The Science of Language Archives | The Pimsleur Language Blog https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/category/science-of-language/ Learning another language doesn't have to be hard. Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:23:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8 English Phonemes: Mastering the Sounds of English https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/english-speech-sounds-phonemes/ Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:38:07 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=27117 If you’re a native English speaker and trying to learn a new language, learning about English phonemes is an ideal way – and a somewhat unconventional method – to help you acquire most other languages. Phonemes, or sounds, help establish a baseline understanding of how words are formed and assist with pronunciation and other aspects Read More >>

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]]> 54+ Easy and Effective Ways to Learn a Language https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/best-ways-to-learn-a-language/ Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:26:35 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=26638 You want to learn a language. It’s been on your bucket list for years. You’ve probably made a few attempts before, but it never went anywhere… But this time will be different. Yes, learning a language is hard. It takes a significant amount of time. And you don’t need to take a fancy (and expensive) language course Read More >>

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]]> New Year’s Resolution – Learn a Language This Year https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/2021-new-years-language-resolutions/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/2021-new-years-language-resolutions/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2020 19:25:14 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=23327 Yes, I know: You always make New Year’s resolutions, but you only actually stick with them until February. So what’s the point? Well, it turns out that even though many of the people that make resolutions end up not keeping them, one study suggests that almost 50% do continue to keep their resolution after 6 Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/2021-new-years-language-resolutions/feed/ 2 Fail Your Way to Success: The 5 Best—and Worst—Language Mistakes to Make https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-mistakes-to-make/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-mistakes-to-make/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2020 13:05:45 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=21554 Why You Need to Make Mistakes to Learn a Language Making Language Mistakes Can be Painful  I’ve lived in Brazil for over a year now, and I still feel embarrassed when I forget how to say, “It was nice to meet you.” in Portuguese. I regularly try to tell stories to my friends and find Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/language-mistakes-to-make/feed/ 2 12 Life-Changing Benefits of Learning a Language https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/get-smarter-what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-learn-a-language/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/get-smarter-what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-learn-a-language/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:56:59 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=20141 The Extraordinary Benefits of Learning a Language Learning a language is challenging and it takes a ton of time. Years, usually. If you’ve already started learning a second language, then you know how much effort it takes. At times it can feel like pushing a jeep up a hill. According to the US Foreign Service Institute, learning even the “easiest” Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/get-smarter-what-happens-to-your-brain-when-you-learn-a-language/feed/ 1 Want to stop saying “Bon-Jer”? How To Improve Your Pronunciation https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/improve-pronunciation-accent/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/improve-pronunciation-accent/#comments Fri, 02 Oct 2020 20:37:35 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=19679 It’s Okay to Have an Accent There’s a very specific feeling of shame I get when I say something in Portuguese to a Brazilian, and they can’t understand me. I have even occasionally had someone say to me: I don’t understand you… can you say it in English? These moments make you feel like curling Read More >>

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]]> https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/improve-pronunciation-accent/feed/ 3 The World’s Most Unusual Languages https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/worlds-most-unusual-languages/ Tue, 29 Sep 2020 14:59:44 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=19464 How Many Languages are Spoken in the World Today? The answer is probably more than you think: there are around 7,000 languages in use today. The exact number is difficult to count because so many are spoken in isolated, difficult-to-reach areas, or only spoken by a diminishing number of elders in minority groups. Amongst these Read More >>

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]]> What Part of No Don’t You Understand? Origins of the Word “No” https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/origins-of-the-word-no/ Mon, 14 Sep 2020 15:27:33 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=19227 The Etymology & Origins of the Word “No” Around the World Every language has a word for it. Some have many. Let’s explore the origins and meaning of no. In English, the word no dates back to Middle English and means “not in any degree, not at all, not ever.” Though it’s a short word with only two Read More >>

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]]> Order From Tragedy: Roget and The Origin Of The First Thesaurus https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/history-rogets-thesaurus/ Thu, 27 Aug 2020 14:56:35 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=18754 Beautiful Tools Borne Out of Less Beautiful Circumstances – Peter Mark Roget (1779-1869) Peter Mark Roget was a remarkable man. A lexicographer whose invention has helped almost everyone who speaks English at some point or another. Don’t believe us? You’ll almost definitely have used an item he created. There may even be one on your Read More >>

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]]> Want to Learn Faster? Design an At Home Language Immersion Program https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/at-home-language-immersion-study/ https://www.pimsleur.com/blog/at-home-language-immersion-study/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2020 17:18:57 +0000 https://blog.pimsleur.com/?p=18547 How to Create an At Home Language Learning Study Plan I am a language teacher. One of the most common complaints I hear from language students is that they can’t seem to make progress. They feel stuck. But when I ask them how they are studying, they tell me they are using a free language Read More >>

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