AMAZING! 13 year old polyglot speaks 20 languages

[lemme_try]

This was interesting. It is easy to be critical of her, but she is only 13. I can only commend her. She will get better. The most importantly she has the curiosity and motivation to learn the languages, if she sticks to them, I really think she might become really good at them.

On the other hand, the other guy who was interviewing the girl is a bit cringey. I don't know what is the point of being a polyglot and not being able to speak any of the foreign languages properly. Again, this is my personal opinion. Maybe his reading and his other skills are better than his oral skill. I don't know what to make of it. I hope I don't offend anybody in here.

[lavengro]

Although I wonder what language or dialect of English Wouter's L1 is that he says, and later on writes, "a water", meaning presumably "a glass of water"... I'm not familiar with this usage, and checking a few reference dictionaries it is often absent, but interestingly English Wiktionary currently includes it without a dialectal tag ("Just a water, please").

This is normal in my dialect of California English, referring to ordering a glass of water at a restaurant or getting a single prepackaged bottle of water. It would sound a bit odd for me referring to tap or filtered water in a reusable bottle or plastic cup with lid and straw, though I guess it could work. It certainly would sound unnatural to say "a water" and mean a tiny paper cup or a huge jug for home use.

This is entirely normal usage as far as I am aware in Canada. If I were in a restaurant or someone's home and were asked if I would like something to drink, on those extremely rare occasions that I did not feel like a beer I would ask for either "a water" or "some water." A glass situated around the water would be implied. I have on occasion asked for a "glass of water" but it seems unnecessary, in the same way "a plate of" seems unnecessary when ordering "a salad" (again, on those extremely rare occasions that I would eat a salad).

[Gordafarin2]

Confidence and a willingness to try can get you really far. Her Chinese is totally broken, grammar-wise, but she's trying hard to get her point across and she's not afraid to make mistakes. I'm not surprised that she learns her languages mainly conversing with people, rather than sitting in a classroom. I can feel her passion and excitement when she speaks. Even if I roll my eyes at the claim that she 'speaks' 20 languages, she's certainly inspiring me to get out and use my languages even if I don't speak perfectly.

[bedtime]

I cannot take any polyglot's video (or whoever posted it) seriously when it's an interview that has been cut every 20 seconds—just be honest and show the whole thing.

As for her speaking 20 languages, that's simply not true. The title might be better suited as, 13 year old learning 20 languages. As it stands, I feel a little cheated by the title.

Chances are that the poster of that video chose the clickbait route. Obviously, it was effective.

She is no doubt an exceptionally bright kid with a great talent; but, unfortunately, I see her as being used as a pawn to get views. Perhaps I'm mistaken.

[Querneus]

That was fun. She obviously has a special talent. Don't be so critical of her; she is only 13.

Yeah. I wrote my post with some concern of not trying to come off as too critical. She'll get much better, if she wants to, as tarvos said. I appreciate her enthusiasm, and reminds me of a certain (Chinese-Canadian) Mandarin learner I once met who would come to a certain conversation group every week and was very excited to talk and practise whatever basic Mandarin he had by that day, who I also found very inspiring.

On the other hand, the other guy who was interviewing the girl is a bit cringey. I don't know what is the point of being a polyglot and not being able to speak any of the foreign languages properly. Again, this is my personal opinion. Maybe his reading and his other skills are better than his oral skill. I don't know what to make of it. I hope I don't offend anybody in here.

I'm so used to seeing this with YouTube polyglots I don't think much of it anymore. I do remember writing some angry rants around 2009-2010 about a few of them though... I didn't, and don't, think it matters if they know a bunch of languages rather superficially, but I'd see them claiming they spoke them well when they didn't, or have the gall of posting lessons while admitting they had only studied them for a month, or come to language forums saying they spoke 10, 20, 30 languages at B2 or better when they clearly didn't. I found it very annoying at the time, but nowadays I just find it bizarre and unfortunate.

Please note I'm talking about the guys I ranted about around 2009. I have no idea who Wouter is. He doesn't come off as great at speaking in that video at least, but I have no idea how skilled he actually claims to be anyway.

This is entirely normal usage as far as I am aware in Canada. If I were in a restaurant or someone's home and were asked if I would like something to drink, on those extremely rare occasions that I did not feel like a beer I would ask for either "a water" or "some water." A glass situated around the water would be implied. I have on occasion asked for a "glass of water" but it seems unnecessary, in the same way "a plate of" seems unnecessary when ordering "a salad" (again, on those extremely rare occasions that I would eat a salad).

It's wonderful how I can live here for so many years and not hear it, or not notice it... Usually I just hear the likes of "I'd like water" (bare mass noun) or "I'd like some more water" (with "some").

[lavengro]

... Usually I just hear the likes of "I'd like water" (bare mass noun) or "I'd like some more water" (with "some").

Yep, I use both of those as well.

[tarvos]

my $0.02 on the water thing is that they're both ok.

As for Wouter I don't think he speaks anything at a high level, but I think he used his languages as a tourist guide and a salesman so most of his languages are oral skill-based.

And you guys should encourage the girl, not demean her - she's got an active mind and she's willing to learn. We're not all Anna Karenina-reading nerds with horn-rimmed glasses

[kelvin921019]

I think it's impressive that anyone can hold a conversation in 20 languages, and it's even more impressive for a 13 year old girl to do so. I won't be critical about his/her language because in the end we all as language learner make mistakes regardless of our proficiency. Frankly, her mandarin (the only language I can comment on) can 100% be comprehended by a native Chinese and her pronunciation is pretty good (even better than me ).

I always think that the language learning community are generally supportive and positive. It would undesirable if it turns into a very critical or toxic environment.

[ninuno]

reminds me of the timothy doner kid

[Bombonera]

As Frederick Bodmer wrote in "The Loom of Language"... " Most of us could learn languages more easily if we could learn to forgive our own linguistic trespasses."
This is where young Cameron scores very well and I for one, am trying to draw some inspiration from her in that regard.