Hi, I’m Jeanette Sakel and I’m a professor of Language and Linguistics. I’m an avid language learner… or at least used to be, until I settled into a permanent teaching post, had a kid and somehow did not have the time or inclination to learn languages for a number of years. But this changed about a year and a half ago, when, pretty much out of the blue, I started to learn Chinese.
This story follows along with my language learning, from knowing near to nothing about Chinese to being able to speak the language.
Many people have asked me how language learning works. What works for me. Why their efforts don’t seem to pay off. Is it just me as a linguist, having a natural talent for language learning? Or is there another secret that will miraculously transform your learning into a fun experience, without too much pressure and with great results in that you will be able to speak the language?
Listen in! This podcast is made for you. Maybe you have or are intending to learn a language yourself. Or you are interested in Chinese. Perhaps you are merely interested in the process of learning itself. I hope my story will inspire you to pick up a language and enjoy the learning process! 加油！
About me: I’m a professor of Language and Linguistics at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. I have worked on many languages, in particular in the Amazon (for example, I’ve written a grammar of Mosetén, Bolivia). I’m also fascinated by the language of bilinguals and language learners – how two or more languages can influence each other. Check out the bilingual Chinese/English podcast I’m hosting with my friend GiGi Apple Spotify 小宇宙 WordPress