How to Master Successfully Any Language of the World 35
hours of proper drilling will do. An hour or two of an original audio text will be fine. A
movie with many dialogs would be the best. Your course book audio is often good
enough, too.
While choosing audio recordings make sure, that’s not only a narrative. There’s nothing
wrong with a narration, but when talking to native speakers, you mostly get into a
conversation, a dialog. So try to drill a conversation. A family movie with subtitles would
be the best. Just follow every phrase. Mark (or memorize) its intonations and drill it, until
it becomes “yours”.
I would not recommend drilling pronunciation for more than an hour a day. Your speech
organs get tired and start operating worse. You need to spend more time to acquire less.
But – that’s up to you.
Culture – You Are No More a “Guest”
In the “Main Targets” for the Intermediate level I’ve mentioned history and geography of
the target country, rituals and dates celebrated or marked in the society. You may learn
this in your native language. However, you may need to know, how they say at least the
names for popular rituals and dates in the target language. The most important historical
events, national holidays, some most important geographical features of the country –
native speakers may deal with these things on nearly daily basis. And at the intermediate
level you need to talk about THAT, too. At least to know how you mention that.
The Intermediate level brings you closer to the target society. You are not just an alien or
a “guest”, one who stays within the society for a few days and then leaves forever. Here
you become more of a closer friend to native speakers’ society. Not yet “one of them”,
but definitely some part of them. And it is a good point to get acquainted with their way
of life and thinking somewhat deeper. And maybe try it yourself, at least when you are
among them.
Most popular songs and stories – learn them by heart. Concentrate on the things that
“everybody knows”. This brings you even closer to the society.
Besides, each nation has its own “language learning utilities for children”. These can be
common nursery rhymes, common stories, words-oriented or movements-oriented games
etc. Practically EVERY native speaker has used these tools, while learning the language
as a child. Make use of them, too.
Copyright © 2012 Dmitry Slomov. All rights reserved.
Dmitry Slomov is a language learning consultant, a tutor and the author of the Russian Language Course – Lessons with Dmitry
Contact Dmitry at: http://www.courseofrussian.com/en/contact.html
