OK, good.

很好

Have you ever held a question in mind

你是否曾經仔細想過一個問題想很久

for so long that it becomes part of how you think?

到最後它影響了你的思考方式

Maybe even part of who you are as a person?

甚至影響了你是誰？

Well I've had a question in my mind for many, many years

我自己就曾經想過一個問題　想了好多年

and that is: How can you speed up learning?

就是：如何加速學習的腳步？

Now, this is an interesting question

這是一個很有趣的問題

because if you speed up learning, you can spend less time at school.

因為如果你可以學得更快　就不需要花那麼多時間上學

And if you learn really fast, you probably wouldn't have to go to school at all.

如果你真的能學得很快　也許甚至根本不需要上學

Now, when I was young, school was sort of OK but...

當我年輕的時候　學校算還可以　但是

I found quite often that school got in the way of learning

我常覺得學校阻礙了學習

so I had this question in mind: How do you learn faster?

所以我心中有了這個疑問：該如何學習得更快？

And this began when I was very, very young,

這從我很小的時候就開始了

when I was 11 years old,

那時我11歲

I wrote a letter to researchers in the Soviet Union, asking about hypnopaedia,

我寫了一封信給蘇聯的研究人員　詢問睡眠學習的事

this is sleep-learning, where you get a tape recorder, you put it beside your bed

睡眠學習就是將一台錄音機放在床邊

and it turns on in the middle of the night when you're sleeping,

然後它在半夜你睡覺的時候開始播放

and you're supposed to be learning from this.

而照理來說你應該可以從中學習

A good idea, unfortunately it doesn't work.

很好的點子　可惜並沒有成功

But, hypnopaedia did open the doors to research in other areas

但睡眠學習的確為其他領域的研究打開了一扇門

and we've had incredible discoveries about learning that began with that first question.

那個最初的疑問幫我們得到了在學習上不可思議的發現

I went on from there to become passionate about psychology

從那時我開始展開了對心理學的熱情

and I have been involved in psychology in many different ways

我用各種方式投入了心理學

for the rest of my life up until this point.

一直到今日

In 1981 I took myself to China

1981年我到了中國

and I decided that I was going to be native level in Chinese inside two years.

我決定要在兩年內讓我的中文程度到達母語的水準

Now, you need to understand that in 1991, everybody thought

你必須要曉得　在1991年的時候　所有人都認為

Chinese was really, really difficult and that a westerner could study for 10 years or more

中文非常、非常困難　西方人可能要花超過10年來學習

and never really get very good at it.

卻還沒有辦法精通

And I also went in with a different idea

而同時我有個不同的想法

which was: taking all of the conclusions from psychological research up to that point

就是將所有心理學研究迄今的成果

and applying them to the learning process.

應用在學習的過程中

What was really cool was that in six months I was fluent in Mandarin Chinese

很酷的是　我的中文在六個月內已經很流利

and took a little bit longer to get up to native.

但又花了更長一點的時間才達到母語的水準

But I looked around and I saw all of these people from different countries

但當我看了看周遭　看這些不同國家來的人

struggling terribly with Chinese,

很辛苦地跟中文奮戰

I saw Chinese people struggling terribly to learn English and other languages,

看到中國人辛苦的和英文以及其他外文奮戰

and so my question got refined down to:

所以我重新縮小了我的問題：

How can you help a normal adult learn a new language quickly, easily and effectively?

如何幫助一個普通成人快速、簡單和有效地學習新語言？

Now this is a really, really important question in today's world.

這是當今世界上非常、非常重要的一個問題

We have massive challenges with environment,

我們面臨環境的巨大挑戰

we have massive challenges with social dislocation,

我們面臨社會秩序重置的巨大挑戰

with wars, all sorts of things going on

還有戰爭　這些東西正不斷的進行著

and if we can't communicate, we're really going to have difficulty solving these problems.

而如果我們沒有辦法溝通　我們會有解決這些問題的困難

So we need to be able to speak each other's languages,

所以我們必需要有能力說彼此的語言

this is really, really important.

這真的非常、非常的重要

The question it is: How do you do that?

問題是到底該怎麼做？

Well, it's actually really easy. You look around for people who can already do it,

你看看周遭那些已經做到了的人

you look for situations where it's already working

找找那些已經成功的案例

and then you identify the principles and apply them.

然後找出其中的原則並加以應用

It's called modelling and I've been looking at language learning

這叫做模型化　我已經觀察語言學習

and modelling language learning for about 15 to 20 years now.

並將語言學習模型化　至今大約15到20年了

And my conclusion, my observation from this is

而從中得到我的結論、我的觀察是

that any adult can learn a second language to fluency inside six months.

