05英语编者按：当你决定要学习一种新的语言，你得明白，从初学到掌握，这将是一个漫长的过程。有时你会因为语法过于复杂而想将它弃之不顾，有时你又会因为能够用这种语言表达自己的想法而感到欣喜若狂。一般来说，学习一门新的语言，都会经过以下这10个阶段：
The time has come: you’ve decided to learn a new language! Whether it’s your first adventure into this realm or you’re already a veteran in the area of foreign languages, the path to your goal always follows the same steps. So don’t worry if you sometimes want to throw it all away, or when, after finally understanding those confusing rules, you realize that in reality you’ve still got a long way to go. Errare humanum est said our old friends from Rome: (“to err is human”), and it happens to everyone. The secret is to keep at it. And it’s exactly this persistence that will help you reach that final, longed-for step: triumph.
1. Enthusiasm
积极热情
It always starts like this… Whether you did it for fun or necessity, you probably struck out on this path with good intentions, high motivation and a spectacular fireworks show of new insights. A good start is half the battle!
开始的时候总是这样的，不管你是出于兴趣还是出于需要，学习新语言的时候你都是满心好奇，充满兴致。不管怎么说，好的开始就已经成功了一半了呀！
2. Obsession
沉迷其中
Then comes the brief period in which it seems like your entire existence revolves around the effort to penetrate this new language and culture. I don’t know if that’s ever happened to you, but it’s always that way for me. When I learned French, everything I did had to shimmer with Parisian elegance. It was around this time that my wardrobe filled up with striped shirts and my interest in French authors and directors grew to unprecedented heights. Do you find that excessive? Maybe, but I learned French - and that’s what it’s all about!!
有那么一段时间，你会完全沉溺于新的语言及其所属的文化中。我不知道你是否有这种感觉，但是我经历过。当我开始学习法语后不久，我的生活中到处都充斥着法式优雅，我的衣柜里都是条纹衬衫，我的书架上都是法国作家和导演的作品。你觉得这有些夸张？可能吧，但我要学的不只是法语，还有一切与法语有关的事！
3. Discomfort
略有不安
在狂热阶段过去之后，才是语言学习的真正开始。在这时，第一道障碍出现了，你开始感到不安，因为你发现你没有办法记住你所学的新知识，你记不住那些单词，更别提那些动词形式了。在这个阶段，你会发现学习的动力开始消失了。
After the manic phase is over, the time comes for the actual language learning to begin. And it’s exactly at this point that the first setbacks emerge. You’ll first be overcome with a feeling of sheer panic… because nothing you learn seems to stay in your memory. The words seem so different than anything familiar to you and you can’t make any connection between them. Not to mention the many verb forms. It’s at this stage that you’ll feel the temptation to simply disappear and leave it all behind.
4. Shyness
羞于开口
We all know that the key to fast progress when learning a language is practice – preferably with a native speaker. Sounds easy. But putting this knowledge into practice is something totally different. In truth we’re all incurably shy, and it’s hard for us to get past ourselves and show our vulnerable sides. The secret is to always ask yourself, “What could happen if I make a mistake?” The answer: nothing terrible!
我们都知道“熟能生巧”是语言学习的必经之途，尤其是和以该种语言为母语的人交流。但是这并不容易，因为这意味着要想别人展示自己的不足之处。每当这时候，你可以问问自己：“如果我说错了会发生什么？”然后回答：“总不会发生坏事。”
5. Lack of Understanding
缺乏理解
It usually goes something like this: you’ve finally found the courage to jump in the deep end. You’ve rehearsed everything you want to say over and over in your head and even practiced in front of the mirror so you look as cool as possible when you say it. You finally get the opportunity to use your knowledge on the lady at the register, on a passerby or on the waiter at the restaurant. You already imagine emerging from your conversation bursting with pride. But what happens instead? After listening to your well-thought-out sentence with a big smile, your conversation partner answers and… you don’t understand a thing!
好了，你终于鼓气勇气要开口了。你已经在脑海中预演了无数遍你要说的话，也对着镜子练习了好几遍，你觉得已经万无一失了。你找到机会和外国人交流，当你充满自信、面带微笑的说出你想说的话，你却发现······你听不懂对方的回答！
6. Frustration
挫折
Now comes a truly critical phase. “How can it be?” you ask yourself sadly. “I’ve been learning this language for months and don’t understand a thing when someone speaks to me. I have absolutely no talent for languages. That’s it! I’m done!”
“怎么会这样！”你满脑子都是这种难过的想法。“我已经学了好几个月了，我却听不懂他们讲的一句话！看来我是没有语言天赋了。够了，我不干了！”
7. Revelation
新发现
And then something magical happens. It happens unexpectedly when you’ve given up all hope: suddenly you understand! Everything seems to be in order and you no longer have thoughts of trying to escape when asking a random stranger something on the street. Off you go! It’s all downhill from here!
然后奇迹发生了。就在你要放弃希望的时候你突然发现：你能听懂了！接下来一切都顺理成章，你不再逃避和外国人交流，在大街上随便找个人说话也没问题。从这里开始，一切都变得容易了！
8. Excitement
兴奋
At this point you’re suddenly sociable and your shyness is all but gone. You talk and talk and aren’t afraid of anything. Isn’t it great? Just don’t let go of the reins now, because there always lurks the danger of…
这时你就抛开害羞，乐于交际了。你滔滔不绝，无所畏惧，这看起来挺好的，但是千万别就此变成一匹脱缰的野马，因为危机无处不在。
9. Embarrassment
尴尬
You feel so safe that no one and nothing can stop you. And it’s exactly at this point that the most embarrassing – but also funniest – things happen. A falsely-used word, one verb in the place of another, a saying that actually doesn’t exist in that language. But have no fear: you learn from your mistakes, and this is how you progress along the way.
你觉得万无一失，于是你勇往直前，这时往往会发生一些尴尬又有趣的事情——用词不当、乱用熟语······但是不要因此胆怯，吃一堑长一智，你将由此获得进步。
10. Triumph!
获得成功！
It’s done: the new language doesn’t hold any more secrets from you. You understand everything and can speak without difficulty. You can even laugh at the mistakes that just a short time ago were so frustrating. Great job! As we said earlier, the most important thing is to keep at it!
这门新的语言对你来说已经不算什么了！你能听懂别人说的话，你也能流利地表达自己的想法，你甚至能对不久前让你沮丧不已的错误一笑置之。太棒了！就像我们之前说的那样，最重要的是坚持不懈！0.
