Comments on: Absence makes the brain grow fonder http://coljac.net/china/2009/10/absence-makes-the-brain-grow-fonder/ The only foreigner to ever blog from China. Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:15:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: cherry http://coljac.net/china/2009/10/absence-makes-the-brain-grow-fonder/comment-page-1/#comment-75 cherry Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:55:30 +0000 http://coljac.net/china/?p=125#comment-75 well, I have same experiences on learning English. In China, there is a saying goes,,"退一步海阔天空“ or ”拳头收紧再打出去更有力。“ Not only for language learning, but for almost all the things in your life. well, I have same experiences on learning English. In China, there is a saying goes,,”退一步海阔天空“ or ”拳头收紧再打出去更有力。“ Not only for language learning, but for almost all the things in your life.

]]> By: Colin http://coljac.net/china/2009/10/absence-makes-the-brain-grow-fonder/comment-page-1/#comment-73 Colin Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:09:33 +0000 http://coljac.net/china/?p=125#comment-73 Thanks, JP, some interesting insights there. I think most would agree that language learning often involves quantum leaps, inflexion points in the learning curve or jumps up from stale plateaus. I'd like to think I was about to make one. We'll see. Thanks, JP, some interesting insights there. I think most would agree that language learning often involves quantum leaps, inflexion points in the learning curve or jumps up from stale plateaus. I’d like to think I was about to make one. We’ll see.

]]> By: JP Villanueva http://coljac.net/china/2009/10/absence-makes-the-brain-grow-fonder/comment-page-1/#comment-65 JP Villanueva Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:13:59 +0000 http://coljac.net/china/?p=125#comment-65 Jake, I think it just shows that language study is not as directly related to language confidence, language performance, and language acquisition as we might assume it does. A prof told me once that language acquisition isn't steady; there are plateaus in the curve where progress in proficiency doesn't climb as time progresses. Also, I suspect your studies have surpassed daily routine language; in that case, perhaps you're already proficient in daily routine language, but you didn't realize it. So returning to China meant returning to familiar patterns. Finally, I know that when I went studied in France a while ago, I didn't sound great. When I returned home and returned to classes, I still didn't sound great in French. But for some reason, a year after I left I started noticing I sounded awesome... and French people were having a harder time guessing that I wasn't French. Obviously, my environment was less French-rich than when I had been in France, but progress was still happening, much to my surprise. I'm one of the people that believe that all language learning is instinct; we can't hope to control instinct; the best we can do is activate it, feed it, and put ourselves in an environment where our instinct can be fed. 加油！ Jake, I think it just shows that language study is not as directly related to language confidence, language performance, and language acquisition as we might assume it does.

A prof told me once that language acquisition isn’t steady; there are plateaus in the curve where progress in proficiency doesn’t climb as time progresses.

Also, I suspect your studies have surpassed daily routine language; in that case, perhaps you’re already proficient in daily routine language, but you didn’t realize it. So returning to China meant returning to familiar patterns.

Finally, I know that when I went studied in France a while ago, I didn’t sound great. When I returned home and returned to classes, I still didn’t sound great in French. But for some reason, a year after I left I started noticing I sounded awesome… and French people were having a harder time guessing that I wasn’t French. Obviously, my environment was less French-rich than when I had been in France, but progress was still happening, much to my surprise.

I’m one of the people that believe that all language learning is instinct; we can’t hope to control instinct; the best we can do is activate it, feed it, and put ourselves in an environment where our instinct can be fed.

加油！

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