Introduction
Learning any language can be difficult, although some non-native English speakers say that English is an especially difficult language to learn, partly because there are so many idioms, colloquial expressions and words that apparently have no logical root, and many words that have different meanings (and sometimes pronunciations) dependent on their context.
This research paper intends to explain why reading is an important part of the process of learning English as a second language; why extensive reading in English will not only help reinforce learning achieved by other means, but will clarify issues of common usage, and – by seeing words and expressions used in context, can even correct mistaken ideas arising from previous learning (e.g. from text books).
The Research
Wheeler (2002) provided numerous examples of multiple meanings and pronunciations of words in an article entitled “Reasons Why the English Language is Hard to Learn” in which he used examples from works by Richard Lederer.
- Words that are spelt the same but have different meanings and pronunciations:
- We have to polish the Polish woodwork. In this sentence, polish is the verb meaning to give a shine to a surface, and Polish is an adjective meaning something associated with the country of Poland.
- The main role of the farm was to produce produce. The first instance of produce is the verb meaning to create or manufacture; the second is the collective noun for the fruits or vegetables grown.
- Words that seem to have no logical meaning that could be derived by just looking at the word, or words that don’t follow rules:
- Eggplant. A common name for the aubergine – which has no connection with eggs.
- If the plural of goose is geese, should not the plural of moose be meese?
- Whilst apparently meaning the same, a wise man and a wise guy mean totally different things.
- Why does your nose run, but your feet smell?
According to Wheeler, the reason for all these quirks of the English language is that the English language “was invented by people, not computers” although that surely must apply to most languages, so hardly seems valid in distinguishing English from other languages. However, the examples given above are just a few of many that do indeed make English that much more difficult to learn.
But that is where reading can help. When words appear in the text of a book, the context will more often than not clarify the particular meaning. For instance, if a sentence describes an outdoors scene and states that there was a stiff, cold wind, the reader would understand that the word wind described a feature of the weather (a noun), and was not the verb wind (as in reeling in a rope or a fishing line, for example). If the word is unknown to the reader, consulting a dictionary should explain the meaning, selecting the right one from multiple meanings by again considering the context in the text being read. Of course there will be times when the context may not adequately clarify the meaning. There was an actual incidence that comes to mind concerning a friend (American) reading a UK English novel. Because the context within the story did not perfectly clarify the meaning of the word lorry (UK English for the American word truck), she somehow concluded that lorry was another word for mountain. So there will be exceptions – situations where the context alone will not provide the meaning of a word. On the other hand, the context will clarify the meanings in the great majority of cases.
When we talk about reading in terms of using it to learn English, the word reading can be interpreted in different ways. Quietly reading text (a newspaper, a book, text on a TV or computer screen) is an excellent way of becoming familiar with new words, sentence construction, and so on. You can go back over unfamiliar words or phrases to try to grasp the meanings better. Another style of reading would be reading aloud, e.g. in front of a class in school or college. In that instance, the emphasis is more likely to be on correct pronunciation of the words being read, rather than learning new words, and receiving real-time correction of errors from a teacher or professor. The same process could also be followed by classmates working in pairs, taking it in turns to read and to offer corrective advice. Just as in any language learning, frequent practice is one of the keys to success.
According to an article entitled “How to Learn English Well” (n.d.), A good way to improve your English by reading is to read with a dictionary and notebook to hand, writing down new words and their meanings to help retain them in memory. The same article does advise exercising selectivity in choice of reading material, in accordance with your level as a student of English. For example, while newspapers may be a good choice for advanced level students, simpler texts such as children’s books will be easier to follow for students at an earlier stage of learning. It also suggests not stopping to look up the meaning of every unknown word, but instead to first read the whole piece to gain a general understanding, then return to consider the unknown words in more detail. This is where using the context may help as discussed earlier, including determining whether the unknown word is a noun, a verb or an adjective, etc.
Kowalczyk, a Polish citizen from Wroclaw, published an article “The importance of reading and listening” (n.d.). According to him, “Speaking in any language is all about imitating other people. You want to be able to speak like native speakers do.” He compared speaking in one’s own native language when words, sentences and grammar come naturally – because they are already there in your experience and your memory – with trying to speak a foreign language (e.g. English) fluently. The answer to the latter is, he stated, by using the same technique as used when you learned your own language; “by massive input.”
As far as increasing fluency is concerned, Kowalczyk advised against so-called speed-reading, pointing out that whilst that is a useful technique in reading in one’s own language to gain an overview of the text and its content, reading as part of language learning requires a more considered approach, so that each sentence can be analyzed for grammar and for any useful new expressions or sentence constructions. This is also a good way to acquire knowledge of idiomatic expressions and colloquialisms.
Just as in the previous article discussed, Kowalczyk discussed what a language learner should read. He stressed that the most important factor is that it is content that holds a particular interest for you, mentioning that he used to read “Disney comics in English.” He also stressed that the selected reading should be something you find enjoyable; discard anything you find boring.
Conclusions
Works Cited:
“How to Learn English Well.” (n.d.). English Language Centres. Web. 9 May 2013.
Kowalczyk, P. (n.d.). “The importance of reading and listening.” Web. 9 May 2013.
Wheeler, K. (2002). “Reasons Why the English Language is Hard to Learn.” Carson Newman College. Web. 8 May 2013.
