My Favorite Language Learners Series: Richard Simcott
After Mike Campbell and Moses McCormick, the third polyglot I found on YouTube was Richard Simcott (that guy in the picture above!). I’m very happy to say that he’s been a huge inspiration for my language learning.
I first found him in this video, stumbling around YouTube trying to figure out ways to improve my language learning. Hearing him speak in 16 different languages really made me want to check him and his YouTube channel out.
Originally from Chester in the UK, Simcott is a living example of self-directed language learning. He has had a vast range of professional experience ranging from being a multilingual technical support executive for several companies to a diplomatic officer for the British Foreign Service to being a production manager for multilingual moderation and languages director for Emoderation to being the languages director for Polpeo. He’s also hosted several multilingual events such as the Polyglot Conference in several locations around the world (Budapest, Novi Sad, New York City, and Thessaloniki) and the Polyglot Workshops together with British polyglot Alex Rawlings. This is only a sample of his impressive resume.
Throughout his YouTube channel and Facebook page and blog he offers a lot of excellent advice and stories on language learning from his own personal experience. He lives in Macedonia with his wife and daughter who are also multilingual.
The way that he has influenced me was first of all how humble he is about his language learning. Though he knows a lot of languages, he doesn’t learn them to flaunt or to show off or to sell products, but he does it purely out of his own passion for learning languages and his sincere commitment to helping the multilingual community grow. Secondly he always seems very pleasant to hear from. As I’ve been watching his videos I am always really excited to hear about his language learning journey. I also like how positive Simcott is through all his videos and that he makes an effort to lift everyone up.
In summary, Simcott is an inspiring multilingual person and he is someone I as a fellow language learner and polyglot-in-training would very much like to meet and have a (multilingual) chat with one day, perhaps at a Polyglot Conference or Gathering.
Links:
Richard’s blog, Speaking Fluently: http://speakingfluently.com/
Richard’s Speaking Fluently Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SpeakingFluently/?fref=ts
Richard’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Torbyrne
