Can You Learn a New Language by Watching TV?
I used to know this Chinese kid named Calvin Lee.
Apparently, he was the only one in his immediate family who could speak English.
His household had his mom, dad, and grandparents.
If they couldn’t speak English, then who taught him?
He said he taught himself.
He read a lot of books and eventually learned.
But how was he able to read those books at all?
Don’t you need some basic English skills to read basic English?
It seemed like one of those chicken vs egg scenarios.
What came first?
He never gave a clear response.
He just swore that books taught him English.
And he spoke well too.
I believed him.
He taught me that media can sneak into your vocabulary.
How Much Influence Does Media Have on Your Vocabulary?
To understand the role that media has on our vocabulary, we must look at what’s cool.
I was once watching this podcast where 2 hosts were trying to convince the girl guest to start an OnlyFans.
Since she was a Christian girl, she didn’t feel right starting an OnlyFans.
The hosts pushed back.
They said:
‘You already post revealing photos on the internet. Why not make more money by posting the same content on OnlyFans?’
She said that she didn’t want her brand being associated with OnlyFans.
However, the hosts kept pushing back.
Their central argument was, “you need to seal the bag.”
The literal meaning of a “bag” is a container that you put things in.
However, there was also a cultural definition of a bag.
Get your money.
Bag represents money.
In basketball, bag has an alternate definition.
A bag is a series of go to moves that the offensive player does to rattle the defensive player.
Where the heck are you going to find out that bag has alternate meanings??
Will a dictionary ever write “getting the bag” means getting more money?
No!
That’s where media comes in.
Media is what I call a secondary dictionary.
It has the power to control the tongue.
Can You Use the Media to Learn a New Language?
I believe the answer is yes.
I’ve learned basic English from watching media growing up.
I spoke Bangla first and English second.
The show that helped me learn basic English was Everybody Loves Raymond.
Since Everybody Loves Raymond had a laugh track, I’d also see how certain sentences were meant for comedic purposes.
I saw the informal usages of language vs literal usages.
I can’t talk about scientific studies.
But from anecdotal experience, watching TV was a seamless way to learn a new language.
There is a caveat though.
I didn’t only rely on the TV.
The TV was a complement.
Meaning that I also took classes, read books, and learned the basics…
Then the TV made it come all together!
I get messages for people every now and then on Twitter where they’ll say:
‘I watch your YouTube channel to learn how to express my ideas. Hearing you helps with my English.’
I believe watching content is a lot like moving to a new country.
You’re immersing yourself with the new language.
When you immerse yourself, soon, your brain begins thinking in a new way.
A Downside to Consuming Media
The downside to consuming media to learn a language is that you may adopt bad habits.
I see a lot of guys from India who move to the US for the first time and try to act like the “cool guy.”
It’s clear that they watched a lot of TV shows of the “cool guy” and now are trying to act like them to seek approval.
The cool guy archetype is fine on a TV show.
But when someone acts like that in real life, they come off as corny.
When you solely rely on TV content to learn the language, you will do more harm than good.
Occasionally, I see girls who come to the US looking like deformed Kardashians.
They watched a lot of Keeping Up with the Kardashians and now in their mind, plastic surgery & excessive makeup are the “cool” things to do.
They try to become someone they are not.
Media has a lot of power.
A lot of content has outlier moments from culture.
Like viral moments, fringe ideas, and out of norm occurrences.
Content can switch your identity if you lack self-worth.
How to Consume Media to Learn a New Language
The best thing to do is to keep studying the new language as you already are.
Where you are doing exercises from workbooks, taking a class, and learning new words.
Understand the basics.
Once you have a grasp of the basics, consume the content without any subtitles.
Force yourself to understand what they are saying.
You will be lost in the beginning.
This will make you tempted to turn on the subtitles.
Don’t!
Just keep consuming the content without subtitles.
- Understand the body language of the actors.
- The facial expressions.
- Which words do you understand?
Soon, you’ll start getting a firm grasp of what is being said.
They say that you learned a new language once you can dream in it.
Keep learning, my friend.
One day, your dreams may surprise you.
Consuming Content
There are upsides and downsides to using TV to learn a new language.
The upsides are:
- You’ll pick up new lingo.
- It’s easier than simply reading a book and doing dry exercises.
- You immerse yourself in a new world.
The downsides are:
- You can easily shift your identity for the worst.
- Adopt sloppy language habits.
I believe the pros outweigh the cons.
When learning a new language, it’s smart to watch occasional shows, talk shows, and cartoons in that language.
Watch it without the subtitles.
Put your phone in a different room.
Initially, nothing will make sense.
Over time, you’ll understand the basic storyline.
When you understand the basics, it becomes easier to build from there.
For more insights into media literacy, check out the ArmaniTalks Free Daily Newsletter
– ArmaniTalks 