任何一個成年人都能在六個月內中掌握一個第二外語

Now when I say this, most people think I'm crazy, this is not possible.

當我這麼說的時候　大部分的人會覺得我瘋了　這不可能

So let me remind everybody of the history of human progress,

所以讓我們複習一下人類的進程

it's all about expanding our limits.

就是不斷地突破極限

In 1950 everybody believed that running one mile in four minutes was impossible

在1950年的時候　所有人都認為在4分鐘內跑1哩路是不可能的事情

and then Roger Bannister did it in 1956 and from there it's got shorter and shorter.

但後來 Roger Bnnister 在1956年時做到了　從此之後所需的時間愈來愈短

100 years ago everybody believed that heavy stuff doesn't fly.

100年前　所有的人都相信笨重的東西不能飛

Except it does and we all know this.

直到它實現的時候　而我們現在都曉得

How does heavy stuff fly?

笨重的東西要怎麼飛？

We reorganise the material using principles that we have learned

我們用觀察自然所學到的原理重新組裝材料

from observing nature, birds in this case.

在這個例子中就是鳥類

And today we've gone even further...

今天我們已經突破了更多

We've gone even further, so you can fly a car.

今天我們已經突破了更多　所以你甚至可以開車在空中飛

You can buy one of these for a couple 100.000 US dollars.

你可以用幾十萬美金買一輛

We now have cars in the world that fly.

現在我們有會飛的車了

And there's a different way to fly which we've learned from squirrels.

這是另一種飛行的方式　是我們和松鼠學的

So all you need to do is copy what a flying squirrel does,

所以你要做的就是模仿飛鼠飛翔

build a suit called a wing suit and off you go, you can fly like a squirrel.

做一件飛行衣　然後起飛　你就可以像飛鼠一樣飛翔

Now most people, a lot of people, I wouldn't say everybody

現在　大部分的人　多數人　我不會說是全部人

but a lot of people think they can't draw.

但是有很多的人認為他們不會畫畫

However there are some key principles, five principles that you can apply

然而有一些重要的原則　你可以應用五個原則

to learning to draw and you can actually learn to draw in five days.

來學會畫畫　其實你可以在五天內學會畫畫

So, if you draw like this, you learn these principles for five days

所以　如果你本來畫得像這樣

and apply them and after five days you can draw something like this.

你用五天學會這些原則並加以應用　你就可以畫出像這樣的東西

Now I know this is true because that was my first drawing

我知道這是真的是因為這是我一開始的畫

and after five days of applying these principles that was what I was able to do.

這是我在運用了這些原則五天後的成果

And I looked at this and I went:

我看著這張圖　心想

"Wow, so that's how I look like when I'm concentrating so intensely

哇！這就是我高度集中專注力的結果

that my brain is exploding."

專注到我的頭腦簡直要爆炸了

So, anybody can learn to draw in five days

所以說任何人都可以在五天內學會畫畫

and in the same way, with the same logic,

相同的方式、相同的邏輯

anybody can learn a second language in six months.

任何人都可以在六個月內學會一種第二外語

How? There are five principles and seven actions.

該怎麼做呢？有五個原則和七個行動

There may be a few more but these are absolutely core.

也許有更多　但這些絕對是最核心的

And before I get into those I just want to talk about two myths,

在談到那之前　我想先談談兩個迷思

I want to dispel two myths.

我想要打破兩個迷思

The first is that you need talent.

第一個：你需要天賦

Let me tell you about Zoe.

讓我告訴你Zoe的故事

Zoe came from Australia, went to Holland, was trying to learn Dutch,

Zeo來自澳洲　她去到到荷蘭　並嘗試學習荷語

struggling extremely, extremely... a great deal

她在學習荷語中極端地痛苦掙扎

and finally people were saying: "You're completely useless,"

直到最後其它人對她說：＂你真沒用＂

"you're not talented," "give up," "you're a waste of time"

＂你沒有天份＂、＂放棄吧＂、＂你在浪費時間＂

and she was very, very depressed.

她感到非常的沮喪

And then she came across these five principles,

然後她學會了這五個原則

she moved to Brazil and she applied them

她搬到巴西並開始運用這些原則

and in six months she was fluent in Portuguese,

在六個月當中她已經能說流利的葡語

so talent doesn't matter.

所以天賦一點也不重要

People also think that immersion in a new country is the way to learn a language.

人們也覺得　沉浸在新的國家中是學習語言的方式

But look around Hong Kong, look at all the westerners

但是看看香港　看看那些西方人

who've been here for 10 years, who don't speak a word of Chinese.

