There are various myths associated with foreign language learning, and these are as follows: it is possible to learn a foreign language quickly, it is possible to learn a foreign language easily, I am fluent and you can be to (quickly and easily).

Language teaching and learning is a huge industry, employing large numbers of people and there is a great deal of money to be made. As the global economy becomes increasingly linked, many people and the organizations that employ them want to improve their language skills for business purposes. They want fast results, they want them now and they want language schools and courses to deliver fast results. Bearing that in mind who would have an interest in advertising a course with the dubious selling point that language is hard ?

Unfortunately wanting a fast result is human nature and so the language learning myths have arisen.

Myth number 1. Language learning is quick

No. No. No. It is not quick.

Here is an example from a website selling personalized Spanish courses Learn Spanish in just 2 weeks. Well, what are you learning in just two weeks? You can not learn a language in two, four or eight weeks. I’ve never met anyone who has even come remotely close in that time period, which is why people study language for years in schools and universities. It takes time.

Myth number 2. Language learning is easy

It isn’t.

That there is such a thing as easy foreign language learning as an adult is untrue. It is hard work and requires discipline, motivation, time and effort. It is very rewarding but it is not easy to learn a foreign language well, and would be better described as one of the harder things you can set out to do. It is not impossible either but one of the factors critical for success is to be able to set reasonable goals based on realistic expectations.

The only time when language learning becomes easy is when you decide to learn only a small part of the language. Learning key words and phrases which can be used in isolation such as hello, goodbye is not difficult and is quick and easy to achieve.

Myth number 3. I am fluent and you will be to.

What is fluency ?

There is an almost mythical status attached to fluency in another language, but what does this really mean, when you consider that the majority people who learn another language will never come close to having the range of expression or vocabulary that they have in their native tongue. This doesn’t mean that they are can not express themselves fluently but it does indicate the difference between fluency and bilingualism. How will you decide when you are fluent ?