Questions tagged [proficiency]

The ability of an individual to speak or perform in an acquired language.

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Is it possible to become fluent in pre-12th century English?

I would really like to learn to speak Old English, but it seems that spelling and pronunciation weren't exactly standardized in the early medieval times. In fact, I'm not sure we know much about Old ...
Micah Windsor's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
34k views

Difference between C1 and C2

Lovely community, what's the difference between the advanced and the proficient levels of English (or any other European language)? I have calculated the cumulative hours of my language learning: it ...
Andrew Polukhin's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
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Is it possible to archive L2 speaking skills as good as the native speakers?

First, let me restrict the scope to those who started to learn after becoming adult (about 20). Being a native Japanese, I have never met any single non-Asian who is as fluent as an average native ...
Blaszard's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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How does flow relate to language competency? Can it be taught/learned?

Psychological flow is kind of like going on autopilot, or being completely immersed in an activity, and is also related to high performance levels. I was reading about flow in music, but it reminded ...
kGdmioT's user avatar
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9 votes
5 answers
1k views

Is it possible to learn a foreign language well enough to be indistinguishable from a native speaker?

Note I don't ask if this is easy. I ask if this is possible, since it is certailny not easy. According to this Quora answer at least, it would seem it is not possible - but Quora is Quora. I am aware ...
gaazkam's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
182 views

What qualities separate those few who acquire native speaker fluency, from those who are only fluent?

Assumptions Abbreviate Native Speaker Fluency: NSF. NSF excludes L2 learners' noticeable, but insignificantly different, accent because native speakers can understand them. But NSF necessitates ...
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8 votes
3 answers
151 views

How to overcome my dread of speaking in Spanish? [duplicate]

I hope this isn't too broad of a question and I can receive some guidance because it's something that's been troubling me for years. I have been studying Spanish for 5+ years and people tell me I ...
McArthey's user avatar
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13 votes
3 answers
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How to speak faster

Background So I know plenty of Chinese words and grammar. I know loads, and due to the fantastic listening podcast SlowChinese, my listening is actually great. I'm so proud and happy. I've contacted ...
Featherball's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
356 views

Is there any language simply too difficult for non-native speakers to learn/speak?

I would like to know if any real language has ever been considered so hard to learn that acquiring decent fluency is basically an impossible task. That is, almost no non-native speaker has ever been ...
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11 votes
4 answers
335 views

How to avoid an English accent in Hebrew

I speak fairly fluent Hebrew as a second language, and I have a UK English accent. I want to know what pronunciation issues generally would be an issue for English speakers and would sound strange/be ...
Corsara's user avatar
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26 votes
3 answers
469 views

How to start thinking in a new language

I'm fairly fluent in Hebrew, to the point where I speak it intuitively, often accidentally when I intend to speak English. But I struggle to think in it. My question is, what is required to think in a ...
Corsara's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
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Technical term for aural proficiency in a language

I have encountered several individuals in the past who have a certain level of proficiency and understanding in listening to a certain language, but are on the whole unable to create and speak/write ...
Αδριανός's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
128 views

How can I advance beyond conversational proficiency while not immersed?

I lived 3 years in Mexico, and for my first 9 months there I attended daily Spanish courses. By now, I am very comfortable with conversational Spanish. But I feel I've reached a plateau. This isn't ...
Flimzy's user avatar
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12 votes
3 answers
316 views

How does the CEFRL work?

I learn languages as a hobby, so I'm not sure how "levels (A1-C2)" as seen in this question work. So how do they work?
bleh's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
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How can I gauge my readiness to start learning a third language? [closed]

Deciding whether to start a third language or continue studying L2 can be completely opinion-based. Some people think English is enough but others don't. But there are always people (For example ...
Sepideh Abadpour's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
114 views

Will having a part time or freelancing translation job affect my effort of thinking in second language?

I'm a native Persian speaker and I've been learning English since I was 11. Of course in the first years of learning, I actually had a lot of mistakes in choosing methods that I will never repeat in ...
Sepideh Abadpour's user avatar
45 votes
7 answers
3k views

How can I estimate my proficiency level (A1-C2)?

How can I find out what my CEFR1 proficiency level in a language is, without going to a testing center and paying to take a test? Are there any good resources (free tests, online tests, etc.) or ...
Numeri's user avatar
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31 votes
4 answers
4k views

How can I describe my language proficiency in an internationally recognized way?

I speak three languages to varying degrees of fluency. English is my native language. "Native fluency" is pretty easy to describe. I speak Spanish fluently, among friends and family, and in ...
Flimzy's user avatar
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