complex　you　have　to　know　the　sex　of　a　dog　before　you　can　command　it　to　quit　biting
  you。
  These　are　not　monsters　in　the　woods。　The　lovely　people　who　speak　all　those
  languages　descend　from　people　who　found　every　single　one　of　those　Bermuda　Triangles
  of　grammar　utterly　logical　and　useful；　and　they’ve　never　felt　the　need　to　change。
  The　old　school　grammarians；　the　ones　who　assassinated　the　desire　of　young
  Americans　to　learn　foreign　languages；　were　right　in　their　insistence　that　knowledge　of
  grammar　is　vital。
  They　were　wrong；　however；　to　insist　that　all　grammar　must　be　learned　here　and　now
  before　we　take　our　first　step　into　conversation　and　the　fun　of　learning　another　language。
  Again；　grammar　is　best　attacked　from　the　rear。　When　you　read　the　rule　in　your
  grammar　book　you　may　say　to　yourself；　“Oh；　so　that’s　the　reason　I’ve　been　saying　it　that
  way　all　along；　the　way　I　learned　from　my　phrase　book；　my　cassettes；　my　newspaper；　and
  my　Italian　friend　at　the　pizzaria！”
  When　you　come　upon　an　explanation　of　a　grammatical　wrinkle　and　you　don’t
  understand　all　the　terms　in　English；　pick　up　a　dictionary　（not　a　language　dictionary；　but
  an　English　only　dictionary）。　You’ve　got　to　know　something　of　your　own　language　before
  you　can　efficiently　learn　another。
  Last　Words　Before
  the　Wedding
  It　is　my　hope　that　this　volume　will　help　those　who’ve　never　yet　dared　to　make　the
  commitment；　march　to　the　altar；　and　“marry”　another　language。　If　you’ve　already　studied
  other　languages；　perhaps　tried　for　years　with　disappointing　results；　let’s　look　at　your　next
  effort　as　a　second　marriage；　fortified；　this　time；　with　the　foregoing　advice。
  Best　men　and　bridesmaids　traditionally　utter　inanities　to　grooms　and　brides　before
  they　march　down　the　aisle。　As　your　avuncular　advisor；　who　at　this　writing　has　studied
  foreign　languages　as　a　hobby　for　forty…six　years；　let　me　use　this　precious　final
  opportunity　to　hammer　home　some　points　–　some　repeats　and　some　leftovers　–　that　will
  ensure　your　success　and　ensure　that　you　enjoy　yourself　as　you　succeed。
  Plunge　In
  When　an　interviewer　asked　the　famed　bank　robber　Willy　Sutton　why　he　robbed　banks；　he
  replied；　“Because　that’s　where　the　money　is。”　Using　the　language　is　where　the　real
  learning　is。　There’s　a　direct　analogy　to　sports　and　war。　Ask　any　ball　player　to　give　his
  views　on　the　difference　between　watching　the　coach　diagramme　plays　on　a　blackboard
  and　facing　the　opponents　in　a　real　game。　Ask　any　soldier　the　difference　between　basic
  training　and　actual　combat。
  The　same　difference　exists　between　language　study　and　language　use。　Try　recalling
  the　words　and　phrases　you’ve　learned　most　recently　the　next　time　you　meet　by　surprise　a
  speaker　of　the　language。　Your　mind　is　likely　to　be　a　frustrating　blank。　Once　you’ve　used
  your　knowledge　in　real　life；　however；　your　chances　of　recall　are　much　greater。
  Go　out；　then；　and　“pick”　conversations　in　the　language　you’re　learning；　like　a
  belligerent　drunk　picks　fights。
  Certain　words；　phrases；　idioms；　and　grammatical　constructions　will　remain
  unmeltable　lumps。　They　will　defeat　your　best　efforts　to　learn　them。　Many　students　accept
  such　unscalable　heights　as　proof　that　“I　don’t　have　an　ear　for　languages！”　（That；　by　the
  way；　is　the　most　pernicious　myth　of　all。　If　you　have　the　motivation　and　discipline　to
  proceed　through　the　system；　it　doesn’t　matter　what　kind　of　“ear”　you　have；　so　long　as　it
  can　hear。）
  Once　you　score　your　first　victory　over　one　of　those　“unconquerable”　fortresses；　an
  emotional　momentum　is　released　that　will　carry　you　forward。　Grab　hold　of　the　nearest
  holdout　word　and　beat　the　hell　out　of　it。　Bite　at　it　one　syllable　at　a　time　or　even　one　letter
  at　a　time。　Throw　fits　of　irrational　energy　against　it　until　it’s　yours。
  There　is　something　truly　serene　about　encountering　a　word　that　used　to　be　a　hideous
  holdout　–　and　is　now　as　familiar　to　you　as　your　middle　name！
  Point　of　sale　is　to　good　a　term　to　be　limited　to　disposable　razors　and　other　sundries
  arrayed　near　the　cash　register　at　convenience　stores。　Let’s　apply　it　to　getting　ahead　in　a
  foreign　language。
  The　quickest　and　easiest　time　I　ever　had　learning　a　phrase　in　a　foreign　language　was
  Molim　za　ples；　which　is　Serbo…Croatian　for　“May　I　have　this　dance？”　I　was　a　college
  student　visiting　Yugoslavia。　An　unforgivably　attractive　young　woman　smiled　at　me
  across　the　gym　floor　at　a　student　dance。　I　asked　Darko；　my　interpreter　companion；　how　to
