So you’ve decided to learn a new language.
Luckily for you, this post is about getting your language journey off to a good start with the books I’ll introduce you to.
You are reading: Best language learning books
“yes, books, because they are going to put everything (the online course, the app, the practice sessions) in the proper perspective.”
In fact, why don’t I tell you right now why it’s important to read the best language learning books out there?
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- why read language learning books in general?
- top 10 language learning books to start your language journey
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- “how to learn a foreign language”
- “learn any language fast! – the ultimate guide to speed up your language learning curve by tricking your brain”
- “fluency forever: how to learn any language fast and never forget it”
- “words and rules: the ingredients of language”
- “fluency in 3 months: how anyone at any age can learn to speak any language from anywhere in the world”
- “linguistic myths”
- “how to learn any language”
- “how to learn languages” (4th edition)
- “how to learn any language in a few months while having fun: 45 tips for language learners”
- “how to learn a new language with a used brain”
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: What Is the Meaning of 777 in the Bible?
why read general language learning books?
why not read something directly related to your target language?
Let’s say you want to learn German. why not go ahead and read a book that deals specifically with German? that would certainly save time. why a general language learning book as the opening salvo? is it really necessary?
uh yeah. And here’s why: A general language book, at least a good one, will show you the big picture and take you behind the scenes so you can understand what’s going on during your language acquisition process. >
will inform you in advance of what you might encounter during your language search. it’s like saying, “hey, you might meet this dragon on the road. if you take the right weapon, it will be easier.”
There is a set of fundamental theories, tools and techniques that are effective in all languages. these come in the form of learning approaches, memory-enhancement techniques, or helpful mindsets that overcome obstacles along the way.
a general language learning book is a distillation of decades of scientific research on language acquisition and the practical experience of people who have made the journey before. it is a record of your ideas and lessons learned. More importantly, recount the mistakes that others have made so that those who follow don’t waste time making them.
You’re going to need all of these fundamental concepts when you begin your search for a new language. that way, in the future, you’ll know exactly what’s going on. and knowing what is going on, especially in language learning, is very important.
Imagine learning French and not knowing why one particular technique works for you and another doesn’t. Or imagine you’ve spent five hours studying but you’re nowhere near memorizing that measly 20-word list. why can’t you make that happen?
Imagine how disconcerting it would be not knowing why things are the way they are.
The books below will demystify the entire process for you. they’ll take things apart, like a watchmaker does, and explain the working parts to you.
In this way, a general language book can make everything much clearer. You will, by leaps and bounds, become a more effective learner when you see the big picture and know the answers to questions like:
- what difficulties do most language learners encounter when they are starting out and how can you avoid them?
- What types of practice exercises should you spend your time on and why?
- What tricks will make your brain retain what you’ve learned?
Beyond this, starting with a general language learning book can provide a cushion for the roller coaster ride that is language learning.
when you have bouts of discouragement, self-doubt, and fatigue, you’ll have something in your head that says, “ah, so this is what those books refer to as the ‘plateau stage.’ I’m not going down I have a strategy for this.”
OK, now you have an idea of how crucial these types of books can be. That means it’s time to review the best books available for students. Below are the 10 titles that are the most suitable companions for you in your language searches.
top 10 language learning books to start your language journey
“how to learn a foreign language”
by paul pimsleur ph.d.
let’s start with the grandfather of foreign language learning: dr. paul pimsleur—creator of the renowned audio-based language system that has helped millions of language learners.
This book of yours was originally published in 1980, but was republished in 2013 and remains as relevant today as it was decades ago. that’s because the lessons are timeless.
Focusing on the three elements of language (pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary), the book debunks many standard teaching approaches as unnecessary or even detrimental to the goal of learning. dr pimsleur understood the difficulties experienced by beginners and sought to write a text that teaches how anyone can learn a foreign language without painful classroom exercises that don’t really work.
Instead, it focuses on the listening and responding part of the language acquisition process, which is very similar to how babies listen to their surroundings and imitate the linguistic tones and rhythms they hear.
