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Gabriel Wyner

Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget it Paperback – Illustrated, 18 Aug. 2014

by Gabriel Wyner (Author)

1,745 ratings

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER - For anyone who wants to learn a foreign language, this is the method that will finally make the words stick.

"A brilliant and thoroughly modern guide to learning new languages."--Gary Marcus, cognitive psychologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Guitar Zero

At thirty years old, Gabriel Wyner speaks six languages fluently. He didn't learn them in school--who does? Rather, he learned them in the past few years, working on his own and practicing on the subway, using simple techniques and free online resources--and here he wants to show others what he's discovered.

Starting with pronunciation, you'll learn how to rewire your ears and turn foreign sounds into familiar sounds. You'll retrain your tongue to produce those sounds accurately, using tricks from opera singers and actors. Next, you'll begin to tackle words, and connect sounds and spellings to imagery rather than translations, which will enable you to think in a foreign language. And with the help of sophisticated spaced-repetition techniques, you'll be able to memorize hundreds of words a month in minutes every day.

This is brain hacking at its most exciting, taking what we know about neuroscience and linguistics and using it to create the most efficient and enjoyable way to learn a foreign language in the spare minutes of your day.

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Product description

Review

This is a fun way for anyone to discover the secrets of language instruction presented in a conversational, stress-free way -- no matter how little time you have.
--The Chicago Tribune

"A brilliant and thoroughly modern guide to learning new languages. Fluent Forever won't teach you French, or German, or any other language -- but it will teach you how to learn whatever language you do want to learn, and to learn it faster, and more efficiently. If you want a new language to stick, start here."
--Gary Marcus, cognitive psychologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Guitar Zero

"Aspiring polyglots of the world, take note: this book will help you pick up any new language in record time. If you're looking for a practical, brain-friendly, field-tested approach to language learning, search no more: you've found your guide."
--Josh Kaufman, bestselling author of The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything...Fast!

"Never before have I seen a language-learning method -- or method for learning anything! -- that synchs up so perfectly with our current scientific understanding of how memory works. I now understand why my past attempts to learn other languages (Spanish, German, Latin) have left me with little more than a smattering of near-random vocabulary words, and I'm inspired to try again. Fluent Forever promises a fun, personalized learning regimen that is sure to wire a new tongue into your brain with speed and simplicity. And Wyner's sharp wit will keep you entertained along the way! I've never been so excited to challenge my mind."
--Karen Schrock Simring, contributing editor at Scientific American Mind magazine

"Fluent Forever more than meets the daunting challenge of learning a new language by giving the reader a solid game plan based on how people actually learn and memorize information. From the first chapter, I couldn't wait to get started using Wyner's techniques and tons of resources. His writing is engaging, smart, and conversational, making learning a real joy. If you've ever wanted to become fluent in another language, do yourself a favor and start reading Fluent Forever now."
--Melanie Pinola, Contributor Writer for LIfehacker.com and author of LinkedIn in 30 Minutes

Fluent Forever is the book I wish I had had during my numerous failed attempts at learning different languages. It's a refreshingly fun and engaging guide that shows you how to language-hack your brain. Wyner's done all the hard work so that the reader can actually enjoy the process of becoming fluent in a language quickly!
--Nelson Dellis, 2011 and 2012 USA Memory Champion

"This is the book I'd use next time I want to learn a new language. It employs an intelligent mix of the latest methods for learning a language on your own using the web, apps, and voice training tips in an accelerated time frame.
--Kevin Kelly, Senior Maverick for Wired Magazine and author of What Technology Wants

I know what you're thinking: But learning a new language is soooo hard! The solution? Stop being a whiner and start reading Wyner. This book is a winner! Guaranteed to rewire your brain in as many languages as you'd like.
--Joel Saltzman, author of Shake That Brain!: How to Create Winning Solutions and Have Fun While You're at It

"An excellent book...Wyner writes in an engaging and accessible way, weaving in his personal language journey. His method, proven by his own achievements, is clear: focus on pronunciation, avoid translation, and use spaced repetition extensively. And he offers lots of specific techniques to make sure you'll never forget what you've learned. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is serious -- not just aspiring but really serious -- about becoming fluent in a foreign language."
--Kevin Chen, Co-Founder, italki.com

