The Fluent Show

Latest Episodes:

Bilingual Episode 🇫🇷: Flying the Flag For Loanwords (with Mathilde Hutin, linguiste française) Jun 15, 2020

Show notes

The intro of today's episode makes reference to the 8th of the month. This is because the episode publication was delayed by a week after recording to allow all listeners to get a chance to hear the Fluent Show statement about racism. Right, let's get to it:

When there's something étrange in your vocabulaire, who you gonna call? A LINGUIST!

Today I've got a very special linguist on the show: Mathilde from Elles Comme Linguistes, a French YouTube channel dedicated to linguistics pour tous! Mathilde visited the Fluent show to talk about what linguistics is all about and what it is like to do a PhD in Paris 🇫🇷.

"Traditional education is about languages, not linguistics."

In this show, we focused on learning more about loanwords like champagne in English, mousepad in French, kartofle in Polish and beamer in German. Every language has loanwords, but

Why do so many loanwords come from English?
What decides why some words come into the language as loanwords?
Should you use them when you're learning a language yourself?

BILINGUAL EPISODE ALERT
This podcast is a bilingual episode, meaning that we occasionally switched into speaking French. This type of episode is fantastic listening practice if you are a French learner. If you are an excellent French speaker, I apologise for all the mistakes I make. If you are not an experienced French learner, there will be some parts of the podcast that you don’t understand. But like all language learners, you’re not alone in that feeling.

I always remember what the lovely Ron Gullekson said: “I want to get used to feeling uncomfortable.” So fear not, trust that we will come back to English again and again, and the interview will still be interesting for you.

Thank you to Mathilde Hutin for this episode introduction.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community

Special Guest: Mathilde Hutin.

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

A Statement About Racism Jun 06, 2020

Show notes

I really want to say "this goes without saying" about many of the things I'm saying to you today. But maybe it does not.

Racism is not welcome here.

Thank you for listening to today's episode.

And as maker of the Fluent Show, I can also tell you that every person who works on the team stands behind this message. Please read Lindsay's very well-written perspective here.

Here are 4 wonderful Fluent Show guests who have represented the voices of black language learners.

Please read more about them and how impressive they are. There are TWO bilingual interviews in here:

👍🏾 https://www.fluent.show/guests/nicole - Nicole Miles
👍🏿 https://www.fluent.show/guests/khady - Khady Ndoye (bilingual episode French/English)
👍🏽 https://www.fluent.show/guests/shahidah - Ann Shahidah (bilingual episode German/English)
👍🏼 https://www.fluent.show/guests/chenelle Chenelle Patrice Hancock

I'm proud that they came and spent time with me on the show. I know my work isn't done and I'll continue to make it a priority to invite guests from ALL backgrounds.

How to get in touch:

Twitter
Email kerstin@fluentlanguage.co.uk or hello@fluentlanguage.co.uk
Instagram
or use the chatbox in the corner at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk

Links:

**How Can We Make Online Lessons Less Exhausting?** Jun 01, 2020
Show notes

You're probably taking your fair share of online lessons in your target languages these days. Add to that a few Zoom hangouts, maybe some extra business meetings...and soon they add up to 10-15 hours of online meetings per week.

For many online language teachers, this kind of online meeting schedule is part of a standard working week. It really is exhausting!

In this week's episode, I'm helping an online teacher who has experienced this for herself and sent a call for help to the Fluent Show.

Here is the question:

I'm an english tutor and have started teaching online because of the pandemic..you see, I notice that the "video conference" situation drains so much energy from me. I wonder if that happens with other students not used to the online class. Did you ever feel that with online lessons? Do you have tips to avoid that burn out from virtual meetings? Thank you!!

Listen to the episode to hear more about how to improve your focus, your environment, and your future prospects as an online teacher.

If you want to send your own **Teacher Chat Question** to the show, email it to hello@fluentlanguage.co.uk

*Thank you to Estephania from Panama for this week's Listener Intro*

Sponsored By:

Teach & Thrive: Online teachers, join the Waiting List for our 2-day event filled with inspiring conversations and practical tutorials.

Links:

Teach & Thrive Summit — Sign up for the waiting list here

How to Master Common Italian Phrases for Travel (Like a Local!)

The Fluent Show: Where and How to Start Teaching Online

The Fluent Show: What To Do When You're Overwhelmed In Language Lessons

The Fluent Show: Q&A: How To Prepare For Language Lessons on Skype

The reason Zoom calls drain your energy - BBC Worklife

SelfControl

Forest - Stay focused, be present

🏆 Top Tools 2020 HALL OF FAME: The Ultimate Language Learning Apps 🏅 May 25, 2020

Show notes

Every 6 months or so, the Fluent Show brings you a new set of top tools. These are our recommendations for language learning tools you might have missed. It's a LONG episode so follow along with our full list of top tools on the blog if you like.

