Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann · Steve Kaufmann

Grammar drills won’t make you fluent. Here’s what will

·11 min·1 clip

Steve Kaufmann describes noticing changing suffixes in inflected languages as a jigsaw puzzle that naturally triggers curiosity.

Steve Kaufmann challenges Richard Schmidt's noticing hypothesis, arguing that language acquisition relies more on natural, subconscious noticing through massive input rather than deliberate effort. He explains how the brain naturally recognizes patterns in pronunciation, word boundaries, and grammar over time, using personal examples from learning languages like Russian and Finnish.

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