Movies are the perfect springboard to learn foreign languages. The fact is that the cinema is the best teacher you can find. Imagine that you want to learn more about Italian temperament, German pragmatism, or Mexican hospitality. By choosing a movie or TV series, you can dive into the ocean of knowledge. The fact is that learning a language is a very complex and multi-stage process.
If you rely on classic tutorials and encyclopedias, you will not think like a native speaker. You should use word forms or idioms that sometimes don’t make sense when roughly translated. That is why cinema is the best way to boost your language skills. But how exactly can movies and TV shows improve your vocabulary? Here are a few tricks that all beginners should use.
Subtitles Are Your Friend
Usually, films broadcast the style of communication that is accepted in certain countries. If you use subtitles, it will be easier to remember the meaning of certain words and expressions. In fairness, you can even play each part of the movie multiple times to remember accents, intonation, and even gestures. The fact is that all these aspects are extremely important, and you will surely cause a stir among native speakers if you can perfectly copy their manner of speaking.
Break It Up Into Chunks
Do you find it difficult to understand the meaning of any scene or dialogue? Or do you not have time to make out the words because the actors speak too fast? You can split the movie into fragments and play them as many times as you need. Sometimes long sentences can look complicated or illogical, but you can get the point in 3-4 repetitions. This tactic is great for international students who come to America and learn more about its cultural characteristics.
Imagine that you are a foreigner, and you need to write an essay about Barry Levinson’s “Good Morning, Vietnam.” Well, this is an amazing film that has become a cult classic thanks to the improvisational talent of Robin Williams. But a foreigner is unlikely to understand all the jokes he created during the radio monolog. That is why foreigners should pay attention to “essay writer help” services. The fact is that writing services like SpeedyPaper have a team of experts who can write any paper.
Let’s say your goal is an analysis essay, and you want to describe how Robin Williams used his stand-up talents in the above film. You should ask the writers to create an essay for you in such a case. Thanks to this trick, you will have an excellent paper and a visual guide with the meanings of words, cultural features, and references to the everyday life of Americans and Vietnamese in the late 60s. Surely such an essay will help you to boost your language skills.
Take Notes
Think of any film in a foreign language as an encyclopedia. Choose any fragment and watch it 2-3 times. You should take notes if you don’t understand a phrase, joke, or cultural reference. Maybe, you should buy a large notebook and divide it by topics, genres, or other criteria. By writing down each word with transcription, you will simplify the process of language integration.
Pick Your Plot
Surely you like some genres or types of films. Choose the plot that suits your language needs and study the topic that will allow you to get closer to the foreign culture. For example, you can choose a movie like “The Intouchables” to learn more about life in France and local accents. Surely you will learn more than from a classic textbook.
Monologs Can Boost Your Language Skills
Monologs are the key to understanding how Americans think and how a person after 50 looks at their lived years through the prism of experience. Find movies like Good Will Hunting or The Great Dictator and see how the actors approach their monologs. Their intonations, pauses, language tricks, and timbre will help you recognize something that you will not find even in everyday life. In addition, you can repeat the monologs you heard in front of the mirror or repeat the words while watching a movie.
It Is a Form of Language Immersion
Many people are unable to visit other countries for several reasons. But this does not mean that they are deprived of the opportunity to experience what a linguistic immersion is. Take a look at how many of the scenes in the films are constructed. Sometimes 3-5 people can participate in a conversation, and each of them has a bright personality and a slang generator. Take your time and watch each part of the movie several times. This trick will help you remember more slang words and cultural cues.
Final Words
Cinema is the key to learning more about a people, country, and language. Sometimes you need to watch a couple of dozen films to improve your language skills. Enjoy comedies, thrillers, or historical series whenever you have free time. Find a quiet place where no one can disturb you and memorize every word the actors say. Just a couple of months, you will notice how the dialogues you heard earlier will help you communicate with foreigners.
In addition to exploring the benefits of watching movies for language acquisition, you can take advantage of resources like the free ai subtitle generator from Simplified.com, which can assist you in enhancing your language skills through subtitled content.