurl.com/2fhxsjux</a><br>❓Do you think it&apos;s possible to reach B2 in such a short amount of time? Let me know in the comments!

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• WI

  @williebrown4266 · 2 years ago

  I retired from the State Department in 2021. And &nbsp;I went through the French course at FSI. During the course the teachers as well as the administration stressed that the learning didn&apos;t end at FSI. We were also encouraged to continue studying our respective languages at &nbsp;our overseas assignments, which is what I did. I totally agree, going from zero to B1 &nbsp;in less than a year is a bit of a stretch. But the training at FSI/NFATC was an excellent starting point.

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• TO

  @tomthomas9708 · 1 year ago

  My problem with language learning is laziness.

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• TI

  @timprescott4634 · 8 months ago

  FSI Grad, 1991. Urdu. Intense and VERY well taught.

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• PA

  @patrickmills8701 · 2 years ago

  The idea of languages continuing to gestate is so liberating. Thank you!

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• MA

  @ManForToday · 2 years ago (edited)

  I think most would agree that B2 is really the level we can say we are &apos;fluent&apos; in the common sense of that word. I love how Olly Richards described B2 - the ability to chat and converse with native friends in a pub all evening on a variety of topics, joke, keep up the pace most of the time, etc and when you finish your mouth or head doesn&apos;t hurt (it was comfortable enough).<br><br>That&apos;s more difficult and takes longer than people think. My understanding of Russian is certainly at B2 level I think, but speaking is still a protracted process that takes me time. B1 is achievable for many but the leap from B1 to B2 is huge and takes a long time.

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• JA

  @jaelob · 2 years ago (edited)

  Interesting that Indonesian is level 3. &nbsp;Barry Farber, who learned some 25 languages or more said he thought the easiest language in the world to learn was Indonesian, because vowels are very pure and consistent like Spanish, and grammar is similarly simple and consistent. &nbsp;My Indonesian friend always encouraged me and told me it should be easy to learn. &nbsp;<br><br>I find Danish much harder than Norwegian too. &nbsp;But its more like being in a fog. &nbsp;If I concentrate and focus closely until i can see more clearly, so to speak, I find that it becomes magically as clear as Norwegian. &nbsp;But I often switch back and forth between foggy and clear. &nbsp;Its like I need warmup time before the fog clears away. &nbsp;Norwegian always sounds clear as a bell.

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• AA

  @AA-rc4zr · 1 year ago

  Persian, I would argue is much much easier to learn than Italian or French. Once you get past the alphabet which is not as impossible as it seems, Gramer and pronunciation is supper easy.

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• WA

  @wastingtimeop · 2 years ago

  I studied Thai full time at the US Defense Language Institute. One year course, 7 hours a day, 6 people in the class. I was able to reach B1 in 10 months. I achieved C1 after a few years of living in Thailand. The hardest part by far was the writing system. I have self studied Vietnamese. It is Cat 3 like Thai but much easier due to an easy writing system. I am also self studied Mandarin, Indonesian and Spanish. For me, the hard part is the writing system. I don&apos;t find Chinese speaking so hard, but reading is really hard. For Spanish and Indonesia, you basically learn to read with no effort just by studying the language. At least this is my experience.

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• S.

  @s.espinoza1167 · 2 years ago

  Thanks for the video,<br>Viewers: be aware, the title is misleading, he really does not talk about how diplomats learn languages. He talks about his insights about why a language can be more difficult to learn than others. He higligths the similarities of the language, the alphabet, etc.

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• RE

  @renegade-spectre · 2 years ago

  Best 2 best things you can do when you are learning any language (even cat I), are<br><br>- never compare the time it takes you to how long it may take others or what a website says…reason for this is because everyone’s experience is different…some people live in the country, some people have friends or relatives that speak the language…some others just don’t do anything else in their free time than learn the language etc<br><br>- just enjoy the process. Never start learning a language thinking you will be fluent in x time…I understand some people need it for a time sensitive matter, but a language no matter how easy is always very complex to learn to any degree

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• IS

  @IsMacTireE · 1 year ago

  Irish is very difficult as well. Maybe not as difficult as arabic, mandarin, Japanese etc. but probably fewer resources than them for learning.

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