Self-Talk

disciplinarian | spiritual learner | beginner-intermediate-advanced

Discipline your ass into talking to yourself in your desired language throughout the day.  Resist the urge to think or speak your mother tongue.  

We talk to ourselves all day long, so why not hijack this common instinct and turn it into some language learning.

WHAT: The language learner sets themselves the goal of not resorting to their mother tongue while communicating daily actions with themself. This can happen both through thought process and speaking out loud (see “Speaking in Tongues”).  This task is usually more achievable in smaller increments, but sticking to the desired language for longer periods, without lapsing back into the mother tongue, can be quite tricky.

SOME METHODS: 

Start by setting yourself the goal of doing this for 5 minutes a day, and then slowly increase this amount.  For example by 1 minute each day, or doing 5 minute blocks for the first week, then 10 minute blocks in the second week and so forth.

Choose a daily action or chore to couple this exercise with.  For example, when I wash the dishes, I always speak to myself in the desired language. 

** NOTE ** the more advanced version of this technique, “Speaking in Tongues”, involves a bit more commitment