Knowledge of African languages is the gateway to wisdom. We will give you some tips on how to learn Bantu, Niger-Congo, Afro-Asian and Indo-European Creole languages.
Be open to the world
An African language is a language spoken in West Africa, Central Africa and South Africa. Africa is a continent rich in linguistic diversity. There are about 1500 languages in Africa, but only a few are really spoken: Afrikaans, Arabic, Amharic, Lingala, Somali, Swahili, Yoruba and Zulu. These few languages are gathered into four major language families.
Learning languages is an invaluable treasure. Learning an African language helps one learn more about one’s history as an Afro-descendant. It allows you to connect with people from other countries and obtain career opportunities. Opening your horizon to an African language puts things in perspective.
Increase your cognitive abilities
Learning a language requires a lot of patience and discipline. It is important to try to memorize a few basic words and greetings to start. The ears and tongue can begin to get used to the sound and rhythm of the dialect.
Each language has its own construction, so stop comparing yourself to your native language. Take an active approach from the beginning of your learning. Speaking and writing, even when you only know ten sentences, builds confidence.
Immerse yourself
Knowing several idioms gives you great mental dexterity and counteracts age-related mental problems. Regularly switching from one language to another is an intense mental stimulation that contributes to the proper development of the brain. That’s why you should practice your new language in the country where it is spoken.
So the best way to learn a language is to travel. If you have the opportunity, try staying with a local or being an au pair. Daily interaction will make you progress faster. It is normal to have difficulties at first. You need to send signals to your brain that you are in a language learning process.
As you can see, our brain needs stimuli. Favor simulation exercises, oral dialogues and games with words to activate the areas dedicated to languages. The immersive approach remains the best learning method.
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