Spanish Learning Community and Resources

¡HOLA, AMIGOS Y AMIGAS!  

In this interview, we speak with Elia Polese, a professional language teacher, coach, and author from Naples, Italy. She has studied more than 26 languages and teaches 13 of them. Curious about her language learning journey? 

Read the full conversation below, which is mega interesting ⏬. Enjoy! :-)

Hello, Elisa. Can you introduce yourself to the community? :-) 

Sure thing! Hello, everyone. My name is Elisa. I am from Italy, although I currently reside in Germany. I have lived in seven countries, and I have studied 26 languages, of which I teach 13. Furthermore, I am a language coach and teacher dedicated to helping people overcome their fears and speak their new language from day one. 

I won't ask about all of them because there are too many, but I'm curious about which languages you teach. 

I teach French, Spanish, Italian, English, German, Russian, Catalan, Dutch, Greek, Portuguese, and, at a lower level, Hindi, Arabic, and Esperanto. 

Did I hear… Catalan? I'm a Catalan speaker, so I'm delighted that you speak my language. Where did you learn it? 

I lived in Barcelona many years ago for two years, and, for me, it's very important to learn the language of the place where I live. It was a fun experience, and I enjoyed it a lot. In fact, through the Catalan course, I met three of my best friends. Unfortunately, they have since moved away, so when I go to Barcelona, they are no longer there. But I got to know all of them in my Catalan course. 

Was it hard to learn Catalan? For a Romance language speaker, it shouldn't be very complicated, I think.  

You said you teach 13 languages. How is it possible to speak 13 languages at such a high level? 

In my case, I've lived in seven countries, and during my time in each country, I always found opportunities to learn more than one language. For instance, while in Germany, I met wonderful people from Spain and Latin America, and we started doing language exchanges. The same happened with other languages in different places. So, I often learn more than one language simultaneously. This is the reason why it is not that difficult for me to speak several languages at a good level.  

Why did you become interested in languages? 

The story starts when I was 8 years old and went to Paris with my mom. She taught me some words and phrases in French, and I started speaking with people in the hotel and at the restaurant. It was fascinating for me to see that they could understand me and that we could communicate even just a bit. A further reason is people. I love getting to know new people and learn about their cultures. This is why it's important for me to have a good level in languages: to have meaningful conversations. 

How do you, Elisa, learn a language? What is the process like for you? 

First, I look for a great resource. It can be a book or a course, but it must be a very good and interesting one, otherwise I get bored. Secondly, something else that I always do is listening to a lot of things in that specific language, even when I don't understand a word. It is important for me to expose myself to a lot of content from the beginning so that I can get used to the language. It is a long process, but every minute of listening helps. Then, when I learn a language, I always concentrate on what is useful for me. As I mentioned before, I enjoy talking to people. In order to do that effectively, I need to be able to use the past tense to discuss lived experiences and the future to meet them again. Finally, I try to use what I learn. I don't want to spend hours with a resource if I cannot use what I learn because putting everything into practice is what makes you remember what you are learning. 

In your opinion, which is or which are the most important things when learning a language? 

To be honest, choosing only one is difficult. However, what I would say is that, before anything else, you should ask yourself why you want to learn the language so that you can find the right resources for you. If you want to learn how to have conversations in Spanish, but you only use books that at the beginning teach you numbers, you won't be able to speak. You need to study things you can use, not colours, animals, nor numbers. If your aim is, for example, to be able to write emails for work, you don't need to start from scratch; you can almost immediately start learning the structure and the sentences that repeat all the time and build from there. 

How do you maintain your languages? 

Usually, one of my problems when learning languages is that I am a bit of a perfectionist. Therefore, if I don't feel I speak well, I keep my mouth shut, haha. I guess that is not a good thing. Or is it? What do you think? 