住在這裡10年了　卻還不會說半句中文

Look at all the Chinese living in America, Britain, Australia, Canada

看看那些住在美國、英國、澳洲和加拿大的中國人

have been there 10, 20 years and they don't speak any English.

他們在那裏10年、20年卻還不會說英文

Immersion per se does not work.

沉浸在環境中本身並不會奏效

Why? Because a drowning man cannot learn to swim.

為什麼？因為一個溺水的人無法學會游泳

When you don't speak a language you're like a baby

當你不會說一種語言的時候你就像是一個嬰孩

and if you drop yourself into a context

而如果你把自己丟進一個環境

which is all adults talking about stuff over your head, you won't learn.

那裡所有大人講的東西超過你能負荷的　你無法從中學習

So, what are the five principles that you need to pay attention to?

所以　哪五個原則是你必須要注意的？

First: the four words,

第一：四個關鍵字

attention, meaning, relevance and memory,

專注、意義、相關性和記憶力。

and these interconnect in very, very important ways.

他們非常重要地相互連結著

Especially when you're talking about learning.

特別是當你在談論「學習」的時候

Come with me on a journey through a forest.

跟我一起到一座森林去遊歷

You go on a walk through a forest

你走入一座森林

and you see something like this... Little marks on a tree,

然後你看到像這樣的東西：樹上的小記號

maybe you pay attention, maybe you don't.

也許你有注意到　也可能沒有

You go another 50 metres and you see this...

你繼續往前走50公尺然後看到這個‧‧‧

[image of bear footprint] You should be paying attention.

（熊腳印）你應該要注意到了

Another 50 metres, if you haven't been paying attention, you see this...

繼續往前50公尺　如果你沒有注意的話　你就會看到這個‧‧‧

[image of roaring bear] And at this point, you're paying attention.

（吼叫的熊）到這個時候　你就會注意了

And you've just learned that this [marks on tree] is important,

而你就學到　這（樹上的記號）很重要

it's relevant because it means this [roaring bear],

這很相關　因為這就代表這（一隻吼叫的熊）

and anything that is related, any information related to your survival

而任何和你的生存相關的資訊

is stuff that you're going to pay attention to

就是你必須要注意的

and therefore you're going to remember it.

然後你就會記得

If it's related to your personal goals

如果這和你的個人目標相關

then you're going to pay attention to it,

那你就會注意

if it's relevant, you're going to remember it.

如果是相關的　你就會記得

So, the first rule, first principle for learning a language

所以　第一個學習語言的原則

is focus on language content that is relevant to you.

就是聚焦在和你相關的語言內容上

Which brings us to tools.

這就要談到工具了

We master tools by using tools and we learn tools the fastest

我們透過使用這些工具來精通工具的使用方法 而我們能最快地學會使用工具

when they are relevant to us.

就是在它和我們相關的時候

So let me share a story.

我來分享一個故事

A keyboard is a tool.

鍵盤是一個工具

Typing Chinese a certain way, there are methods for this. That's a tool.

用特定的方法來打中文字　有各種方式　就是工具

I had a colleague many years ago

很多年前我有一個同事

who went to night school; Tuesday night, Thursday night,

她參加一個補習班：星期二晚上、星期四晚上

two hours each time, practising at home,

每次兩小時　又在家練習

she spent nine months, and she did not learn to type Chinese.

她花了九個月　但還是沒有學會打中文字

And one night we had a crisis.

有一次我們陷入危機

We had 48 hours to deliver a training manual in Chinese.

我們得在48小時之內送出一份中文的訓練手冊

And she got the job, and I can guarantee you

她負責這項工作　然後我向你保證

in 48 hours, she learned to type Chinese

她在48小時之內學會了打中文字

because it was relevant, it was meaningful, it was important,

因為這是相關、有意義而且重要的

she was using a tool to create value.

她正用這項工具在創造價值

So the second principle for learning a language is to use your language

所以第二個學習語言的原則就是：使用你的語言

as a tool to communicate right from day one.

從第一天就把它當成一個溝通的工具

As a kid does.

就像嬰孩一樣

When I first arrived in China, I didn't speak a word of Chinese,

我剛到中國的時候　一個中文字都不會說

and on my second week I got to take a train ride overnight.

第二個星期我必須坐上跨夜的火車

I spent eight hours sitting in the dining car talking to one of the guards on the train,

我和一個車上的守衛坐在供餐的車廂中聊了八個小時

he took an interest in me for some reason,

因為某些原因他對我感到興趣

and we just chatted all night in Chinese

我們就用中文聊了整夜

and he was drawing pictures and making movements with his hands

他畫圖、比手勢

and facial expressions and

用臉部表情

piece by piece by piece I understood more and more.

