This blog post is AI-generated by Claude and inspired by the original PolyTripper video linked below.
Hi Language Buddy!
I hope you had a productive past week. Today I want to talk about an idea I stole from another language learning website—a ridiculously simple trick that can improve your language assimilation.
I got this from Innovative Languages. I bought a lifetime subscription to their package with all the languages. I have mixed feelings about their platform—some good, some not so great for me—but one video I watched recently really stuck with me.
They talked about the notion of copying texts, and I'm excited to steal that idea and share it with you because I think it's brilliant.
Language learning has two main components: input and output.
Input: Learning vocabulary, listening to people talk, reading—basically absorbing the language.
Output: Speaking and writing original things, actively producing the language.
I typically don't focus much on writing in my language learning because I'm more interested in conversation. I do some writing when instruction books ask grammar exercise questions, but that has a limited duration. Once I'm conversationally competent, I usually just stick with online conversations and don't follow up with any writing.
I realized after watching that video that this approach has been holding me back.
There are two kinds of writing you can do for language learning:
Original composition: Writing texts and having them corrected by teachers or native speakers. This is important, but I haven't gotten to this point yet because I feel too lazy to commit to that process.
Copying: Simply copying texts that you understand, verbatim. I didn't realize this counted as valid output practice, but apparently it does.
According to the video, copying texts you understand counts as the output component of your instruction. It can help you assimilate the language in a different way because you're experiencing it from another angle—not just hearing it conversationally or reading it passively, but actively writing it out.
This hit me like a revelation because I have long lists of vocabulary words and phrases I want to memorize. Copying them could be a perfect way to get my output component while reinforcing material I already want to learn.
There's solid research supporting this approach. Writing by hand (or even typing) engages different neural pathways than reading or listening:
Motor memory: The physical act of writing creates muscle memory associations with words and phrases.
Enhanced encoding: Writing requires more active processing than passive reading, leading to better retention.
Pattern recognition: Copying helps you internalize spelling patterns, word combinations, and grammatical structures.
Focused attention: The copying process forces you to pay attention to every letter and word, not just general meaning.
Studies show that students who take handwritten notes retain information better than those who type, partly because handwriting requires more deliberate, focused processing.
Here's how you can integrate copying into your language learning:
Start with vocabulary lists: Copy words and example sentences by hand instead of just reading them.
Copy interesting passages: When you find well-written text in your target language, copy sections that use grammar or vocabulary you want to internalize.
Copy dialogues: Transcribe conversations from podcasts or videos to reinforce natural speech patterns.
Copy model texts: Find examples of the kind of writing you want to do (emails, letters, essays) and copy them to absorb structure and style.
This approach is perfect for people like me who want the benefits of writing practice without the intimidation of original composition. You don't have to worry about making mistakes or finding the right words—you're just reinforcing correct patterns that already exist.
It's a bridge between passive input and active output that requires minimal creativity but maximum attention to linguistic detail.
Once you get comfortable with straight copying, you can evolve the practice:
• Copy and then try to rewrite from memory
• Copy similar sentences with small variations
• Copy and then create your own sentences using the same patterns
• Copy and then translate back to your native language, then back to the target language
I'm pretty excited about incorporating this into my Russian studies. It feels like a missing piece that could help bridge the gap between my input-heavy approach and true language proficiency.
Hope you have an excellent, productive upcoming week!