Intro: Lindsay's Language Marathon and our italki Language Challenge progress

Top Tools Hall of Fame

Top Tools has now been running since 2016, with a total of 42 tools recommended. It's easy to lose track so it was time to declutter the list. In this episode, you'll hear about the best, the ultimate, the unmissable Top Tools Hall of Fame from 2016 to 2020.

We revisit EVERY SINGLE tool recommendation in the podcast so you can hear how they work and which ones we still love. Then we hand out awards. Here are the headline winners:

The best tools for EVERY language learner:

ALL of these top tools have web and app based versions and lots of languages available for you to pick from.

The Beginners Badge for people who want good beginner materials goes to 50 Languages.

The Minority Medal for a tool that is best if you are interested in learning a minority language goes to the LiveLingua Project.

The Goblet of Recognition for a tool that we brought back again and again goes to VOCAB NOTEBOOKS like these. In America, Gregg or Pitman ruled notebooks might do this job for you.

Click here to see the full list of top tools from 2016-2020

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community.
Some of the links in these show notes are affiliate links supporting the show.

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

italki Language Challenge
100 Creative Ideas — Lindsay's new book
The Fluent Show: How To Start An Amazing Language Journal (with Instagrammers Kathryn and Sam)

How To Navigate Bilingual Love and Change Your Family Perspective May 18, 2020

Show notes

This week on the show, I answer a cry for help from a frustrated listener in Denmark.

Imagine you can speak your target language beautifully. But when it comes to the person you love most, suddenly you clam up and worry and you realise you can't speak to her at all!

Why does this happen? What's going on? Listen to hear more about these three problems and how anyone can solve them and get things moving again:

English is your life admin language
You struggle to switch languages with your partner
Bilingual family life crowds out your target language

Thank you to Camille for this episode introduction.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community!

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

My Partner Speaks English - How Can I Help Them Learn My Language? by Fluent Language
7 Tips For Learning A Language From Your Girlfriend or Boyfriend by Fluent Language
[The Fluent Show: "It's Hard Work But It's So Worth It": Everything You Need To Know For Raising Bilingual Children](https://www.fluent.show/77 "The Fluent Show: "It's Hard Work But It's So Worth It": Everything You Need To Know For Raising Bilingual Children")

Sara Maria Hasbun on Lockdown, Languages, and Long-Term Success May 11, 2020

Show notes

Do you dream of travelling the world and living in other countries?
Want to see it all, live everywhere, and enjoy the best every country has to offer?

In today's episode, you'll meet someone who knows how to do all that! Sara Maria Hasbun is a language-loving entrepreneur who loves to travel the world. And she's as awesome as all of that sounds! In today's episode, Sara shares her story and experiences, including recent lockdown life under Coronavirus in Beijing. It's a motivating conversation with so many facets.

Here's what you'll learn in this interview:

What is linguistics and how does it look different in British and American universities?
How to prepare for living in another country
How to learn a language in country, without shouting at people in the bar
Where to get authentic reading practice in Chinese (and any other language)
Women in the polyglot world, and why we still hold back instead of showing our full talents

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Special Guest: Sara Maria Hasbun.

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

How to Learn a Language Every Day May 04, 2020

Show notes

Welcome back! I start by sharing my love for 爱情公寓 (iPartment) on Yabla, and answer Sara's question:

What’s the best tool you use for making sure you get some language learning in every day?

To answer this question, I talk you through the Language Habit Toolkit method which brings together psychology, motivation, and a lot of handy templates that get you started immediately.

Here's the system in a nutshell:

Set up your vision for language learning so that you're clear about why you are here.
List your actions. You want to set it up so that there are varied options available to you every day, no matter if you’re out and about or in your bedroom or in the kitchen. They can be tiny but they have to be listed.
Now, next track your daily contact wherever you like, like in a habit tracking app or notebook or on your corkboard.
Finally, do something with what you’re tracking. I recommend a review of some kind. Reviewing is more of a journaling based activity because it is a reflexive exercise.

Download my Guide to Building a Language Habit for free!

It comes with my newsletter and a whole library full of language learning guides. You can get this right on the homepage at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk

Thank you to Leah for this episode introduction.
Apologies for the pops - I hear them too so don't @ me and I'll work on it.