I think it's a terrible thing. Nowadays, maybe due to social media, there's so much pressure and a desire in people to show that they are good. Many people, including myself, are perfectionists, but I try to convince myself that it's not good. First, perfection doesn't exist. It's like pushing yourself towards sadness because you are seeking something that isn't really achievable. What I always say is, "What's perfection for?" One thing is that the perfectionist in you makes you work more, be more efficient, or study regularly. That is fine. But being a perfectionist should not impede you from living your life, having fun, and being nice to yourself, because not doing these things has negative effects. People don't care if you have a bit of an accent or if you make mistakes. If they do care, they are not the right people for you. Also, I don't know if this has happened to you, but I've met many people whose language skills were not perfect, but they were very good at their jobs. And this is what matters. When people pay you, they don't pay you because you don't make any mistakes unless you're a spy or an interpreter, but because you know how to do your job. 

Why do you encourage people to start speaking from day one? 

Nowadays, most people learn a language because they want to speak it, whether for work, due to a partner, or because they live in a place where that language is spoken and they want to be part of the community. Let me illustrate that with an example. When I'm scared, for example because I'm standing on a rock and I'm about to jump into the sea, the longer I think about it, the more frightened I become. That's why, when something is scary but doable, it's important to take action quickly. When I guide my students to speak from day one, it's because I know that by doing so, they will realise they can speak right from the beginning. And what could be more motivating than seeing that you can start doing exactly what you want to achieve in your language learning process from day one? I find it incredibly motivating. Many people start studying a language, only to give up later, saying, 'Okay, I know a lot of grammar, I've done so many exercises, but I still can't speak.' So, if you start speaking from day one, everything else becomes much easier." 

Why are you such a strong advocate of learning multiple languages simultaneously? 

Well, this is partly true, but not entirely. I wrote a book about learning multiple languages at the same time, and I genuinely believe it's possible. When you learn to play an instrument, nothing says you can't learn another one; many people do it. However, I'm not saying everyone should learn multiple languages simultaneously. It depends on what you want to achieve and your motivation. Let's say I have a German partner, I live in the UK, and I really love French. Why should I have to pick only one language if I want to know all of them? And two more things. First, if you learn similar languages, it's actually easier. If you know how to do it, you learn them faster. For example, if you're studying Italian verbs and then decide to do the same with French, you don't have to start from zero because there are many similarities, and you can compare them. Second, some people say they mix up languages when learning two similar ones, like Spanish and Italian. But this often happens because they're really good in one and not as much in the other. It's just that the brain, being a bit lazy, goes back to the language it knows the best. But you can train your brain and speak languages without mixing them up. Even if the languages are really different, there are still advantages because your brain uses similar parts to learn them. 

Can anyone become a polyglot, or does it take a special brain? 

I really don't believe in special brains. Maybe there are some, but mine is certainly not one of them. I had to study really hard to reach a high level in the languages I speak. In my opinion, it's not about possessing special abilities, but rather having a positive mindset. Until a few years ago, I genuinely believed that the most important factor was the method, and with a good method, you could achieve any goal. I still think that. However, beyond that, having a positive mindset is paramount and often overlooked. By mindset, I mean believing that you can do it. It's crucial to hold onto that belief. Additionally, it is essential to be consistent and regular in your study habits. There are days when work stress or personal issues may arise, but it's important to maintain consistency, establish a routine, use the language and consume a lot of content. 

Why do people give up, and how can we overcome demotivation? 

I believe many people give up because they don't see immediate results. In this regard, it's critical to understand why you want to learn the language and choose good resources accordingly. If your goal is speaking, engage in conversations. If it's writing, dedicate time to writing. Another thing is that people often forget to have fun with language. Many are accustomed to traditional school-style learning, where yes, you learn, but it often lacks room for enjoyment. And when there is no space for fun, at a certain point, we give up. Also, in today's age of instant gratification from social media, we're accustomed to immediate results and having things quickly. Learning a language, like other important things in life, doesn't happen overnight. Just as you can't learn to play the piano or earn a degree in one day, you can't learn a language in 24 hours. It takes time, patience, and perseverance.  

¿Por qué decidiste estudiar español y cuándo empezaste?

¿Algún consejo que puedas dar a alguien que vaya a hacer un Erasmus+ en España o América Latina y esté nervioso/a por no saber si va a aprender español? 

