Boring, frustrating, hard, unnatural: anyone who’s ever tried to learn a second language will quickly recognize these adjectives, no doubt having used all of them at one time to describe the process. While there are plenty of courses and learning aids available online, these mostly overlook an immediate resource – web pages themselves.
Learn Words While You Browse the Web
Learning any foreign language requires reading, but content rarely speaks directly to individual interests. And cutting and pasting text into Google Translate grows old fast. Lingua.ly is a vocabulary tool that helps users learn words while browsing the web. Double-click on a word once this Chrome extension is installed, and Lingua.ly both translates words and begins compiling a word collection.
The more personalized study becomes, the easier it is to stay motivated. Lingua.ly assists learners by allowing them to absorb content naturally of interest to them. Different sections of local news, a friend’s Facebook profile, any web page, turns into a learning opportunity. Lingua.ly works on pages of any kind.
The Learning Zone
If only building a vocabulary were as simply as translating a word… Clearly this isn’t enough, so Lingua.ly offers engaging tools to give the memory a hand. Lingua.ly generates flashcards automatically so that it’s easy to review words. Pictures, pronunciations, and further examples of each word being used also enhance retention. Additional quizzes and exercises encourage practice.
All language programs emphasize repetition. The famous Pimsleur approach choreographs audio recordings to repeat material at very precise intervals so that students don’t forget what they’ve already studied. Similarly, Lingua.ly has a smart notification system that reminds you when you should practice.
Better yet, Lingua.ly is an intuitive program that learns about the student as the student is learning new words. After clicking on words for a while, Lingua.ly begins to make reading recommendations. The tool gauges both interests and reading level to find more text suitable for each reader.
Can a language be learned by building vocabulary alone? No. However, active reading is essential, and Lingua.ly makes it easier to engage content according to individual taste, level, and pace. It’s also worth mentioning that – for business purposes – any amount of foreign vocabulary can help the bottom line. According to an infographic by Asia Society, the Council on Economic Development stated that, “American companies lose $2 billion each year because they lack cross-cultural skills.” Even basic greetings will go a long way toward righting this linguistic disadvantage and forging better business relationships.
Lingua.ly currently provides immediate translation of words in Spanish, English, French, Hebrew, and Arabic. Free of charge!