79. “What Language Barrier?” Meet the Indiana Jones of Language Learning
“I’ve never learned how to say no properly in my life, to prepare myself properly for things. I just figured if I kept saying yes to things, eventually something good would happen.”
For Mark Ford, not saying no has allowed him to do some of the most important things in his life. Which is why it became easy—in his heterodox fashion—for him to learn first French, then Latin, and now Spanish.
The Spanish is the result of his building an award-winning resort in Nicaragua and the community foundation he created right across the road, which has become an education and trades hub for the non-English-speaking local people.
The French gave him entrée to the Peace Corps after college. But only because the officials didn’t give him the boot for not knowing a word of it when he landed in French-speaking Chad.
The Latin was to meet a PhD requirement. Although let’s just say that the former altar boy in him might have frowned on his modus operandi.
But he’s forgiven for that, because good things for many people have happened thanks to his determination to embrace other languages.
In this lively conversation with Steve, Mark also shares his secret for learning a language. And you won’t have to crack open an app to do it.
Mark Ford and Steve Leveen at Rancho Santana, Nicaragua
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TAKE OUR QUIZ ON AMERICA AND BILINGUALISM
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CREDITS
Thanks to members of the America the Bilingual Project team for this episode: Mim Harrison, the editorial and brand director of the America the Bilingual Project, who wrote and directed the episode; Fernando Hernández Becerra and his production house in Guadalajara, Mexico, Esto No Es Radio, which provides sound design and mixing; and Jen Cavagnaro at Daruma Tech, who manages our website.
We welcome your comments on this episode page.
Music, in order of appearance: HoliznaCC0, Whatever ; Koi Discovery, Beer blues ; Kevin Macleod, QuasiMotion; HoliznaCC0, ICE temple. Sunny afternoon, Unwind; Koi-discovery, END; HoliznaCC0, Laundry on the wire; Wax lyricist, Green; and Koi-discovery, Synthetic_synapse.
HOT OFF THE PRESS!
Steve and Akshay Swaminathan, whom you met in Episode 76, are the coauthors of this Levenger Master Class Workbook and Guide. Featuring the Adopted Language Method that Steve has used so successfully, and Akshay’s equally successful methodology of training muscle memory, the workbook encourages exercises and milestones that you customize to your goals.
“Real-world learning at its best” is how Stanford’s professor emerita Guadalupe Valdés, a Conversation Corps grantee who founded the English Together program, describes the workbook.
Whether you are learning a language for the first time or trying to for the third time, How to Learn a Language for Life will give you the tools and confidence to join in the conversation of your new language. Find it exclusively at Levenger.
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