Good questions that I got from a Doing English Daily newsletter subscriber, is it possible to learn English alone?

最近我收到了來自「每日英文」電子報訂閱用戶的一個問題，這個問題問得很好，自學英文可行嗎？

Now by this, I'm assuming that the person means alone as in not taking a class, that is studying by oneself at home or whatever, self-study.

我假設這位朋友自學的定義是指，沒有參加任何英文學習課程，而是在家還是用任何方式，靠他自己學習。

Of course, the simple answer to the question is yes, absolutely.

當然，我可以很直接地回答這個問題「是可以的」，絕對可以。

And in fact, I would say that is preferable.

事實上，我認為這是更好的（學英文方式）。

I, personally, hate language classes.

就我個人而言，我很討厭語言課程。

It would be hard to say that I ever studied Japanese in a class because I lasted for days.

我曾經上過日文課，幾天而已，所以我認為稱不上有上日文課，

I hated it.

我很不喜歡。

I did take a Japanese class once and I didn't really go past the, the kind of the trial period, just couldn't see the point in it.

你要說我上過日文課也可以，不過嚴格來說我連體驗課都沒上完，因為我不知道上課的重點在哪。

I honestly think that in this modern world, with the way that the Internet and technology and the availability of information, the way the modern world is becoming,

老實說，在這現代世界，我們已經可以利用網路、科技以及豐富的資訊來學習，而在這麼一個現代化的世界，

I think the use of language classes, the effectiveness of language classes, and the importance of teachers is rapidly dwindling.

上語言課程的必要性、語言課程的學習成效，以及教師的重要性正快速走向式微。

I think the time where to learn a language, to learn English, you needed to go to a class and be taught by a teacher. I think that time is gone.

我覺得學習一門語言，（比方說）去學英文，你要特地去到教室，並且接受老師教導的時代已經過去了。

Gone, gone, gone.

過去了啦。

Now, of course I wouldn't say that learning completely by yourself, that is being totally anti-social and never going out and refusing to ever speak to anybody in English is a good idea.

當然，我不是說要你完全靠自己埋頭苦學，然後走反社會路線，不去外面而且拒絕跟任何人說英文，這不是個好主意。

To be honest, when I learn languages, I really kind of don't actually get out there much at all.

老實說，當我在學語言的時候，我其實很少接觸人群。

Well, Japanese is different because I live in Japan and I work in Japanese and I do, you know, most of my life and my business is run in Japanese.

但是我學日文時情況不同，因為我在日本生活、工作，而我的日常生活和工作業務往來需要使用大量的日文。

I've been learning a bit of Chinese on and off for a couple months now, and I've never actually used Chinese with a real person, but I mean, I've never actually seen that as a drawback at all.

這幾個月以來，我有斷斷續續地在學習中文，不過我還沒有真正用中文和其他人交談，我不認為這是自學的缺點，

It's simply a case that I'm learning Chinese out of interest at the moment, although I will have a need for it in the near future, but I don't have any reason to use Chinese at the moment.

因為我學中文單純是興趣使然，也許我在不久的未來會需要使用中文， 但目前我還沒有使用中文的迫切性。

But, if, you know, it is good to be social, to get out there.

無論如何，拓展交友圈，跨出去認識別人是一件很棒的事。

I think the role of other people in learning English now is not like a class to be taught as a part of, but rather to get involved with other people, to have people there who are going through the same kind of experience as you.

不用刻意把與別人的互動視為學習英文的一種例行公事，而是把重點放在認識跟你有相同經驗的人。

People who can help you overcome problems that they've had and that they know how to solve.

這些人可以跟你分享他們學習英文的來時路，幫你克服學習英文可能會面對的問題。

People who can answer your questions, people who can keep you motivated and keep your spirits up when you're feeling bad about it.

他們可以回答你的問題，幫助你保持學習英文動力，並在你心情不好時鼓勵你。

People who can comfort you when you screw up in English.

當你被英文卡住時，他們也可以成為你的求助對象。

I think that is very, very important, but you know, it's not necessary really to take a class for that.

我覺得這很重要，但不是非得要真的去為此上課。

I mean, it's why Doing English Plus community exists.

這就是為何我建立 Doing English Plus 社群。

I could have just Doing English Plus's weekly lessons, but it also includes a community.

我當然可以經營 Doing English Plus 的每週課程就好，但我同時也建立起了一個社群。

I could have just done the weekly lessons, and that's what most people join for, but the community is an important aspect because it's there for when people need the support.

我可以完成每週的課程就了事，畢竟大部分人報名課程也只是為了學習語文，但我認為社群扮演了一個很重要的角色，因為當有人需要支持的時候，社群就可以發揮互助的功能。

I think that is the only advantage of taking a class, and I would say that with a little bit of creativity, with a little bit of imagination, you could really get over that anyway.

我想，上課唯一的優點，就是能遇到其他人吧？但我相信，只要你發揮一點創造力、一點想像力， 你還是可以取得理想的學習效果。

Of course, the only problem with learning alone really comes down to...

自學的問題...

Well, two things I guess.

可能有... 兩個吧？

First is motivation. Keeping yourself motivated when you're alone can be difficult, and this is something that I've struggled with with Chinese a little bit.

