Would I use Duolingo to learn a new language?

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares his experience using Duolingo to learn Turkish and Hindi. He appreciates the app's user-friendly interface and fun learning approach, suitable for short daily sessions. However, he finds it insufficient for in-depth language acquisition, lacking control over learning pace and content. He suggests using Duolingo alongside other resources like Assimil books and LingQ for a comprehensive language learning experience.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The speaker plans to focus on learning Turkish and Hindi, with Turkish being a priority due to an upcoming trip to Turkey.
• 📚 The speaker has previous experience with Turkish, estimating their proficiency to be around A2 to B1 level.
• 🔤 Turkish uses the Latin alphabet, which the speaker finds easier compared to Hindi, which has its own writing system.
• 📱 The speaker uses Duolingo for language learning, planning to record their experience and share it.
• 📈 The speaker finds Duolingo's progress tracking and the concept of 'hearts' (lives) to be somewhat confusing and limiting.
• 🎮 Duolingo is described as fun and easy to use, suitable for short daily sessions, but not very deep in terms of language acquisition.
• 📚 The speaker prefers having control over their learning material, which Duolingo does not offer.
• 📖 For Hindi, the speaker prefers learning the script through books that allow tracing letters by hand rather than through Duolingo's quick presentation.
• 🏌️‍♂️ A golfing anecdote illustrates that consistent Duolingo use does not necessarily equate to fluent language ability.
• 📝 The speaker suggests using Duolingo as a supplementary tool alongside other resources like books and language courses for a well-rounded language learning experience.

Q & A

Why has the speaker decided to focus on learning Turkish?

The speaker has decided to focus on learning Turkish because he and his wife are planning to go to Turkey in the fall.

What is the speaker's current proficiency level in Turkish?

The speaker believes he is at an A2 level verging on B1, having spent three months on Turkish four years ago.

Why does the speaker find Turkish easier to learn compared to Hindi?

Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet, which the speaker is already familiar with, making it easier for him compared to Hindi, which has its own writing system.

What is the speaker's opinion on the effectiveness of Duolingo for language learning?

The speaker finds Duolingo fun and easy to use, but he thinks that 15 minutes a day on the platform won't get him very far in language learning.

How does the speaker feel about the control he has over the learning material on Duolingo?

The speaker feels that he has no control over what he learns on Duolingo, as the platform decides what content is presented to him.

What alternative resources does the speaker use to learn Turkish besides Duolingo?

The speaker uses Assimil books, other books on Turkish, and mini stories at LingQ to learn the language.

What is the speaker's strategy for learning the Hindi writing system?

The speaker prefers to get an overview and trace the letters by hand using a book, rather than learning through the quick and disjointed approach of Duolingo.

How does the speaker view the role of Duolingo in his language learning routine?

The speaker sees Duolingo as a supplementary tool for confirming what he knows and for maintaining contact with the language, rather than as a primary learning resource.

What is the speaker's daily time allocation for language learning?

The speaker allocates one to one and a half hours a day for language learning.

Why does the speaker think someone might not become fluent in a language even after a long streak on Duolingo?

The speaker believes that learning in small bits and pieces on Duolingo might not lead to fluency because it lacks the comprehensive and structured approach needed for language acquisition.

What is the speaker's suggestion for using Duolingo effectively?

The speaker suggests using Duolingo as an entertaining way to test oneself and get feedback, while also engaging with other resources like books and language courses for a more structured learning experience.