Chapter 6 : How could one be fluent in English?

So far in the journey, we have studied that English is a language and it can only be learnt as a language and not as a subject or a course. Apart from that, we have understood two core principles of the languages. We also explored the natural way to learn the languages. In this chapter we are going to learn how can somebody achieve the highest level of fluency in English?

Generally, the focus of the people remains mostly on what they should do to achieve their goal.This is a good thing that your focus is on your target that you always concentrate on what you wanted and how you would achieve your goal.

I know that you are definitely going to do the things which you should do. But for the time being, I would like to divert your attention to something else. You see, it is equally important to keep in mind, what you should not do as what you should, to achieve your goal.

In other words, if you keep on doing the things which you should not do, together with, the thing which you should. There is always a possibility that your work would be balanced at the end of the day. When you are working so hard on your fluency, it is vitally important that you know the fact of what should not be done? It would block the way of your fluency building, so, as far as possible try to avoid the things which you should not do. What not to do can be referred as misconceptions.

There are plenty of misconceptions which people have in their mind while learning English language. We would discuss some of the most prevalent misconceptions here, and then in later part I would give you core tips on the improvement of your language.

So, here we go with the first misconception.

1. Grammar is the most essential part to learn English.

In other words, if you want to speak fluently, you should have the knowledge of grammar. This is the most popular misconception. It is generally believed that without grammar, learning English is not possible and most of the people agree with this fact because they have heard it from everyone- teachers, classes, schools and colleges. It starts from the day we get the admission in schools.We start our English learning by cramming the vague rules of grammar.

Most people believe that if someone wants to learn to speak English, he has to cram and remember all the vague rules of grammar. However, it, at all, is not necessary, purist may get sore with this statement but it’s true.

Let’s give it a logical reason. As you know, by learning this book, that English is a language just like your mother tongue, now think about your own mother tongue.

Did you learn your mother tongue by learning grammar?

Did you cram rules of grammar?

No, definitely not. We have never crammed any rule of grammar to learn our mother tongue. We have the feeling of speaking our mother tongue.

When a child starts to learn his mother tongue he simply follows the principle of listening and whatever he listens, he tries to speak, and by doing this practice he gradually becomes fluent. So for a child anything he listens represents the idea and he speaks ideas not grammar and words.

Furthermore, we have some people in our villages who have never gone to any schools, colleges or classes. Still they can speak their mother tongue fluently.They have never heard the name of grammar in their life.still,they are fluent.

Same way In English speaking countries, there may be some people in the villages who have never gone to any classes or schools, still they are fluent in English.

How is it possible for them to speak their mother tongue without knowing the rules of grammar?

So, don’t you think it’s ridiculous when someone emphasizes so much on grammar and rules that without that we are never going to speak fluently?

See, grammar is essential. But the way it is taught in traditional way is really horrible. The languages are used for communication and grammar is the part of the language by which we can transfer our messages and ideas to other people.

But, we never learn the grammar from the point of communication. We simply cram different tenses, structures and other unnecessary things. We remember that such and such tense starts with such and such structure. For example, if we are learning something about past. We are following the procedure of remembering the tenses like simple past tense, past perfect tense, and other tenses. Then, we remember the format of that structure and in exam we are asked to fill up the blanks according to those tenses. However, we never learn to use them.

Then you will cram like, I, is first person, we, is, second person, then singular, plural, to be, pronouns, object, subject, verbal, non verbal.

I don’t want to press the point unduly but in some classes and schools, the students are asked the question that how many tenses are there in English?  How ridiculous?

So the point is grammar is essential but we have never had the opportunity to learn it in a natural way. What have we done so far?   Crammed the vague rules of the grammar, gave the examination, passed it and forgot it. We never learnt where to use the structures.

Misconception 2   :  We need to learn words to speak English

The second most prevalent misconception about English. You must have heard from lots of people that if you want to speak fluently in English, you would have to have a good range of vocabulary. I agree with this argument that words are the most important part of a language without which a single sentence is not possible. However, we have to know what does a true vocabulary really mean?  Normally, when the students are taught vocabulary they would be given the list of some abstract words which they can easily get from internet or other sources. Then, they are asked to crame these words. If we consider a list of these abstract words, a vocabulary, then we need to think again.

I would like to tell you an incident.One of my friends once had gone to a class of spoken English. Having finished with the formalities of administration,he had been asked to give a vocabulary test.You would be surprised to know what kind of words he had been asked.

“પાટલો, લોટો, પાટલા ઘો, ડહાપણ ની દાઢ, પાણી પૂરી”

Now, I would like to ask you one question. How many times in your life have you spoken these words? There is a possibility that some of you may not have even heard about these words. Then, what is the use of learning all these words which you are never going to use.

Don’t you think it’s ridiculous to hammer the students with these kinds of words which they are never going to use in their life?

One more interesting fact of English learning is that most of the people who passed H.S.C, know all the words which are used in normal conversation or at least heard during their school period. Just, they don’t know where to use them. Still, pages of most classes and books are filled up with these kinds of words like animal’s name, bird’s name, day’s name, month’s name which could have been learnt in primary schools.

You see, the words are important but the way they are taught is not at par. Most of the people never realized what is true vocabulary and how could it be improved? Here, I am giving you the hints, what does the real vocabulary consist of? Later on, I would give the tips on vocabulary improvement. We would focus on words in use not an abstract list of them.

Basically, we come across with two types of words.

1:  literal words

These words are not spoken in normal day to day conversation and are only used in written English.For example, when someone wants to know about your address. He would probably ask “where do you live”?  Here, “live” means “to reside”.But, we never use ‘reside’ in our conversation because reside is a literal word. “Live” is frequently used in conversation. If you use “reside” in place of “live”, you may seem uneducated and funny. As far as possible, try to avoid these kinds of words. Apart from that, some words are highly technical that can be used by a particular group. For example “cardiomyopathy” is a technical medical word. You do not use this word unless you are a specialist doctor in this filed.You have to avoid these words as far as possible when you are beginners.  You can give your concentration to these words once you achieve fair level o knowledge.

2: communicative words

This is the group of words which are important and generally used in day to day conversation.We have to give our focus to these words because these are the power words you want in your day to day speech.

Misconception. 3   Translation is the key to become fluent

Partially, it is true that one can communicate in any foreign language by translation. It is true for English also. I am agree with this statement that the translation is a very good tool for speaking English for basic learners and lots of people get the benefit from translation. However, there is a drawback as far as the translation from one language to other is concerned. Translation is useful for the beginners.

It could be a very good tool for Basic English learners because they just have to take part in one or two sentences discussion or give one or two sentences reply. But when we are to speak in stretch, then translation would harm us.  You see, translators would normally think a sentence in their mind and after a pause they speak.This method is not possible in spontaneous speech. In spontaneous speech you have to speak in a stretch that you have to think coming sentence as soon as you finish the first. If you rely solely on translation,you would find yourself in such a weird situation that your fluency would get stuck and you would struggle.

Think about your own mother tongue. You never rely on translation.You have vast experience in your mother tongue.You have got the feeling of speaking your mother tongue.The same feeling you have to acquire in English but it is not possible by translation.

So, basically, these are the main misconceptions or in a better way we can say the questions in people’s mind.In coming pages, I am going to give the clear, simple and important tips on the improvement of your language, fluency and knowledge. So, dust out any laziness which you may have at this time. Read with all the focus you have the pages which are coming.