Wisdom is the prime thing

I have a theory that it should be possible to learn to speak a language conversationally in a week’s time.

Here’s how.

I recently read an article that purports to show how to “learn but not master any language in an hour”. Frankly, I was not at all impressed. All of the information he explains how to obtain can be obtained in a 10-minute read of the Wikipedia article for the language under consideration. But it did remind me of a theory I had on how to learn new languages fast.

What is the plan for learning a new language in a week?

This plan would basically be a focused, streamlined attack along the 80/20 knife. It uses principles from the latest discoveries regarding the human mind, memory, and non-linearity.

My premise is based on an assumption as to how many words you need to know to communicate effectively. In most languages, a few hundred words is enough. There is even a version of the Bible that uses a vocabulary of about 100 words, excluding proper nouns, and you don’t even notice when you’re reading it. Our goal is to learn the 20% of words that make up 80% of conversation.

It should be possible to learn those words in a day or two using memory techniques. Reviews on subsequent days would serve to strongly fix them in memory. The majority of the week, then, would be focused on learning the basics of grammar and sentence construction. One day could be spent on colloquialisms, idioms, and culture.

In order for this to work, the week would be dedicated to nothing but the language, of course. Short REM naps would be a regular feature of this schedule to help keep creativity alive, and make sure the brain has some time to file away the information without getting dull. Eight hours of sleep or more would be necessary each night. Eating would be light, no alcohol. Stretching and running would be a part of the regimen as well. Lots of fresh air. 45-minute learning blocks with fresh-air breaks interposing.

Sounds crazy. Is it possible?

I don’t think it’s so far-fetched, honestly. I know learning a language in a week has been done by autistic savants, but I want to create a method that can be used by others.

To do this requires a kit of materials for the language. Someone would have had to prepare all the lists and materials you need. You would need a list of the most important words, arranged in frequency order. These are available online for many languages. You would need CDs to hear the spoken language and all the phonemes. And you’d need a grammar arranged telescopically: it should start out with a very high overview, and then progressively bring you closer and closer to a full understanding of the language by taking a more low-level approach with each pass. The grammar would be replete with real-life examples that exemplify the grammar construction under consideration. And all tables would be reproduced in the back for quick reference and review.

So, yes, I think it’s possible. There’s obviously a lot of work that has to be done first. But if you created a packet with these materials and instructions, it could be reused by others desiring to learn that language. Why, if you could canonicalize this method, you could even create a series of packets, or teach courses, or provide one-on-one 1-week crash courses on any language, or start an agency to help people understand their mail-order brides …