Twenty year old Oxford University undergraduate, Alex Rawlings, is currently the most multi lingual student in the UK. Alex can speak 11 languages: Hebrew, English, Greek, German, Russian, French, Italian, Catalan, Dutch, Afrikaans and Spanish. He won the competition organized by Collins Publishers to find the most multilingual student. A multilingual person is someone who can communicate in more than one language passively (listening, reading) and actively (speaking, writing). Most multilingual speakers usually acquire one language during childhood as a result of formal education or as a result of learning the language their parent’s speak. Other factors that cause one to learn more than one language includes having a mother and father who speak separate languages and growing up in a different language environment.
To become a polyglot, that is someone who can speak several languages, you must have the right motivation to do so. This will help you stay committed to your cause and learn the language properly. You should be passionate about each language you learn. This is because it takes a lot of study and hard work. Learn one language at a time to minimize chances of getting confused and to give each language the attention it deserves. Try and learn languages that are in the same family group. Due to the similarities between the languages, you will be able to master them much more quickly. Take advantage of computer programs and audios to enhance your study. They will help you learn the pronunciation of words. Listen to television or radio channels in the language you are interested in. Fully immerse yourself in the language and culture of the people. If possible, travel to the foreign country and immerse yourself in the community. Talk the language as much as you can even if you make silly grammatical mistakes.
Know when to move on to the next language. Once you have mastered the language to an intermediate or advanced level, move on. Remember to also work on your accent. Pour your whole body and mind into learning the words and the emotions behind them and you will be able to easily switch between languages while incorporating the right accents too.
