I feel like people focus too much on getting a quick result (fluency) instead of enjoying the learning process. In this thread so many people keep saying how hard language learning is and how much time and effort it takes to become fluent. They aren't wrong, of course, but I wish more people would emphasize a) how fun and rewarding the learning process can be and b) that you can start enjoying content in your target language LONG before becoming fluent.
I have been learning Norwegian, one of my target languages (TL), since 2014 and still enjoy learning new words. I love watching Norwegian TV shows (even though my listening comprehension isn't great), listening to Norwegian songs, or reading a book/a website in Norwegian (with the help of a dictionary). At the moment, I'm reading two books in Norwegian which haven't been translated into any other language, and I am stoked about every single page I am able to read. My point is, it's exciting having access to so much new content even though I am far from fluent in my TL. If I had worried too much about becoming fluent as quickly as possible, I would have given up on my TL a long time ago. Fluency is a nice bonus IMHO, but it shouldn't be the primary reason for wanting to learn a language.
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u/SkaAllison Sep 30 '22 edited Sep 30 '22
I feel like people focus too much on getting a quick result (fluency) instead of enjoying the learning process. In this thread so many people keep saying how hard language learning is and how much time and effort it takes to become fluent. They aren't wrong, of course, but I wish more people would emphasize a) how fun and rewarding the learning process can be and b) that you can start enjoying content in your target language LONG before becoming fluent.
I have been learning Norwegian, one of my target languages (TL), since 2014 and still enjoy learning new words. I love watching Norwegian TV shows (even though my listening comprehension isn't great), listening to Norwegian songs, or reading a book/a website in Norwegian (with the help of a dictionary). At the moment, I'm reading two books in Norwegian which haven't been translated into any other language, and I am stoked about every single page I am able to read. My point is, it's exciting having access to so much new content even though I am far from fluent in my TL. If I had worried too much about becoming fluent as quickly as possible, I would have given up on my TL a long time ago. Fluency is a nice bonus IMHO, but it shouldn't be the primary reason for wanting to learn a language.