Getting Acquainted to the Language you want to Learn

Probably like most of you who spent your childhood playing the famous game TETRIS, I ran pretty mad at the sight the annoying warning saying “Game Over" just when I offered my full attention to the game and was nearing my top score. Today I can't tell whether it was the accompanying tone that was upsetting me or just the popping of those two dreaded words: "Game Over".

Although the young French-speaking boy that I was knew what they represented, it is only a little after my adult age that I understood their full meaning when I got acquainted with the English-speaking world. That was the key, the secret recipe to my mastery of the English language. 

In high school I had about two hours of English class every week. The two hours I hated the most and would probably not attend if I had not understood soon enough that, in order to have good grades, I must give back to the teacher what he wanted i.e. his own notes. I was taught that the word 'Over' means 'Above' so how could ''Game Over'' suggests the end of a game? Today I realize that those two hours weekly were not an actual learning of the English language but mere hearsay about it until I got fully acquainted with it...

...getting acquainted to a language, what does that mean? Let me say very candidly that there is a difference between "knowing" a public figure from articles in magazine about his/her last summer trip and actually ''finding out'' who he/she really is after a 15 minutes conversation.

Let me attempt a proper answer at the question with a case study:

Frank came to Ghana from his dear Gabon with the purpose of bringing back home a Diploma in English Proficiency, a document that sanctions a 18 months programme whose requirements a deserving student is expected meet before being awarded the Diploma. On his return home, his English was obviously better as he understood the language and was able to explain some seemingly complicated words to friends and family who were struck in awe. In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed fellow is king. No one  is able to notice that his knowledge of the English language is very superficial as the only proof he ever came across that language are his name on the Diploma and the stamps in his passport. To be fair with him, I want you to know that Frank skipped only a few classes and really did pass his final exams. So why the discrepancy between the Honours on the certificate and the young man's delivery: he got close to the language - hence his understanding of it - but did not get acquainted to it.

If you are currently learning a language and you are guilty of the following accusations then I want to predict that you might end up like Frank, which - in my opinion - is not the best scenario considering the finances and time invested:

Accusation 1: you do not LIVE AMONG THE PEOPLE SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE YOU WANT TO LEARN neither are you surrounded by them. This prevents you from trying and being corrected on a daily basis.

Accusation 2: you do not HAVE FUN (LISTENING TO MUSIC OR THE NEWS, WATCHING MOVIES, READING…) IN THE LANGUAGE YOU WANT TO LEARN. This serves a dual purpose: enjoying the learning process and learning a multitude of figures of speech specific to each industry.

Accusation 3: you have not SET YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE, TWITTER, SKYPE AND EMAIL ACCOUNTS IN THE LANGUAGE YOU WANT TO LEARN. By so doing, you will not learn much more technical words you learn in a classroom.

It is well known that students living abroad prefer staying with compatriots. That’s why Frank stayed with his compatriots. Even though it helped him staying in touch with home in a certain way, it wasn’t the best option firstly because he could schedule a visit anytime he wanted to see his ‘brothers’ but also, those daily two hours of English in school combined with the other 22 hours he spent with French-speaking fellows weren’t enough for him to get acquainted with the Language he wanted to learn.

Even though I used English and French as an example, you can extend the three (underlined) techniques above to the learning of other languages, whether you live in your country or abroad. That is how come, as of today, not only am I glad to know the semantics of the word ‘over’ but am proud and thankful to be able to explain them to anyone, both French and English-speaking alike.

My friend, it’s time to get soaked in the language you want to learn, get acquainted to it!