Actually we respect those who can speak two foreign languages. If somebody knows three languages we consider him or her a genius. But do you believe that there are people who can speak more than 100 foreign languages quite freely and keep studying foreign languages with pleasure?
Russian polyglot Willy Melnikov is obviously one of them. He can freely speak more than 100 languages of different countries and nations including rarely and “dead” languages, and he systematically supplements his language collection. Such unbelievable inclination for languages became clearly seen after temporal lobe of the skull injury which Willy had had in Afghanistan in 1985. Since then scientists are studying his amazing ability, and Willy goes on learning more and more foreign languages.
Willy is wary of word “polyglot”. He says that when somebody calls him like this he associates it with a sort of language “gluttony”. Maybe it is partly true; otherwise it would be impossible to know such great deal of foreign languages.
Some years ago Willy Melnikov wrote a book “Introduction to lingvodiving” where he described his own method and system of studying foreign languages which can help other people get the same incredible results. Maybe you have no aim to be able to speak 100 foreign languages, but some Willy’s advices can be useful.
In his book Willy writes that we shouldn’t have the goal of language learning as itself. We usually misunderstand the notion “learn a language”. Willy supposes that at the level of senses we don’t acquire a foreign language – it acquires us! That’s why most approaches to language learning aren’t successful today – moreover they discourage any wish for it and persuade people in their inability to languages. Willy insists that there is no person unable for language learning – there are only persons who don’t realize richness and new life perception which they get from languages!
Willy Melnikov believes that any foreign language must be approached like a living being.
Grammar is like skeleton, conjugations and declensions are like muscles, phraseology and idiomatic are like circulatory system herewith. Each language like each living being is created according to the same scheme but it has its own originality. If we know this scheme we can find successful approach to studying any foreign languages. We are afraid of Chinese, Arabic and Sanskrit, but these languages are not difficult – they just have a different logic.
If we get rid of the fear of a foreign language we can easily learn 4-6 languages at the level of communication during a year. Willy Melnikov can do it - so can you!
