Interview with Jakob

On one of those very rainy mornings we have become accustomed to, we had a chat and a coffee with Danish Teacher at Studieskolen, Jakob Bang Termansen, about learning Danish.

Jakob has been teaching for the past 25 years and listening to him, there is no doubt that he enjoys his job. In his class this morning, many dedicated students from all other the world were gathered for a three hours intensive Danish course.

Jakob, a majority of expats find Danish a difficult language to learn, but it still looks like some are getting more success with it than others.

Would you say that it is because they have a good ear for languages?

And by the way, is there such a thing as a good ear for languages?

No, I don´t think so. We are all born with the same ability of learning foreign languages, but it surely becomes easier the more languages you have learned.

Still, even if most of your students have learned another language prior to Danish, I assume that they are not all as fluent?

No, but typically there are different reasons for that, and the most important reason might be motivation. I will say that

it is a question of motivation. As simple as that. I really think that it makes a difference. The more motivated you are, the more time you will spend on learning, and yes, the better you will get. I am afraid there is no secret ingredient. It is all about hard work and motivation.

With that said, people have very different motivations for learning Danish. For some, it is more crucial – for instance if you want to find a job, where speaking Danish is essential, because if you work in an international company where you only speak English, and your partner is not a Dane, learning Danish might not be your priority, and it is completely fair. So the first question you need to ask yourself is what is your goal with it? Which level do you want to reach?

I’ve heard many times that age matters too. Is it easier to learn a foreign language as a child or a teenager rather than as an adult?

There is no conclusive scientific evidence proving it. Our brains become less changeable in time, which affect our ability to learn grammar and especially our ability to pronounce certain words. However, our experiences and knowledge become greater, so our vocabulary might be easier to expand.

One important thing is, what challenges us as adults is that we can’t express ourselves in the same way we’re used to. We have a scientific term for it, it’s called “reduced personality”, and you have to live with it for a period when learning a foreign language.

It is hard – we want people to know that we are clever and nuanced individuals. We do not accept to simplify our way of thinking. We don’t want to sound like idiots. We don’t dare failing, and as a consequence, we learn less. Children are in that matter less self-conscious.

Interesting point. What will you suggest our readers to do in order to improve their Danish?

If you have a Danish partner, agree with her/him for a lapse of time where you speak Danish. You can start with 10-15 minutes a day while washing dishes or doing laundry together.

If you do not have a Danish partner but work with Danes, agree with your colleagues that you will speak Danish with them the 10-15 first minutes of your lunch

break. Then, in both cases, increase average time spent on conversation in your own tempo.

Another thing you actually can do is something you normally like in your own language, such as watching films. You can start watching Danish films with English subtitles, then Danish subtitles and eventually without subtitles at all. Listen to the radio too – in the bus or while you drive. You need to get familiar with the sound of Danish – especially if you work in an international environment, where you rarely hear Danish.

I often struggle remembering new words in Danish. Do I have a memory problem?

No, you don´t. In order to remember a word, you have to use it in different contexts – at least four or five times, because your brain has to create some connections to the word you want to remember. Then it can be stocked in your long-time memory.

It is something that we practice in class, and we recommend that you do it too. For instance, you can have a list of five words that you have to use in different contexts every day during a week. It will help you remember them.

Find words you like or you know will be useful in a work context – and not necessarily the words your teacher has chosen for you. It works better.

Some of our readers are seldom in contact with Danes, because they work in an international environment. How can they practice their Danish?

One way is to find a Dane who is learning your language. For instance, we do “tandem nights� at Studieskolen where others students who are learning Spanish, French, German, etc. drop by to talk with international students who are learning Danish. Besides Danish, we teach 30

different languages, so there is a good chance for you to find someone who will be interested in a language exchange.

Thank you for sharing, Jakob!

Check out Studieskolen here: http://www.studieskolen.dk/en