  say；　“May　I　have　this　dance？”
  “Molim　za　ples；”　he　replied。
  I　had　no　idea　whether　the　mo　or　the　lim　or　the　za　or　the　ples　meant　“May”　or　“I”　or
  “have”　or　“this”　or　“dance。”　Nor　did　I　waste　time　worrying　about　it。　I　simply　strode
  across　the　floor；　said　“Molim　za　ples；”　and　enjoyed　my　first　dance　in　Yugoslavia！
  Darko　was　giving　me　point　of　sale　instruction。
  Use　it！　When　you　know　you’re　going　to　a　restaurant　the　day　after　tomorrow　where
  the　waiters　speak　the　language　you’re　trying　to　learn；　don’t　use　your　hidden　moments　in
  the　meantime　on　general　vocabulary。　Sit　down　and　compile　a　restaurant　vocabulary　of
  food　items　and　utensils　and　let　that　be　your　focus　from　that　moment　until　you　leave　the
  restaurant　after　the　meal。
  Are　you　headed　for　a　party　over　the　weekend　where　you’re　fairly　sure　at　least　one
  guest　speaks　your　target　language？　Start　carrying　your　phrase　book　as　well　as　your　flash
  cards　and　review　the　“getting　to　know　you”　phrases；　such　as　“Where　are　you　from？”
  “How　long　do　you　intend　to　stay　in　America？”　etc。
  Whenever　you　see　an　impending　opportunity　to　speak　the　language；　get　a　head　start
  by　sizing　up　the　news　of　the　day　and　going　into　your　dictionary　for　the　terms　you’ll　need
  that　you　don’t　yet　know。　（“Election；”　“proposal；”　“tariff；”　“amend；”　“hostage；”　“coup；”
  etc。）　Focus　your　learning　effort　opportunistically　to　make　the　best　possible　showing　when
  you　reach　the　point　of　sale　–　the　conversation　you　can　anticipate。
  The　“show；”　by　the　way；　is　not　to　impress　others。　It’s　to　impress　that　part　of　you
  that；　when　you　hear　yourself　doing　so　well；　will　inspire　you　to　proceed　with　your　broad
  front　general　advance　through　the　language。
  A　policeman　is　a　policeman　twenty…four　hours　a　day。　So　is　a　fireman；　a　spy；　a
  marine；　and　a　language　learner。　Learn　to　catch　yourself　several　times　a　day；　indoors　or
  outdoors；　and　look　around。　What　are　the　first　five　things　you　see　that　you　don’t　know
  how　to　say　in　your　target　language？　Write　the　English　down　on　a　blank　flash　card　and　fill
  in　the　target　language　words　when　you　get　home　to　your　dictionary。
  At　least　once　a　day　pretend　you’re　a　United　Nations　interpreter　simultaneously
  interpreting　what　somebody　is　saying　to　you　in　your　target　language。　When　he　gets　to　the
  fifth　word　that　you　wouldn’t　know　how　to　say　in　your　target　language；　abandon　the
  exercise　and　write　those　words　down；　again；　on　a　blank　flash　card。　Fill　in　the　foreign　side
  of　the　flash　card　as　soon　as　you　get　back　to　your　dictionary。
  Reward…and…Denial　Games
  There　is　a　clever　way　to　speed　learning。　Impose　little　discipline　games　on　yourself　geared
  to　bringing　you　back　to　the　language　often　throughout　the　day　for　short　periods　that　can’t
  possibly　get　in　your　way。　Don’t　let　yourself　have　the　first　cup　of　coffee　until　you　review
  ten　of　the　words　you　learned　yesterday。　Permit　yourself　dessert　if　you　can　go　through　ten
  whole　flash　cards　without　a　mistake。　Say　yes　to　the　extra　glass　of　wine　if　you　can　name
  any　five　objects　in　the　room　in　the　foreign　language　while　you　hold　your　breath。　Let
  yourself　take　off　and　go　see　the　movie　once　you’re　able　to　beat　the　speaker　on　the
  cassette　to　the　foreign　word　or　phrase　for　a　solid　minute。　Or；　as　you　advance；　two　or　three
  minutes。
  Roll　your　own　rules。　It’s　painless。　It’s　fun。　It’s　character　building。　And　it　rushes　you
  forward　to　quicker　results。
  Profanity　and　Vulgarity
  Forget　it。　Whoever　uses　foul　language　even　in　English　among　people　he　doesn’t　know
  well　loses　standing。　When　you　go　out　of　your　way　to　use　bad　language　in　a　foreign
  language；　it’s　much　worse。
  One　night　in　a　blockhouse　on　the　Austrian　side　of　the　Hungarian　border　waiting　for
  refugees　to　come　across；　our　all　male　crowd　represented　three　languages：　English；
  German；　and　Hungarian。　A　brisk　discussion　in　comparative　obscenity　broke　out　and　a
  fascinating　pattern　emerged。　Whatever　we　had　three　or　four　dirty　words　for　in　English；
  German　always　had　sixteen　or　seventeen　and　Hungarian　never　less　than　thirty…five！
  Sure；　the　other　guy’s　garbage　is　fun　to　know；　but　it’s　tacky；　so　leave　it　alone。　It’s　all
  right　to　get　command　of　their　unacceptable　terms　for　defensive　purposes　only　–　so　you’ll
  know　what　not　to　say　and　be　able　to　exercise　caution　when　using　words　dangerously
  similar　to　the　no…no　words。
  It’s　a　good　idea　to　follow　Maimonides　on　this　one：　“Wha