Why is this podcast/blog needed?

Is this what deconstructing the language looks like?

I know that I am probably not talking to the masses here. Believe it or not but Lithuanian is not the most widespread language in the world. There of course is a reason for that. Or many reasons. Let’s not get into all that now though and let’s just say that Lithuanian can be a little bit high maintenance sometimes and that’s one of the major reasons for it to be primarily used only in Lithuania.

However there are quite a few who for one reason or another are wanting to learn it. That’s our reason number one for this podcast/blog to exist. There is a need. As someone who has been teaching Lithuanian for more than five years I am painfully aware of the limited offerings as far as teaching material goes. Beginners can only find a few half baked textbooks filled with the typical cliche fun facts about Lithuania living.

As soon as you progress you’re usually left alone. There is no A1→A2→B1→B2→C1→C2 transition. In the beginning you learn how to say “There is a house. The house is big. There are two windows.” and then your only options are to continue learning the most basic stuff or try to hit the language full on by watching the news or listening to the radio. Naturally it turns out to be impossible and one can soon see their morale and motivation to learn Lithuanian go out the window and that’s usually the end of it.

Because there is no middle ground. It’s either sandbox level or near native. This podcast was created to bridge the gap and give every enthusiast of the Lithuanian language a chance to explore it on a higher level. Enough talking about trees and cars and houses. Let’s talk about music, culture, traveling, pets, camping, history and so much more. You don’t need to become a native speaker in order to communicate in Lithuanian and understand most things.

Just try to make the most of this blog and podcast. There is a finite number of new words and expressions. Even if it can be confusing at first, just persevere and keep listening. The more you are exposed to the language the faster you learn it. Just like that, without any magic mantras or secret pills that we, foreign language teachers, keep away from those who want to learn a language overnight.