It also does some very effective vocabulary exercises that are especially intended for long-term memory storage. this ensures that what has been learned will always stay with you, very different from what sometimes happens in the classroom, where lessons magically disappear as soon as the bell rings.
dr. Pimsleur’s method has stood the test of time and is one of the most effective foreign language approaches to date. get this book and start your journey with one of the most renowned language teachers of all time.
“learn any language fast! – the ultimate guide to speed up your language learning curve by tricking your brain”
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by dagny taggart
This is written by a hyper-traveler who has gone to the trouble of learning a language fast. taggart shares the knowledge and techniques he learned from traveling the world and learning the languages of the people he knows.
From the beginning, the purpose of this book, as the author demonstrates, is to learn a new language faster than you thought possible. think of yourself as being in a foreign land and in dire need of a bath. How can you learn the language in the shortest possible time? that is the spirit of this book.
To do just that, traditional and time-consuming approaches are eschewed in favor of creative and fun ways to remember the language. This book will open your eyes to massive learning opportunities in your immediate environment. it will also allow you to understand how to use different media channels (radio, movies and books) to align them all with useful learning
This book advises you on the correct language acquisition strategies and makes for light reading. So for the beginner who is afraid to take that first step, this book will push him a bit so that he can make one of the best decisions of his life: learning a new language.
“fluent forever: how to learn any language fast and never forget it”
by gabriel wyner
Whatever language you have in mind, don’t you want to have fun while learning it? Gabriel Wyner thought so too. so much so that when he was 30 years old, he was already having fun with six languages fluently.
This book works on both the ears and the tongue in ways never before imagined. it will tune your ears to the natural symphonies of your target language so that the next time you hear them, they will sound familiar. you will twist your tongue to the same extent that opera singers and actors do while rehearsing. you, a beginner 15 minutes ago, will be able to produce the same sounds and tones as the natives.
With these techniques and more, you’ll overcome those language hurdles and land safely in the fluency zone. get this book. worth every second of your attention span.
This book and many others that are useful to language learners are available from vitalsource, a great place to check out if you like e-books. his bookshelf app works for kindle, ipad, android and chromebook and can save you time and money with your language book habit.
“words and rules: the ingredients of language”
by steven pinker
this work by pinker, like his other works, “the instinct of language” and “the stuff of thought”, is deeper than most language learning books in general.
linguist mit dives into an explanation of how we humans learn languages and how we use them to create experiences and everything from a fizzy love letter to a technical tax code. he believes that the production of language is rule-based and proceeds to demonstrate this by focusing on irregular verbs. (who knew irregular verbs could be so interesting?)
When you want to get serious about lifting the veils of language, you can be sure that Pinker is always the person holding the brightest flashlight to illuminate your many questions.
“fluency in 3 months: how anyone of any age can learn to speak any language from anywhere in the world”
by benny lewis
this is from the guy behind the internet’s biggest language learning blog, fluent in 3 months. An average self-described fellow preaches “language hacking” where students become fluent quickly.
The book puts you in the right frame of mind to learn a new language. It covers most of the fears and excuses a person may have and motivates its readers to reach their linguistic potential. it also promotes the most useful technological tools available that can help them achieve their goals.
Using methods not found in classrooms, Benny turns traditional language learning on its head and presents tips, techniques, and exercises that make learning a natural, almost inevitable experience. (and no, grammar exercises are not included. role-play activities are).
For those of you who are not beginners and want to regain energy to continue with your linguistic quests, read the first part of the book and feel the spirit of curiosity and motivation return, filling every cell of your body. then go ahead with your renewed enthusiasm.
“linguistic myths”
edited by laurie bauer & Peter Trudgill
This one is unique in the group because it is a collection of 21 essays by leading linguists that debunk some of the traditional views on language. Containing essays such as “some languages are spoken faster than others,” “Italian is beautiful, German is ugly,” and “women talk too much,” this book tackles some pretty controversial topics.
I included this one in the list because the last thing a language learner needs is to get stuck in the language acquisition process because they are holding on to some language myth, like “this language is too difficult”.
The best way to sweep all the cobwebs out of a student’s mind is to gather them up and blow them up before the journey even begins.
