I’m gonna post this here because I’ve been led to this forum multiple times when using Google search and everyone here seems so smart.
I’ve always wanted to improve my verbal fluency but was never able to. How does an adult (24 years old) learn to become fluent? I’ve been speaking English for a decade but I think around 5 years in I hit a plateau…
I make an effort to learn new words but I never use them while speaking. For some reason I can’t seem to retrieve the right words for the right situation, instead I use simple words to describe multiple things. I’m not looking to use fancy words, but everyday high-school/college level words that describes the topic better. I’m sick of speaking like a child…
I’m so used to my limited vocabulary that it hard to get out of it. Can you really teach an old dog new tricks? I’m so stressed out because I can’t speak like a well educated adult in English or in my native language…
Does learning grammar help? I honestly don’t know grammar because I forgot it all after ESL. I just write and speak based on what feels right. If grammar really does help, how so?
I’m also looking at two different books to increase my vocabulary:
Which book do you guys think will help me conversion wise?
How much do you read? Fiction, non-fiction, short stories, whatever.
The more you read, the more you’re exposed to words in their proper context. That may help you “retrieve the right words for the right situation” more easily and be more confident that you’re using them correctly.
By third grade, I’d read all the Narnia Chronicles, and 3 of the 4 LOTR books (the Silmarillion wasn’t on my radar, possibly because of not being released, can’t remember)
Then I was grounded for an entire summer (parents misguided attempt at discipline) and I had an old Oxford dictionary - with occasional little pictures describing words. I read every entry A through about G, then went sporadically from there on, and ate up the appendix.
Point being, the more you keep reading, the more you’ll want to, no matter what it is, and you WILL learn more words and will learn how to use them properly - so long as you occasionally SPEAK THE WORDS OUT LOUD
Also, find people who won’t mind you using words bigger than “fukkin’ thing sucks!” and it’ll be a lot easier to integrate the more varied vocabulary in your conversations.
This. Read sophisticated literature in the specific fields your are interested in conversing about.
From what I read, your grammar seemed virtually flawless, so focusing on that may be a dead end. You would really only need to brush up on some of the more complicated grammatical structures as needed when you encounter them while reading.
You might also read some old classics by authors from a bygone era, such as Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, the Dumas pere et fils*, George Eliot, and others. They will use words and phrases that will be unfamiliar to you, but you can look them up to find their meanings. They will also use words that are familiar, but which are used in different ways than they are today. Again, research those phrases that are “strange” and discover how words have changed over the years.
I agree with runningdude … your grammar looks fine. Wow, on re-reading your post, I didn’t realize you studied ESL; it was not obvious on the first read-through. You had a superb teacher who in turn had a fantastic and eager student! Even your spelling is way above average.
Read as wide a variety as you can by different authors, and you will find that, yes, old dogs can learn new tricks.
I’m in your boat, and the only advice I can give is just to echo what’s been said already - read for pleasure.
I made a promise to myself early on to never read anything in translation that was originally written in english, and this has served me well.
Wait a minute, in english or your native language? As in, you feel you sound “limited” even in your mother tongue? Then I’m not sure what to say. Maybe your just not a verbal person? Nothing wrong with that. What is your native language BTW? We have dopers of almost every background, and someone will be able to offer specific advice.
Although, If you just want to sound smarter, try to watch and listen to smart people speaking. Listen to debates on topics that interest you, speeches made by people who have the “sound” you are aiming for, or even humor shows made by articulate people.
Whenever you hear a sentence or phrase you like, try speaking it aloud. Practice the feel of words in context. Imagine conversations where the phrase might prove useful.
There following can all be found on youtube, and contain people who speak in a way I like. You may or may not like any of their “voices”, but try to find your own.
David Mitchell’s Soapbox
Ask a Mortician
QI
A History of Scotland
Game Geeks
http://www.intelligencesquared.com contains a lot of debates on a variety of topics, which will let you hear people use language in a constructive way.
http://academicearth.org contains lectures on a variety of topics. Surely one or two is something you can use?
Work crossword puzzles. Better still, try your hand at http://ecrostics.com/ and let the new words you become acquainted with develop some links in your memory system.
This approach has helped me a lot and I suppose others may share that achievement.
RE your question “does grammar help?” - It depends, but I would say right now, for you, not really. Your post is excellent. English grammar for everyday use is not very difficult, and the more complex stuff doesn’t really matter for the usage you want.
You say you forgot after ESL (lessons), but that’s not quite what I would say. You’ve started using the grammar without thinking about it, which is the whole point. People don’t think about grammar in their native tongue, they just speak. The fact that you’re doing that means that you already are fluent! If you have a good grammar, just look up things that confuse you as they come up. Alternatively, ask here in GQ.
I agree with the rest about reading, and I would add: watch some telly! Obviously there are things that will only make your English worse, but I’m sure at your level you can recognise that. I don’t know what you like, but you could watch The West Wing to hear some good, fast-paced language that doesn’t shy away from more difficult words. Try watching with English subtitles on, to get the hang of it and so you miss less.
Thanks for all the responses. It was a big confidence booster!
Septima - My native language is Korean since I was born there and its the language I speak with my friends and family. However, I came here at the age of 11 so I’m alot more comfortable speaking in English for everyday things. Luckily, my parent brought me here when I was young so I don’t have an accent =)
My plan now is to read more advanced books. I usually read casual and easy to read books that anyone can pick up. I’ll probably start reading more classics and subscribe to The Economist or some sort.
My answer is read, read, read. It doesn’t much matter what. Something you enjoy so you will read a lot of it.
My brother was a poor student. Lot’s of D on his report cards, a couple of A when he forgot and got interested in something. He just barely graduated from HS (thanks to a very kind English teacher). Then he joined the Air Force. He discovered science fiction in the base library (in western Alaska, you almost could see Russia from there) and started reading, reading, reading. Yeah, it wasn’t great literature (I’ve been reading for 63 years, so I know). Not only did he learn to read, when he got out he went to college, discovered computers, did great and had a fine career (only to die from brain cancer when he was 57).
But I think that’s the best way to build a good vocabulary. You see words in context. BTW, I don’t think there’s any point in studying grammar. Most “English” grammar books are fictional. Based on the idea that Latin had the ideal grammar and English is a defective relative that we will try to force into the Latin mold that fits it very poorly. Some style books are helpful, but only for writing.
I’m going to break a little from the pack and say that while reading is a wonderful way to build your vocabulary, it is a passive way to improve your conversational skills. The best way to do this is by participating in intellectual conversations, whether it be on forums like this one (Great Debates, especially) or by engaging smart people in conversation in the “real world”.
Not only do you get to use the vocabulary that you pick up through reading, but you also get feedback about the actual content of what you are saying. “Big” words are fine, but they aren’t necessary to sound intelligent. Being able to organize your thoughts in a linear, efficient fashion is much more important.
Also, by listening to people who speak well, you will pick up a ton of nifty words and phrases that you’ll never read in a book. Language is contagious like that.
