Received a "free review copy" of the above book to promote on my page.........................
Speaking on fluency he says:
"There is no absolute, discernible point you pass when you can say, Now I speak the language fluently. Its like the idea of beauty, in that way. You can have more of it, but there is no threshold you finally cross that signals youve arrived. Its all relative."
Further,
This is a problem if we want something distinct to aim for, though. And even if we each came up with a personal understanding of what feels accurate or good enough, because we are all filled with bias, confidence issues, unrealistic expectations, and elitist standards, as well as definitions of the word fluent that might be way too flexible, I dont think such vague understandings are useful for a mission with a specific target.
The author advocates taking a standardized exam to establish whether you have reached fluency. I interpret the passage below as him saying that if you are going to talk smack on your blogs, websites, ebooks (gringo tree) about how great your Spanish is and how important it is for us to learn, then give us something a little more objective than your personal self-assessment of your language abilities.
The CEFRL System
With such conflicting ideas about what constitutes fluency, the system I rely on is a much more scientific and well-established language threshold criterion used by the major bodies that examine language levels in Europe. Foundations like the Alliance Française, the Instituto Cervantes, and the Goethe-Institut all use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL), a comprehensive guideline of language evaluation.
This system uses standard terminology, accepted across Europe (and used by many institutions for Asian languages, even if not adopted by those countries formally), for specific language levels. In the terminology, basically A means beginner, B means intermediate, and C means advanced. Each level is then split into lower 1 and upper 2. So upper beginner level is A2, and lower advanced level would be C1. The six levels on this scale, from the simplest to the most complex, are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2.
On this scale, an A level is what I would generally call a functional tourist: good enough to get by for basic necessities, or a beginner in various stages. C level implies mastery: you can work in the language exactly as you would in your native tongue and are effectively as good as a native in all ways, though you may still have an accent.
In my mind, fluency starts at level B2 and includes all levels above it (C1 and C2). More specifically, a person who reaches the B2 level on the CEFRL scale, relevant to the conversational aspect, is defined as someone who can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.
This means that, for a solid fluency goal, you should aim to participate in regular conversations without strain for either you or the people you are speaking with. Thats regular conversations, not debates on sixteenth-century French politics.
For me, B2 fluency at least in a conversational, social context implies that I can live my life in this language exactly as I would in English. I can go to any social event that I would typically go to in English and chat with natives without having them slow down for my benefit. I can discuss anything I would in English at a casual event, and natives can generally talk to me as they would with another native speaker.
What it doesn't imply is also very important to consider. Hesitations are okay, and accents are fine. (In fact, you can earn a C2 diploma with an accent, as long as it doesnt hinder communication.) Also fine at the B2 level is the inability to discuss some very complex topics.
Realizing your limitations is essential, because aiming for perfection is a fools errand. You need to be realistic, but you can also aim for the milestone on your path of maybe someday mastering a language. There is never an end point at which you can say your work in learning the language is done. Even in my native language of English I still encounter new words and aspects of other dialects I didnt know before. Learning a language can be a lifelong adventure, but the point is that you can reach certain stages within finite times when you have those stages well defined.
Even if you don´´t agree with my specific definition of fluency, make sure your definition is as clear as possible and includes specifics of what it is not.
For those in peep brigade interested in taking an exam to establish your level of Spansh fluency, here is a link:
http://www.dele.org/
I hope to take level C1 someday, but only if and when I can turn on any Spanish program on the television and understand 90% of the dialog clearly.