Ironically, by talking about what language isn’t, you learn more about what it really is, which empowers you to handle it more effectively.
“how to learn any language”
by barry m. farber
The book reveals Farber’s system for learning 25 different languages. his system is made up of four elements: “the multi-way attack”, “the hidden moments”, “the harry lorayne memory aids” and “the plunge”.
The author believes that when learning a new language, one should not be limited in the number of tools and technologies one uses. In “The Multi-Way Attack,” Farber provides his special combination of tools that every student needs.
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In “The Hidden Moments,” the author points to those unseen minutes or seconds of the day when one might have learned a new language. Waiting for the elevator or waiting in line may only take a few minutes, but by taking advantage of these hidden moments throughout the day, the hours of language learning add up to your benefit.
“harry lorayne’s memory techniques” are what help our author to memorize large amounts of vocabulary. lorayne’s techniques are novel, creative and have a way of saying to the student “do you have difficulty memorizing a list of 100 words? maybe it’s the way you memorize it.”
“the plunge” is where the rubber meets the road. immersion. this is when you turn the pages of your books, meet native speakers and have experiences where you practice your target language. Today, however, immersion opportunities are possible even at home through resources such as language exchange programs and digital language learning programs like fluentu, which allows you to learn both the language and the culture through videos. authentic. immersion is when you fully use all your language skills and make them part of your everyday life.
The author believes that these four elements are the keys to unlocking any language on the face of the earth. his conviction and enthusiasm are contagious; you may end up with a new perspective on life, language and learning.
“how languages are learned” (4th edition)
by patsy lightbown and nina spada
This is an award-winning title that delves into the different theories of first and second language acquisition.
This book was originally intended as a manual for language teachers. but why not bypass the middleman and get a copy, right? this one is packed with insights on the difference between first and second language learning. goes to the heart of the different theories of the behavioral, cognitive and social approaches.
When you have been learning Spanish or Japanese for a few weeks, for example, being based on a complete book will allow you to make sense of your learning experiences. As the ideas in this book seep into the back of your mind, you’ll be helped to absorb the lessons and watch yourself learn.
and here is the trick. when you know how you learn, you learn much better.
“how to learn any language in a few months while having fun: 45 proven tips for language learners”
by nate nicholson
Not only will you have fun while you learn, but the author claims that you will learn up to 10 times faster than other people with these methods. would you like that?
Instead of struggling with tedious grammar exercises, would you like to learn the nine common mistakes to avoid when learning languages? Would you like to discover a five-step process to improve your reading skills?
What about the five biggest challenges you will face and how to deal with them effectively? well, they’re all in this book.
nate nicholson believes that language learners should choose the things they study carefully and leave out anything that is not necessary. The “unnecessary” category includes esoteric grammar rules, vocabulary words that even native speakers don’t use, and topics that native speakers never really talk about.
If you study effectively and focus on the vocabulary words and phrases that are useful for your situation, you will gain fluency very quickly. You may not know all the grammar rules there are to know, but you will have meaningful conversations with delighted speakers of your target language.
“how to learn a new language with a used brain”
by lynn mcbride
Finally, to round out our selection of books, we’ll end with one written by a writer who moved to Europe (more specifically, France) and learned that “soaking up the language” even when you’re abroad is easier said than done. done.
so he searched all the language learning resources he could find and was able to create the program: Six Steps to Living Bilingually. this serves as a detailed roadmap for adult language learners.
A chapter of his book is titled “The Voices of Experiences”, where other language learners and teachers share their secrets to benefit readers.
In addition, his book also contains “best in class” reviews of the various tools available online today. inundated with sites, courses, programs, apps, and books that claim to help teach a language, it picks its way through the trash and gives its stamp of approval to those worthy few who actually keep their promises.
Get this short and fun read to get you started on the path to your second language. you know what you want.
and well, speaking of online resources, there is one that always delivers what is promised.
ready to feel fully prepared and capable when it comes to language learning?
then check out the best language learning books listed here and order your favourites.
You won’t regret it when you speak fluently faster than you thought possible!
download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable pdf that you can take anywhere. click here for a copy. (download)
See Also: What Is the Meaning of 777 in the Bible?