然後一點一滴的　我懂得愈來愈多

But what was really cool, was two weeks later,

真正酷的是　兩個星期後

when people were talking Chinese around me,

我身邊的人在說中文的時候

I was understanding some of this

我可以理解其中的一部分

and I hadn't even made any effort to learn that.

而那時我還沒有下任何功夫去學

What had happened, I'd absorbed it that night on the train,

但就是這麼發生了　在火車上那晚我已經吸收了

which brings us to the third principle.

這就要談到第三個原則

When you first understand the message,

當你開始了解訊息了以後

then you will acquire the language unconsciously.

你就會無形中學會這個語言

And this is really, really well documented now,

這個現在已經被證實了

it's something called comprehensible input.

稱之為可理解輸入

There's 20 or 30 years of research on this,

有一份關於這個2、30年的研究報告

Stephen Krashen, a leader in the field,

Stephen Krashen 是這個領域的先驅

has published all sorts of these different studies

他發表了相關的各種研究

and this is just from one of them.

這只是其中之一

The purple bars show the scores on different tests for language.

長條代表不同語言測驗的成績

The purple people were people who had learned by grammar and formal study,

紫色的是以文法和正規方式學習語言的人

the green ones are the ones who learned by comprehensible input.

綠色的則是用可理解式輸入的方式學習的人

So, comprehension works. Comprehension is key

所以綜合理解是有效的、是關鍵的

and language learning is not about accumulating lots of knowledge.

學習語言並不是在累積知識

In many, many ways it's about physiological training.

從很多方面而言　這是生理訓練

A woman I know from Taiwan did great in English at school,

我認識一個從台灣來的女生　在學校英文成績優異

she got A grades all the way through,

從小到大都拿A

went through college, A grades, went to the US

以A等成績大學畢業　到了美國

and found she couldn't understand what people were saying.

發現她沒有辦法聽懂別人在說些什麼

And people started asking her: "Are you deaf?"

然後有人開始問她：你耳聾嗎？

And she was. English deaf.

她是！英文聾人

Because we have filters in our brain that filter in

因為我們腦中有個篩選器

the sounds that we are familiar with

會選擇讓我們熟悉的聲音通過

and they filter out the sounds of languages that we're not.

然後濾掉那些我們不熟悉的語言的聲音

And if you can't hear it, you won't understand it,

而當你沒有辦法聽見　你就不會了解

if you can't understand it, you're not going to learn it.

當你沒辦法了解　你就沒辦法學會

So you actually have to be able to hear these sounds.

所以你必須要能夠聽見這些聲音

And there are ways to do that but it's physiological training.

這是有辦法的　但這是生理訓練

Speaking takes muscle.

說話會用到肌肉

You've got 43 muscles in your face,

你的臉部有43條肌肉

you have to coordinate those in a way

你必須要讓他們協力合作

that you make sounds that other people will understand.

來發出別人能聽懂的聲音

If you've ever done a new sport for a couple of days,

如果你曾經花幾天的時間從事過一種新的運動

and you know how your body feels? Hurts?

你的身體會有什麼感覺？痛嗎？

If your face is hurting, you're doing it right.

如果你的臉會痛的話　你就成功了

And the final principle is state. Psycho-physiological state.

最後一個原則：心理狀態

If you're sad, angry, worried, upset, you're not going to learn. Period.

如果你很難過、生氣、擔心、沮喪　你是沒有辦法持續學習的

If you're happy, relaxed, in an Alpha brain state, curious,

如果你心情愉悅、放鬆、阿法腦波的狀態、好奇

you're going to learn really quickly,

你就能學得很快

and very specifically you need to be tolerant of ambiguity.

特別是你必須要能容忍一些模糊

If you're one of those people who needs to understand 100 per cent

如果你是那種必須要瞭解百分之百所聽見的

every word you're hearing, you will go nuts,

每一個字的那種人　你會抓狂

because you'll be incredibly upset all the time, because you're not perfect.

因為你會感到愈來愈沮喪　因為你並不完美

If you're comfortable with getting some, not getting some,

如果你能接受了解一部分、不懂一部分

just paying attention to what you do understand,

注意你所理解的部分

you're going to be fine, you'll be relaxed and you'll be learning quickly.

你就會沒有問題　你會很放鬆　而且學得很快

So based on those five principles, what are the seven actions that you take?

所以基於這五個原則　哪七個行動是你要做的？