When to stop learning a language (or start again)

The Short Answer: It Depends
The Long Answer: It Depends and Never

As I mentioned in a previous article, learning language requires the correct motivation. A spoken language is different than, for example, a programming language: as a skill it cannot be effectively learned from home past the initial phases, while C++ can be. The necessity to go outside of your comfort bounds creates the need for higher levels of motivation and courage. If I make a coding mistake in C, only the computer and I will notice, but if I mispronounce something in Chinese with my friends, I might get laughed at.

Learning a language requires sustained motivation.  People often focus on starting to learn a new language and never consider when they should stop. Once that motivation tapers off, you either have to find more motivation to keep going or stop there. If you are asking yourself if you should quit, then you should really consider it.

This point can arrive at anytime during your studies. It could come very quickly, perhaps when you have just learned enough to order food, introduce yourself, and ask for directions. It might take a while longer: maybe you can have a conversation about interests and places and can write about your day in another language. For me, the motivation to learn Chinese tapered after I could finally write formal business letters, watch movies, and express my thoughts freely, but before I could understand the news completely (I’m at about 70%), talk about advanced topics without struggling (I struggle with college topics), or read a novel.

Don’t be ashamed to quit. If you are not motivated and can’t find the motivation to continue learning something, move on to something else.

How do I know when that point is?

It usually takes a while to really know, as motivation and dedication ebb and flow. Discipline keeps you going during this cycle. When you can’t remember the last time you had a flow of motivation, and discipline no longer keeps you from daydreaming while studying, it is time to consider moving on.

I reached this point about 4 months ago. About 6 months ago I still had dreams of learning Chinese to the native level, and I kept buying new materials and setting new study goals that I would never work on. I figured it was my lack of discipline that was holding me back. The truth is that it wasn’t my discipline, but rather it was my motivation. My life circumstances had changed and it was no longer time to learn language, it was time to focus on other aspects of my life.

Finally I stopped and re-examined the reasons for continuing to learn Chinese. I realized that at my current level I could already do everything that I wanted or needed to do. I passed the practical motivations as my Chinese level reached a very high point, and I had no particular interest in the news or Chinese novels. I decided that it was ok to stop actively learning and put language learning on the backburner, aka I keep a dictionary handy in case I run into something I don’t know and I left it at that.

You have to really know yourself to know when you’ve reached the stopping point, and you have to be honest. Will continuing on help you? Has your thirst for the language been quenched? Do you still have the same motivations as before, or have your life circumstances changed?

Don’t take this as a scapegoat for laziness or a lack of courage. Be honest with yourself or deep down you’ll have regrets. But don’t go too far as to believe that there is some end fluency level that you must reach before you can stop; everyone’s goals are different.

The Long Answer: It Depends and Never

Skills have to be kept up and refreshed, especially if there is a chance that you will use them again in the near future. Go back to “should I learn a language” and apply those same motivational factors to “should I review a language.” The same principles apply. However, just because you learned something before it doesn’t obligate you to should maintain it, nor is it always best. Perhaps learning that language was a good choice for that part of your life, but you’ll never use it again; it wasn’t useless and you probably learned a lot more than just a language. Is now a time to let go or a time for review?

There may come a time where your current skill in the language won’t satisfy new or upcoming circumstances. I mentioned that my current skill is higher than my previous circumstances required. Recently I decided to extend my stay in China by another 1-2 years at minimum, while before I was considering moving as early as 2009. By staying longer I will become more rooted in the country, and the language requirements are already climbing. I plan to actively root myself deeper, but that will require even higher language level – near native college level. I can feel motivation coming back, so in the next few months I will be getting back on the horse.

Language is a skill that can never be completed. Even if you have the ability to memorize every word and phrase ever used in a language, you still can’t memorize the words that haven’t been made up yet. Languages continuously evolve, so there is no magical ending point. HTML is still the base language for web design, but imagine if you stopped there 10 years ago and never bothered to learn PHP or CSS later down the road; if you came back today to do web design you would find that you understand the basics, but there is a lot you have to catch up on.

Language is one of the most useful and rewarding skills you will ever learn, just make sure it’s right for you now. Review your own circumstances and make the right choice.

Related posts:

1. Should I learn a new language: Part one: Motivation
2. Should I learn a new language: Part two: Interest + Courage

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