Language learning in the age of Google

How did we ever live without Google providing all kinds of information on the internet? Who now opens a paper dictionary when one can type in any word into the Google search box along with "definition" and and the search will return a list of online dictionaries with the definition of the word and examples of how the word can be used.

Google is also an excellent assistant in checking grammar, idioms, or word combinations (collocations), because it is currently the largest corpus of online texts in different languages.

When in doubt about how to use a word or a combination of words, one can type the word or the string of words, or even a grammatical construction the learner is unsure about in the search box and receive thousands results in milliseconds. Incorrect word usage or word combinations or incorrect grammatical structures will also appear, but the number will be much smaller and will most likely come from unreliable sources.

Language learners can now compare two words or expressions using the Ngrams program, which is part of Google Books to evaluate the relative popularity (or use) of the words in the books that Google has digitized. However, there are some pitfalls in using this tool to study language, and one must exercise common sense when making conclusions about the use of words based on the corpus of scanned books that powers Google Ngram. Read about them here.

Importantly, Google is a fantastic way to immerse oneself in the target language, to read, listen to, and watch authentic content, interact with native speakers, and even visit cultural sites. So, language learners, you are without excuse! Google your way into the language you learn--and have fun!