分享Jeff寄給我的e-mail
他寫的關於改善英文的方法與觀念
個人認為..尊重智財權..No copy please!
內容非常長..但因為他沒有電腦..為了寫這封e-mail要花一小時才能到有電腦有網路的地方寄給我,何況是這內容不知要花他多久時間..
所以我很感動..
大家參考一下囉~~~
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Learning a foreign language is actually more like learning a different way to think, for thinking is actually just talking to yourself. What I am saying is that if you simply think in Chinese and translate to English word-for-word, the result you gathered is, yes, still considered English legally, but the content is really just Chinese, disguised in words of English, and this is why I have always discouraged translation.
To learn a foreign language well, you need to be able to think like a native speaker of that language. For example, when I was learning German in college, we had to learn a very different way of thinking, which was very strange to us English speakers, as German has the verb in different place of the sentence, and the pronouciation of German is very exact, for the way it was spelled was the way it was pronounced, unlike English (for example, the word Great should be prounced like grit, ah?), and German has tons of different verb endings for different persons (first, second, third, etc) Ok true, most of what I mention here is just mechanics, but what I am trying to say is although German and English use the same alphabet, the way of thinking is still very different.
So back to our point: to learn English well, all it requires is that you forget the Chinese way of thinking when speaking English. Instead of translating from Chinese, try think in ideas, concepts, etc, and organize them using English grammar, i.e. their way of thinking.
Again, to have good comannd of English, the ability to think as one of them native speakers is perhaps necessary; however, you don't have to like their way of thinking, as merely the ability is required, not the liking of it.
Interpretation from Chinese to English is also discouraged, as it is often asked on tests that students translate from Chinese to English and vice versa. Ok this is better but it is very hard to do, and to do it well, you need to know the two languages really well. So basically I can interpret from Chinese to English but not good the other way, because my English is just better. So for you it is like doing things backwards...for you have to know English before you can interpret, but you try interpret first...it's like you have to learn walking before you can run, but you are trying to learn to run before you can walk. Understand?
So just try thinking like one of us...and this is done by maximizing exposure to the culture. That is, read, write, listen to, and speak with people or media as much and as often as you possibly can.
However, a large vocabulary is by no means necessary to become a good speaker of English, as I have many times stressed. Unless you are doing some advaced academic research or work with snobby people who enjoys showing off their long, fancy, "weird" words, simplity is always better. There is always an easier way to say things, and of course there is always a harder way to say things, so the choice is yours. True, hard words may make the sentence shorter but the meaning may not be clearer.
I think to be able to speak like an American you need no more than a few thousand words, and for those of you who can use the words well, a few hundred will suffice. However, for those of you who are in school or in a professional field where reading and writing is called for, recognize as many words as you can will bring some benefit. So knowing a word is being able to use it correctly but recognizing it is just kinda know its meaning but don't really know how to use it or spell it. So ideally you can use a couple thousand words and recognize five thousand or even double, triple that number. You really should find a way to build your vocabulary, as the larger the vocabulary is, the more precisely you can say what you mean.
I need to be honest and say that during my first two years of learning English in The States I have almost never used a dictionary nor an electronic translator, although I do own both...I learned by bombarding teachers with questions and listening to speakers of English around me. However, I think for most people reading books to learn new words is helpful and better than just remember word lists or just study the dictionary, which can be helpful if you are preparing for standarized tests like TEFOL, SAT, GRE, etc.
I would recommend that you buy an English-to-English dictionary, which tells you to use the word correctly by showing its meaning in English (yes I know at first it's hard to understand, however, in the long term, it would be very fruitful in your learning) and its proper use in a sentence.
Try check out children's books and novels at your local or school libraries, or you have too much money, buy them new from Cave's, Eslite or Page One :-p I buy mine because I can mark the page all I want but honest the English books are way overpriced here, so you call it. (you decide that is.) Then work your way up the adult's section (not dirty books ok!) to textbooks and newspaper.
Hanginging out with coworkers or friends who can speak English is one way to help you listen and speak like a native speaker...it is through listening to good pronounciation and intonation that we can self-correct our mistakes in speaking. However, dating one or hanging out with friends may be better toward relationship building than improving language, as coworkers and friends usually share some common interests so learning may be easier, but I could be wrong. I said that because when you date it's just all love, and when you hang out with friends it's more about doing than talking so maybe not so productive as to learn things.
Of course listening to the radio like ICRT or watching TV programs, DVD, VCD or movies with English subtitle is also a great way, but it's unidirectional, not really bidirectional way of learning...interactive communciation is the best I believe.
So that handles the listening, talking and reading, and what's left is the writing part. I would recommend that you keep a journal for that part, which can be helpful if you do it seriously...and if you are too busy, just do it when you remember...the beneifit is always there...the more you do it, the more benefit you get, that's all.