What Is the True Definition of Fluency?
How about getting rid of this unknown so we can focus on learning?
Whether you’re a new language-learner or a polyglot already, I am sure you’re still unsure of what the term “fluency” really means. Yet, you’re talking about “reaching fluency” or “becoming fluent”. What does it mean?
“Fluency” comes from the adjective “fluent”. This term is defined as below by the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
Capable of using a language easily and accurately
More vague terms, great.
What does it mean to be “using a language”? How do you quantify “easily” What is “accurately”?
I could go into a dictionary research-hole but there’d be no end to it. This simple definition already gives us the answer we are looking for.
Fluency cannot be brought down to facts. It is a subjective level. What some people will consider as a fluent level will be far from it or far above it for others. The moment you try to assign it a fixed value, you’ve missed the point.
Examples of fluency
- Be able to research and exchange about one’s specific field of work
- Be able to read and talk about the news
