He Learned 7 Chants in 7 Languages This Summer. His Method Is Almost Too Simple
No apps. No flashcards. Just one very loud strategy.
One American fan set himself a challenge for this summer's World Cup across the US, Mexico and Canada: learn a chant from every group of traveling supporters he encountered. He's up to seven languages, and his method is disarmingly simple.
'You stand near the loudest guy,' he explained. 'That's it. That's the whole method.' He positions himself beside the most committed singer in any crowd, absorbs the melody first, mumbles the words until they sharpen, and asks what it all means afterward — over snacks, if possible.
The chants have gotten him adopted by supporter groups from three continents, invited to two barbecues, and taught more geography than school ever managed. He can now be sad or euphoric in seven languages, which he considers the summer's real trophy.
Linguists actually endorse the approach — melody-first learning, they note, is how children acquire language. Fans endorse it for a better reason: it comes with barbecues.