第一是動力。當你只有自己一個人的時候，保持學習的動力是很困難的。這也是我在學習中文過程中面臨的挑戰。

I've been super busy recently and Chinese is not something that's that important to me, and so it does tend to be right down on the bottom of my list of priorities,

我最近超忙的，而中文對我又沒那麼重要，所以學習中文這件事情就漸漸被我越排越後，

and I certainly don't get it done every day, and sometimes not every week.

也因此，我沒辦法持續每一天學習中文，甚至要自我督促每週學習中文都有困難，

But again, Chinese is not really an important thing for me at the moment, so motivation is something to work on.

但，容我再次強調，這是因為目前學習中文對我來說是不具迫切性的，所以保持動力是自學要克服的問題，

And I will be answering the question of how to keep yourself motivated in a future video because I had a good question about that too.

而我會拍攝另一支影片，教你如何保持學習動力。因為也有人問了這個問題，所以我會再拍影片跟大家分享！

The other problem I would say that you get with learning by yourself is pressure. Pressure, intensity of practice.

另一個自學的問題是——壓力，督促你持續學習的壓力。

Now, I absolutely do not believe for one second that you need other people to practice with.

我必須說明，我一點都不認為找人一起練習英文是必要的。

I mean this is one of the biggest myths out there.

這是學習英文其中一個最大的迷思！

"Oh, I need to practice my English. I need people to speak with."

「喔，我需要找個對象來練習說英文。」

Practice is practice is practice.

練習就是練習，就只是練習。

I mean there are different things that you can do which work better than others, and especially when you get to the intermediate to advanced stage, some things will stop being effective.

我的意思是，你一定可以找到對你有效的學習方法，尤其當你的英文進步到中級或進階程度時，有些傳統學習方法就不再管用。

In fact, once you get to the intermediate advanced stage, just having conversations with native speakers is one of the things which will become very ineffective.

事實上，當你的英文程度達到進階的階段，跟母語人士對話的傳統英文提升法，能發揮的效果有限。

There's all kinds of reasons for that which I won't go into here, but there is no reason why you can't practice by yourself.

還有各種原因讓你的英文學習陷入瓶頸期的原因啦，那個我先不作深入講解。但你不可能無法自學英文。

In fact, I teach a whole course which is designed to teach you how to do that.

因為我本人就設計了一整套完整的自學課程，幫助你自學英文。

Of course, the problem is without the kind of a fear factor that you get when you're, say, giving a presentation in front of a group of people,

當然，缺乏需要當眾發言的恐懼因素，

without the kind of the pressure that comes with having to succeed or look stupid, you might not get as far as you would if you had that pressure.

或者缺乏必須表現成功的壓力， 你可能就沒有足夠的壓力督促自己進步。

However, that pressure is also something that can be replicated completely by yourself with a bit of imagination and creativity.

不過呢，那種壓力是完全可以被複製的，只要你發揮一點想像力和創造力。

Anyway, that is my rather long-winded answer to the question.

無論如何，這是我對這個問題比較囉嗦的回答。

Can you learn English by yourself? Absolutely yes, not only that but I think you probably should.

你可以靠你自己學習英文嗎？當然可以，不只是因為如此，我還認為你本就該如此。

Right, that is it for today. This is part of the 101 English Learning Questions series.

好了，以上是今天的內容。這只是英文學習 101 道問題系列的其中一個問題而已。

I certainly don't have a hundred and one yet, but you can help me out with that by going down below this video to the comments, and letting me know your questions about learning English.

目前我還沒有蒐集到 101 道問題，不過你可以幫忙我。你可以在影片下方留言，告訴我你在學習英文時遇到什麼問題。

I will do my best to answer as many as I can.

我將會盡我所能去回答你的問題。

My goal was to try and keep these videos to two to three minutes long, but as this one is well over five minutes already, I'm probably not going to be doing that very well, but go ahead, ask your questions down below here.

我的理想目標是把影片長度維持在兩到三分鐘左右，但這支影片已經超過五分鐘了！我的時間控制可能還做的不夠好，但來吧，請你在下面留言提問。

Also, if you liked this video, go ahead, click the "like" button.

並且，如果你喜歡這支影片，那就幫我按個「讚」。

If you didn't like this video, go ahead and click the "don't like" button.

如果你不喜歡這支影片，也請去按「倒讚」。

Either way, give me some feedback by clicking one of those buttons, and if you're new to the Doing English Channel, go ahead and subscribe.

不管你的反饋是正面還是負面的，都請通過點擊這些按鈕讓我知道。如果這是你第一次光臨 Doing English 頻道，歡迎訂閱這個頻道。

I'm gonna be doing my best to update with new videos as regularly as possible, so subscribing is gonna make sure you get those.

我會盡可能定期上新片啦，你訂閱的話就可以收看最新的影片。

Especially if you ask a question, make sure you subscribe so that you get my answer when it comes.

尤其如果你有對我提問，那更要訂閱，這樣你就不會錯過我的回答。

Anyway, that's it from me today.

好啦！我今天的分享到這裡為止。

I still have some, oh, it's gone, some editing to do tonight.

我還有一些... 喔，畫面不見了，今晚還要剪一些片。

What am I editing? Something new, something good that I've been working on since November, quite a long video, but it's going to be available freebie for everybody to watch.

我在編輯什麼呢？是我從十一月開始做的，全新的好東西，影片長度相當長，不過就是免費讓大家觀賞，

More on that soon, thank you and goodbye.

我很快會再跟你們分享更多的資訊，先謝謝大家了，再見。