"Mash up the DNA of Steve Jobs and Aristotle, add training in engineering and opera, and you get Gabriel Wyner, whose ingeniously elegant system helps us knuckleheads learn not just foreign languages but, well, everything. Autodidacts rejoice!"
--Jay Heinrichs, author of Thank You for Arguing and Word Hero

"Americans refuse to realize that all languages are foreign -- yes, including English. It's time we learned how to speak like the rest of the world: in more ways than one. This book is a hilarious toolbox that helps you get a head start. Pick a foreign language (yes, including English) and voilà el futuro es tuyo. High-five to Gabriel Wyner!"
--Ilan Stavans, author of Dictionary Days: A Defining Passion

About the Author

Gabriel Wyner graduated summa cum laude at USC, where he won the school's Renaissance Award. His essay on language learning for Lifehacker.com was one of the site's most read in 2012.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harmony Books; Illustrated edition (18 Aug. 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385348118
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385348119
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.75 x 1.83 x 23.62 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 75,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 162 in Linguistics References
- 167 in Self Help Memory Improvement
- 1,638 in Words, Language & Grammar

Customer reviews:
1,745 ratings

About the author

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Gabriel Wyner

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Gabriel Wyner is an author, opera singer and polyglot based in Los Angeles, CA. After not getting anywhere in 5 years of high school language classes, he reached fluency in German in 14 weeks with the help of the immersive Middlebury Language Schools. As a result, he fell in love with the process of language learning, going on to spend two months in intensive Italian courses in Perugia, Italy. Searching for ways to bring the immersion experience into the home, he began to develop a system that rapidly builds fluency in short, daily sessions. In 2010, his efforts paid off. He learned French to fluency in 5 months, and then Russian in 10 months.

Born in Los Angeles, Gabriel graduated summa cum laude in 2007 from the University of Southern California with dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Vocal Arts Performance, and was awarded the Renaissance Scholar’s prize for excellence in unrelated disciplines. He then moved to Vienna to pursue triple Master’s degrees at the Konservatorium Wien in Opera, Lieder and Voice, and graduated with honors in 2011.

Currently learning Japanese, Gabe learned Hungarian and Spanish between 2013-2017. His book on language learning – Fluent Forever: How to learn a language fast and never forget it – was released in 2014 and became a WSJ and USA Today national bestseller. In 2017, he launched the most successful crowdfunding campaign for an app in history, raising more than $1.7 million dollars to create The Fluent Forever App. It is currently in public beta testing here: Fluent-Forever.app.

Customer reviews

5 star		66%
4 star		17%
3 star		10%
2 star		3%
1 star		3%

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Zorro

Pronunciation, pronunciation, pronunciation!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2017

Verified Purchase

I have taken a bit of time getting to grips with this book..

Basically I net out the initial content as follows:

1. We should start all our language training with focus on practical pronunciation of our chosen language.
2 This is aided by the International Phonetic Alphabet and by recommended ways of learning pronunciation and suggested resources to use
3. The author has a web-site on which you can purchase extra guidance about correct techniques for pronouncing vowels, consonants and so on.. I have checked some of this and it seems pretty good for French ( my chosen language) if a little hectic when you first review it
4. Apparently, the brain is a fantastic 'content eliminator,' which is great for filtering out daily info over-load but bad for retaining content like foreign vocabulary
5. To overcome this, the author applies a structured recall system as an approach, with the primary goal of using recall - not review, to enhance retention. Recall is based on testing and is active as opposed to review which is characterised by Mr Wyner as passive re-reading
6. The recall system is implemented with personalised flash cards which you build yourself to activate vivid personalised associated memories that enhance recall of the chosen item; vocabulary, grammar rules and so on
7. All of this review activity needs to be repeated regularly and can be managed by a paper-based system or by using an app. The recommended app is Anki, free on Android or nominally chargeable on IOS. Either of these 2 approaches enable you to fully implement a Spaced Repetition System which aims to drive language into your long-term memory

I am motivated by this approach - prioritising pronunciation as a start point is new for me. Using the IPA and detailed guidance on the mouth shapes to achieve accurate pronunciation will I hope drive my skills forward. My numbered structure above is my first key take-away that I will hold on to so that I maintain an outline structure for my efforts.

