Rapid increase in access to the language site of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

During the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, in which many countries and regions participate, the website of a university where you can learn 27 languages ​​for free became a hot topic on the Internet, and there were voices saying that watching the game increased the motivation to learn foreign languages. It's up.

The topic is the "Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Language Module" on the homepage of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

During the Tokyo Olympics, posts on the Internet such as "I'm making a free learning site, so I'm going to tweet it because it seems to be in demand" became a hot topic, and it continued to spread during the Paralympic Games.

On the site, you can learn the pronunciation and grammar of 27 languages ​​such as Urdu, Laos, and Bengali, in addition to English and Chinese, which are often studied in Japan, and native teachers and international students can learn 40 scenes of daily life. , I have a conversation in the language I often use.

According to the university, especially during the Olympic Games, there were about seven times as many accesses as usual, and on the Internet, "I felt like learning a language other than English when I saw the Olympic Games," through watching the game. There are voices saying that the motivation to learn a foreign language has increased.

Professor Yuji Kawaguchi of the Faculty of Languages ​​and Cultures, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, who was involved in the launch of the site, said, "I created the site because I wanted you to know various languages ​​because it is good at a rudimentary level. You can learn without worrying about time and place. So please use it. "

10 regional variations on the English site

In addition, there are various variations of "English" depending on the region, and you can learn English in 10 regions including India, Ireland, and Malaysia on the site.

Chinese also introduces dialects spoken in each region such as Taiwan and Suzhou.

Professor Kawaguchi said, "Even if you say'I can speak English', if the other person speaks something other than American English, communication may not be smooth. I want you to realize through learning that there are variations and diversity in languages." I'm talking.