Yo, personalmente le diría: si tu objetivo es aprender español, olvídate del inglés. Tú eres la persona que está pagando e invirtiendo tiempo para ir a América Latina o España. Entonces, si quieres hacerte un favor y divertirte un montón, deja de lado el inglés. El primer mes va a ser un poco incómodo, pero después te lo vas a pasar bien. Muchas veces pensamos que si intentamos hablar un idioma que no dominamos mucho, vamos a sufrir durante los seis o los nueve meses del Erasmus, pero no es así. Afortunadamente, la cosa más bonita de aprender español en cualquier parte es que la gente es muy abierta y quiere hablar contigo. Además, los locales estarán contentos de que lo intentes. Por eso, vale la pena, porque tienes la oportunidad de practicar. Seguro que será una experiencia muy bonita. Respecto a cómo aprender, como dije antes, depende de tus preferencias y de tu objetivo. Yo lo haría con buenos recursos, escuchando mucho e intentando utilizar la lengua lo más posible. Cuando hice mi Erasmus en Inglaterra, cuando la gente me daba papelitos de publicidad en la calle, los leía todos y me los estudiaba, porque cualquier cosa que los nativos lean, yo también lo quiero entender. También me inscribí en el club de senderismo, de squash, de fútbol, etc. Aprovechad cualquier oportunidad.  

¿Cuál es tu acento preferido en español? 

Los acentos que más me gustan son el andaluz, el de Colombia y el argentino. 

Let’s go back to English. In addition to speaking many languages, you've lived in various countries. Where exactly have you lived? 

I have lived in the UK, Switzerland, Spain, France, Germany, Russia, and Sri Lanka. 

What lessons have you learned from living abroad and experiencing different cultures? 

You mentioned that years ago you had the chance to do an Erasmus+. In this regard, what do you think of the programme? 

I love it. I believe it's one of the best things people can do. If you studied at the university and missed the opportunity, for me, it would be like missing something very important. Of course, you can also go on your own somewhere, but the nice thing about Erasmus is that you already have a network there waiting for you. It's so easy to meet people, and there are many activities you can take part in. 

In this globalised, interconnected world, how do you see the future of languages? 

I'm not a fortune-teller, but I know that some languages are currently disappearing and will continue to do so. For example, even though I understand it, I didn't grow up speaking Neapolitan. But, to be honest, I want to learn it more and more because it's much better to keep languages alive. Beyond languages, there are cultures, mentalities, and a lot to learn. Regardless of how big or small those languages are, losing them is a pity. There are people who love languages, like me and maybe you, but there are many more people who would prefer to have a chip and not have to learn any foreign language. Learning a language is a very enriching process, but it requires some effort. We have to use those languages if we don't want them to be forgotten. I think when you speak, for example, Catalan, it's not just about the language; it's the way you feel, the way you can express things. And this is probably what will help languages be maintained because they express something more than just words translated into another language. 

Do you think that AI is going to discourage people from learning languages, or is AI going to help us? Do you see it as the enemy or a good tool for all of us? 

I believe both. I must say that artificial intelligence is a very powerful tool. I use it for different things, and I think it's incredible. There are also some apps that are being developed where you can talk to AI ‘native speakers’. You can have conversations with them to practise your languages, which is perfect if you're shy. I think that if you want to learn a language, artificial intelligence will help you a lot. If you don't want to spend time learning, with AI it's now possible to ‘fake it,’ it's possible, and it will be more and more possible in the future. 

Finally, if you were to be a language, which one would you be? 

It's difficult because I have never been asked this question. If I had to be only one language, I would choose Italian. If I could be more than one language, I would most probably be 60% Italian, 30% German, and 10% Russian. 

Grazie mille, Elisa. I enjoyed our conversation very much. Te deseo lo mejor :-) 

Thank you. Saludos a todo el mundo.  

So? Did you like it? ¡HASTA PRONTO! ❤ 

Bernat, OLS Community Manager – Spanish