Starting with pronunciation seems self-evident but I was educated old style in French so my exams were based on things like knowledge of vocabulary and obscure grammatical rules. It has been a life-long frustration to me that when I speak French to the French, it is often as if I haven't spoken.. they don't hear it! I now realise that they probably don't hear it because my cohort were never actively taught any pronunciation skills.

Gabriel Wyner has created careful complete guides for many languages on his web site . Analysis of how you make the correct sounds in a language is something derived from his chosen profession as an opera singer where language mastery is critical..

Anyway - why 4 stars? Well, that is mainly because I now have to embark on learning the IPA as applied to French pronunciation and to invest in the additional language pronunciation guidance whilst simultaneously creating successful flash cards and mastering Anki. After I have completed these tasks I will then be in a position to find out if this approach really does accelerate my learning and ability.

My current benchmark is that I was 85% correct on my first recall of the 625 essential words that Mr Wyner deems necessary for any core language work and I have to assume that as I know far more French vocabulary than 625 words then that is not my barrier! I will now have to find out if my investment in Mr Wyner's methodology pays off - in which case my rating could be revised to 6 plus!!

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

The Warwick Reader

An essential guide if your learning a new language

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2014

Verified Purchase

I was slightly sceptical about this book prior to buying/reading as I thought it might not be that beneficial due it’s bias about learning and remembering “any” language rather than just the specific language I am studying, but wow – how wrong am I. This book is an invaluable resource that explains what happens in your mind when you learn a language, and how you can train your mind to be far more efficient, and therefore learn far more than you could without having read the book.

In a very simple style, and in places rather humorous text which makes this book fun to read, the author takes you through the processes of what happens in your mind when you learn a new language, and how you can overcome your minds “natural barriers” to learning. By explaining each process or learning stage in detail, and often with well researched (but not overly complicated) examples and charts, the author lays a strong and logical foundation which you can use to start efficiently learning your chosen language or subject.

The main methodology emphasises the creation and use of flashcards as the key aid to learning, which might sound tedious and a route that you might have attempted previously, but the author takes the time to explain the benefits and why this process is important. It also allows you to determine your individual learning speed as you can select the words or areas of interest that you want to study and focus on, and also takes you through the process of building the flashcards themselves (in either electronic or paper based format) – as ever, there are pros and cons with each, but again the book will highlight the drawbacks and advantages of each, and allow you to make an insightful decision about which media will be the most beneficial to your leaning style.

The layout of the book was also perfect for me, nice short chapters and sections that encouraged you to continue reading, but which also provided natural “stopping” points to review and take in what you have read. The book is also full of fun facts and trivia about language (again, it gives many different examples of all languages rather than focusing on just the one) and the format works incredibly well on my Kindle Paperwhite, with no distorted text (even when using Chinese or Russian lettering) and clear easy to read tables, charts and images.

A couple of points worth mentioning, these are not negatives about the book but just something to be aware of: Firstly the book is shorter than I expected, the first 2/3 is the actual text of the book while the second 1/3 is reference material based on the first section (i.e. how to make flashcards, the key 625 words to learn first etc.), however, I still felt the main body of the book was in enough detail and didn't leave me feeling short changed by my purchase. Secondly, the text often directs you to the author’s website for additional resources such as short videos or pronunciation guides. This might sound like a marketing ploy, but is actually very beneficial – the website is a treasure trove of free information and advice, and also has sections for each language so you can focus on the your specific area of study (i.e. for me it’s Russian). Used in conjunction with the book, the website will add considerable depth to your study.

This book is an absolute essential if you are just about to start learning your first foreign language. It will help you understand your minds learning process, and what natural barriers stand in your way. It will provide you with clear and concise targets that will help form the “backbone” of your study, and take you through each stage with well researched and logical techniques which are also rather fun. The book effortlessly explains everything you need to start learning, and most importantly for me, it gives me the confidence, knowledge and enthusiasm required to approach learning my desired language. A really well thought out book that should be an integral part of anyone’s language learning toolkit.

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