Watch Out!

The first word in English I understood without anyone’s help was “watch out.” I was 12 at the time and had been living in Alabama, USA, for about month, when one very lazy afternoon I had my language epiphany. I was watching a John Wayne movie, and in it, a young man seemed to be at all the wrong places at all the wrong times. So when Mr. Wayne yelled “watch-out” and a there was an Indian (now-a-days Native-American) nearby, I assumed it meant something like “Hey, look at the Indian!” But when the same expression was used to warn the helpless lad about a stampede, a waterfall and the very obvious bad guy of the movie, my 12-year-old self pretty much realized that “watch out” could not be “hey-look-at-the-Indian-waterfall-cows-and-baddie.” It had to mean something like “danger” or “be-careful” -which, as we all know, it does.

Television and movies offer an exceptional opportunity to learn a second language, because they usually show an expression followed by an action or reaction. You hear, you see, and if you are in the right frame of mind, you learn. It’s possible that your conclusions may not be quite correct (for a long time I believed that the name of the TV show M.A.S.H was “banana camp,” because that was the tag line used in the promotion), but more often than not, you will very close to the right meaning. And if you are mistaken, chances are that, once you realize your error, you will never forget the new word or phrase, especially if your blunder is rather funny or bizarre.

So, watch as much TV and movies in your target language as you can. Start with short programmes and watch them more than once. Do some word fishing, that is, listen for words that you already know and write down how many times are they used. Or do some word hunting: write a word that catches your attention, see how it fits in the context and figure-out the meaning. Then check yourself and see how close were you to the general idea. TV will also allow you to hear how natives really speak in a day-to-day situation; the expressions, contractions and intonations they use to communicate; it will open a window to their culture and values and give you the opportunity to get to know them better. Go, take advantage of internet, DVDs, satellite TV and cinema and find your own “Watch Out” moment. I promise, once you have it, you will never forget it.

Get Your Mojo (Motivation + Joy) and Learn!

When learning a new language, motivation is the key that will make such learning possible. Ask yourself why are you trying to learn Spanish, of French or Italian. Does it bring personal satisfaction; will it give you a competitive edge at work; are you earmarking international companies to which apply later on; have you fallen head-over heals with a special person or place? Once you find your motivation, visualize. Really. Contrary to what some make think, visualization is not mumble-jumble; it's a powerful tool that helps you reach your goals. Ask the hundreds of professional athletes and Olympians that see in their mind their success before moving one muscle. In some accelerated learning language programmes visualization is the first activity of the session.

Can you imagine yourself communicating in your second language? See yourself in a Honduran market haggling like a native; in a meeting in Buenos Aires handling a multi-million pound deal with the cattle rancher association; discussing environmental issues with a Costa Rican official; signing an oil deal in Mexico City; ordering "ropa vieja" in Cuba; discussing the origins of the chivalry literature in Salamanca; having a shopping-spree in Caracas. Go ahead, try. And have fun while you do it!

Studies show that we learn better when we do not feel pressure or threatened. When we light-up a bit -or a lot. Lozanov, a leader in the field of brain-friendly learning and second-language acquisition, recommended the use of role-play. Create yourself a persona, a character native to the language your using. What would your Spanish name be? Where will you be from (hey, we are talking about the Spanish language here -you have 22 countries to choose from!)? What would you do, how would you communicate, what personality trait would you like to free through this character? In the privacy of your bedroom or bathroom,talk to yourself in the mirror.Imitate the locals (you don't have to be politically correct here); repeat a sentence as if you were terrible sad, or angry or happy or in looooveee. Exaggerate. And have fun!

Remember, this is a journey. Let's make it a colourful and joyful one.

Hasta luego!