813. Language Learning is a Voyage of Discovery / Steve Kaufmann Interview

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

Luke Thompson

Learning, London, Accent, Language, Pronunciation, Uk, Vocabulary, Teaching, Listening, Podcast, Learn, Education, Language Learning, Comedy, Grammar, British, Speaker

4.7 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 22 February 2023

⏱️ 76 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Steve Kaufmann is a very prolific language learner. He has learned at least 20 languages to varying degrees during his life. Some of them he learned during his career as an international diplomat and businessman, and others he has learned during his (semi) retirement. In this interview Steve talks about his language learning experiences, methods and motivations. We talk about various metaphors and similes for language learning including ocean voyages 🚢, cows 🐮, skiing ⛷ and cutting grass🏡 and and I ask Steve about cross-cultural experiences he has had during his career.

There is a video version on YouTube but only the audio version contains my intro and ending rambles about getting my hair cut and how you need to remember that you're a baby cow-shark on skis 🐄🦈🎿😅.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Luke's English podcast. For more information,
0:07.2	visit teacherloop.co.uk.uk.uk.uk. UK. Okay. I just had a haircut I know you're fascinated to know this I just had a haircut and so I'm feeling
0:29.8	all sort of fresh and new with my hair at a reasonable length again. It always
0:36.2	makes me feel a bit better after I've had my hair cut and just feel a bit more
0:40.3	presentable or something and also I can now feel the air on the on the very
0:45.8	back of my neck which is quite a nice feeling okay but also I'm feeling
0:51.1	because as you know I live in France right and so obviously when I go and get a haircut I have to do that in French I have to get my haircut in French which means that you that I have to have conversation with the
1:05.8	hairdresser, with the guy who cuts my hair, I have to talk to him in French.
1:10.1	And this does kind of relate to the topic of this episode by the way, which is a conversation with Steve Kaufman today.
1:17.0	He's not my hairdresser.
1:19.0	No, Steve Kaufman is my guest in the episode today and Steve is a polyglot.
1:27.9	He speaks lots and lots of different languages and that's kind of what he does. He learns languages and he learns them well.
1:35.6	Okay, but anyway back to my hairdresser appointment from this afternoon.
1:41.6	So yes I have to make conversation in French during my haircut
1:47.7	while I'm having my haircut I have to chat away to the headdresser. Now it takes me about 30 minutes to get my haircut.
1:56.5	It's not very long, but still that's enough time. And if you are a long-term listener to this podcast you'll know how I feel about getting my haircut.
2:05.6	First of all I find it a bit awkward and uncomfortable and secondly I have to speak French and so it's like an awkward situation made even more awkward by the fact that I suddenly feel like I can't escape, you know, I just have to speak French and sometimes that can be
2:27.2	I don't know a little bit embarrassing this is complicated obviously it's
2:32.4	this is my own personal struggle
2:36.5	But you know what it's like when you're trying to speak another language.
2:39.5	Sometimes you just feel a bit shy so that's kind of the way it is for me in French. But today
2:46.2	I'm actually quite pleased with myself because I managed to maintain the conversation for about 30
	...

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