Sometimes I include French words and expressions in my blog writing.  For the past few months, I’ve made a commitment, albeit feeble, to “improve my French.”  My method:  sing in a French choir.  I can read the French words and pronounce them, and with the help of the piano and the other singers, I’m able to act as if I can sing the language.  But the truth is, my conversational abilities are…er…fragile.  My favorite response, when asked if I speak French is “un petite peu.”

One of my own misconceptions about language fluency was that I was too old and that my brain was already wired against learning a new language.  Not true, according to linguists from the University of Haifa, in Israel.  Their research suggests that it’s never too late to learn a new language.

On Saturday, after my French singing gig, I searched the expression “how to learn a new language.”

After the paid results for Rosetta Stone, I found an interview with the professional polyglot, Benny Lewis.  You can read his 12-step program for learning a new language here.

Based on his suggestion, I’ve made a few visits to Duolingo.  It’s free and it’s fun.  You can feel like you’re in kindergarten all over again.

It’s a cold day here in Maine…il fait froid, but my refrigerator is not.

“Bonjour, Monsiuer DeeHan?  Can you fix my refrigerator in 12 easy steps?”