The Language Mastery Show John Fotheringham

Despite doing well in other school subjects, Andrew Barr failed French in secondary school. Upon hearing this news, his supportive father assured him:

"The Barrs don't do languages. We do maths and sciences. You will never have to speak of a word of French again!"

It turns out that this prediction was a bit of the mark. Today, Andrew speaks multiple languages and has built a successful business teaching languages at Real Fast Spanish.

In this deep dive into Andrew's language learning journey and philosophy, you will learn:


How a multilingual climb up Mount Kilimanjaro inspired him to learn languages (and led to befriending a French actress).
The importance of high-quality language input (high-yield listening and reading content).
The power of learning with other people (teachers, tutors, and exchange partners) and why you need to avoid the input-only trap.
Why motivation, consistency, and discipline are the essential 3 essential ingredients of successful language learning.
Why Andrew decided to start learning Polish (his first non-Romance language) and the surprising origins of his family name.
The ideal order of operations for learning a new language from scratch and why you should master sounds first.
The 24-hour rule for new vocabulary and the simple $5 language-learning tool you should carry with you everywhere you go.
The language-learning advice Andrew would give to his younger self to break through his earlier stories and self-limiting beliefs.
Why learning a language is akin to learning to play the guitar (you have to learn by doing, not watching).
Why your feelings about a language-learning method are more important than the method itself.
Why pursuing pleasure in language learning is not always the answer and why Andrew studies flashcards in Anki even though he doesn't enjoy it.
The most common mistakes that native English speakers make in Spanish (and how to sound less like a "gringo" by changing just one sound).
Why correctly pronouncing vowels is more important in Spanish than getting consonants right.
The critical difference between "accent" and "pronunciation" and why the latter matter much more.
Andrew's 2 essential language-learning principles: 1) readiness to learn, and 2) high-quality practice.
How to build early confidence by setting the bar low and having specific goals in each conversation.

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Cara Leopold is the founder of Leo Listening, where she helps "intrepid travellers and adventurous expats improve their English listening skills so they can better understand and better connect with fast-talking native speakers through their love of films." In the interview, we talk about how she learned French and the best way to learn languages through TV shows and movies.

For show notes, visit LanguageMastery.com/show

📧 Get expert language immersion tips in your inbox each week
Join my FREE weekly newsletter to get the tips and tools you need to get fluent anywhere in the world.

👉🏼 https://languagemastery.com

🤿 Master Japanese or Mandarin Chinese ANYWHERE!
Want to learn a language through at-home immersion instead of boring textbooks or expensive classes?

My detailed language guides will show you exactly how.

Check out my Japanese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/masterjapaneselms

Check out my Mandarin Chinese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/mastermandarinlms

❓Ask Me a Question!
Got a question about language learning you'd like me to answer on the show? Leave me a voice recording and you might here my response on the next episode! Record your message here: https://anchor.fm/john-fotheringham/message

Steve Kaufmann is a hyperpolyglot who has learned more than 20 languages (!!!) and the founder of LingQ, an online language learning platform that helps you acquire languages using content you love. He was my second guest on the Language Mastery Show way back in 2009, and returns 13 years later to offer new insights and encouragement for independent language learners.

For show notes, visit LanguageMastery.com/show

🤿 Master Any Language, Anywhere!
Want to learn a language through at-home immersion instead of boring textbooks or expensive classes?

My detailed language guides will show you exactly how.

Check out my Japanese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/masterjapaneselms

Check out my Mandarin Chinese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/mastermandarinlms

❓Ask Me a Question!
Got a question about language learning you'd like me to answer on the show? Leave me a voice recording and you might here my response on the next episode! Record your message here: https://anchor.fm/john-fotheringham/message

Jim and May describe themselves as a "gringo/Mexican international couple" on a mission to connect English speakers to the Spanish-speaking world. Their excellent podcast, YouTube channel, blog, and Spanish immersion retreats in Mexico help learners bridge the gap between learning and actually living in Spanish.   In the interview, they share what they have each learned in their own language learning journeys, their best tips for learning Spanish, and favorite resources for immersing yourself in Spanish right at home.   For show notes, visit LanguageMastery.com/show   For more about Jim and May and tips for learning Spanish, visit SpanishAndGo.com.  

🤿 Master Any Language, Anywhere!  

Want to learn a language through at-home immersion instead of boring textbooks or expensive classes?   My detailed language guides will show you exactly how.   

Check out my Japanese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/masterjapaneselms   

Check out my Mandarin Chinese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/mastermandarinlms   

❓Ask Me a Question!   

Got a question about language learning you'd like me to answer on the show? Leave me a voice recording and you might here my response on the next episode! 

Record your message here 👉🏼 https://anchor.fm/john-fotheringham/message

Mikkel Thorup is a seasoned world traveler, entrepreneur, consultant, author, and the host of the Expat Money Show. Since he left Canada in his teens, he has circumnavigated the globe over 400 times, visited more than 100 countries, and lived in 9. In our conversation, he shares his best tips for traveling or moving abroad, learning languages, and making the best of the expat life.

For show notes, visit LanguageMastery.com/show

For more about Mikkel and tips for transitioning abroad, visit ExpatMoneyShow.com.

🤿 Master Any Language, Anywhere!
Want to learn a language through at-home immersion instead of boring textbooks or expensive classes?

My detailed language guides will show you exactly how.

Check out my Japanese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/masterjapaneselms

Check out my Mandarin Chinese guide here 👉🏼 https://bit.ly/mastermandarinlms

❓Ask Me a Question!
Got a question about language learning you'd like me to answer on the show? Leave me a voice recording and you might here my response on the next episode! Record your message here: https://anchor.fm/john-fotheringham/message

Andrew Methven is the creator of Slow Chinese 每周漫闻, a weekly newsletter that helps Mandarin Chinese learners immerse themselves in authentic, colloquial language via interesting stories and news events handpicked from Chinese media, social media, and TV.
Instead of learning the stilted and stuffy language of Chinese textbooks, Andrew's excellent newsletter trains you to understand the way people really speak and write the language today.
In the interview, Andrew shares how he first fell in love with Chinese, differences between Mandarin between Mainland China and Taiwan, and his top tips for language learners.
For show notes, visit LanguageMastery.com/blog/Andrew-Methven
🇨🇳 Learn Chinese Anywhere!
Want to learn Mandarin Chinese through at-home immersion instead of boring textbooks or expensive classes? Master Mandarin, my detailed how-to manual and resource guide, will show you exactly how. Learn more at https://bit.ly/mastermandarinlms.
❓Ask Me a Question!
Got a question about language learning you'd like me to answer on the show? Leave me a voice recording and you might here my response on the next episode! Record your message here: https://anchor.fm/john-fotheringham/message