Czy wrodzone zdolności są kluczem do językowego sukcesu? A, może talent jest przereklamowany? Na czym polega prawdziwa tajemnica językowych wyjadaczy? Zapraszam na trzeci odcinek podcastu “Umiem po angielsku”.
It sometimes happens that I hear people say, ‘You’re so lucky and talented, you speak English so well,’ or ‘Your British accent is so good! You must have a good ear.’ But is it all about talent and luck? Or is there anything else to it? My name is Ania, and you’re listening to the third episode of Umiem po angielsku.
In this episode, I’d like you to focus on some key phrases. These are: blasphemy, pull yourself together, knack for, inborn ability, learning the ropes, persistence, and smart work. As you listen, try to see if you can understand these expressions from the context. Don’t worry if they’re new to you—I’ll explain each one at the end of the episode. There is also a link to a transcription of this episode in the description.
When I was a child, people would say that talent is not enough, but without talent and luck, one can’t achieve much. Even now, I hear such blasphemy here and there. I remember that hearing such words as a child made me want to stop trying hard. I didn’t know what my talents were. As a child and later as a teenager, I wasn’t sure I had any. I knew what I sucked at, though, and that didn’t help me either. It would have been so much easier for me if I had been told that talent is overrated and that discovering the world, along with smart work, is what truly matters on one’s way to self-development. Do you know what? It breaks my heart to know that there are so many good souls out there who don’t pursue their dreams because it’s either too late or they’re not gifted enough. They believe luck is not on their side; hence, they can’t really do much.
But what is talent? As far as I know, it’s an inborn ability to do something. However, this ability isn’t an unconditional response that just happens of its own accord. Am I right? If so, you need to keep practicing to maintain or improve it. Anyway, no matter how gifted you are, you need to spend time developing a particular skill. Otherwise, your talent can fly out of the window.
So many times, I’ve been told that I must have a knack for languages and that I’m super duper lucky to like what I do for a living. I’ve got a question to ask then: ‘Is that so?’. How about all those years of my hard work, passion, failure, recovering, and getting down to work again? Don’t dismiss all that so easily. I get it, though. It’s supposed to be a nice remark praising my genius, if you will. Although, there is more to it than just admiring somebody’s brain. I also see it as a convenient excuse not to pull yourself together and get down to work. ‘Cos you know, if you can’t do much without inborn abilities, why bother?
Last time I checked, nobody had paid any attention to a bike-riding talent before starting a riding course with their kiddies! Not a single parent had even taken that into consideration! They would just say, ‘Let’s learn how to cycle. Everyone can do it; so can you!’ Isn’t it the same with learning the ropes at work? You just do it, don’t you? So why the heck would adults say they can’t learn languages, pick up musical instruments, or do other fabulous things in their adulthood due to a lack of talent? Working with so many people, I’ve noticed that learning difficulties don’t usually result from a lack of knack but from a lack of knowledge of how to actually learn.
Don’t you dare learn languages mindlessly and blame it on your age or a lack of natural skills. Read about learning methods, and choose the one that works best for you. Listen to polyglots; they know how to master the art of languages since they’ve already learnt so many of them. Keep in mind that an intermediate level of a lingo (which is B2 level) doesn’t require profound understanding of linguistics. What’s more, it’s a very, very high level of a language. In order to reach it, all you need is persistence and, as I said before, smart work. People usually don’t need to reach a proficient level (which is C2) as it’s an academic language not a native-like one. Natives don’t talk like that on a daily basis. They don’t even usually talk like that at work in a business setting, so why should you?
So, the next time you catch yourself envying someone’s „talent” or „luck,” stop for a moment. Remind yourself that what you’re actually seeing is hours, months, even years of consistent effort, passion, and smart choices. Talent might open the door, but it’s hard work that keeps it open. If you have a dream, don’t let the idea of talent—or a supposed lack of it—hold you back. Make a plan, choose your methods, and start small. You’ll be amased at what you can achieve with dedication and a bit of patience.
Alright, let’s go over those expressions that I mentioned at the beginning with a bit more detail. Blasphemy; technically it means showing disrespect toward something sacred, but here I’m using it playfully to mean an idea that sounds shocking or controversial. For example, saying, “Talent doesn’t matter much” might seem like blasphemy to some people who believe strongly in it.
Then, pull yourself together is an idiom that means to regain your composure or focus when things feel overwhelming. If you’re nervous before a presentation, you might take a deep breath and tell yourself, “Come on, pull yourself together!”
Knack for something means having a natural skill or talent. For instance, you might say, “She has a real knack for languages,” if she picks them up easily. Similarly, inborn ability refers to a natural trait, like someone who’s always been good at art—it’s as if they were born with that talent.
Learning the ropes means getting to know the basics of a new skill. When you start a new job, for example, you’re usually just learning the ropes at first, figuring out how everything works.
Persistence is that quality of sticking with something even when it gets tough. Think of a runner who doesn’t stop, even if they’re exhausted—that’s persistence in action.
And finally, smart work is about working effectively rather than just working harder. Instead of studying for hours without a plan, smart work might mean focusing on your weaknesses or using strategies that help you remember more in less time.
I hope these examples help, and who knows—maybe you’ll find yourself using some of these phrases in the future! Fingers crossed.
Thank you so much for listening, take care, and remember to set realistic goals because practice is more important than perfection. Cheers!
Umiem po angielsku 