Episode 71: A Beginner Goes to Italy and Wonders: Why Learn a Language?

In this episode of Hear You Go for intermediate and advanced English language learners, I take you with me as I connect the TED Talk by linguist John McWhorter to my 2½-week language experiment in Italy.

Can I tell you how often I felt like my head was going to explode?!

In this three-part episode, I:

• unpack McWhorter’s four compelling reasons to learn a language
• share my real-world Italian wins and stumbles, and
• reflect on what this experience taught me about learning, teaching, and recommitting to French

Wherever you are on your language journey, this episode might make you pause and ask: Why am I learning a language—and what do I want from it? We probably don’t ask ourselves this question enough, right?

Bonus: travel vicariously through me as I share some remarkable moments from a special trip.

As always, I’ll note some useful intermediate/advanced language (B1/C1 Intermediate & Advanced English) along the way.

Hear You Go English language listening podcasts aim to give you, the intermediate English language learner and advanced English language learner, a space to practice your English listening so that you can think, learn, and connect in English.

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