Start with what you know
Bring your existing languages and experiences into the learning process.
Languages · Learning · Connection
More than one language.
More ways in.
What if learning a related language began with the languages you already know?
Intercomprehension invites speakers of related languages to draw on similarities between them to understand one another—often while each person keeps using their own language. It can make multilingual communication and language learning feel more connected and less like starting from zero.
Discover the approachA personal multilingual perspective
Languages Laura
speaks.
CatalanSpanishFrenchItalianRomanianEnglish
Catalan, Spanish, French, Italian and Romanian are Romance languages. English adds another perspective to Laura’s multilingual repertoire.
The idea
Notice what
connects.
A plurilingual approach treats the languages you know as resources: compare, notice patterns, make informed guesses and build understanding across languages.
Look for patterns
Notice familiar words, structures and clues—and where languages differ.
Build understanding
Use context and comparison to make sense of a new text or conversation.
Research & practice
Language learning
is also connection.
Intercomprehension explores how speakers draw on what they know of related languages to understand one another. It offers a useful perspective on multilingual communication and language learning.
Explore academic publicationsCurious about learning across related languages?
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