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

TickTick: Todo list, checklist and task manager app for Android, iPhone and Web
The Fluent Show - Education Podcast | Podchaser
Download my Guide to Building a Language Habit for free — It comes with my newsletter and a whole library full of language learning guides.
Polyglot Cruise Virtual Live with Kerstin Cable: Habits and Consistency - YouTube
Evernote Note-Taking App — When you register, install, and sign in to Evernote, you'll get Premium for 30 days with this referral link
LEUCHTTURM1917 | Premium stationery from a traditional family run company – LEUCHTTURM1917
Habitica - Gamify Your Life
Beeminder

The Best Books About Language Learning & Linguistics Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

Lindsay is back on the Fluent Show today and we're talking about the best books about languages and linguistics.

*NOTE: The Fluent Show is now on a podcast break until 6 May, but you can catch up with mini episodes of "Fluent in Isolation" at Patreon.com

We discussed the following books - all linked below on amazon.com and on hive.co.uk.

Popular Science

David Crystal’s ANYTHING, out of which we discussed
- Encyclopedia of Language
- You say Potato
- Spell it out
Becoming Fluent by Roger Kreuz and Richard Roberts
Lingo and Babel by Gaston Dorren
Because Internet by Gretchen McCulloch

Academic Books

Teaching and Researching: Motivation by Zóltan Dörnyei and Ema Ushioda
An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching by Keith Johnson

Guide/Entertainment

Tingo by Adam Jacot de Boinot
Fluent Forever by Gabriel Wyner
How to Speak Any Language Fluently by Alex Rawlings
Fluent in 3 Months by Benny Lewis
PLUG: [Oh hey, I wrote some too!](www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/boxset)

Want the best textbooks and phrasebooks for language learning?

Click here to discover our other book-themed episode about the best language learning textbooks.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

Where and How to Start Teaching Online Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

Hot Potato News: Scottish Gaelic

Learn about the true pronunciation of this language's name, and why it's important to get it right.

Where and How to Start Teaching Online

It’s a great time to start offering online lessons because

Life has just moved online
Your school or in-person tutoring may just have been cancelled
You can connect with people around the world, and right now that’s even more rewarding and exciting than usual

In fact, any time is a great time because working as an online language teacher

Allows you to work location independently - as long as you can use your computer and have safe wifi, you’re ready to go
You’re independent to work the hours that suit YOU
Is a great stepping stone and teaches you endless things about being a good leader

If all that sounds like your kind of party, then listen to this week's episode in detail for 5 killer questions that will help you think about online teaching in a professional way.

Recommended Teaching Resources

Want further support as you build an online teaching income? Book me for a mentoring day!

Thank you to Gosia for this episode's introduction in Polish.

Sponsored By:

Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

Lindsay's Online Teaching Starter Kit
Evernote — My friend referral link (not affiliate)
Zoom Online Calls & Video Conferencing
Infographic: How to Calculate Your Freelance Hourly Rate — One of the 1000 freelance rate guides - listen to the episode to find out what else is important to consider.
PayPal.Me
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language: Amazon.co.uk: David Crystal: 9781108437738: Books
ben crystal — "Ginger man speaking Shakespearean is my jam"

50 Years, 17 Languages with Steve Kaufmann Mar 23, 2020

Show notes

"In languages, when you want to learn, you learn."

Steve Kaufmann is a language learner from Canada who has studied over 17 languages so far. He is an advocate of reading in other languages, even from the start...and turns out this is something he did even back in the 60s.

I've met Steve in person a few times at events like the Polyglot Gathering and Langfest, and he is ALWAYS full of energy and excitement about the opportunity of learning another language.

"It's all about getting your brain used to reading and hearing the new language."

What I loved most about this interview is the sheer enthusiasm that Steve brings to the topic of language learning. It's evident that he loves to learn and enjoys access to every single new word that he can get.

Steve's attitude is something that I have heard from polyglots and language lovers very often: He approaches languages fearlessly, saying that it doesn't worry about whether he can do it. Anything that he can't figure out, he'll get there eventually.

"Some people wanna learn it NOW, but they can't learn it now."

This level of trust and self-confidence was so much fun to witness in the interview -- listen out to how Steve discusses mistakes and slow learning, emphasizing that immediate progress is not part of language learning. His advice? Have a positive attitude and be grateful about what you can do now.

Check out LingQ

Steve is the co-founder of language learning app LingQ, and they're currently sponsoring this show. So if you enjoy his attitude, check it out today and learn a language with LingQ for free at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/readmore.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Special Guest: Steve Kaufmann.

Sponsored By: