Advanced to Proficient: 3 Ideas From a Polyglot
There’s one topic I’ve been into recently. It’s learning a language to the level of perfection.
That sounds rather utopian, but it has occupied my mind unexpectedly.
Of course, I am cunning just using the very word. I know that perfection is not technically possible, especially once we talk about such complex concepts as languages. But for the first time, I’ve got interested and rather challenged to the point that I want to try.
And I think that’s the main point of turning from advanced to proficient.
At this point, it’s not about language anymore, now it’s a part of your personality, the one you are enriching.
As a coach I believe that any improvement should be motivated by a deeply satisfying reason behind it, otherwise it won’t last long. Learning for the sake of learning is enjoyable but not effective long-term.
Language perfection as a part of your future self
It took me several years of teaching to make up my mind on the C2 test. I have no language-related formal education, so I had a gut feeling that my methods and ideas mined from years of autodidacticism and curiosity wouldn’t stand the test.
I might not be proficient in languages but self-gaslighting has always been my forte.
Sure, my clients had the results but it was B2-C1 maximum, so I thought I didn’t need C2. I felt like it was too ambitious to even try. And why would I if there were no firm reason?
The reason has appeared recently, however: I’ve decided to change countries in a couple of years. And it would make sense to have as many credentials as possible for future work options. All of a sudden, it all got meaningful.
So, I opened that C2 mock test and scored 7/8 on average without preparation. It was pleasurable. And it wasn’t a pride thing anymore: no, now I needed proof of being a highly skilled professional. The test was a means of getting somewhere, not the thing in itself.
There was one more aspect that made it easier. At some point, I realised I wouldn’t write in my native language anymore. Over time it got tough to formulate thoughts in it since it’s too complex and has too many undertones. I guess my mind had got too scattered because of all the languages I consumed information in. Writing suffered the most. To that, my home country has become very popular in the last few years in rather horrendous ways I don’t want to have anything in common with. So, the decision was made to write in the other language instead. Getting to proficiency was now not an option but the only way to go now.
And that’s how authentic goal setting works, and it makes everything easy.
There should be a contribution to the image of the person you want to be in the future. My future self had that C2 certificate in my imagination, so I had to obtain it, too. My future self was an amazing writer in a language that was not her native, so I had to become one, too.
That’s it.
Language learning as a regular part of your life
That’s the baseline rule for any level of language learning: it’s better to do little every day than a lot occasionally. To achieve it, you shouldn’t rush. It would help if you also made the process as enjoyable as possible. Go with something you truly like. The best case scenario is to get it connected to rest.
But there are no limits to creativity. I mean, I’ve practically learned four languages reading crappy fanfiction, and I’m about to learn my fifth the same way. Because it’s stupid and easy to dive into. All you need is to ensnare your brain so it feels good. Then, it will be much more willing to comply and read sophisticated psychoanalytical articles.
At this point you use language casually, so I don’t think you need books to study. Maybe go through some grammar books if you feel like it. But what I go for is vocabulary. I believe that’s the only thing you truly need at this point. And for me, the best way to build solid vocabulary has always been reading.
I think the best reading option is something as long as a book, either fictional or non-fictional. I’ve noticed that authors usually juggle the same words throughout the book, creating a perfect repetition environment. Some of the words and expressions you might meet so many times in one book that you’ll know them naturally by the end of it.
When I read apart from my language learning, I don’t notice unknown words and just go with the flow. The intentional learning differs a little because I highlight the words and constructions I haven’t seen before and look them up right away or later when there’s time.
After, I write. Journaling, articles, or newsletters, I just let it out. Even this text has several words that just came from nowhere — synonyms or more accurate expressions I just read a few days back.
Your brain connects the dots in the most unexpected ways. So the goal is just to let it do it in the background meanwhile you enjoy simple things.
ALWAYS go for vocabulary in the context. Word lists might work in the very beginning when you need to get started.
Always go for context. Your mind is a narrative-making machine, you NEED a story to remember something. So, embrace it and use it to your advantage.
Language teleportation through smart vocabulary work
For the past several weeks, I’ve been doing something I advise my language clients to not do: I learn so many words every day that my head hurts. I usually tell people they should do 5–15 words a day maximum depending on their level, otherwise, words won’t stick and then the resistance will build faster. And it’s difficult to identify and navigate this type of resistance without experience. I follow this principle with the other languages I speak, where my level is lower. But I was surprised in the case of getting to proficiency it works differently. Connections are built seamlessly so I go to 30–60 words and then repeat over 100–120 daily.
Sounds sick, I guess, but it’s too enjoyable to stop. It’s so easy that it gets difficult to perceive it as actual learning.
Some further observations on the vocab learning:
Learn it from the verb
What I mean is trying to reduce every word to the verb it stems from.
For example, if I see “helpless”, I reduce it to “help”. The infinitive form gives me access to many words, such as “helpful”, “helping”, “helpless”, “helped”, etc. By getting the verb out, I make it easy for my brain to guess the meaning. I just need to know the verb and the way suffixes/ prefixes function in a given language. And that shouldn’t be a problem at the C1-C2 level. I’m not sure about the other ones, but it works wonders for European languages.
Learn it both through synonyms and translations
The usual advice you get when learning vocabulary is to read the new word explanations in your target language, and it’s a good one. This way you practice your language well. But the problem here is that the further you go in a language, the more delicate the meanings get. And to that, you still need some firm associations to remember the details. So the best way is to:
- get your words in a context
- look for contextual synonyms
- look at translation
- look at the usage cases
Give up regularly
If some word just doesn’t stick and you keep forgetting it, just let it go and move on. If you’re using some spaced repetition app such as Anki and there’s a deck you’re beating your way through every time, just delete it. There’s no connection, and it will eat up your time.
Once everything is done right, you remember words easily — you don’t need to torture yourself and it all goes almost effortlessly. If it isn’t, just forget about it, you will meet these words again once the context is more conducive.
Follow the bliss and enjoyment. It is all hidden there.
If you would like me to elaborate on the details of how to remember things well and fast, I can write a guide of some kind or something, let me know ;)