Below is a picture of a fruit called Sitaphal ('seeta-fal'). Sita is a character from the Ramayana and phal means fruit in Hindi. Sitaphal is delicious - it has a simple, sweet flavor. If I were to give you some regularly, and I brought it up often in conversations by saying things like, "Hey, do you want some Sitaphal?", you would learn its meaning effortlessly. This is how language acquisition is supposed to be: Effortless.
And yet, so few tools lean into the above learning process
Now consider the types of practice readily available to all:
- Duolingo and its plethora of clones
- Flashcards, including almost all flashcard apps
- Self-driven study using textbooks and other resources
- Private tutors
All these available options, digital and analogue, depend upon demarcated blocks of study time. If you're a parent, carer or otherwise have demanding responsibilities, then you could be forgiven for thinking that learning a language is simply impossible for you. This is a shame. Learning should be accessible to all.
Furthermore, approaches that require such investment are more difficult to sustain for every other type of learner too. Making learning easier for busy people with full schedules would also make it easier for everyone else - I love this detail (see the curb cut effect).
There are other, new language learning platforms available, but they all run into the same, simple fact: Real immersion isn't something you do for 10 minutes before you go to sleep.
Existing approaches all require you to have the time, energy, and discipline to study regularly. It feels hard because it's not the way humans acquire language in the wild.
Hey, do you want some Sitaphal?
The Banyan Flashcards app facilitates passive, immersive learning, by sending you interactive notifications at a regular interval. By recording your indication of whether you remember a word, the app can fully manage the memorization process, ensuring that you see vocabulary regularly until you can reliably recall, recognize and use it in sentences.
This is a different kind of language app. Other apps demand an inflexible block of your time and attention every day, without giving you a sense of immersion. This app is built to be at once more flexible and more immersive. My goal is to make learning effortless.