How U.S. Military Linguists Learn Languages Fast

DLI isn't the only intensive 3-letter language school. See how Mormon missionaries learn languages fast at the MTC 👉🏼 https://youtu.be/Ox6MdRTc0yE

The quickest path to learning a language is total immersion. It is paramount that you ONLY speak the target language. You CANNOT use your native tongue. Remember, the greatest obstacle to learning a language is already knowing one.

Having studied Russian, Japanese, and Korean, I can't imagine having to learn any of those in 64 weeks. Very impressed with anyone who can stick out something like that.

One of my uncles grew up in the Bronx, he spoke English, Italian, and some Yiddish...In WWII he ended working as an interpreter in North Africa and Sicily, he then learned German, then Japanese, then Korean.....and after 20+ years in the US Army he learned Vietnamese. He had a remarkable ability to pickup on languages.

"7 hours of class a day, 2 hours of homework, and an hour of study, five days a week" Yeah I don't care what "technique" they're using to learn... the time spent is probably the biggest factor.

Elle is my daughter! She loves everything Korean and enjoyed her experiences there. I got to visit her while she was stationed in South Korea; it's a wonderful place. Great video!

I studied Italian and on making my first trip to Italy. I was traveling on a train to Rome, when a Japanese girl entered my train compartment and asked me a question in Italian…it was my very first time actually speaking Italian in Italy…I answered her…and we went on to have a great conversation together in a language that was not our own native languages. I will never forget how amazing that felt…the world changed in my mind!!!

As a former LDS missionary and US military veteran that studied at DLI, I can attest that the language courses are intense and effective if you apply yourself and have some skills.

One of my highschool teachers was in this program for spanish. The way he described it was insane, it sounded so so rigorous. He learned spanish entirely in like six months

I studied German at DLI in the late Eighties. Here was their secret: daily testing and assessment. They’d give you lessons, tons of homework, and a test every morning on the previous day’s work. For us Air Force troops, anything under an 88 was a failing grade. Imagine a school where a “B” is a failing grade! If you failed two days in a row, you washed out. If that happened, they made you a cook or another career. Motivation was high! Throughout the course, they cranked the rigor. At first, they’d give you 50 vocabulary words to memorize daily. By the end of the course, it was 300 words to memorize DAILY! The DLI prepared me to get through college and grad school.

My dad was almost fluent in Arabic by the time he came back from jordan, he was there for a year and a half. He has some of the language but he can still have a deep conversation with his Jordanian friends in Arabic. It’s really impressive, not a lot of people expect a Mexican guy to speak more Arabic then Spanish.

I learned Spanish quickly by moving to Costa Rica and finding a girlfriend. I moved in with her family and I was fluent in a couple months. Everyone in town was shocked. Now I surprise Spanish speaking people in the states all the time by striking up a conversation in Spanish. I miss Costa Rica, it's a beautiful country with lots of awesome people.

I wish a school like this was available for civililians

Military specialist and technical training is absolutely insane. They manage to teach several years worth of knowledge in a couple months.

In the early 80’s I had a girlfriend who joined the Air Force as a linguist. After basic training she spent 6 months at Lackland AFB in Texas doing a full immersion Russian course. For 6 months they spent 5 days per week on a section of the base where she said they were only allowed to speak Russian from day one. They were forced to learn Russian just to function.

My military son went to the DLI to learn a language straight out of Basic Training. Now, five years later he is back at the DLI learning another language (they needed more linguists and he volunteered). I went to Language Day in 2019 and it was an incredible experience! The DLI opens its doors to the public only one day a year (unfortunately I can’t go this year because it’s on a work day). There is native music and dance, poetry readings in different languages, food trucks with many different cuisines of the world…the students get to show some of what they are learning and it felt like a celebration all day! If you ever have the opportunity to go, don’t miss it!

In brief: The video is about the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, California, where the US military trains its personnel in foreign languages. The DLI offers an intensive language learning program that lasts between 36 to 64 weeks, depending on the complexity of the language. The video provides an in-depth look at the training process, the daily schedule, and the experiences of the students. Here's a summary of the main points: 1. **Admission**: To qualify for the linguist job in the military, candidates must pass the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB), a test that assesses their ability to learn new languages. The test is based on a made-up language to ensure fairness. 2. **Language Assignment**: After basic training, recruits are assigned a language based on their test scores and the military's current needs. They don't necessarily get to choose the language they want to learn. 3. **Training**: The training is extremely intensive. Students spend up to a year and a half immersed in their chosen language. The instruction is initially in English, but as students progress, teachers use less English and eventually switch to teaching entirely in the target language. 4. **Instructors**: The instructors are either civilian native speakers or highly educated military language instructors. They come from over 90 countries. 5. **Classroom Experience**: Classes are held from Monday to Friday, with six hours of language learning each day. The course is divided into three semesters, each focusing on a different theme such as history, geography, or culture. The instruction includes grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension work. 6. **Self-Study**: Students are expected to do a lot of self-study, including memorizing vocabulary words, making recordings of themselves speaking the language, and transcribing recordings. 7. **Immersion**: The DLI has an isolation immersion facility where students can live for up to three days, interacting in an environment where only their new language is understood. They also have simulations to prepare them for real-world situations. 8. **Assessment**: To graduate, students must reach level two, which means being able to understand the gist of a conversation or accurately pick out facts from a news broadcast. Some jobs require a higher level of understanding. 9. **Advice**: The video ends with advice from former students, who emphasize the importance of finding something to love about the language and appreciating the unique opportunity to learn a language intensively. The video also mentions some resources available to the public, including the Global Language Online Support System (GLOSS) and a practice DLAB test available on Amazon.

These videos about how different groups of people learn languages are so interesting, I'm really enjoying this series!

I learned the Czech language in 1985 at DLI. My sister and I eventually flew to the Czech Republic. I was shocked when the Czechs understood what I was saying! It was wonderful.

Let’s just agree that the Army has ways of teaching things quickly given sufficient motivation. I remember PT swimming at basic training. The PTI said “raise your hand if you can’t swim” a couple of people raised their hands. He said “in one hour you will be able to swim”. And he was right.